Submit and Resist (James 4:7)

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7 KJV

Submit (Vine’s): to rank under. to obey.

Resist (Vine’s): to set against. to stand. oppose.

Spiritual warfare is an important topic in the Christian life, and the books of James and Ephesians have much to teach us on the subject. Today, I would like us to think about a single verse from the letter of James.

As someone who has trained in the ministry of deliverance and has witnessed the growing emphasis on this important ministry, I have observed some things that have hindered freedom for some people.

The text says we must submit to God before we resist the devil. It’s important that our emphasis on spiritual warfare is not the enemy but the person and work of Christ. I want to ask a difficult question: are you rebuking the enemy instead of resisting him? When people first discover the ministry of deliverance, they tend to go full-on against the enemy without being submitted to God. Some people, unfortunately, view deliverance as a quick fix because they do not want to deal with the weight and sin that so easily beset them (Heb. 12:1).

I have watched as some deliverance ministers seem to antagonize demons to get a greater manifestation. This puts attention on the enemy and can bring embarrassment to the person; we need to always keep it about Jesus’ victory over the kingdom of darkness.

If we focus too much on the enemy and not on the power of the gospel to set us free, we unknowingly yield more ground to the enemy. I’ve heard it said, and I’ve said it myself, that Bible reading alone will not always keep the enemy away. I should have said it differently: it’s not your Bible reading that will keep the enemy at bay, but your obedience to the Bible that will overcome the enemy. The same is true of prayer; if your prayer life is mostly about coming against the enemy rather than about communion with God, your prayers will be ineffective.

There are many modern books on deliverance, and many are great, but I want to encourage you to read some old books on spiritual warfare;

The Christian in Complete Armour (Abridged) by William Gurnall. This book, published in three volumes in the 1600s, covers the Christian’s armor, our strength in the Lord, the character and works of the enemy, the nature of warfare, the traps of the enemy (including various temptations and sins), and more. I also recommend reading any books by John Owen on the subjects of sin, temptation, and spiritual-mindedness. Here are some good ones to begin with: The Mortification of Sin, Temptation: Resisted and Repulsed, Freedom from Sin’s Dominion, and Spiritual-Mindedness.

Any old books by the Puritans would be a great help to us in our fight against temptation and sin. Sin happens when temptation is not defeated. James warns us in chapter one, verses fourteen and fifteen, “but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Let’s get back to the basics of our warfare: the armor of

God, obedience to the Scriptures, and communion with the Lord. These are the things that bring about a successful stand against the enemy. Jesus said that when a demon leaves a man, at a later time, he will return and find the house cleaned but nothing residing there. Deliverance is just a small part of warfare; discipleship is the biggest part of staying free.

If you can’t seem to gain the upper hand against the flesh, spend time reading, rereading, and meditating on James and Ephesians. Read the Puritans and let these old books bring new spiritual strength in your stand against the world, the flesh, and the devil.

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For More on the Puritans, visit The Banner of Truth and Reformation Heritage Books

The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan is also a must-read for your walk with the Lord.