# Resist the Devil



## Simply_Nikki (Apr 15, 2008)

What does it mean when the bible says resist the devil and he will flee from you? (1 Peter 5:5-9 and James 4:7) Growing up in the WoF mvt, we learned it to mean to rebuke the devil when we are suffering with illnesses, poverty, etc.. and by doing that he wouldn't be able to "attack" us. 

So what does it really mean to resist the devil ? and how do you do this?


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## Guido's Brother (Apr 15, 2008)

From my sermon on 1 Peter 5:8-11:

"He’s an enemy who stands against us. Sure, he throws out lies to make us believe that he has something that will soothe our pain, relieve our stress, quench our thirsts and longings. He’s been doing that since the Garden of Eden. But the bottom line is he’s against us. He is the accuser. That’s what the Hebrew word Satan means. That’s what the Greek word diabolos or devil means. Accuser, adversary, enemy. The one against.

And against him, we have to resist. That’s the third command in our text and we find it in verse 9. To resist the devil means that we set ourselves against him, we oppose him who opposes us and God. In other words, you have to choose sides. By God’s grace and power, you have to decide whose side you’re going to be on in the great spiritual warfare. In the Second World War, there were countries that declared themselves neutral. Switzerland, for instance. Switzerland is the classic example of a country that has never formally taken sides in any modern conflict. But in the great spiritual warfare, there is and can be no neutrality. You’re either for God or you’re against him. This is a clear case of black and white. Our text is calling us to make sure that we’re on the right side, that we’re on the winning side."


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## Poimen (Apr 15, 2008)

I find it interesting that the issue of humility is addressed in both contexts (passages). Pride is definitely a powerful weapon in the hands of Satan. 

Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom." Think of Adam and Eve hiding in shame after their act of pride and attempt to overthrow God's rule. 

Submission and faith (according to Peter and James) are the means of resistance to the devil.


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## Guido's Brother (Apr 15, 2008)

Poimen said:


> I find it interesting that the issue of humility is addressed in both contexts (passages). Pride is definitely a powerful weapon in the hands of Satan.
> 
> Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom." Think of Adam and Eve hiding in shame after their act of pride and attempt to overthrow God's rule.
> 
> Submission and faith (according to Peter and James) are the means of resistance to the devil.


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## Hippo (Apr 15, 2008)

I have always thought that people take the devil too personally and when the devil is mentioned in the Bible it is usually meant in a symbolic or figurative way.

The devil is real but I do not believe that he is omnipresent or omnisient, when people sin or things go wrong the devil always gets the blame but I fail to see what he has to do with it most of the time. I am sure that the devil has better things to do than mix my socks up or cause me to eat more burgers than I should.

The "devil" lets people externalise sin and shift thge blame from themselves, Jesus needed the devil to tempt him as he was sinless, we are quite capable of sinning all on our own.


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## Herald (Apr 15, 2008)

Go back to the text.

James 4:1-10 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. 


The answer is right there. Because there are quarrels and conflicts caused by sinful hedonism, James commands his readers to “submit therefore to God.” Resisting the devil is not a causal activity that the believer enters into. It’s not a mano a mano battle with Satan. Resisting is actually done in the submitting. In submission to God lies victory over the devil. Humility is the path to exaltation.


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## Poimen (Apr 15, 2008)

Josh:

You summarized many of the points quite well. Thank you for the Jude reference and Jesus reference to scripture during His temptation as they are very relevant.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Apr 15, 2008)

Thomas Manton, "The Temptation of Christ, Sermon 7" (Matt 4:11) in _Works_, Vol. 3, pp. 330-332:



> Doctrine 2. When the devil is thoroughly and resolutely resisted, he departeth.
> 
> As here, when the adversary was put to the foil, he went his way. Therefore this is often pressed upon us in scripture: James 4:7, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." If you resist his suggestions to malice, envy, and strife, he is discouraged; so 1 Pet 5:9, "Whom resist, stedfast in the faith." We must not fly nor yield to him in the least, but stoutly and peremptorily resist him in all his temptations. If you stand your ground, Satan falleth. In this spiritual conflict Satan hath only weapons offensive, cunning wiles, and fiery darts, none defensive; a believer hath weapons both offensive and defensive, sword and shield, etc.; therefore our safety lieth in resisting.
> 
> ...



Thomas Manton, "A Practical Exposition of James" in _Works_, Vol. 4, p. 363:



> 2. Secondly, The next question is to show what it is to resist him. I answer (1.) Negatively, we must not fear him; the devil hath no enforcing power, but only a persuading sleight, Distrustful fear giveth him advantage. We are to 'resist him steadfast in the faith' 1 Peter v. 10. And again, we must not ' give place to him,' Eph. iv. 27. Anger may make way for malice; and when the first risings of sin are not grievous, the accomplishment of it is not far off. (2.) Positively; so we must manifest our resistance, partly by refusing to commune with him. Sometimes he must be checked with a mere rebuke and abomination ; as when the temptation tendeth to a direct withdrawment from obedience, it is enough to say, 'Get thee behind me, Satan,' and to chide the thought ere it be settled; so Ps. xi. 1, 'How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to yonder mountain?' He abominateth the motion; as if he had said, Avaunt, evil thoughts! &c. Sometimes we must oppose gracious reasons and considerations; as when the temptation hath taken any hold upon the thoughts, and corruption riseth up in the defence of the suggestion, this is called a 'withstanding in the evil day' and a ' quenching of his fiery darts' Eph. vi. 13-16.


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