Resist The Devil and He Will Flee From You

C.R. Sutton

 James 4:7 says: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." In the garden of Eden the serpent (the devil) deceived Eve and she yielded to temptation and sinned. (SeeGen. 3:1-6: 2Cor. 11:3). We are told in I Peter 5:8-9 to "Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith..." NOTE: We learn from these verses that the devil is our adversary and is seeking to devour us. In view of this we should be sober and vigilant and resist him steadfast in the faith.

HOW CAN WE RESIST THE DEVIL?
1. By appealing to the Word of God! When Jesus was tempted of Satan as recorded in Mt. 4:1-11;Mk. 1:12-13& Lk. 4:1-13 He faced three major temptations and in each of them He appealed to the Word of God. Although He had fasted 40 days and nights and was hungry, instead of turning stones into bread at the suggestion of the devil, He said: "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Cf. Deut. 8:3). When Jesus was on the pinnacle of the temple and Satan said: "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for 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", Jesus replied: "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." (Cf. Deut. 6:16). When Jesus was shown all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and Satan said: "All these things will I give thee, if thou will fall down and worship me", Jesus replied: "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." NOTE: Mt. 4:11 says: "Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him."

2. By fleeing! When tempted to commit "fornication" we should "flee" ace. to 1Cor. 6:18& 2 Tim. 2:22.When we are tempted to practice "idolatry", we should "flee" ace. 1 Cor. 10:14 & 1 John 5:21. When we are tempted to commit other sins, we should "flee these things" ace. to 1 Tim. 6:11.

3. By watching and praying! Jesus said: "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mt. 26:41). When we are tempted to sin, let us remember that we should appeal to the Word of God or flee or watch and pray! The nature of the temptation will determine the approach we should use in resisting the temptation.