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February 17
RESIST THE DEVIL
by Ray Prinzing
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he
will flee from you."
(James 4:7).
The pre-requisite is
clearly stated, "submit yourselves therefore to God." The
Greek word for "submit" is "hupotasso" meaning, to set in array
under. Ah, is not this the purpose for all of our present
processings? Until every part of our will bows to the will of
God, and then we are able to resist the devil and he must flee from
us. Fully set in array under the hand of God leaves us as
"untouchable" to all other forces. "My Father, - is greater
than all' and none is able to pluck out of my Father's hand." (John
10:29).
Submitted, set in array
under God, does require chastening to bring about such a submission.
"Shall we much rather be in subjection unto the Father of
spirits, and live." (Hebrews 12:9). This is an individual
challenge. He is my Father, and my submission to Him is
essential if I shall every truly LIVE. Too many only exist,
torn between their own desires, and what they know to be right in
God. To resist the circumstance which He plans for our
proving, is to resist the God who planned the circumstance.
But as we learn to submit to Him in all things, then we are able to
begin resist the devil.
The word "resist" means
to set or place over against. This is easily illustrated in
the realm of our thinking. To be sure, God has been, and is
dealing much with the "mind," for we shall be "transformed by the
renewing of our mind." The mind has long been the
battleground as evil forces seek to brain-wash mankind. But we
find that as we PLACE TRUTH, a positive thought over against every
negative thought that arises, we giant he victory over the negative
realm. Deliberately place positive thoughts over against the
negative. This action is prompted and enabled by the
indwelling of His Spirit. The strength for this work is His,
but we, through His enablement, "work out our own salvation with
fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12).
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