Slideshow image

James 4:6-8

"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."

All of us want to be victorious over sin, but from time to time we struggle with the temptations we face. We know that we have been given the power to triumph over sin, yet we also have to admit that too often we yield to it instead. There is a pattern God has given us for victory, and we must follow it if we expect to receive the benefits. The process of victorious living does not start with fighting against sin and the devil, but with our relationship with God. It is only after we submit to Him that we have the power to resist Satan.

Jesus warned Peter that he had been made a special target of Satan and was in danger of denying the Lord. Peter relied on his own strength and was confident that he would be faithful. Yet in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus came and found the self-confident disciple sleeping rather than praying. He told Peter, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

Spiritual battles require spiritual weapons to win. The key to defeating the devil is not the strength of our will or our character, but the strength of our relationship with God. We must come to Him on His terms and place our will under the control of His plan for our lives. The strength that He gives only comes to those who seek it from Him. The threat of sin is constantly with us and we must stay on guard against it until we reach Heaven.

Growth Principle: 

The more our hearts are submitted to God, the more strength we will have to resist the devil.

Want to read more like this? Click here