Our Daily Bread” http://odb.org
The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie http://www.harvest.org/devotional
“Homily Grits Devotional” http://www.homilygrits.com

Written By Michael Boling of Job 31 Ministries @ http://www.j31.org

View original post @ http://www.j31.org/j31blog/2014/9/12/vi40ve3ife8qau4txq0nerevlnxhpv

5 Practical Ways to Avoid a Rebellious Spirit

September 12, 2014
This is part two of the series, Demise of Rebellion

By Michael Boling

Some practical ways we can avoid a rebellious spirit are:

1) Seek after God and His will – Since a rebellious spirit comes directly from the enemy, it is evident that to combat rebellion in our lives and to reject any element of the spirit of divination requires the work of the Holy Spirit, molding and shaping our hearts to yearn after God. Rebellion is devoted to self, the emergence of “I” in opposition to yielding self to God’s perfect will. Dealing with rebellion requires “I” be removed from our spiritual alphabet to be replaced by the word “You” with the declaration “It is you Lord I desire to glorify and obey”.

2) Acknowledge God’s sovereignty – “I” desires to be lord in opposition to God’s sovereignty. The child of God must dedicate themselves to what Paul notes in Galatians 5:24:

“those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

The Puritan divine John Owen described this as mortifying the flesh. To belong to Christ means we are in relationship with a holy God. Rebellion, a construct of the flesh with its god hating passions and desires, must be put off and replaced by a heart that seeks after God. This is accomplished through the work of the Holy Spirit writing God’s word on our hearts, again that source of living water. When we acknowledge God’s sovereignty, we see His proper place as Lord of our lives and in turn we recognize that we are the creation, not the Creator. That posture places us in the proper position to be molded and shaped with God deftly removing the sin of rebellion from the clay of our lives. We no longer have a desire to serve other gods because we know the God we serve is THE Lord of all.

3) Put on the Full Armor of God – God provides the believer with armor by which we can resist the wiles and schemes of the enemy. Since the Garden of Eden, the enemy has used the age old yet effective tactic of rebellion against God. When we don at all times the full armor of God, we are able to withstand the temptation to usurp God’s authority with “I”. As believers who are engaged in constant and fierce combat with the forces of evil in this world, we must daily put on the complete armor of God. Our Commander in Chief (God) has provided us with the tools by which we can effectively engage the enemy. As with all manner of weaponry, they are only effective when used properly and in concert with one another.

4) Repent of the Sin of Rebellion and Pray – If you are struggling with a rebellious attitude it is time to repent and flee that youthful lust and passion. Repentance is far more than saying a quick prayer and then continuing to walk in that dreadful sinful habit. Conversely, repentance requires movement from a particular wrongdoing and movements towards righteousness. This movement towards righteousness cannot take place on your own strength. This is where prayer is so vital. We need God every minute of every day. Rebellion is a tough battle to fight for it is at the very root of all sin. It takes the work of the Holy Spirit replacing a rebellious attitude with a love for God and His will to move from that place of darkness (rebellion) to a place of light (obedience). Prayer and the vigilant study of God’s word are vital to this process.

5) Assess Your Surroundings – Often a rebellious attitude stems from what influences us. For instance, if you find yourself associating with those who display a rebellious spirit, it is likely time to evaluate those friendships. If you listen to music or watch programming that promotes a rebellious spirit, it is time to evaluate what you set your eyes and ears upon. It is vital to be around fellow believers who will lift you up in prayer, disciple you, and help you walk in the ways of the Lord. Proverbs 13:20 reminds us “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Those who are rebellious against God fall into that category of “fools” so find yourself a man or woman of God who is wise, someone who can mentor you and walk beside you.

Rebellion is like divination – powerful words yet so true. Rebellion is a work of the enemy and engaging in a rebellious attitude against God and His will is the same as saying you embrace the enemy rather than hiding in the shadow of almighty God. May we reject the sin of rebellion and the many ways it reveals its ugly head in our lives. Seek after the things of God, draw near to Him, read His word, pray, put on the full armor of God, and surround yourself with godly men and women. In doing so, you will be equipped to put off the fleshly desire to thumb your nose at God which is the sin of rebellion.