Here’s an interesting topic…

Resisting grace…

We’ve all known people who have resisted the Grace of God through us…

I’m sure if we thought we’d all – who know the Lord – be able to remember a time when someone resisted the Grace of God through us…

It feels like they should listen because we know what we are saying is true and we also know that there’s nothing wrong with our motivation in sharing those things with them…

And so when they oppose us and contradict us we kind of go, ‘What, what’s with that?’ and are really surprised…

How do you handle that?

I’ve been learning just to keep my mouth shut when that happens…

Sometimes I try to pray and ask the Lord to come underneath and set them free but often I get, ‘No’ (a clear and authoritative ‘No’ – like He’s not going to change His Mind) and the reason is because He is resisting pride…

If we – those whom we are speaking to – resist God’s Grace through us then they are being proud…

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” (James 4:6 NASB)

The Lord doesn’t like being opposed and He doesn’t like us being opposed when we are His Mouthpiece in a certain situation…

Whenever the Holy Spirit is living through us we are His Mouthpiece in that situation – God is speaking through us…

And we feel His Grief when He is resisted through us…

But in that place God can’t answer our prayer for that one – I have experienced this – this is a Divine Mystery…

How does God ‘get through’ to someone who resists His Grace?

I don’t know – but I know He does cos I’ve resisted His Voice and He’s gotten through to me and looking back it is the very opposition of not feeling His closeness and not feeling close to Him and not hearing His Voice which brings me back to find out why, which inevitably frees His Spirit to show me where I went wrong and how to ‘get right’, to ‘come back’ ‘into line’…

So even being opposed by God is His Grace to us – who know Him…

But what about those who don’t know Him?

Pharaoh resisted God’s Grace to him and it hardened him – he moved further and further away from God and rebelled against His Voice – ending in destruction…

So for those who know Him there is always redemption…

Or being taken home to be with Him – this is the ultimate redemption – we will all hear and obey His Voice there…

Either which way we will – who know Him – all hear and obey His Voice…

Others – who don’t know Him – experience the opposition unto death – spiritual death…

The Lord is opposing them because of their pride…

Humility attracts the Lord…

Pride repels Him…