Take Your Stand

James 4:6-8

One of the most difficult things we as Believers are called upon to do is take a righteous stand. Whether it’s a matter of standing for God and right or standing firmly against sin and evil, the requirements are deeply held convictions and old fashion courage to spring into action. That is your belief and reasonable actions stemming from those well-founded values is our obligation before God. Taking a stand means we know the truth and are acting on that truth in responsible and Christ-honoring ways.

With such responsibilities and privileges, God affords us instruction to navigate this often emotionally charged terrain.  After all, much is at stake…sometimes it is necessary to take a godly stand with family or friends. Because we love them and treasure the relationship we obey God and confront the issue with them. Though such “talks” may feel a little awkward, we still take the initiative.

There will be occasions to take a stand in the work place to seek God’s honor, but you know He is not welcome nor is His Book…. You know you cannot go along to get along…yet you’ve invested so much, and you don’t want to jeopardize your professional future either. Conflicted within you sense your need for help.

Compromise may suddenly seem plausible, yet the desire to please the Lord with your family, friends, and professional pursuits outweigh all other concerns. So what help is available from God? What guidance does He afford the child of God wanting to do right, but sorely tempted to compromise? How can we resist the Devil’s manipulations as he applies more pressure?

So, How Does God Assist Embattled Believers?

Often when under such pressure, we feel completely alone…as if God has abandoned us to struggle under such pressures alone. As you know, we cannot trust our feelings to guide us because they often interfere with clear and accurate thinking. It is entirely correct to look to the Lord. God assists His people when we face such challenges. One thing God does is provide strengthen and reinforcing grace.

There is Powerful Grace from God (Js. 4:6).

He gives more grace (4:6). The first five verses of this chapter indicate how wicked the old nature can be. Now we learn that we are not left to deal with the lusts of the flesh in our own strength. Thank God, He gives more grace or strength whenever it is needed (Heb. 4:16). He has promised, “... as thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deut. 33:25). I am certain you would agree with the words of Annie Johnson Flint,

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase,

To added affliction He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials His multiplied peace. 

Clearly, God wants us to depend on His grace, “But He giveth more grace,” (4:6) while the devil wants us to depend on ourselves. Satan is the author of all “do-it-yourself” spiritual enterprises. He enjoys inflating the ego and encouraging the believer to do it his own way. Despite Jesus’ warnings about Satan’s plans, Peter fell into the snare, pulled out his sword, and tried to accomplish God’s will in his own way. What a mess he made of things!

We Must Assume a Humble Spirit before God (Js. 4:6-7a).

Specifically, God provides “grace unto the humble.” Yes, we are called upon to shun pride and to humbly submit to God’s authority. He will supply incredible unmerited favor to those who understand the cure for conflict is a humble spirit. Beloved, this is how we secure God’s powerful aid in our battles.

MacDonald wisely observed,

To prove that God gives grace as it is needed, James quoted Proverbs 3:34, but here there is the added thought that it is to the humble, not the proud, that this grace is promised. God resists the proud, but He cannot resist the broken spirit. –Believer's Bible Commentary

We must all remember that God is the focus of all glory; there is no need or room for human pride (Rom. 7:18; 2 Tim. 1:6, 14). The correct posture before God is humbled on our knees acknowledging His excellence and supremacy. If you do not feel this way towards God, then spend time each day talking to Him from your knees. Your physical posture will help your brain catch up eventually. You see, humility recognizes the grandeur of God, our limitations before supernatural enemies, and our singular help in Almighty God. Beloved, the believer who kneels before God can stand against the flesh, the world, and the devil!

What Happens When We Stand Against the Devil? (Js. 4:7)

So, what can we expect as we engage in real spiritual battles?

Satan Will Flee When We Resist Him in the Lord.

James states a clear expectation for us to grasp, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” The flipside of the first command. “Resist” literally means “take your stand against.” Although our own evil tendencies (Js. 1:14) and the desires battling within us (Js. 4:1) are the immediate sources of our problems, to give in to those internal desires is to yield to the devil (see Matt 4:1-11; Luke 22:31; John 13:2,27). All people are either under the lordship of Christ or the control of Satan (John 8:44; Eph. 2:2; 1 John 3:8; 5:19); there is no middle ground. Those who transfer their allegiance from Satan to God will find that Satan “will flee from” them; he is a defeated foe.

So long as Satan can stimulate human pride, he can interrupt God’s plan, even if only temporarily. But as powerful as Satan is, his only power over believers is in his powerful temptations. The devil can be resisted—and our resistance will cause him to flee. Conversely, a lack of resistance will practically guarantee ongoing harassment by Satan (see also Eph. 6:10-18 and 1 Peter 5:6-9).

“Neither give place to the devil,” cautions Paul in Ephesians 4:27. Satan needs a foothold in our lives if he is going to fight against God; and we give him that foothold. The way to resist the devil is to submit to God.

After King David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and killed her husband, he hid his sins for almost a year. There was war between him and God, and David had declared it. Read Psalms 32 and 51 to discover the high price David paid to be at war with God. When he finally submitted to God, David experienced peace and joy. This too he recorded in Psalms 32 and 51. Submission is an act of the will; it is saying, “Not my will but Thine be done.” (W. Wierbe)

The Devil’s Primary Purpose is to Separate Man from God.

Destined for everlasting destruction in the Lake of Fire, the Devil desires to take as many individuals with him as he possibly can. So many people are deceived by the Devil’s lies and manipulations…just as Heaven is real so is Hell. As certain as Jesus Christ is a reality so is the Devil, the World, and the Flesh real enemies of humanity. The truth is all humanity is sinful and lost with no real relationship with God. If we die in this state Hell will be our eternal place of suffering and destruction. The painful fact is we can do absolutely nothing to improve or change our situation in a positive way. God, because of His great love and mercy, provided the solution for our sinful condition through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Yes, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ paid for my sins and yours. You and I must turn from our unbelief, rejection of God, and sin to Jesus as our personal Savior. Acknowledge your sinfulness to God and ask Him for forgiveness based on Christ’s death and resurrection. Trust the living Jesus, the risen Son of God, to save you and give you a brand-new beginning and a new life with God. Dear friend, God is offering you real hope; believe Him with all your heart.   

Among the reasons we so desperately need God's grace is that we are locked in mortal combat with a superior enemy. We cannot handle him alone; he is far too strong. Beloved, we desperately need God’s help to resist Satan's separating schemes and instead draw near to God. We must realize that the Devil's power over us is only as strong as the illusion that he is more powerful than God's help. We must trust that the Spirit who is in us is greater than Satan who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Acknowledge the assistance God provides to every humble and submissive believer embattled with the flesh, the world system, and the Devil himself. You have not been abandoned and you need not stand alone. Stand therefore, beloved assure of strengthening grace and power to overcome the manipulations of the wicked one. Stand with the assurance that Satan will flee before a child of God empowered by God’s mighty grace. So again, recognize God’s assistance, submit to God as your commander and chief, then resist the Devil. Beloved, take your stand!