August 8th, 2024
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
When we think of the modern evangelical church, we can think of the countless ways in which they seem to talk about the devil. On one hand, there are those who make way too much of the devil and his work and then there are those that seem oblivious to his ways. The Christian shouldn't find themselves on either extreme but land securely within the biblical balance.
We should make no mistake today, there is a very real and dangerous enemy after our souls. He is the adversary that prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). He is the father of all lies and deception who delights in death and destruction (John 8:44). And He is the accuser who perpetually reminds us and God of our sin day and night (Revelation 12:10). This is not a being who is passive and idle, for he is very much active in his venomous pursuit against God and his people.
This is precisely why we should take James' words as seriously as we can. The calling here is not to ignore the devil and pretend as though he has nothing to do with your life. Our command is to resist him. We can only resist a person that has invaded our personal space and overwhelmed all our senses. Therefore, the Bible is telling us that the devil is seeking to have some kind of aggressive influence over our minds and over our bodies. He is not on the outside of the fence at a fair distance away, but rather closer than we think. By virtue of our living in this world, we are exposed to the devil's deceptive work each and every day. And his attacks can be so close as to even gain a foothold into our very lives as Paul writes in Ephesians 4:27.
How then, is the devil seemingly able to influence our thinking and behaviour without us even realizing it? The Bible teaches us that Satan masquerades as an angel of light (1 Corinthians 11:14). He pretends to be working for your good and your pleasure, all the while slowly deceiving us into a trap that we might fall. While we might think that we are innocently engaging in something, the devil is working overtime to use that to destroy us. In fact, he takes things that can be good and helpful and twists it ever so slightly to manipulate us. It could be something you are watching without any spiritual discernment. It could be that friend at work or school that is slowly corrupting your attitude and behaviour. It could even be the preacher you are listening to that Satan is using to lead you away from the truth. Beyond that, Satan is constantly after the good things God has placed in your life such as your marriage, your children, your extended family or your church. He is after all of those things and wants to slowly but surely shatter them piece by piece to discourage you in your walk with God.
All of us should be shockingly alarmed by the vast array of opportunities Satan has to steal, kill and destroy. Not that any of this is happening in some overt or visible sense. Rather, Satan is employing his tactics in the invisible realm so as to pull you away from God in every crafty way. Think very carefully today, what are the things in your life that are distracting you from the Bible? What is it that is distracting you from prayer? What is it that is making you sluggish to come to church and fellowship with God's people? If you're discerning enough, you will see how Satan has been playing to your pleasures and your carnal desires to inch you further and further away from God.
What is the solution? It is twofold. Submit yourself into the very presence of God and resist Satan. Draw near to Christ with every ounce of strength you have. It is only within His divine courts that you are spiritually strengthened to resist the devil and his schemes. With your mind yielded to the Holy Spirit and transformed by the scriptures, you will have everything you need to oppose the devil and his deceptions on a daily basis.