In summary of James 4:7 it says, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Bottom Line:
Place yourself under God’s authority. Resist the enemy, he will run from you.
What this means to me:
I am to humble myself before God and put myself under his authority. If I resist the enemy, he will flee from me. This is a good passage for me to keep close at heart, especially when I have temptations that overpower me and are hard to bear. Temptations of this nature are just lies from Satan. God has promised never to allow more on me than he puts within me to handle. In other words, He will not permit any temptation that I could not overcome. I must do my part by practicing biblical methods for defeating temptation. First and foremost, I should refocus my attention on something besides the temptation I’m facing. There is nowhere in the Bible in which we are told to "resist temptation." It says that we are to "resist the devil," however this can be very different. (James 4:7) So, it is better for me to just refocus my attention. Trying to resist a thought simply doesn't work. It only intensifies the focus on the wrong thing and strengthens its allure. In summary, whatever I resist, will persist. Temptation always begins with a thought, so the quickest way for me to neutralize its allure, would be to turn my attention to something else. Don't fight the thought, just change the channel of my mind and get interested in another idea. Ultimately the battle for sin is won or lost in my mind. Whatever gets my attention, will ultimately get me. Job had said, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust upon a young woman." (Job 31:1 NLT) David prayed, "Keep me from paying attention to what is worthless." (Psalm 119:3a TEV) In summary, when I’m facing a difficult temptation, it’s best for me to turn the channel in my mind and focus on something different.
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