James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Our opening passage delivers a straight up truth, by declaring that it is virtually impossible for anyone to resist the devil, except he/she submits daily to God. Each and every day we face challenges, hurdles and temptations of all sorts, and the only way for us to withstand the barrage of inducements to sin, is to become and remain vitally connected to God.
The Christian wins all his battles on his knees, most often, before conflicts and temptations occur, and the reason for this is that, just like in temporal war between nations, no soldier would dare take up a fight without first putting on the necessary armor.
If we could see the devil with our naked eyes, folks might be better prepared to avoid his incursions; but with him being invisible, and being much more prepared and experienced in doing what he does, it is a no-brainer that without submitting ourselves to God, resisting and overcoming will become wishful thinking.
In the wilderness of temptation, Christ laid down the format for preparation for spiritual warfare, for He spent no less than forty days and nights with His Father, being strengthened, and being readied for the onset of the conflict which was going to ensue, and which would ultimately determine the fate of the entire human family.
Christ’s example must then be studied and followed very closely by all who profess to be Christians, for preparation through submitting of ourselves to God must precede battle if persons are to be victorious.
As Jesus prayed and wrestled in the wilderness with God, preparing for the conflict, He got an idea of it’s severity, and also of the self-denial that will always attend any submission to God on the part of human agents.
Submitting ourselves therefore to God is essentially allowing Him to have and work His will in entirety in any given situation that may beset us. Temptations often pit good impulses against evil impulses, and if we are to resist the devil, we will have to give God the freedom to direct and guide us as he sees fit.
When Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, “Not My will, but Thy will be done” He was thus allowing The Father to sit in the driver’s seat, even if The Father would take Jesus into situations, which Jesus would much prefer not to have gone. This is what is involved in submitting ourselves to God.
In such instances, when temptations and conflicts loom large, the grace of God is given in sufficient measure to withstand the battalions of hell, if and when we submit fully to God. To resist incursions from without is one thing, but to resist incursions from within takes temptation to another level.
Resisting the devil can become significantly more difficult if his appeals to our fallen nature touches a raw nerve internally. Temptation on food is one of the most brutal, for it appeals to inner cravings and sometimes legitimate desires we may have. Christ once put it this way, so that persons would better understand the nature of the conflict, and thus, the need for us to submit, before resisting. Let’s read:
Matthew 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
11 It is not that which goes into the mouth that defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
20 These are the things which defile a man….
Christ is here pointing to an internal problem that can be taken advantage of by devils, if persons do not submit themselves to God. In addition to these things, we also have legitimate issues such as thirst and hunger which are not bad in and of themselves, but which must be satisfied only in accordance with the word of God.
Thus, very grave and very serious issues were to be decided, as Jesus was going to be severely tested at His weakest physical point. His mind must not be foggy or distracted and the legitimate desires of the flesh must be kept under bit and bridle, throughout the terrible ordeal, even if it may mean dying in the process.
In other words, submitting ourselves fully to God, before resisting temptation, could mean that folks may actually take a hit of some kind in the process, just as Christ collapsed after the temptations in the desert.
But the bottom line in submitting is that it is better to die doing God’s will in resisting, than to live with the flesh having the upper hand.
In our day, many of us take victory for granted, as if resisting the devil were a given just because we may believe in Jesus. Christ believed in His Father totally, but this did not lead Him to assume that victory was His for the taking, without first submitting to God as all of us must do.
Instead, Christ spent as much time as it would take, in His Father’s presence without looking at the clock as some often do, and it was by thus submitting to God that He came forth from the conflict victorious.
Then again there are lessons of great importance as we ponder His temptations and victory, lessons and knowledge that we ourselves must incorporate into our own conflicts with our unseen foe. Let’s read:
Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Let’s stop right there and get this first lesson while we can. If we are to be tempted, as we would be, it should always be as a result of The Spirit’s leading, not ourselves presuming to enter into temptation. Submitting ourselves therefore to God includes not presuming to enter the enchanted ground, without being bidden by God to do so. In too many cases, the devil was minding his own business, when out of the blue, he got an invitation from some of us to be tempted.
All are to avoid, as much as is humanly possible the places, venues, and situations, where the presence of evil angels is known to be firmly entrenched. We are not left in doubt as to where these situations do obtain, for the Bible gives us many clues that we are to be mindful of.
Wherever liquor is being consumed by friends or by foes, we are to avoid such company if we can, for it is an established fact that drinkers of booze almost always feel compelled to offer alcohol to another, and if one is struggling on this point, the situation will make it all the more difficult for one to refuse.
Christ did not claim God’s promises while daring the devil to tempt Him, and neither should we. Instead, if The Spirit of God ordains that a person should be tempted for whatever good reason God has, let Him lead in the matter, but never should we presume to go out on a limb on our own, expecting that we will have power to resist. This is not how submitting to God really works. Let’s read:
Proverbs 23: 20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh.
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Isaiah 5:11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!
12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine are in their feasts: but they regard not the
work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.
13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity….
The next important point for folks to understand in the issues of submitting and resisting is that in very many cases, we are tempted at our weakest points. Temptations are rarely one size fits all, but are more often tailormade with a specific individual, and their specific situation, and weak points in mind.
Under normal circumstances, a typical fast would’ve been a breeze for Jesus, but without having food or water for forty days, He would be significantly more weaker, physically, than at other times. Let’s read:
Matthew 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.
If the temptation on food was brought prematurely at the time when Christ had just entered the desert it would not have had the same force as it did, forty days later.
Thus, all of us should be aware of our weak points, and ask God for grace to live victoriously from day to day. One man’s weakness is often another man’s strength, and those who may not bat an eye at the proverbial Johnny Walker, might have some other issue that easily besets him, and because of this, we must be extra vigilant by the grace of God, on these particular points.
Submitting ourselves daily and moment by moment to God, will give us the grace and strength to resist, especially if devils were to throw a curve ball at the saints, suddenly. If we know we have a temper issue we should not wait until someone ticks us off on the spur of the moment, to pray and ask for grace.
If we were to wait until such situations like these occur suddenly, we would most likely blow a fuse, before we even think about prayer. That is why we must go back again to Jesus’ example, as He prayed with strong crying and tears, before the onset of the wilderness conflict. In other words, no submitting, no resisting.
Another important point for us to take note of on the issue of submitting and resisting is the fact that we are tempted with mostly good things, especially the saints who know the truth. Note well that Christ was not tempted with booze or ganja or shrimp. It was bread that He was tempted on. Let’s read:
Matthew 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
In the overwhelming majority of cases, persons are tempted with good things. Especially is this the case with the remnant people of God who may know the truth. There isn’t anything wrong with bread per se, it is just the terms and conditions under which The Lord was tempted to make and eat it, but in and of itself there ain’t nothing wrong with bread.
As we look back on another wilderness experience in the Bible, we observe that the children of Israel were also tempted with on the issue of bread. At that time God had put them on a diet, to bring to pass those necessary changes that would pave the way for their health and well-being.
But then, the old devil tempted them with “good things” as he has done on numerous occasions. In going through the following list of food items that they desired, we cannot find a single one that has been blacklisted by the scriptures.
In fact, almost all of the items they craved are to be found in our health message, some containing the vitamins and minerals and fiber that promote good health. Some of the items also do contain medicinal properties, that foster longevity, and the whole nine yards. So, we repeat again: Folks are often tempted with good things. Let’s read:
Numbers 11: 5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic.
In this instance, submitting to God would translate into submitting to the food He ordained, even if the other food they craved was inherently good. In the current circumstance, it was a transitional diet that was meant to achieve certain results for God would not have put them on a diet of Manna forever.
And we are not to become riled up at God for doing so, because in our day, we often permit Jenny Craig or Atkins to put us on very strict diets transitionally so that we can achieve the desired results. No one in their right minds would nor should stay on Atkins forever; it’s just for a time.
The Keto diet is severely restrictive, and the South Beach and Atkins diet all have adverse side effects. Thus, submitting to God in this matter, in order to achieve the good results while resisting the devil at the same time should not be too far of a stretch, for us to come to grips with.
Bread in the wilderness of temptation with Christ, and bread in the wilderness of temptation with the Hebrews, all have one thing in common; they were in both circumstances, tempted with good things.
The problem occurs with the terms and conditions under which these good things are offered. Eating cucumbers and garlic becomes a sin if it is not God’s will in the specific circumstance. And turning stone into bread, even if it is whole wheat bread, is just as bad, if it were to go contrary to God’s revealed will in the particular situation.
Again, the next passages reveal to us that the devil took Jesus into a high place in the mountains, and there he showed Him the kingdoms of this world in all of their glory. But in an instant Jesus refused the temptation, recognizing that the terms and the conditions under which they were being offered are contraindicated to God’s will. Let’s read:
Matthew 4: 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
The problem occurs with the terms and conditions under which those kingdoms were to be given, but the kingdoms, in and of themselves are not really the problem, even though they are flawed because of sin.
Later on in the Bible we read that the very same kingdoms are given to Christ, but at this time they are given under terms and conditions approved by God. Whenever we are tempted with good things, the problem usually occurs with the terms under which they are offered. Let’s read:
Revelation 11: 15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Very many years ago, when I had just come to the United States, I needed to get my citizenship, to be able to work and live legally in the country. At that time, I was tempted with the prospect of obtaining legal status through marriage to someone whom I did not love at all.
Both things are good, in and of themselves. To get one’s citizenship is good, and marriage is ordained by God, but the terms and conditions under which they were being offered raised the prospect of me having to use the sacred institution in a subterfuge manner, as a means to achieve the desired end.
This would then make me a liar if I were to take the sacred vow, knowing full well that [1] I did not like the person at all, and [2] I would deliberately, and knowingly intend to disannul the marriage, as soon as I got my papers. The problem is with the terms and conditions, not marriage or citizenship per se, for both of them are good, in and of themselves.
“I, Bro Mac do take you, (blank) to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death does us part.”
If I had gone through with the temptation, it would be a form of “Bowing”. And as we are on the topic of bowing, let us go to the next and last issue as it pertains to submitting and resisting. Let’s read:
Matthew 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and set him upon a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: because it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
In this instance we see the devil trying to intimidate Christ with his power, for He lifted Jesus bodily and took Him through the air, to the dizzying height of the temple’s pinnacle.
The use of intimidating force is often the last resort employed, after enticements and subtleties have failed, and this will call for total submission, if we are to resist. Let’s Read:
[The story of Redemption BK2, pp 46] Satan was not willing to cease his efforts until he had tried every means to obtain victory over the world's Redeemer. He knew that with himself all was at stake, whether he or Christ should be victor in the contest.
And in order to awe Christ with his superior strength he carried him to Jerusalem and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and continued to beset him with temptations.
He again demanded of Christ that if he was indeed the Son of God to give him evidence by casting himself from the dizzy height upon which he had placed him.
As a general rule of thumb devils do not use force up front, as the means whereby to get persons to comply with their temptations. Entreaty, persuasion enticements, and subtlety of various sorts are most often used initially.
Then when these fail to produce the desired results, force is resorted to as the last-ditch effort, and this usually seals the deal, in many cases, with folks who are not fully submitted to Christ.
When the devil tempted Joseph through Potiphar’s wife, he moved her to use entreaty, enticements, and persuasions of all sorts. Day by day, as Joseph went to work, Potiphar’s wife would wear certain seductive, and suggestive wear, with the particular intent to arouse Joseph’s latent desires.
And since Joseph was still in his prime, and he was exercising regularly and eating a lot of protein, she hoped that in the sweet by and by to overthrow his peculiar principles.
Expensive, seductive perfumes she purchased from Victoria’s secret, and lingerie that leave little to the imagination, were deliberately worn during daytime hours, when her husband was off on military duty.
But, because Joseph was submitting himself to The Lord, moment by moment her entreaties, and her oft enticements fell on deaf ears, with no hope of her sinking the young man.
Then, after everything else was tried and failed, the devil, through his emissary reached for the strategy of last resort, and that is when she tried to force Joseph into submission.
In other words, it was only when she had run out of bullets that force became necessary. Devils rarely use force up front as a tactic much rather preferring to entice persons over the cliff in their efforts to get folks to succumb to temptation. Thus, it will be with all who have not submitted to Christ when the mark of the beast is instituted across the entire globe.
All that we have been studying so far this evening, as it pertains to us submitting, and then resisting, would come to a head when the mark of the beast rears its head globally.
Entreaties, promotions, persuasions, enticements, bribes, and every other available means at their disposal would be first implemented to get persons to comply or to bow, as was the case with the three Hebrew worthies in ancient Babylon.
But if these efforts fail to produce the much-desired results the use of force will be finally employed as it was with Joseph, and then, it will only be individuals who understood by precept, and by practice, what submitting really is, who would be enabled to resist successfully, those last temptations on food, for it began with food and it’ll end with food. Let’s read:
Revelation 13:16 And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Some may think that the above statement might be a dark sentence with a fuzzy meaning, so let us tell the truth in the matter bluntly. Everyone who is not fully submitted to Christ when that time comes, will be beaten over their heads with a baseball bat, and forced into compliance. So says the Bible, and the prophets. Let’s read:
Revelation 13: 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
[The Desire of Ages pp 435] The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of force; every individual regards every other as an obstacle in the way of his own advancement, or a steppingstone on which he himself may climb to a higher place.
Thus, it is only by submitting to Christ, in our daily walk with God, that the habit will be formed. Those temptations and situations that might try our faith, and our patience at times, are to be used as golden opportunities for submitting and resisting.
Instead of whining “Why me” let us ask God to give us grace to resist the devil in the various trials and temptations that may come our way. The study of Christ’s example is a must, and earnest persevering prayer is essential, if we are to live victoriously from day to day.
When Christ fasted and prayed in the wilderness for forty days and nights, He had other pressing things on His agenda that could and would have distracted Him from making full preparation.
Similarly in our day, there will always be pressing or important things to take care of, and some of these will undoubtedly be “Good things” but if at the end of the day, they would distract us from preparation through submission, then when temptation comes like a whirlwind, we will find ourselves destitute of power to resist, for wherever there is no submitting there will be no resisting.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which confirms this truth, and it is our sincere hope, that someone listening may take heed, lest we fall a prey to the devices of devils. Let’s read:
John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
God Bless!