“RESIST THE DEVIL” DAY OF THE LORD FEBRUARY 8, 2023

JAMES 4:5-7

5. Or do you suppose that the scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us — and He yearns for the Spirit to be welcome – with a jealous love.

6. But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully. That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace (continually) to the lowly — those who are humble-minded enough to receive it.

7. So be subject to God. Stand firm against the devil; resist him and he will flee from you. Amp.

The Lord wants us to be overcomers meaning, He wants us to defeat the devil. He wants to fill us with His Spirit. This scripture says He yearns over us meaning He is loving us so much and wants to dwell with us to be close to us forever.

But we have a part in this. We must make Him welcome by being subject to God and obey His commandments because we love Him. We must be humble and lowly following Him in all His ways. Only then can we stand firm against the devil and resist him.

We are humble when we realize that we do not have all the answers. That our own goodness is not ever enough to give us strength. We must humble ourselves and show Him that we know we cannot make it on our own. We must admit that we are not smart enough to walk in this world alone but need His help. We need to let Him call the shots.

If you are one of those who say, “I believe the Lord gave me a good mind and wants me to use it,” then you are not humble. He wants us not to lean on our own understanding but to acknowledge Him in everything so He can show us the way. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Then we must resist all that Satan throws at us. If we just give into the temptation to get angry, or to get sick, or to eat or sleep too much. If we just sit down in despair and say this is too hard, then you are not resisting. As we resist these things that face us daily, we become stronger and stronger. Eventually the devil leaves along with the temptations. This is the life of an overcomer. You cannot just give into the flesh. We die daily, meaning we resist the old man and he dies.

REVELATION 3:12 He who overcomes (is victorious), I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God: he shall never be put out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem which descends from My God out of heaven and My own new name.

🎶 SONGS – I HAVE GIVEN YOU AUTHORITY – CAST THY BURDEN – TRUST IN THE LORD – DON MOEN