SUBMIT TO GOD AND RESIST THE DEVIL

PROCLAMATION

“Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.  Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts … Humble yourselves in the sight of The Lord, and He shall lift you up.”  James 4:7-10 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, The Christ, (Galatians 1:19) under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (James 1:1)  He wrote this letter to provide them with practical advice on Christian living.  He begins this fourth chapter by telling them that they desire things which are for their pleasure.  They pray and ask for the wrong things and that is why their prayers are not answered. (James 4:1-3)  He said that they act like worldly people and that those who like the world are enemies of God. (James 4:4)  He tells them that they need to submit themselves to The Lord God and resist the devil.  They need to draw near to God, to cleanse their sinful hands, and purify their doubleminded hearts.  If they humble themselves before The Lord, He will lift them up. (James 4:7-10)  James tells them not to speak evil of one another and not to judge one another. (James 4:11-12)  He ends this chapter by telling them that to know what is right and to choose not to do it, is to commit a sin. (James 4:17)

 

APPLICATION

Most believers like this verse because it says that if we resist the devil that he will flee from us.  There are two problems with this; first, we do not have the power to resist the devil on our own.  Second, the devil is not afraid of us and we can’t make him leave us alone.  We missed the first part of this Bible verse which says that we need to submit ourselves to The Lord God.  If we would first submit ourselves to God, then He will give us the power to resist the devil and cause him to flee from us.  We need to keep in mind that we by ourselves are nothing and we are powerless.  It is only by the grace, strength, and help from The Lord God that we are able to accomplish anything.  It is through Him that we live, move, and have our very being. (Acts 17:28)  We need to humble ourselves before God.  We should not even talk about the things that we are going to do, or are planning to do, without acknowledging Him.  We should say that we will do whatever it is, if it is The Lord’s will. (James 4:13-15)  We brag and boast about things that we have done, and such boasting is sinful. (James 4:16)  When we know better, we ought to do better because when we know that which is right and good, and we choose not to do it, that is a sin. (James 4:17)