Resisting the Holy Spirit

It could be said that the book of Acts is a book about the Holy Spirit. We see the Holy Spirit in action. Jesus told His apostles they would receive Holy Spirit baptism in Acts 1:5,8. We see this in Acts 2:1-4. About three thousand souls received the gift of salvation the Holy Spirit promised in Acts 2:38. Ananias and Saphira lied to the Holy Spirit in Acts 5:1-4 and died. Philip performed mighty miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit in Acts 8. It was the Holy Spirit that instructed the brethren to separate Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13:2-3.

The book of Acts is a book about the actions of the apostles and yet at the same time it’s a book that gives us so much information about the Holy Spirit. Yet, there’s a chapter that may be overlooked that provides us with some great information and application for our lives when it comes to the Holy Spirit. That’s Acts 7. Yes, it’s a long chapter, but it’s one that can’t be ignored.

We find a God-fearing man named Stephen standing before the Sanhedrin Council begin to speak. By the end of the chapter, he would be dead. The story really begins in Acts 6:8-15. Stephen is answering some accusations made against him, Acts 7:1. What he does is amazing. In this speech, Stephen teaches us something about the Holy Spirit. It was something the Jews needed to hear then and what we need to hear now. He will teach us what it means to resist the Holy Spirit. In Acts 7:51 Stephen said, “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did…” In what way did they resist the Holy Spirit and how might we do the same?

Stephen provided the High Priest a summary of the nation of Israel beginning with Abraham.

·      Acts 7:1-8: Abraham was called by God to go to a new land. The nation of Israel would descend from this man. God would bless all nations through his seed.

·      Acts 7:9-16: Stephen turned his attention to Joseph next and how the patriarchs would become envious of him and the telling of his vision.

·      Acts 7:17-38: It would be Moses who God would use to deliver His people.

·      Acts 7:39-41: Yet the nation of Israel would reject Moses. They rejected the mighty works he did by the power of the Spirit. They rejected the words he gave them from Mount Sinai. They built a golden calf, Acts 7:39-40. While they rejected Moses, they were really rejecting the Holy Spirit. Sadly, this would become a pattern among God’s people.

·      Acts 7:42-43: God’s people would be punished due to their rebellion.

Stephen reviewed this history for a reason. His application was that the Jews had always resisted the Holy Spirit, Acts 7:51-52. They resisted His providence and His prophets by refusing to listen to them. Now the Jews in the first century were doing the same thing. They had ignored God’s Prince (Jesus) who was foretold by the prophets. They resisted the Spirit by rejecting the words of the prophets concerning Jesus, Acts 7:37.

Stephen’s sermon had a tremendous impact on his listeners. The audience was “cut to the quick” and they began gnashing their teeth at him, Acts 7:54. They killed him, Acts 7:55-58.

Application for us. Are we resisting the Holy Spirit?

·      People resist the Spirit when they deny the Just One who is Jesus.

·      We resist Hm when we choose not to obey His word given to us in scripture.

·      When we fail to forgive one another, gossip, lust in our hearts, refuse to submit to the Shepherds, to be the God-fearing parents we are supposed to be, allow apathy to creep into our hearts, we resist the Spirit.

When we resist the Spirit, we also grieve the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 4:30.

When we hear the word of truth, how will we respond? Will we be stiff necked or humble? The choice is ours.