Schemes Of The Evil One – Submit And Resist

STAND FIRM IN GOD’S PROVISION

EPH 6:13 – “THEREFORE TAKE UP THE FULL ARMOUR OF GOD, so that you will be able  to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, TO STAND FIRM.

The faithful Christian life is a battle! The more faithful the more intense the attack is!

Paul had written “A wide effectual door has opened for me but with it are many adversaries.” Faithfulness brings with it an onslaught from the evil one. It does not get easier. It is possible to be lethargic and indifferent and experience little conflict but not for the committed whose life is to honor God and are concerned about souls that are damned to Hell and about brethren who need to be equipped and matured. God gives us His Holy Spirit, His Word, Prayer and Obedience as means to fight but we must PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD FOR THE EVIL DAY. Each day there is evil, some subtle, some not so. Put on the armor , don’t quit, don’t give up but RESIST in the evil day and STAND FIRM in Who He is, His Promises, and your Position in Him and “Divine Power!”-{Read 2 Peter 1:3-4}

But what about satan and his fiery darts to our minds, darts of confusion, disillusionment, fear, and anxiety to mention but a few. Attacks on the promises of God, the fears of the future and the failures of our past. Listen again to God’s Word, AS A CHILD OF God, a follower of Christ you have the supernatural ability to “stand firm,” and be established, strengthened in your faith.

A. FULL ARMOR OF GOD

It is a command and a promise Verses 11-13. A Roman soldier would wear six essentials pieces of armor when going into army; his belt, breastplate, sandals, shield, helmet and sword,…Paul adds PRAYER , emphasizing the armor for spiritual battle

B. RESIST in the evil day –

In v 13 In this great spiritual battle we are called to RESIST and STAND FIRM.

“Resist  (anthistemi from anti = against + histemi = stand) means literally to stand or set against. It means to arrange in battle against and so pictures a face to face confrontation.

It means to set one’s self against, to stand firm against someone else’s onset, to oppose (place opposite or against), to resist by actively opposing pressure or power, to withstand (oppose with firm determination). It involves not only a psychological attitude but also a corresponding behavior. It was used to refer to an army arranging in battle against the enemy force and so to array against.”-{preceptaustin commetaries}

 

James 4:7 – says “ SUBMIT therefore to God, RESIST the devil and he will flee from you.”

“SUBMIT”  IS at the beginning, it is a verb.

It means “to put yourself in rank under.” Do this immediately and continue doing this! It speaks of submission of one’s imperfect will to the will of Him who is perfect, wise and all powerful. It is to be done immediately. Submit, get yourself under Him. It is the place of safety and spiritual power in order to “RESIST…” Submission is a manifestation of humility which he referred to in the previous verse regarding “humility!” Here is what “Humility ” does not look like;

“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?

You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.

You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

“Resist antitasso, means to place oneself in battle against an enemy. God places Himself in battle array against the proud. He is the active, aggressive enemy, antagonist to the proud, lovers of the world, the proud purveyors of human wisdom, the proud who are driven by their own envying, lusting spirit, as verse 5 defines it. But on the other hand, He gives grace to the humble.”-{MacArthur}

1 Peter 5:8-9 tells us to “be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your Adversary the devil, prowls about a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But RESIST him , FIRM IN YOUR FAITH.”

“ADVERSARY,”-It’s used to describe one who is purposely, actively, continuously hostile, in opposition contends, resists , opposes with someone.

Devil (Latin diabolus) (diabolos from diá = through, between + ballo = to cast, throw) means a false accuser, slanderer (one who utters false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation), backbiting (malicious comment about one not present), one given to malicious gossip or a calumniator (one who utters maliciously false statements, charges, or imputations about, this term imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions).-{precetaustin commentaries}

Barclay also writes that diabolos

the devil, is the patron saint of all slanderers and of all slanderers he is chief. There is a sense in which slander is the most cruel of all sins. If a man’s goods are stolen, he can set to and build up his fortunes again; but if his good name is taken away, irreparable damage has been done. It is one thing to start an evil and untrue report on its malicious way; it is entirely another thing to stop it.”

Submit and you will be able to resist in the Provision of the Spirit and Word of God!

Only through the ARMOUR OF GOD CAN we fight such a powerful and wicked and scheming foe. STAND FIRM IN GOD’S PROVISION AND PROTECTION FOR YOUR LIFE- Who YOU are “IN CHRIST.”

You can, as you have the Power to “SUBMIT…RESIST…AND…STAND FIRM!”