And the Angel of the Lord said to him, Why have you struck your donkey these three times? See, I came out to stand against and resist you, for your behavior is willfully obstinate and contrary before Me. – Numbers 22:32, Amplified Bible

Have you ever been resisted by God? If you have, you know that it is an awful place to be. With each step you take, you can almost feel a force standing in front of you, pushing against you so that you cannot progress in the way you would go. Anxiety, apprehension, and insecurity fill your path, and soon you are worn out from the effort. When God is merciful, His resistance produces frustration more than anything else. When God becomes angry due to our perpetual obstinacy, chastisement accompanies the frustration.

We do several things to provoke God into resisting us. We may start down a path when God told us to wait, as Balaam did (Numbers 22:20-22. Balaam was supposed to wait and see if the men called on him. He left of his own accord, however, without waiting as God commanded.). We may walk in the opposite direction that God told us to walk, as Jonah did (Jonah 1:1-3). Or, we may only walk halfway down the path God told us to walk, as King Saul did (1 Samuel 15:9. Saul was supposed to destroy everyone and everything, but he kept some alive.). In all of these instances, willful disobedience is at the heart of God’s displeasure, and you can take this to the bank – each time we are willfully disobedient to the Heavenly vision, God will resist us.

The next time you walk a path that is saturated with failure, take the matter to God in heartfelt prayer. Ask Him to show you what is causing the failure. It could be that the failure is a test of character, and God wants you to develop the traits of persistence and tenacity through the time of trial. If this is the case, God will show you that this is the case. If, however, He makes it apparent that the failure is a result of Him resisting your every effort, then confess the willful disobedience that has made Him your adversary. Let go of that matter, yield it to God, restore your relationship with Him, and make your Adversary your Advocate.