The Undermining Power

I often think about my high school English teacher as I read with appreciation the way sentences are held together.  Some writers are truly wordsmiths.  They are artist at their work as surely as a painter finds expression through design and color.  James 4:7-8 are two verses of Scripture which have captivated my attention in the last few days.  It says, "Submit yourselves to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God , and He will draw near to you."   These words express a spiritual truth which is held together by the use of contrast.      

One of the opposites is found in the contrast between the words, "Submit"  and "Resist."  Even as we are to submit to God, we are to resist the devil.  Of course, this creates a huge problem for those who deny the existence of the evil one.  Those who deny the existence of God are certainly in a smaller number than those who deny the existence of the devil.  It is, therefore, hard for many to take this word about resisting the devil seriously since at the core of their belief system there is denial of his existence.   

Of course, explaining the power of evil away means cutting out important sections of the gospel.  To take seriously the life and spiritual struggles of Jesus means that we accept the fact that His primary battle was not with the Jewish or Roman authorities, but with the power of Satan.  From beginning to end, the gospel speaks of Satan seeking to undermine the ministry of Jesus.  Any believer who ignores the reality of the devil's desire to undermine personal faith in God walks a perilous road.