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NKJ James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
This verse gives the proper priority in all spiritual warfare. That is we must first be submitted to God, then and only then, will we have God’s grace to resist the enemy of our souls – Satan.
The word resist in this verse means to stand against whether in deed or word. Therefore, we are to raise our shield of faith by speaking God’s Word whenever the devil attacks. Study Christ’s temptations in the wilderness for the perfect demonstration of resisting the devil.
Many of you are familiar with verse in James 4:7 and understand that we must resist the devil only after submitting to God. However, let us look at the verse that proceeds this one.
NKJ James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
The word resist in this verse comes from a military term that means to set an army in array against or to arrange in battle order. Understand this; God will resist the proud more fiercely than we have to resist the devil to cause him to flee! We just have to repel the attacks of Satan and he will flee but God, the Lord Sabaoth, will bring the armies of heaven to bear on the proud!
You may be thinking that I am glad not to be a proud person. Are you sure you are not proud? Do you ever do anything without seeking the Lord’s grace? Have you ever made your plans and asked God to bless them? If yes, then you are proud and God has set His armies against you!
Consider this definition of being proud:
To have pride is to do anything in your ability and not God’s even if it is a good thing and even if it helps people.
We claim to be humble because we do not readily accept praise but in our hearts self is alive and well and on the throne! Then we wonder why everything is so hard in ministry, our family, our work, etc. God is resisting us! You say, I thought it was the devil sifting me like wheat (shaking my life apart) just like he did Peter when Jesus was being tried. Who do you think gave Satan the permission to sift Peter? Read the book of Job lately? It was the Judge of the Universe – God the Father – who judged it right for Job to suffer for his pride (Job 35:12) and rebelliousness (Job 34:7). He is no respecter of persons and will do the same for you!
Satan is just God’s soap-on-a-rope. Let me explain, the rope represents the restraining leash that God has around the devils neck and the soap represents that God uses Satan to show us the dirt in our hearts.
For example, you are studying 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and have asked God to develop His love in your life. Things are going well and you are inwardly growing more proud of your ability to show unconditional love. Then your spouse pushes your buttons and you blow up. Well guess who judged it permissible to have your spouse push those buttons? Sure the devil whispered the correct button to push in their ear, and they should have resisted it, but this whole scenario was divinely engineered to show you the pride in your heart. These scenarios will continue until we awaken to the fact that we are completely dependent on God for everything!
Now what is the purpose and motive of God’s resisting you the proud.
Our Heavenly Father loves us too much to leave us in our pride. He will affect our comfort to shape and polish our character.
NKJ Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
We all know this verse but often ignore the last part of it. All things are working to shape (conform) us into the image of Christ!
NKJ Romans 8: 29a For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,
NKJ Luke 14:11 "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
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