James 4:7-10
“Humble yourselves before God.”
James is going to start and end this passage with that sentence. And it’s because it’s the foundation of everything else. Nothing else that we try to to do, nothing else that we try to be matters if we don’t start with humble hearts before God. It means full submission. It means, “not my will, but yours be done.” It means, “In good times, in the bad; in the times of prosperity and in moments when I don’t understand, I submit. I know that you are God, and I am not.”
“Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
How do we resist the devil? In verse eight, James says, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” We resist the devil by being close to the Father. When we are connected to Him, the vine, we produce the fruits of the Spirit, we overflow with goodness, and the enemy knows he can’t have his way with us! We have to be intentional. We resist the tempter through prayer, and through the Word. We must stay connected to the vine to resist the devil. And the good news is, James says that God will help us! He will come close to us! God is not a far away God. He is close. He longs for relationship with you. He created you for it. That promise is so freeing. When we seek Him, we find Him. When we draw close to Him, he draws near to us. Thank you, Jesus for being a God who cares to be close to us!
“Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for you loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.”
I love that after the bible says that he is a close Father, the Father disciplines. “He disciplines those He loves.” Here we are reminded of having a healthy fear of God. A God who won’t let us be luke-warm, who is jealous for a fully submitted heart. He loves us enough to not allow a one foot in, one foot out relationship. And he demands grief for our sin. “Understand that sin separates us,” he cries. He is calling us to repentance, the kind that brings us on our knees. The games are over. If you are serious about God, get serious about God.
Finally, James reminds us, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” I love how the message version says it. “Get down on your knees before your Master, its the only way you’ll get on your feet.” It reminds me of one my favorite lyrics from the new Hillsong United song, “I touch the sky when my knees hit the ground.” When was the last time your knees hit the ground? Humble yourself before God. Resist the devil. Draw close to Him. Purify your heart. Turn from your wicked ways. Get down on your knees. Get up on your feet.