Submit to God and Resist the Devil James 4:7

James questioned his readers as to whether they though “the scripture says in vain, The spirit that dwells in us lust to envy”? He added that “God gives more grace” and “resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble”. In chapter four and verse seven of his letter, James exhorted the people within the “twelve tribes” to “submit” themselves “to God” and “resist the devil” where we read:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

The verse begins, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.” James began with the word, “Submit yourselves” which refers to the people within the “twelve tribes scattered abroad” “arranging under, subordinating, subjecting and yielding one's self to obey and be in control” “therefore” which is a conclusion word that means “accordingly, consequently and these things being so” “to God” who is the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”. Since God extends “more grace” to those who submit themselves to Him, it is easy for James to charge his readers to do so.

The verse continues, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James added, “Resist” or “set one's self against, withstand, oppose and set against” “the devil” which refers to “the one prone to slander, accused falsely especially Satan”, “and he will flee” which means “shun, avoid and escape” “from you” or James' readers. In addition to “submitting” to God, the people within “the twelve tribes” were to “set themselves against and opposed to” the “devil”, and the result would be that “the devil” will “avoid and escape” them.

When we consider these words of James, we should not only “read” his words, but obey them. Our submission to God is the wisest move we can make, and “resisting the devil” is only second to this. Jesus Christ knows the best life available is when we are in complete submission to God the Father, and we keep the “devil” at bay and distant when we “withstand and oppose” him in Jesus' name. May the Lord help us to live in “submission to God” and when the “devil” comes against us, may we be strong to “oppose” him in every way.

Next time James tells his readers to “draw near to God”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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