James 4:7-8

Have you ever lived in a household divided by the love of rival sports teams? Maybe you even felt obligated to root for both teams out of love and respect for your spouse or in-laws. When our loyalty is divided between two opposing forces, it’s impossible to give our all to either one. James, the brother of Jesus, writes a warning about our loyalty being divided between God and our love of sin. If we continue giving in to the devil’s temptations, we will continue to stumble and give God less than our full devotion. But when we submit our whole selves to God, we are better able to seek and follow His will for our lives! The closer we draw to God, the more we will be able to resist the devil and cause him to flee from us.

PASSAGE: James 4:7-8 - “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

PAUSE: James, Jesus’s brother, exhorted the early church to resist the devil! The daily pause is to draw near to the Lord, knowing that when we draw near to the Lord, the presence of the Lord is real and near to us. Come, Lord Jesus. 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for your many promises. Help me to draw near to you. Create in me a humbleness and self-awareness to draw near to you. I beg you to deliver me from all temptations and ask for help to resist the devil.