Hello blessed one!

If you want to RESIST THE DEVIL the way the Bible tells you to, you must submit yourself to God’s authority.  All power belongs to God and you’ve been given the authorization and the right to use it on all levels.  The Scriptures tells us that the devil will only leave us alone when we stand up and fight against him.  When Satan tempted the Lord Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus said, “IT IS WRITTEN…”.  This is exactly how we RESIST THE DEVIL.  Jesus is our prototype.  

Do you remember when the acronym came out in the 1990’s that said WWJD (what would Jesus do)?  That’s perfect!  In everything we do and say, we should be asking ourselves, WWJD?

A powerful way to demonstrate our faith is to do the right thing, even if we don’t feel like doing it at the moment.  We must do what James 4:7 tells us to do,

  • Therefore submit to God.  RESIST THE DEVIL and he will flee from you (run in stark terror). 

We’re told here not just to pray to God, but to actively fight against the devil.  James 2:20 tells us that faith without works is dead.  We need to accompany our faith with actions!  RESISTING THE ENEMY  means we’re cooperating with God.  He’s given us His authority here on earth to carry out His plans and purposes.  

When the children of Israel turned away from God, they limited Him and the authority He had here on earth.  Psalm 78:41 states,

  • Again and again they tested God’s patience and provoked the Holy One of Israel.  

God had to send His Word, which became flesh (Jesus) here to the earth in a physical body to strip the authority from the devil and return it back to mankind (like it was in the garden of Eden).  

Isn’t is amazing to think that Jesus’ power and authority were limited in places where people doubted Him?   He was amazed at their unbelief.  Mark 6:5-6 says,

  • And because of their unbelief, He couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place His hands on a few sick people and heal them.  And He was amazed at their unbelief.  

Even Jesus needed cooperation, but the people refused to cooperate by their unbelief.  

As disciples of the Lord, we can choose whether or not to cooperate with Him through our actions.  Let’s rebel against the devil by stretching out our hands to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons.  Jesus commanded His disciples to heal the sick while preaching the Gospel.  We should do the same, as Jesus’ disciples in 2016.  

Resisting the devil,

Lisa Gordon

Assistant Pastor

Jesus City Church