“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft…” (I Samuel 15:23 KJV)
My rebellious spirit was not unique. The scriptures give many examples of rebellion, even among kings that were anointed by God. One such example was King Saul. King Saul had been richly blessed by God. However, because he did not rebuke his sons for the sins they committed in the holy Temple, God chose to have David anointed as King. This made Saul very angry, and he was very jealous of David, and Saul followed David everywhere he went, seeking to kill him.
Of course, Saul’s actions did not please God, so he was unsuccessful in battle and in his quest to kill David. God also did not answer Saul’s prayers because the scriptures state, “He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail” (Proverbs 22:8 KJV), and, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18 KJV).
Since God was not answering his prayer, a rebellious spirit entered the heart of Saul, and he decided to take matters into his own hands. He ordered his men to find someone who practiced witchcraft and bring her to him. They brought him a witch from Endor. Saul had disguised himself, but the witch of Endor recognized Saul and was very afraid because witchcraft had been outlawed. However, Saul reassured the witch that no harm would come to her.
Because of Saul’s sin of conferring with a witch and his rebellion towards God, he lost his life and the lives of his sons. Saul was severely injured in battle, and his injury was so severe that he threw himself on his own sword. Rebellion led to the destruction of Saul’s relationship with God, his own life, and the lives of his sons, as well as his legacy as king. There are always consequences to allowing rebellion into your life.
Are you struggling with rebellion in your life? Unfortunately, today’s secular world promotes and glorifies rebellion against all forms of authority, especially God’s authority over our lives. However, rebellion clearly makes God very angry since He equates rebellion to witchcraft! After all, God did not send His Son to earth to die for our sins only for us to rebel against His authority.
If you are struggling with rebellion in your life, it is my hope that you will turn back to God, submitting to His authority over your life. God cannot bless your life nor hear or answer your prayers if you have allowed rebellion to take root in your life.
