Submit and Resist

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, ye double minded. (James 4:7-8)

Submit and resist are opposing verbs – but we need to be skilled at doing both.

First, we must submit to God. Submit yourselves is hupotasso in Greek. It is a reflexive verb; in other words, it is an action that you do to or upon yourself. Biblical submission isn’t forced upon an individual; it is a voluntary lowering of ones’ self under God’s mighty hand. Peter wrote that when we submit ourselves to God, He will exalt us in due time (1 Peter 5:6). That's a good deal if you ask me. When God promotes you, no person or thing can bring you down!

Submitting ourselves to God is nothing more than obeying Him. We do what God says to do, and we don't do what He says not to do. So, submitting to God empowers us and enables us to resist the devil. The devil makes sin look good. His tactics haven't changed since he got Eve to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge and good and evil in the Garden of Eden. The devil works in the flesh realm. He entices people with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Satan uses people and then throws them away. Why would you want any part of what he does? Resist the flesh and defy the devil! Submit to God; obey His Word. God has only good things for you!

James went on to tell us to draw near to God. Have you ever heard anyone mention that they feel distant from God? Well, I’ve got news for you: God never moved. If you feel like you’re farther away from Him than you once were, you are the one who pulled away – not God!

Practical Application – Submitting to God and resisting the devil isn't that difficult; it happens when you walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. Draw near to God daily in prayer, and He will exalt you in due time!