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[32] Resist the devil...


Verse
James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.


Message
Question one: How do we submit ourselves to God?


Answer: Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.


When we submit ourselves to God it is no longer we who think, act, speak and so forth; Christ lives in us and He does it all. This is why the demon in Acts 19:15 could say "Jesus I know, Paul I know". He knew that they (Jesus, Paul and the other apostles) had one Spirit; in the natural they were known Jesus and Paul, but in the spirit, it was the Word of God working in the two of them. They were both born of God-by the Word of God; Christ came to give us a chance or a privilege to be born not of the will of man but of God. When Christ died and rose up, we who are baptised in His Spirit, died and rose up with Him to become Children of God.


But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint- heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:9-17)


Question two: If Christ is working in us, how would He resist the devil?


Answer: By using the whole armour of God.


Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Ephesians 6:11-18)


All the weapons in this armour are interrelated. They are dependent on one another, and they are all of Christ. He is the armour of light. He is the Word of God which is truth; the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of truth and Jesus(the Word of God), the Father and the Holy Ghost are one. To resist the devil, we must allow the greater One in us to speak and act through us-you cannot resist the devil when you are walking by the flesh.




Bonus
The body is the temple of the Holy Ghost not of your spirit but the Holy Ghost. You become God in a human body, and just as He said He would pour out His Spirit into all flesh. He pours His Spirit into us after we become baptised in His Spirit.


We are God in a human body but we don't know this because our minds haven't been renewed with His Word. Remember Jesus said that "fear He who will destroy soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28)": He didn't say destroy spirit, soul and body in hell. He doesn't join people who are cast into hell. He (God) is detached from them. Adam was a living soul and the last Adam a quickening Spirit. The spirit in man after He is born again belongs to God and is (the word of) God.


Many people think that once we go to church, even if we sin we will go to heaven, but that's a lie; The Spirit in us will leave us just as it left Jesus on the cross when he became sin for us. When the Spirit of God leaves, hell is inevitable. That's why we are to work with Him in obedience to do His will: to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. God says He would punish anyone who defiles His temple because He dwells in us;  we are just controlling it with our minds which need to be renewed continually till we are able to think like, speak like and act like God.


Amen
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