Don't Wrestle with Resentments -- Rest in Your Righteousness

Resentment is the "number one" offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically. In dealing with resentments, we set them on paper. We listed people, institutions or principles with whom we were angry. We asked ourselves why we were angry. (AA, pg 64)

Both resentment and anger are not some strange emotions which emerge out of nowhere, but are manifestations of the flesh of man, whether saved or unsaved, trying to live out their lives in their own strength:

"9Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians5: 19-21)

"Hatred",variance, emulations, strifes" -- all of these are "works of the flesh."

People cannot make us mad. As I learn moreabout who I am in Christ, I rewalize that God has not called us to strife but to peace. Instead of trying more, he wants us to believe on Him more.

God wants us to labor on only one thing: resting in His Finished Work:

"For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4: 8-11)

This rest in righteousness, that everything is done, does not mean that men and women sit and do nothing. On the contrary, when we understand the lavish and flowing river of grace that God rolls out in our lives through the Holy Spirit, we cannot help but get up and get out there.

When we receive the growing revelation that God is on our side, regardless of what we think or feel, no matter what we do or have done, we find ourselves transformed from glory to glory by the Power of the Holy Spirit, who leads us in the ways and will of God (Galatians 5: 16-18)

We do not wrestle with resentments, but the fight brings us into conflit with agents of the Enemy:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12)

What does God want us to do, while these enemies are thrashing about? First, he reminds us where Christ Jesus is now:

"Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Ephesians 1: 21-23)

Then he tells the Ephesians (and all Christians) where they are:

"And [God] hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2: 6)

We are in Christ, and God has placed everything under his feet. We are the Body of Christ, and thus we can trust that God is bringing all of our enemies under our feet:

"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." (Psalm 110: 1)

Resentments, like fears and tumults, sources of strife and other inner conflicts, all touch the flesh of man, the "Old Adam" fallen nature which has been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2: 20; 5: 24) who has been crucified for every person. Satan cannot bring us down from our heavenly seat in Christ, but he can lie to us, and we can either believe or rebuke his lies.

The greatest weapon we have is the Word of God, which declares who we are in Christ, that He has made us righteous, that through Him we are blessed with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1: 3), full accepted in God's grace (Ephesians 1: 6)

God wants us to believe that He sent His Son to die for us (John 6: 29) and the He lives for us (Matthew 11:28; Colossians 1: 27).

We do not wrestle with resentments, but instead we rely on the Word of God to bring into captivity every thought which seeks to exalt itself against Christ in our lives.