“You stubborn people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors did!
Acts 7:51 NET
Much of Acts 7 is a brief retelling of the history of Israel from the time of Abraham up to Jesus’ crucifixion. And their history since the exodus from Egypt is summarized in this verse. They were a stubborn people who were always resisting the Holy Spirit. And that included those of Stephen’s day.
What does it mean to resist the Holy Spirit? At the end of Stephen’s speech, he accused the people of Israel of having received God’s law but failing to obey it. Resisting the Holy Spirit is somewhat synonymous with failing to follow God’s instructions.
Israel had the Torah and the writings of the prophets. They had a history of God working among them. And they had God’s presence, first in the form of the Tabernacle and then in the Temple.
But more often than not, they refused to do what God wanted them to do, even doing the opposite. And, as they did, they were resisting the Holy Spirit.
Resisting the Spirit Today
God’s people today are, in some ways, similar to the Israel of Stephen’s day. We have the Scriptures, a history of God working in and through us, and the indwelling Holy Spirit.
But how often do we also follow them in resisting the Holy Spirit? How frequently do we hear the Holy Spirit speaking to us and fail to obey? Or go even further and act in ways contrary to his direction?
To be even more personal, how often do I resist the Holy Spirit? How often do I read something in the Scripture, sense the Spirit leading me to apply it to my life, and choose not to obey? To my shame, I must admit that it happens all too often.
How much better would our walk with Christ be if we obeyed him instead of resisting and grieving the Spirit (Eph. 4:30)? And how much more effective would our witness to the world be if we obeyed the Spirit rather than resisting his direction?
Lord, give me ears to hear and a heart that obeys.
