Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. —James 4:7-8
James gives three commands in this short passage: submit, resist, and draw near. But the object of our obedience is not the same for each of these. It matters eternally who we submit and draw near to, and who we resist.
Sin tempts us to resist God. That’s what Adam and Eve did in the garden. God placed them in paradise with everything they needed to flourish, including limits. They were free to eat from every tree in the garden, and forbidden to eat from but one. Such was God’s lavish provision and His loving protection. But they resisted Him and submitted to the devil, eating the one thing God said not to. Their disobedience, born of pride, ushered in separation from God, suffering, and death–not just for them, but for every person to come. (See the curses in Genesis 3.)
That’s what makes this exhortation so remarkable. We who are the inheritors of Adam’s sin (Romans 5:12) and its curse (Genesis 3:16-19), who are by nature children of wrath, having no hope and without God in this world (Ephesians 2:3, 12), are urged afresh to submit to God and draw near to Him. Even more, James implores, “resist the devil.” How is this possible?
In ourselves, it’s not. As Job reveals, we are weak compared to Satan. But God is greater. As John Piper says,
Now in every battle with the devil, we can have total confidence of final victory. This is why Romans 8:38–39 says what it says: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers [satanic power included], nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” He has been decisively defeated. (How Much Authority Does Satan Have in The World?)
We are not alone in battling temptation. God sent Jesus to show us how to resist the devil. In the wilderness He took up the Word of God, wielding it like a sword against the evil one’s temptations, and the devil fled (Matthew 4:1-11). But Jesus is more than just our example to follow. He purchased our redemption with His blood, paid our ransom on the cross, and set us free by His death and resurrection to resist the devil in Jesus’ strength. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing. But when we belong to Him by faith, we can resist the devil in Jesus’ name and the devil must flee.
Not only that, in Christ, we are reconciled to God. This short passage packs a powerful assurance: if we will draw near to God, He will draw near to us. It looks like the effort rests on us–we draw near, then God draws near. But we know from the surrounding verses and the whole of Scripture that were it not for God’s wooing, calling, electing, and choosing, we would persist in submitting to evil and resisting Him. Our hearts naturally pull away from Him. But God has not left us to our nature. It is His electing love–His effectual call–that makes it possible for us to draw near to Him so that He will draw near to us. God enables us to do what He commands so that we will reap the rewards of His presence. All of this relies ultimately not on our efforts, but His.
This is amazing grace! How can we not fall before Him in humble gratitude and praise? He is worthy of our submission. His nearness is infinitely better than any temptation the evil one puts in our mind. And His power is at the ready to help us resist the devil. We need only rely on God. This doesn’t mean we are inactive. We must make mighty efforts to submit, resist, and draw near. But our efforts are fueled by His power. Believer in Christ, do not lose heart. God is for you. And His commands are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3)
Rejoice and, in humility, submit to God. Resist the devil with the Word, draw near to God, and take the way of escape from temptation. The pleasures of sin are fleeting and the punishment is forever. But when we resist the devil and draw near to God, He draws near to us. His power banishes the evil one, and His presence is our everlasting joy.
For Reflection
What earthly pleasures tempt you to resist God’s law? What verses can you use as a sword against the devil’s lies?
Give thanks to God that Jesus’ death and resurrection empowers you to resist the devil and restores your ability to draw near to God.
Ask God to fill you with longing for Christ’s appearing, when He will return to take His people home to be with God forever.
Candice Watters is the editor of Fighter Verses and the co-author with her husband, Steve, of Start Your Family: Inspiration for Having Babies. Together they teach My Purpose Will Stand to the 5th grade Sunday school class at their church in Louisville, KY. The Watterses are the parents of four young adults.