Hebrews 13:17 (KJV)
“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
One of the quietest yet most dangerous forms of spiritual deception is resenting the very servant God used to lead you to salvation. You may not say it out loud, but your heart begins to shift. That honor and gratitude you once had starts to grow cold.
You start focusing on the flaws of the servant rather than the fruit of the servant.
You begin to compare. You begin to critique. You begin to distance. You say things like, “I follow Jesus, not man,” forgetting that God chose to reveal Jesus to you through that man.
The person who planted your freedom should never become the target of your resentment. But sadly, Satan works to disconnect you from the servant.
Romans 10:14 (KJV) says:
“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
It is God’s design that salvation flows through the lips of the servant. You didn’t save yourself. You didn’t wake up one day and just believe. Someone fought for you. Someone prayed for you. Someone sacrificed comfort, time, and sleep so that you could hear the gospel clearly.
But Satan works subtly. He gets you to start picking apart the servant. You say, “They’re not that special.”
You focus on personality instead of purpose.
You look for faults instead of fruit.
The same spirit that lifts you out of hell can’t be honored when your heart is full of pride.
But I want to tell you guys something...Indeed, Salvation Came Through the Gospel, but the Gospel Was Delivered Through the Servant.
It usually starts when we feel overlooked. Someone else gets acknowledged. Another brother or sister seems more “used” by God. And slowly, we start to harden. Instead of rejoicing in the gospel, we seek position, recognition, or platform.
The root is not offense but pride. We begin to believe that we deserve the attention, the leadership, or the spotlight. But we fail to realize that in God’s kingdom, the one who is least is the greatest. The one who serves is the one who leads.
You may think you’re “just speaking your opinion,” but in reality, you’re despising the very order that God has established. And Satan is smiling while division begins.
Deuteronomy 8:11 (KJV) says:
“Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments...”
Forgetting is not just failing to remember, it’s refusing to honor. You can still go to church, read your Bible, and pray, say the you're righteous and holy, but if you dishonor the vessel God used to rescue you, your spiritual life becomes blocked.
You can’t walk in fullness when you resent the one who fully poured out their life so you could live.
If you dishonor the delivery man, you dishonor the package too.
I challenge you all to Ask yourself:
- Do I speak about my pastor or leader with honor?
- Do I remember the tears, labor, and sacrifice they made for my salvation?
- Am I silently and internally competing, comparing, or criticizing?
- Do I uplift the church body or divide it with subtle discontent and resentment/questioning?
Hebrews 13:17 reminds us that the servant watches over your soul. You may feel overlooked, but they’ve been in spiritual warfare for your life. To cause them grief is not only harmful to them but unprofitable for you.
If you resent the servant in any way:
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Repent and Acknowledge It: Bring it to God honestly. He already sees it. And trust him above your thoughts.
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Restore Honor: Speak blessings over the one God used for you. Thank God aloud for their life.
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Protect Unity: Don’t entertain gossip. Don’t plant seeds of doubt in others.
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Refocus on the Gospel: Remember, it was never about building your kingdom. It’s always been about Jesus.
God’s servants are not perfect but they were perfect for your salvation.
They came in God's perfect timing to deliver his perfect message that then led you to realize your perfect identity in Christ. We should never forget this.
It is the gospel that saved a wretch like you, and a servant who delivered it. I hope we can honor both the message and the messenger in our hearts.
I hope we can return to humility through conviction. To honor those who’ve fought for your soul. To see that the body of Christ thrives not through competition but through love, submission, and gratitude.
Amen and Selah
