Just a few words here today on how people are in opposition to themselves so oftentimes

Just a few words here today on how people are in opposition to themselves so oftentimes. "And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles" (Acts 18:5,6). So just how is it that the Jews here "opposed themselves?" Well obviously because they rejected the apostle Paul's report that Jesus was their promised messiah, but there is a reason for that as well. And that reason is the same exact reason that so many who now profess faith in Christ oppose themselves as well. It is this simple: If you want to hold onto something with your heart and spirit that is not right in the sight of God, and you reject the conviction of the holy Ghost about it, or someone's preaching that touches on it; or some kind of reproof of that error, you will be in opposition to your own good. The people mentioned in Acts 18 here resisted the words of the living God that were coming through the apostle Paul. And as Job so wisely and obviously noted; "Who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?" (Job 9:4). It is very predictable that those who resist words of soberness and truth will always manage to find fault with whomever those words are coming through, or whoever it is in their proximity that is closest to God. And why is it that way? Because whoever is closest to God in one's proximity is who is going to bring to light the darkness that they are trying to hide. So there is no choice other than to find fault with them, or agree with one's own conscience that bears witness against themselves.

In ancient Israel, in the days of Elisha the prophet, God brought a great famine on the city of Samaria, which was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. God brought the famine to bring his people to repentance from their sins, but listen to what the king of Israel chose to do about the famine, as an alternative to repentance: "Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day" (II Kin. 6:31). Well I suppose that would have cured the problem sufficiently, don't you think? Yeah, right. In all reality I would say that the king by those words opposed himself and everyone in Samaria. In other words, "WRONG ANSWER!" That may seem kind of an extreme example, but I assure you that the spirit behind that mindset is very much present in the world today, and even in the body of Christ. It isn't suggesting to members of the body of Christ that anyone should be killed for what they speak in the name of the Lord, or at least not yet. But you can rest assured that if you walk in the Spirit, and are taught by the Spirit, and speak by the Spirit; you will certainly be targeted as a troublemaker by those in proximity to you who do not want to let go of something that is not right in the sight of God. And when they do, they become those who are opposed to themselves. So what is the remedy for this condition? Mainly hope, and faith, prayer, and love. "And the servant of the Lord must not strive ; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (II Tim. 2:24,25). And again, hope. Hope that someone's condition does not escalate to the place defined by the fearfully sobering proverb: "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy" (Prov. 29:1). Amen.