SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1096

“Stiff Necked”

You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit… – Acts 7:51

I confess that I have had a tendency to be pridefully stubborn and pig-headed at times. God’s Word calls that being ‘stiff-necked’ and by the grace of God He is continually working in me to transform that character trait into a one of compliant tenaciousness that He can use for His glory.

The Bible tells us about stiff-necked people that God transformed for His good purposes.

Jonah was stiff-necked and resisted God.

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah…Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me. But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord… – Jonah 1:1-3

Paul actively resisted God by persecuting Jesus.

And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ – Acts 26:14

It is The Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin and draws us to repentance and salvation through Jesus. How many times have we heard the Truth of His Word preached and felt the tug in our hearts to repent or to answer an altar call but we resisted in our stiff-necked pride and grieved Him?

And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment... And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption – John 16:8-1; Ephesians 4:30

Have you ever been asked for counsel and have your advice rejected immediately without consideration? How did that make you feel? That feeling is a small taste of the grief we give the Holy Spirit, our Counselor when we quench His guidance.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you; And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left; Do not quench the Spirit. – John 14:26; Isaiah 30:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Our pridefulness and stiff-necked tendencies do not go away once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Our sanctification is a work in process and will remain so until we are glorified on the last day.

May you yield to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit as He counsels you in the way you should go.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that …you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2