In what ways can we avoid becoming "stiff-necked" in our spiritual walk? A Warning from Acts 7:51 “You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; just as your fathers did, you do also.” What “Stiff-Necked” Signifies • Picture an ox that refuses to turn its head when the farmer tugs the reins. A rigid neck equals a stubborn will. • Spiritually, it is a settled resistance to God’s leading, correction, or commands (Exodus 32:9; Deuteronomy 10:16). • Stephen links that stubbornness to “resisting the Holy Spirit,” showing the issue is not ignorance but unwillingness. Practical Ways to Stay Flexible Before God • Respond immediately to Scripture – Open the Bible daily expecting to obey (Psalm 119:60). – When a verse convicts, act rather than debate (James 1:22). • Cultivate a teachable spirit – Invite counsel from mature believers (Proverbs 13:20). – Reject the pride that says, “I already know” (1 Corinthians 8:2). • Keep short accounts with God – Confess sin as soon as the Spirit exposes it (1 John 1:9). – Refuse to rationalize or shift blame like Israel did at Meribah (Psalm 95:8). • Welcome the Holy Spirit’s promptings – Ask Him to “search me and know my heart” (Psalm 139:23-24). – Obey the gentle nudge before He must shout (Hebrews 3:7-8). • Engage in heartfelt worship – Worship softens the heart by exalting God, not self (Psalm 95:6-7). – Sing, pray, and meditate until awe replaces apathy. • Serve others humbly – Jesus washed feet; following Him breaks the spine of pride (John 13:14-17). – Look for unnoticed, unglamorous tasks (Galatians 5:13). • Practice grateful remembrance – Rehearse God’s past faithfulness (Deuteronomy 8:2). – Thankfulness prevents the entitlement that hardens the heart. • Stay in accountable fellowship – “Exhort one another daily…so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13). – Invite brothers or sisters to speak truth when drift appears. Scriptures That Reinforce a Tender Heart • Exodus 32:9—“I have seen this people…they are a stiff-necked people.” • Deuteronomy 10:16—“Circumcise your hearts…do not be stiff-necked any longer.” • Psalm 51:17—“A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” • Isaiah 66:2—“This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.” • James 4:6—“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Keep the neck loose, the heart soft, and the ears open; resistance gives way to refreshing when we yield quickly and completely to the Lord. |
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