Devotion:
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Read Acts 7:51-52.
Stephen delivers a bold and piercing message to the religious leaders of Israel: “You stiff-necked people…you always resist the Holy Spirit.” These are not gentle words, but they are truthful ones. Stephen is not merely accusing them of rejecting him—he is revealing a long pattern of resisting God’s voice, a pattern that stretches back through Israel’s history.
Stephen reminds them that their ancestors rejected the prophets God sent to guide them. Those prophets spoke of the coming Righteous One—the Messiah—and now, Stephen declares, they have betrayed and murdered Him. The tragedy is not ignorance; it is willful resistance. They knew the Scriptures, practiced religion faithfully, yet closed their hearts to the Spirit of God when He moved in ways that challenged their comfort and control.
This passage confronts us with a sobering question: Are we listening to the Holy Spirit, or resisting Him? It is possible to be religious, active, and even respected, while quietly hardening our hearts against God’s conviction. We resist the Spirit when we cling to pride, refuse repentance, or dismiss truth because it disrupts our plans.
Stephen’s words also remind us that obedience to God often comes at a cost. His faithfulness led not to applause, but to persecution. Yet even in rejection, Stephen stood firmly on truth, trusting God with the outcome.
Today, let us ask God for soft hearts—hearts that welcome correction, respond to conviction, and follow the Spirit’s leading, even when it is uncomfortable. May we be people who hear God’s voice and obey, rather than resist.
Personal Worship Option:
Holy Spirit, search my heart. Reveal where I have been stubborn or resistant to Your leading. Give me humility to repent, courage to obey, and faith to follow You wherever You lead. Amen.
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