Resistance & The Gospel

“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” [1]

There’s a lot of talk these days about resistance to tyrants. Well, the tyrant of all tyrants is the devil. If we don’t resist him in the power of God’s Word and Spirit, souls perish. The Lord taught us to ask God to keep us from temptation and to deliver us from evil. To resist it!

Resistance - Dictionary Definition:

“the refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument.

armed or violent opposition as in resisting authority in an occupied country.

the ability not to be affected by something, especially adversely.

lack of sensitivity to a drug, insecticide, etc., especially as a result of continued exposure or genetic change.

the impeding, slowing, or stopping effect exerted by one material thing on another.

the degree to which a substance or device opposes the passage of an electric current, causing energy dissipation.

[Volume controls are examples of resistance in electric circuitry. Turning down a volume control dial raises the resistance to electricity flowing and lowers the volume of sound. We need to turn off volume dials that oppose Christ and to turn up the dials that proclaim Him. Jesus Christ makes people better.]

Phrase: the path of least resistance — an option avoiding difficulty or unpleasantness; the easiest course of action.” [2]

“Logs, carcasses, and trash float downstream.” In other words, “they go with the flow.” [3]

What does God resist? What does He urge us to resist?

“God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” [4]

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” [5]

“[The devil] resist steadfast in the faith.” [6]

Peter said to the leaders who wanted him to stop speaking about Jesus, “We must obey God rather than man.” [7]

May we resist the temptation to neglect the ministry of the Gospel. After all, this message cost the Son of God His life.

[1] Matthew 6:13
[2] Oxford Languages Dictionary
[3] Anonymous quote
[4] James 4:6
[5] James 4:7
[6] 1 Peter 5:9
[7] Acts 5:29