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When Defending God Keeps You From Him

There is a sobering truth found throughout Scripture:


It’s possible to think you’re defending God… and actually be standing in the way of Him.


The religious leaders in Jesus’ day—the Pharisees—were not trying to oppose God. They were trying to protect His law, preserve righteousness, and maintain order among the people. On the surface, their intentions looked right.


But something had shifted.


They moved from surrendering to God’s Word…to controlling what they believed God’s Word should look like.


And when God Himself stood in front of them in the person of Jesus Christ, they didn’t recognize Him.


The Danger of Replacing Conviction with Opinion


There is a critical difference every believer must understand:


Opinion about the Word is not the same as conviction from the Word.


Opinion is formed by:


  • Personal experience

  • Tradition

  • Culture

  • Reasoning


But conviction comes from the Holy Spirit.


“For the word of God is living and powerful…” — Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

Because the Word is living, it is not static. It doesn’t exist just to affirm what we already believe. It moves, challenges, corrects, and reveals truth in ways that often stretch us beyond our comfort.


The Pharisees had knowledge of Scripture, but they lacked sensitivity to the Spirit behind it.


And that’s where the danger lies.


When God Doesn’t Fit Our Expectations


One of the hardest truths to accept is this:


God will not always move the way we expect Him to.


The Pharisees knew the prophecies. They were waiting for the Messiah. But when Jesus came, He didn’t match their expectations:


  • They expected a political deliverer—He came as a suffering servant

  • They expected outward dominance—He demonstrated humility

  • They expected strict adherence to their systems—He exposed their hearts


Because Jesus didn’t align with their expectations, they rejected Him.


Not because He wasn’t God…but because He didn’t look like what they thought God should look like.


And we are not immune to the same mistake.


The Flesh Wants Control—The Spirit Requires Surrender


Our natural tendency is to want understanding before obedience.We want clarity before surrender.

But the Kingdom of God often works the other way around.


“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” — Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV)

The flesh wants things:


  • Predictable

  • Logical

  • Explainable


But the Spirit moves through:


  • Faith

  • Trust

  • Surrender


There will be moments in your walk with God where what He is doing doesn’t make sense to your mind—or even your emotions.


That is where humility becomes essential.


The Power of Humility


Humility is what keeps our hearts open when our understanding falls short.


It says:


“Lord, even if I don’t fully understand what You’re doing, I trust You.”


When humility steps in:


  • Pride steps out

  • Control loosens

  • The Spirit begins to reveal truth more clearly


But when humility is absent, we begin to cling to our interpretations, defend our positions, and resist anything that challenges our perspective.


That’s exactly what the Pharisees did.


They weren’t lacking knowledge.They were lacking surrender.


Missing God While Talking About Him


One of the most sobering realities is this:


You can talk about God… study God… even defend God… and still miss Him.


The Pharisees quoted Scripture, taught Scripture, and enforced Scripture—yet they failed to recognize the fulfillment of it standing before them.


Jesus said to them:


“You search the Scriptures… and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” — John 5:39–40 (NKJV)

They knew the Word…but they did not know the One the Word was pointing to.


A Call to Stay Soft Before God


This is not just a warning—it’s an invitation.


An invitation to stay:


  • Teachable

  • Humble

  • Sensitive to the Spirit


Instead of saying:


“I know exactly how God works.”


We should live with the posture:


“Lord, teach me. Correct me. Lead me. Help me recognize You, even when You move in ways I don’t expect.”


Because the goal is not to defend our understanding of God.


The goal is to walk with Him.


Final Thought


Sometimes the greatest danger isn’t rejecting God outright…


It’s being so confident in our understanding of Him that we miss Him when He moves.


Stay humble. Stay surrendered. And let the living Word continue to shape your heart.


Pastor Scott




 
 
 

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