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James 4:7-10, part 2, James 4:7b
The next thing we need to do in being faithful in our relationship with Jesus, as James teaches us in James 4:7b is, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” To resist the devil is tough, and that is why this world is full of the problems that we face each day. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that the devil roams about looking for someone to devour. In this statement is the presupposition that we are not strong enough to overcome the devil. The word devour is not a word that involves a fair fight with equal possibilities of victory by either party, but a vast favor by one side to win the battle with ease and total domination. So, how do we overcome a battle that we are doomed to lose? James tells us in the first part of verse 7, the part of verse 7 that we just went over; and that is to “submit to God.” The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NIV), “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
This is a command to “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7b, NKJV).
The key to a right relationship with Jesus is submitting to Him. Looking at these words of Paul we see this important information that we must grasp: God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. He will provide a way out/way of escape…so that you can endure/bear it. God provides the way of escape from the devil’s devouring ways, but we must submit to Him so that we may utilize the gift that He has given us to be victorious – in Christ. It is through the gift of God that we can overcome the wiles of the devil. If we think we can overcome the temptations that Satan throws at us, we are only falling to his evil schemes of trickery to deceive us. We must first submit our “self” to God. Then after we have “submitted” our “self” to God, then we can, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7b, NKJV).
Dear LORD,
We battle for You in spiritual warfare each day, but we can only be victorious against Satan and his demons if we first submit our lives to You through the salvation and forgiveness that You offer to us through Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Then we are equipped for battling the, “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places as the Apostle Paul explains in Ephesians 6:12b-e. Thank You for salvation in Christ Jesus. Please help us to submit our “self” to You so we can resist the devil and be victorious – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.