James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Herein lies the answer to worldliness and ineffectiveness in obedience. This verse is another way to describe repentance: turning from the bad towards the good. Wherever we seek our help will provide the expected return. If we go to God, we will have available to us the power of the Almighty Creator. If we go to the devil, we will find deceit, pain, and death. The way to life is through the Life-giver. The way to death is the deceiving one. This verse indicates that the decision is ours. We must resist the devil by putting up barriers of protection. As Paul told the Corinthians, “Flee!” Run away, find our shelter in the Rock of Ages. When temptations come, turn away and cry for help. The answer is not simply to flee but to submit. If we submit ourselves in surrender, we will also open ourselves up to receive God’s power and protection. If we attempt to find the devil with our own strength, we will faith. Our is our help in times of need and always in times of temptation.
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