Philip Dampier's Blog

Chapter 4, Verse 7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

This has been the challenge since Adam and Eve and the major difficulty man has faced. In spite of man’s best efforts he often finds himself in opposition to the will of God. The story of the Bible is God’s plea to mankind to be obedient and the consistent failure of mankind to render the obedience required.

All the wonderful promises of God are tied to man’s response to God’s covenant and were it not for grace man would be without hope in this world and the one to come. This promise has two parts. God is a willing helper for man, a wonderful counselor and savior, but God also requires that man seeks that counsel and salvation. For the second part God expects mankind to resist the evil of the world. The devil has limited power and cannot take mankind captive without mankind’s consent. When mankind takes God’s power and presents it in opposition to the devil, the devil is powerless.

Regardless of what we may wish, the devil cannot make us do anything we do not want to do. No matter what trap the devil sets God will always provide an escape route for man. The devil cannot stand against you and God. The combination is too powerful for him to overcome.

Task for Today: Make sure you have submitted yourself to God before you face the devil. Do not dare go into the world alone. He is waiting for you to do that and like a roaring lion stalking its prey so the devil will attack you. Because Jesus had submitted to God He was able to resist the devil using the very words of God. Carry the word with you.