“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:23 KJV
The spirit of rebellion has been running rampant throughout this world for ages. We can find the first act of rebellion on earth in the book of Genesis, in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. Yes, we’ve all heard of or read the story and know how it ended. And of course, there are many other stories of rebellion that followed, throughout the Bible, as well.
Rebellion is a stubborn, selfish, and prideful spirit. Rebellion opens doors for Satan to come in and wreak havoc in our lives. It blinds us to the truth and keeps us in opposition to God. When we are in rebellion, we walk and live contrary to the word of God; not willing to yield to God’s will or His commands. Rebellion will not allow us to hear God’s voice. It separates us from Him. It blocks our blessings and keeps us from experiencing the fullness and power of God that is available to us.
“And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.” Psalms 78:8 KJV
In today’s society, being holy is deemed hateful, and being rebellious/prideful is applauded and deemed heroic. This demonic spirit has given many a false sense of entitlement, which in turn, has created a generation of people who think they should feel good all of the time no matter the consequences or circumstances. Many have this skewed perception of reality or have this backward way of thinking where wrong is right and right is wrong or of loving what God hates.
A person with a rebellious spirit lives by his/her own rules, values, morals, worldly standards, and principles; instead of what has been established by God. They willfully walk in disobedience, ignoring God’s voice and His warnings. A person with a rebellious spirit believes they are in control….even if those around them can see the trainwreck coming miles ahead. They have this attitude of, “I am going to do, say, and be who I want to be, regardless of what others say or think.” They try to justify their wrongdoings by pointing out the wrongdoings of others. They will not take accountability for their actions but will make excuses for them.
Rebellion undermines authority. Possessing this type of spirit can cause a person to rebel against parents, spouses, government officials, law enforcement, employers, pastors, and other church leaders, to satisfy their flesh or carry out their own agendas. (If something is morally or ethically wrong, then, yes, rebellion is justified.)
“Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin.” Isaiah 30:1 KJV
The underlying theme of these times is to deny yourself nothing. However, to be a true follower of Christ, you must deny yourself. Jesus says to his disciples in Luke 9:23, “… if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
When in rebellion, you will always make allowances for what soothes your flesh or give you relief. When someone is comfortable in their sin, wants to stay in or hold onto sin, they always find a way to justify it….to make it seem normal and right.
We must remember that the enemy is a master deceiver. There will be times when we fall victim to his traps, tricks, and schemes unknowingly and make honest mistakes. Once we recognize it, our conviction should automatically cause us to repent.
Then on the other side of that, there are times when we know or are conscious of our decision, we know it is wrong, we hear God’s voice, and still choose to do it anyway in direct rebellion….choosing not to submit or repent in opposition to God. This is never a good or wise choice. There is no peace where there is rebellion. It can and it will only end in destruction or death….physically or spiritually.
“Therefore, to him, that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17 KJV
We all have dealt with or are currently dealing with this spirit of rebellion in some form or aspect of our lives….even those who profess to be believers or Christians. As stated previously, a rebellious spirit can and will affect our hearts, our homes, and our relationships with family and friends, and destroy marriages and even churches.
Truthfully, ANY sin can separate us from God. ALL sin is deceptive and destructive and has dire consequences. When we don’t kill the sin, it will set up strongholds and continue to get passed down through generations, if not cut off at the root.
“God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.” Psalms 68:6 KJV
Pray for strength to resist. Pray for discernment to know God’s voice from that of the god of this world, Satan. Pray for humility. Cover yourself and your loved ones in prayer. We must be cognizant of what we feed our flesh and what we feed our spirit daily. What is on the inside will show up or manifest on the outside.
~ To be led by Him, we must be fed by Him!