James_4
Scripture
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James 4:7-8 NIV
Observation-What does it say?
James is said to be the brother of Jesus, who did not become a believer until after Jesus’ resurrection (gotquestions.org). In this chapter, he speaks on the issues of submission and humility.
Understanding-What does it mean?
Submission and humility to God are the ingredients needed to make the devil flee.
Submission and humility go hand in hand, yet it is easier said than done. We are essentially saying, “Not my will Lord, not what I want, but what You want.” We are essentially losing our lives for the mission.
Just like God doesn’t discriminate when it comes to His love, grace and forgiveness (John 3:16), the enemy doesn’t discriminate either when he sets his traps. We could have a perfect testimony and be a Christ follower for 20 years (which was my story), yet still be susceptible if complete submission and humility are not present.
“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”
1 Corinthians 10:12 NIV
Life Application
The #1 way to destroy any relationship is pride. We serve a God who is very relational, so a prideful heart will naturally destroy our desire to live out the 2 greatest commandments of loving God and loving others.
What are we guilty of being prideful of in this life? Are we prideful that we are not like “those other sinners over there? (Luke 18:11)” block them from our lives, and as a result discourage them from being part of the family of God? The devil has a foothold.
Are we prideful because we’ve never rebelled against the Lord and feel like we are unaffected by sin, so we keep our guards down? The devil has a foothold.
Are we prideful with our plans for the future, and as a result, we don’t include the Lord in them? The devil has a foothold.
Are we prideful with our current status in this world, yet behind the scenes we don’t make it a priority to read the Word, pray, and love and forgive others? The devil has a foothold.
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV
The good news is that we can make the devil flee by submitting to Jesus and humbling our heart toward Him. “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV
Dear God, thank you that you are stronger than the enemy, have already defeated him and that Your light can penetrate through any darkness. Please forgive me for the many times I’ve fallen into the enemy’s traps due to pride. I pray that I (we) would all continue to be connected to You, the source of everything loving, good, righteous and just. Holy Spirit keep our hearts humble and submitted to You alone and as a result, cause the enemy to flee. Amen.
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-Michelle Gaddi