WINNING OUR BATTLES THROUGH PRAYER

SCRIPTURE:
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(James 4:7)

MEDITATION:
What would we do if someone began to push against us, 
attempting to throw us off a position that is rightfully ours? 
How would we respond? 
Most people would lean into the weight and push back.

That's a posture of resistance. 
And as believers, 
we must know when it's time to lean with all our might against evil. 
But how?
Prayer is the believer’s great privilege 
and powerful weapon against Satan and his plans. 
The apostle Peter wrote, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith…” (1 Peter 5:9)
Similarly James says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, 
and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you…” 
(James 4:7-8)

Both of these godly men advised believers to oppose evil by resisting it. 
We can do that by persevering in prayer. 
On the surface, this form of resistance may appear to be passive, 
but in practice it is always active, intentional, and powerful.

Resistance starts by making a decision to fight against evil through prayer, 
(as many other believers are doing), rather than retreating.
Taking this position of godly opposition takes strength and courage. 
It also requires patience and perseverance.

Peter and James point to two key words at the heart of our ability to resist
the devil through our prayers: faith in God, and submission to His will.

Submission
Submission to God means acknowledging that we can't but He can!
In our prayers, we might tell the Lord, 
“I can't defeat the Enemy on my own. But with You, I can!” 
By taking this position, we join the apostle Paul in saying, 
“I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

James taught that submission occurs 
when we seek a closer relationship with God. 
As we spend time in His Word and His presence, 
we get to know the Lord better. 
We also know His desire for us to overcome evil 
and experience blessings in our lives. 
By setting aside time solely to listen 
and wait upon the Lord for direction and guidance, we grow closer to Him.

Periodically hiding ourselves away from all other influences and 
distractions is vital if we want to grow in the knowledge of our God. 
The better we know Him, the more we see His power, experience His love, 
and grow in faith and wisdom.

Faith
Faith can be summed up in the statement, “God, I believe You will!” 
In our efforts to overcome the Evil One, we might pray this way: 
“I believe You will defeat the Enemy and cause him to flee from me 
as I resist him and put my trust in You.”

Again and again, David made this declaration of faith to the Lord: 
“I trust in you…” (Psalm 25.2)
“…I trust in the LORD” (PSALM 31:6)
“…But as for me, I trust in you.” (Psalm 55:23)
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” (Psalm 56:3)
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my 
trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” 
(Psalm 143:8)

We grow in faith 
by exercising it - trusting God in every circumstance and relationship. 
Over time, we develop a personal history with God 
as He demonstrates His faithfulness and loving care for us. 
The result is 
an ever-deepening relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Ultimately, it's impossible to resist the Devil for long if we don't 
believe that Jesus Christ can, and will, thwart Satan's attempts to harm us. 
Remaining strong in faith requires
total submission to God in all areas of our life - no exceptions. 
When we decide that we don't need God's help in one area, 
that's precisely where the Enemy will strike.

The good news is that God has given each of us 
a measure of faith to nurture within our hearts. 
And by His grace, we have the capacity to submit to His will. 
In whatever we do, remember the words of James: 
“Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

ACTION:
Have you allowed yourself to believe you can fight 
and defeat the powerful enemy, Satan, on your own?
He has been destroying lives for a long time, so he is good at it.
He is prepared for all the attempts 
to resist him without the help of the Lord.
He loves it whenever man tries to “take him on” in their own strength.
It is like a powerful professional heavyweight 
taking on an amateur lightweight.

God is ready to help you defeat the enemy, 
but it isn’t going to “just happen”.
It requires your action of praying, submitting to Him, and exercising faith.
You are required to do something other than 
just claim that you are a Christian, and say that God will take care of you.

You have to adjust your life to fit God’s expectations, rather than 
trying to adjust His principles to fit your lifestyle, habits and desires.
What changes have you made in your own life 
in order to be like God wants you to be? 
Name them, and also name the changes that you still need to make.
Don't ever get the idea that you are submitting to Him
if you seldom go to His house, the church.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I am in a battle that I cannot win on my own. As I pray, 
submit to You, exercise faith, and get to know You better, I know that I 
will have a greater trust in You. Forgive me for my egotism and smugness 
that has convinced me that I can resist Satan in my own strength. I now 
realize that the more I become humble, the more I can rely on Your strength 
and power to help me be victorious in resisting the devil.”