WEDNESDAY'S WORD - RESISTANCE - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati - 09/09/15

Resistance is the refusal to accept or comply with something; or the attempt to prevent something by action or argument. Resistance can come in the form of armed or violent opposition, like secret agencies or movements against governments. Individuals like Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who recently refused to give marriage licenses to same-sex couples, can resist what they believe is an unjust law and suffer the consequences of breaking it. Resistance can mean impeding, slowing, or stopping the adverse effect exerted by one thing on another.  To resist means to withstand the action or effect of something by ignoring or by struggling.
  
We often choose what's called "the path of least resistance."  We want the easiest course of action because we desire to avoid any and all difficulty or unpleasantness.  Most of us are especially resistant to change in all its forms because it's uncomfortable. Jesus said the gateway to life is narrow and strait and few find it. Strait means characterized by a specified degree of trouble or difficulty; close, strict or rigorous. The road to destruction on the other hand, is broad and wide and most people choose that easier route. (Matthew 7:13-14) Christ followers are not to resist -  but embrace difficulties.  The Apostle James tells us to, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-4)

The other day, the Lord told me to, "Stop resisting your life, and start resting in it."  I was internally arguing with, struggling against, and stonewalling (delaying or blocking with evasive replies) what God has ordained for my life.  All of what is going on is not bad, just very challenging. Scripture tells us where our resistance should really be, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) In my resistant posture about God's will, I have unwittingly been submitting to the devil and resisting the Lord.  I wonder if that's ever happened to you?