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Resist Not

Early mornings are my time alone with the Lord. I do not set an alarm to meet with Him. Instead, He wakes me when it pleases Him. When I sense His call, I rise and come to my prayer room, a little closet nook, fitted with cushions and my study materials. Jesus’ manifest presence was especially heavy one morning recently. I felt that He wanted me to just receive His great love. I wanted to be responsive to Him, but I felt vulnerable and unworthy so I tensed. Patiently, gently, He reminded, “Don’t resist Me.”

Resisting always involves our will. To resist means to fall upon, run against, to be adverse, oppose, or strive against. It is human to resist: We are adverse to change. We oppose things we don’t understand or don’t like. We run against God when He requires faith, risk, and sacrifice. Resistance can be as blatant as raising our fist in rebellion, thrusting Him away, or running away. It can also be subtle like tensing in His presence, stepping aside, or looking away.

Is Jesus allowed to express His love for us without our resistance? Is the Holy Spirit allowed to interrupt, rearrange, postpone? Is He allowed to suggest something new or deeper without our resistance? We serve a God who expresses love profusely, even vulnerably. The scriptures emphasize the importance of laying aside resistance and submitting ourselves to God—all the while resisting our enemy. God is expressing love. Let’s do everything in our power to receive Him.

Activate

· Draw a line across the center of a blank piece of paper. It helps to take out paper and pen as opposed to just thinking about a line. This line represents the furthest point you have ever allowed Jesus to draw near to you or reveal His love to you without resisting Him.

· On one side of the line simply write Jesus. Ask Him to search your heart and know you. Sit quietly before Him. As He reveals the truth, write several ways you resist His expressions of love.

· Now in your heart, stand facing Jesus with the line between you. He says, “I know and love you completely forever.”

· Decide what you will do with His vulnerable, extended love. If you decide to receive Him in His fullness, step over the dividing boundary line as an act of your will and come into His waiting arms.