"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7
It is sure that Satan exists and that he has targeted humanity as a tactic in his war with God. It is also sure that God knows this and has provided for our protection by equipping us with armor (Eph 6:11-18). By virtue of these facts, it becomes obvious that we have a role to play in this epic struggle. It is certainly up to us to "put on the full armor of God" but prior even to this, we must make a decision to resist Satan rather than submitting to him.
Beloved, it is critical that we understand Satan means us no good. To be sure, we are enticed by him with great subtlety and the use of all kinds of things that appeal to us but we must constantly be aware that indulgence in these things will take us outside the will of our Father. Despite the sometimes very soft and quiet manner in which Satan approaches, it is important to understand that, "Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour," 1 Peter 5:8. He means us no good at all.
I'm reminded of a campaign launched in the late 80's which was designed to keep kids off drugs. It was called "Just Say No!" It was a remarkable effort that accomplished at least three great things. First, it created awareness of a life threatening promise. Second, it provided direction and methodology to deal with the problem. Lastly, it worked. All said, it was simply a new twist on tried and true advice: RESIST! The more we resist, the stronger we will become and the less of a problem he will be. We can literally put the devil on the run. Once we have decided to resist him, the word of God says that we will be successful.
Rejoicing in the Lord,
Lee
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