Breaking The Chains Of Addiction
Attitudes That Keep You Prisoner
Rebellious
Rebellion is opposition to authority. Rebellion can become violent, as in “an armed rebellion broke out in the city,” but it can also remain unexpressed. Rebellion always begins in the heart. Rebellion against God’s authority was humanity’s first sin (Genesis 3) and continues to be our downfall. Our sinful natures do not want to bow to the authority of another, even God. We want to be our own bosses, and that rebellion in the human heart is the root of all sin (Romans 3:23).
The clearest demonstration in the Bible of rebellion and its consequences is found in 1 Samuel 15. King Saul, chosen by God to lead Israel, got too big for his britches. He thought he knew better than God what God wanted from him, so he disobeyed God’s direct instruction (1 Samuel 15:3) and substituted his own idea. Instead of following God’s directive to destroy all the plunder from the enemy’s camp, Saul kept the best of the livestock. And instead of killing the wicked king Agag as God had commanded, Saul brought him back as a prisoner. Both these acts were in rebellion against God’s orders, yet Saul was pleased with his initiative and tried to justify his disobedience—the animals were to be sacrificed to the Lord, after all (verse 15).
Rebellion against proper authority is a serious matter in God’s eyes. The prophet Samuel confronted King Saul with these words: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king” (1 Samuel 15:22–23). Rebellion is linked to pride in this passage, and both sins are equated with witchcraft and paganism. Because of Saul’s persistent rebellion against God, he lost the throne and his royal dynasty was cut short. God gave the kingdom to a shepherd boy named David (1 Samuel 13:14).
The clearest demonstration in the Bible of rebellion and its consequences is found in 1 Samuel 15. King Saul, chosen by God to lead Israel, got too big for his britches. He thought he knew better than God what God wanted from him, so he disobeyed God’s direct instruction (1 Samuel 15:3) and substituted his own idea. Instead of following God’s directive to destroy all the plunder from the enemy’s camp, Saul kept the best of the livestock. And instead of killing the wicked king Agag as God had commanded, Saul brought him back as a prisoner. Both these acts were in rebellion against God’s orders, yet Saul was pleased with his initiative and tried to justify his disobedience—the animals were to be sacrificed to the Lord, after all (verse 15).
Rebellion against proper authority is a serious matter in God’s eyes. The prophet Samuel confronted King Saul with these words: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king” (1 Samuel 15:22–23). Rebellion is linked to pride in this passage, and both sins are equated with witchcraft and paganism. Because of Saul’s persistent rebellion against God, he lost the throne and his royal dynasty was cut short. God gave the kingdom to a shepherd boy named David (1 Samuel 13:14).
Every human heart has the seed of rebellion germinating deep within. We are “rights fighters,” and, when we believe someone is not respecting our “rights,” we rebel. Learning to appeal to authority is one way to avoid rebellion and still find a resolution to a problem. Creative thinking is another way we can channel our passion for change into productive avenues. Offering solutions in respectful ways invites our authorities to consider options they may not have discovered without our input. Daniel’s dealings with the Babylonian official is a fine example of showing respect and avoiding rebellion (Daniel 1:8–16). While adherence to truth often requires challenging those in authority, outright rebellion against any God-ordained authority is rarely sanctioned by Him.
If you identified the negative attitude of Rebellious in your DMI today, take some time to complete this devotional. Read each passage beginning with
(Romans 3:23).
Meditate on this verse(s). Continue with the next passage until all passages are completed. It is imperative that you allow the Holy Spirit to confront us with our sinful attitudes and character flaws, and that we take responsibility for our behavior without making excuses. This requires looking honestly at the intentions of our hearts if we are to allow God to work in these areas. Ask the Lord to reveal the truth behind these attitudes. Our hearts are deceitful and we will try to hide the true reasons behind these behaviors. Be sure to write down any revelations of the Holy Spirit, especially where they come from.
(Romans 3:23).
Meditate on this verse(s). Continue with the next passage until all passages are completed. It is imperative that you allow the Holy Spirit to confront us with our sinful attitudes and character flaws, and that we take responsibility for our behavior without making excuses. This requires looking honestly at the intentions of our hearts if we are to allow God to work in these areas. Ask the Lord to reveal the truth behind these attitudes. Our hearts are deceitful and we will try to hide the true reasons behind these behaviors. Be sure to write down any revelations of the Holy Spirit, especially where they come from.