Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(James 4:7 NIV)
James gives us two thoughts: submit and resist. They are antonyms. Nonetheless, James writes that we must “submit to God” and “resist the devil.” So the question is: why does James tell us to “submit to God” in one sentence, and in the next breath tell us to “resist the devil?”
He tells us to first “submit to God” so that in our submission to God, we can actually “resist the devil” to cause the devil to flee from us. You have to willing put yourself into a posture of submission in order to have any resistance. That doesn’t make any sense logically, but it makes sense to an individual who follows Christ and is keenly aware that the actions he or she takes are meaningless without God.
Let’s take Jesus’ example of submission from Matthew 26:39, where he said, “not as I will, but as you will.” He was praying to God that he wouldn’t have to die on the cross and bear the cost of humanity’s sins. In verse 42, Jesus says that his will would be that God would take the cross away and find another to save people, but then he submits and says “may your will be done.” This is submission, and this is what James is advocating for, and this is what we need to be doing when the devil is striking.
Are the temptations in your life causing you to falter and make mistakes because you are resisting in your own power? Maybe it’s not temptations but the trials the devil is putting you through, like warfare at home with the kids, spouse, parents, or at work, or in your schools. There is no peace and every action you take is self-motivated and destructive because it leaves you further away from the will of God.
If that describes you, then you must submit your life to Christ, and in submitting, you resist the devil with the power of Jesus. Then you can watch the devil flee from you because of your submission to God. See your life change as a result of that.
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