The scripture we are going to meditate on today reads, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). This verse contains a powerful message that we must understand and apply in our daily lives.
The first instruction is to submit ourselves to God. This means we must acknowledge Him as our Lord and Savior and allow Him to lead our lives. We must surrender our will to His will and follow His commands. By doing so, we recognize that we are not in control, but God is.
Once we have submitted ourselves to God, the next instruction is to resist the devil. The devil is always on the prowl, seeking to devour anyone who is not vigilant and alert. He will use various tactics to lure us away from God. He will tempt us with pride, greed, lust, and other sins. But we are not defenseless against his attacks. We have the power of God within us to resist him.
When we resist the devil, we are saying "no" to his temptations and "yes" to God's commands. We do this by staying in prayer, reading the Bible, and surrounding ourselves with like-minded believers who can encourage and support us. When we resist the devil, we are telling him that we belong to God and that we will not be swayed by his lies.
The result of resisting the devil is that he will flee from us. This does not mean that he will never come back, but it means that he will not have power over us. He will see that we are firm in our faith and that we are not easily moved. He will see that we are armed with the Word of God and that we are ready to stand against his attacks.
Brothers and sisters, let us take this message to heart and apply it in our daily lives. Let us submit ourselves to God and resist the devil. Let us not be afraid to stand firm in our faith and to live according to God's will. And let us rejoice in the victory that we have in Christ Jesus, who has already defeated the devil on the cross.
May the Lord bless and keep you always in Jesus Name. Amen.