Devotion's by Deborah

Devotion 12-6-23 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:7 - 8. James, Jesus' brother, does not mince words. He is pointedly blunt. There is no time in the believer's life for niceties and walking around the problem. We must get directly to the point. Satan is your enemy. He seeks for any and all ways in which to make you stumble and fall. But, we need not fear Satan! He is only in his death throws, trying very hard to take others with him into the pit of hell for eternity. This is especially true of believers. What is the solution? God. God is our source of all that is good. He is our source of life, and love, and salvation. God is also jealous of your love and life. Jesus paid the ultimate price for you. Do not dabble in sin; do not hang a foot in the water of the world. Instead, submit entirely to God. Submit to His authority over you and to His Holy Spirit in you. James 1:6 says, "But He gives a greater grace... God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." God gives you more than enough grace, the ability to do His will. He gives it, we accept it, and obey. We submit to God, turning our backs on Satan, and experiencing the empowerment and presence of God. It always comes down to a decision, a choice. Recognizing God's grace and Satan's wiles requires time spent in God's presence. You must become increasingly familiar with God, as His friend, and increasingly opposed to Satan. There is no need to fear Satan, no! Recognize him as God's enemy, and as your enemy. Spend enough time with God so you will recognize God's voice, God's precepts, God's grace, and life. By spending time with your Savior, Satan has to leave; he flees from you! Submit to God, Who loves you to the extreme!