James 4:7 tells us to “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” That sounds all well and good, but what is involved in resisting? Are we to simply say “Get out of here Old Slew Foot!” or perhaps we ought to hold up a replica of the cross and wave it in his face. Someone may tell you that you simply have to pray harder and maybe fast. Still others may say, “You just don’t have enough faith.”
But why speculate when the Bible tells us quite simply how we are to resist the devil. In fact it is found in this same verse in James. The verse begins with these words: “Therefore submit to God.” The ‘therefore’ is based on verse 6. Quoting from Proverbs 3:34 James says: “God resists the proud’ but gives grace to the humble.”
Submission to God is the pathway to resisting the devil. You can’t say “No” to the devil until you’ve said “Yes” to God. Ephesians 6:10-18; says that we are to fight with spiritual weapons, but we still fight. There is not only passive submission, but also active resistance.
Saying “Yes” to God is the first step of learning submission. If we haven’t submitted to God how then can we submit to one another? God gives grace, His enabling power, to those who are willing to humble themselves before Him.
Of course if you haven’t submitted to God, the devil probably won’t bother you anyway!
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