Submit and Resist

Given June 15, 2016

Picture this scene: 

A Christian who prays and reads his Bible on occasion, is confident in his own power.  One day, the devil jumps out in front of him seeking to do him harm.  “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).  Remembering a Bible verse, he shouts, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you!”  The devil looks around, laughs and smacks the guy right in the face.  The Christian moves toward the devil, who is still standing there, and wonders why he hasn’t fled.   The devil then punches him in the nose knocking him to the ground.  He stands over him saying, “I’ll be back for you later.”  As the Christian gets up, God speaks to him saying, “That didn’t go very well, did it?”  “Go back and look at that verse you quoted in James 4:7, you missed something.”  The guy gets out his phone, brings up his Bible app and looks up James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  “Oh Lord, I’m sorry, I’ve been trying to use my own knowledge and power and that’s why it didn’t work.  Thank you.”  He bows before God and says, “Lord, I submit to you.”  God smiles and nods His head.  “Now, let’s go on.”

The next day, the devil shows back up and the Christian stands there with a smile on his face.  “I’ll wipe that smile off your face!” the devil snarls and moves toward him.  The Christian then quotes, “Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  The devil stops and a look of fear comes over him as God steps out into view.  “Uh, ohh, uhh, I just remembered to have somewhere else to go.”  “Good bye!”  He then runs away as fast as he can move.  God says, “See what a difference submission to Me makes.”  “Now, let’s go get some things done.”

How often are we trying to do things with our own knowledge, skills, power and talents.  We can be somewhat successful some of the time but by submitting to God and letting Him direct our paths, we will always be abundantly successful.