Scripture admonishes us that we are not to be ignorant of the schemes of the devil, otherwise he will take advantage of us (2 Corinthians 2:11). Instead of ignoring him, James 4:7 tells us to submit to the will of God and resist the devil and he will flee from us. If we are not surrendering to the will of God, we can resist Satan until the end of time. He will not cease to buffet us. When we do submit to God and Satan continues to buffet us, we know two things. One, we are to remain submitted to God and continue to resist the devil. Two, if the devil does not flee, God is most assuredly working on something in our lives. In this case He is more than likely working on something of which we are unaware (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).
Our fallen nature makes us blame. We either blame Satan, ourselves or someone else for everything bad that happens. Sometimes we blame God. The blame game keeps our hearts off of the real issue . . . submitting to God and what He wants to do in our own hearts regardless of the source of our problems.
Also, our carnal nature makes us think that we are ok as we are as long as we do "good" things and that we don't need to be tested and tried. Not so. God is more interested in our character than He is in our outward behavior. The fires of trials and testings shape our character. His promises are not as much for what He will do FOR us as what He will do IN us. The latter is His priority.
3 comments:
I think submission is one of my greatest weekiness's at times. It is something I have to work daily on!
Thank you for the post~~
Yes, we are all rebellious by nature and need to continually walk in repentance and humility, asking for the conviction of the Holy Spirit...it is the only way to learn submission.
Hebrews 5:8
Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered
Humility yes I have been learnign alot about humility. It is hard in our human nature to admit when we are wrong. But, when we do it is then we feel the free's. Submission to His will instead of our own can be hard at times but well worth the outcome.
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