Fear of the Lord: Stiff-Necked - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) March 1, 2022

Have you heard of the term "stiff-necked"? Sounds strange, doesn't it? It makes one think of sleeping wrong and waking up with a sore neck.

However, the term "stiff-necked" comes up repeatedly in the Bible and it has nothing to do with physical necks. A stiff-necked person is one whose heart is closed to the Lord and His instructions. It is a spiritual condition that displays itself in the physical as continued and ingrained disobedience to the Lord.

Proverbs 29:1 - Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

Acts 7:51 - “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!

To fear the Lord means we cannot be stiff-necked. It means we have to do what He tells us to do and do it promptly. It means we need to get rid of that rebellious part of ourselves that resists God and His directions. We cannot imagine that God does not see what we do or have a strong opinion on it. That is the way of the wicked and the Bible is clear that their end is far from good.

The Pharaoh who chased the Israelites and got swept away in the Red Sea was a stiff-necked fellow (Exodus 14). Although He'd witnessed firsthand the might of God Almighty, he still felt he had all power and authority. He relied on false gods, idols, magic and witchcraft. We don't want to be like him. We need to abandon our sins and this requires that we are able to identify them. The Bible and the Holy Spirit will help with that. We also have to stay far away from the places, people and things that will drive us to sin. Consider this wisdom from Proverbs 26:11 - As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. A stiff-necked person is a fool who continues to sin and thereby ignore the Lord at their own peril. And Job 9:4 tells us, "God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?" (BSB).

May the Lord gently help us to fear Him. May His grace teach us to honor Him by not being stiff-necked and stubborn, with iron for neck muscles and bronze for foreheads as noted in Isaiah 48:4. IJMN, Amen. I pray you'll join me to worship and intercede for people at 12 Noon EST. It is a way to not be stiff-necked, for the Lord has told us to praise Him (Psalm 150:6) and to pray for others (1 Timothy 2:1). Come and be blessed!