JAM 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

>>Pride is one of the three most common temptations to mankind.

1JO 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

>>Satan’s central objective is to separate us from our God—He knows that these three sins are most offensive.

>>By God’s grace we can be delivered from the power of these heinous sins—and resist the devil.

JAM 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

>>As with Job, the Lord often allows Satan to entice us to sin —to make us more aware of his devices.

>>The approaches of Satan are most often gradual—he contrives a temptation which asks us to yield but a trifle—promising ourselves we will not allow this to get out of hand—

>>However, notice the central theme of our text! "Submit yourselves therefore to God [not unto the devil’s crafty devises].

>> "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you," is a Divine command! Therefore it is our first duty to examine every motive to determine its source.

>>Some may say, "I wish to submit unto God, and resist the devil—but I know not how to recognize Satan’s devices. Therefore it is our constant duty to beg for discerning grace.

MAT 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

>>Even as necessary as prayer is— we may not rest there—see what we read about Joshua

JOS 7:6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

>>Joshua seemingly humbled himself in submission unto God—he pleaded with the Lord "until the eventide," but what did the Lord tell Joshua?

JOS 7:10-12 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?

11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff [they had fallen a prey to the lust of the flesh!].

12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

>>Oh what an earnest warning this is to you and I! Achan had not submitted himself unto the Lord— nor had he resisted the devil!

>>Therefore, the Lord would not be entreated of Israel—or even of His beloved servant Joshua — until this sin was put out of the camp.

>>Even as important as prayer is—we cannot pray for a blessing upon our labors—and then lie idle all the day— When we pray for wisdom to discern Satan’s devises—we must also search our own hearts for areas in which we must resist sin.

>>That is not to say we must jump into the pit on the other side of the road— and live in bondage of slavish fear.

PHI 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

>>This word "careful" comes from the Greek word "merimnao {mer-im-nah’-o}" which means, "to be anxious, to be troubled with cares."

7 [Therefore, be anxious—or troubled over nothing] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

>>Therefore, all our prayerful watching—and resisting of the devil must be illuminated with the Scriptures, i.e., in submission unto God and His Word.

>>We must become very familiar with the Word of God.

JOS 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

>>Our Saviour’s example in the hour of temptation— teaches us that there is nothing that will drive Satan away quicker than the Word.

LUK 4:3-4 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

>>Our text says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." How shall we ever do the second if we neglect the first?

>>To submit myself unto God must begin with my own human reasoning! Those who have all the answers violate the very principle upon which our text stands—see it in context: JAM 4:5-8 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

6 But he giveth more grace [is this a fountain filled with hope?]. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God [any resistance of God’s perfect will is none other than wretched pride! "Submit yourselves therefore unto God]. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

>>God resisteth the proud—because pride resisteth Him—The essence of pride is self-sufficiency, which brought about the fall.

GEN 3:4-6 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food [the lust of the eye gave birth to her lust of the flesh], and that it was pleasant to the eyes [which sowed the seed of pride— or self-sufficiency], and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

>>In a spiritual sense pride is that awful disdaining of admitting we need help from another—being confident we can manage well enough alone—

JOB 21:13-15 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

>>Our text says, "Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." True humility is synonymous with submission unto God— see what we read of our Saviour in PHI 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

>>Our text speaks of humility, submission unto God, and of grace. These three are inseparable—from victory over the devil and all his devises.

>>Satan is a proud spirit who fell from his first estate —and he desires to see us fall into rebellious pride— as Israel who were delivered out of Egypt—yet afterward were destroyed because of unbelief i.e., rebellious disobedience, JUD 1:5-6.

>>They refused to submit themselves unto God, and fell in the devil’s snare. Our text says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

>>This word "submit" means to place yourself under the authority of God. He wants submission in our whole man — unto His whole law of love!

MAT 22:36-40 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

>>These two tables of the law of love emphasizes the two principles of our text—How could you ever successfully resist the devil if you do not submit yourselves to the perfect law of love?

>>I cannot resist the devil in my own strength with a heart filled with bitterness against my fellow man—and God does not give His grace to submit unto Him without being renewed in the spirit of our mind.

EPH 4:22-24 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

>>As God bestows this grace in submission to His law of love—how do we resist the devil that he may flee from us?

EPH 4:24-31 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27 Neither give place to the devil.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

>>So wherein does our submission to God reveal itself in obeying this law of love?

EPH 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

EPH 5:1-2 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

>>We must resist the devil by setting our affections on things above—The eye of faith measures things of this live by the light of God’s Word—

MAT 6:19-20 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

>>We must submit ourselves unto God’s infinite wisdom in this! He has a very special reason for having us to eat daily out of His hand.

HEB 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

>>Therefore, we are admonished to be "vigilant," i.e., not careless, nor rash and presumptuous— Here again the work must begin in the inner man—or our attitude toward God and sin.

1PE 1:13-16 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

>>To gird up the loins of our mind means we are not to let Satan fill us with pride—and rebellion against God’s law of love—which is all contained in the word "Charity."

PRO 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

>>We must be vigilant over our attitudes lest Satan gain an advantage over us.

1PE 5:7-11 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

>>Our text says, "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."