A synonym for the word resistance is opposition. We live in a world that often opposes the things of God. The Bible tells us that though we live in this world we are not of this world. Though we live in an environment that opposes spiritual truth, we are called to walk in a way that aligns ourselves with Biblical principles.
For a number of years, I worked as an elementary school teacher in a rural district on the Eastern Plains. Pencil sharpening was part of the daily routine in the classroom, and it seemed to the children, the sharper the pencil points the better. Ask any young student about pencil sharpening and he or she will tell you: unsharpened pencils soon become dull and don’t work; regular pencils need regular sharpening; hand cranked sharpeners require more effort than electrical sharpeners but work much better; and sharpening always requires cutting away the wood to find the lead treasure inside.
We need to be sharp and alert spiritually. Through prayer, Bible study, church attendance, and fellowship with other believers, we can recognize spiritual oppositions, that when embraced, cause dullness and ineffectiveness. When spiritual resistances are realized in our lives, we can become spiritually blind (2 Peter 1:9). We can also lose our sense of direction and purpose (2 Peter 1:10).
According to 1 Peter 5:8, 9 we become stronger in the Lord and less susceptible to temptation when we’re growing in God. We are also more productive and have spiritual and natural fruit evident in our lives when spiritual sharpness is a priority.
Mother Teresa said, “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”
“Lord, help us to be sharp and effective spiritually. Help us to recognize oppositions and to resist anything that would cause us to be spiritually blinded. We want to be a reflection of your love letter to the world.”
