Submit to God, Resist the Devil: Drawing Near to God in Humility

Have you ever felt like you were in a spiritual battle—tempted, discouraged, or distant from God? James gives us a clear strategy: submit to God, resist the devil, and draw near to Him. Victory over sin and temptation isn’t about willpower alone—it comes from humility, surrender, and a close relationship with God.

As we continue our Faith in Action – Walking Through James journey, today’s passage teaches us how to fight spiritual battles through submission, resistance, and intimacy with God.

“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. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
—James 4:7-10 (ESV)

Spiritual victory comes through humility, surrender, and closeness to God.

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James lays out a three-part battle plan for spiritual victory:

1. Submit to God

Submission isn’t weakness—it’s aligning ourselves with God’s authority and trusting Him completely.

• To submit means to yield control to God rather than insisting on our way.
• It requires obedience—choosing God’s will over personal desires.
• We place ourselves under His protection, wisdom, and guidance when we surrender.

True freedom comes through surrender to God, not independence from Him.

2. Resist the Devil

James gives a powerful promise: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

• Satan aims to distract, deceive, and destroy (John 10:10).
• But he has no power over a surrendered believer who stands firm in Christ.
• Resistance means rejecting temptation, standing on God’s truth, and refusing to give Satan a foothold.

The best way to resist the devil is by submitting to God first. A life yielded to Christ is protected from the enemy’s schemes.

3. Draw Near to God

James offers a beautiful promise: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

• God is not distant or unreachable.
• He meets us with grace and closeness when we take steps toward Him.
• Drawing near means spending intentional time in prayer, worship, and His Word.

Our hearts are transformed when we seek intimacy with God, and the enemy loses power over us.

The Call to Humility

James continues with a call to deep repentance and humility:

• “Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
• “Be wretched and mourn and weep.”

This isn’t about living in guilt and shame—it’s about taking sin seriously and turning fully to God.

James ends with a beautiful promise:
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

• When we humble ourselves, we are lifted in God’s strength.
• Repentance leads to restoration, and surrender leads to victory.

How Do We Submit, Resist, and Draw Near?

• Daily surrender. Start each day by submitting your plans, desires, and struggles to God.
• Stand firm against temptation. When Satan whispers lies, respond with God’s Word and prayer.
• Pursue God with intention. Seek Him through worship, Scripture, and moments of stillness.

Action Step:

• Examine your heart. Are there areas where you need to submit to God more fully?
• Commit to resisting temptation. Identify one area where you need to stand firm in faith.
• Spend intentional time with God today. Draw near to Him, knowing that He is already waiting for you.

“Satan dreads nothing but prayer. His one concern is to keep the saints from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.”
—Samuel Chadwick

Have you experienced the power of submission, resistance, and drawing near to God? Share your testimony in the comments!

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Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I submit to You today. Help me to resist the enemy’s lies and stand firm in Your truth. Draw me closer to You, and let my life be marked by humility, obedience, and intimacy with You. Thank You for the promise that when I draw near to You, You draw near to me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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It begins with Christ!

If you don’t know Christ as your savior, it begins with the first step. Believe in Him and make Him Lord of your life! Committing your life to serve Him is the most significant decision! For more information on serving the Lord, CLICK HERE!

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Blessings,

Chad 

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