Memorise: Submit yourself therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you. James 4:7
Read: James 4:7-10, 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.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Bible in one year: 1st Kings 10-11, Proverbs 17:1-14
MESSAGE
Submitting
to the perfect will of God is a great weapon against trials and
temptations. It is wisdom for us to submit to the One who is our present
help in time of trouble. Jesus Christ is our closest ally in the battle
of life. This is why those who do not have Him as their personal Lord
and Saviour are vulnerably disposed to sorrow, frustration and death.
For
us to enjoy the support and the defence of our great Ally, Jesus
Christ, Apostle James wrote to say that we should submit ourselves to
God, resist the devil and then he will flee from us (James 4:7).
The
Bible says that pride goes before a fall. Many people fall into
temptation because of pride. This is why the scripture enjoins us to
live soberly as we fight the good fight of faith.
“For
I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you,
not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;
but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
Romans 13:3
Humility
and sobriety are great instruments of defence in the face of
temptation. We are encouraged to humble ourselves in the sight of God so
that He can lift us up. Once we are lifted up above principalities and
powers, no temptation can floor us, because the Almighty is our Ally.
People easily fall prey to trials and temptations because of their
failure to live soberly. Over two thousand years ago. Apostle James gave
us a key to solving this problem. He wrote:
“But
every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and
enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin,
when it is finished bringeth forth death.”
James 1:14-5
To
overcome trials and temptations, we must run to Jesus afresh today with
sober hearts and humility. He will come to our aids, just on time.
Action Point
Examine
your life; see where and how you have exposed yourself to trials and
temptations and make amends with the blood of Jesus Christ.
