It was hilarious actually, but don’t tell my wife I said that.  Usually, in the morning, she leaves the house before I do. But on this day, I had something going on early so I was leaving.  I told her goodbye, kissed her, then walked out. But after I walked downstairs, I remembered something I needed to tell her. I went back upstairs.  I walked into the bathroom just as she was coming out of her closet into the bathroom and she totally did not expect to see me or anyone else. I scared her to death.  She let out a shrill jumping about three feet into the air. Even after she realized it with me, her body’s reactions had not caught up to her brain and I could see her wanting to retreat back into her closet.  She wanted nothing more than to get away! And that brings us to the Verse of the Day:

James 4:7

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

(NIV 1984)

The Scripture says that he will flee from you.  The original language means to run fast as if trying to escape.  When we submit ourselves to the Lord, the devil runs scared. It reminds me of the Crowder song, “Run devil, Run!”

What is happening when we submit ourselves to the Lord that makes the devil need to escape our presence or the presence of God within us.  Submission is another way to submit. We do not submit to the laws of God, but to God Himself. I say this only to help us understand that submission to the Lord is not mere obedience, but obedience out of genuine affection for the Lord.  We obey because we love Him and we want to honor Him. But obedience is not always easy.  

Jesus said all the Law hangs on loving the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind and loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40).  Paul reiterates this in Romans 13:8-13. When we love like this, we are in full obedience. But let’s face it, it is hard to love like this. I would even say that, on my own, it is impossible to love like this.  To love the Lord with all my heart, soul, and mind is to never forsake Him. Yet, all of us do forsake Him when we sin. God refers to our sin as adultery because, in the moment, we crave forbidden things more than our Lord.  He is our husband and we are the bride. When we take other lovers whether it is money, pride, approval from people, or success, we are forsaking Him in that moment. Love like this is hard.  

It is hard to love God like that and He ALWAYS loves us like this, but how much more difficult is it to love our neighbor in this way when they DON’T.

This type of love requires supernatural power.  We need the power that comes from our communion with the Holy Spirit.  Aha! That’s it! The more we seek the Holy Spirit in order that we might love better and obey the Lord more fully, the greater His presence in us.  We are in Him and He is in us. The devil ain’t scared of me by myself, but when the Holy Spirit abides in a strong way, the devil is running scared!  Now, let’s keep him on the run.

How well are you submitting to the Lord?  How well are you reaching out to the Spirit to connect with Him so that His power is being made perfect in you?  What do you need to do for the Holy Spirit to abide in your more fully and keep the devil on the run?

Live Blessed and Be a Blessing!

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