July 27: Insight Post by Kim Feld
Monday Insight Post
by Kim Feld
As I read through this week’s plan, I was struck by the question, “How does submission help you resist temptation?” Let’s look at James 4:7-8:
7So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. James 4:7-8 (NLT)
As I think about submission to God, I can definitely see the divided loyalty that these verses talk about. So many advertisements that I read or watch tell me not only what I need, but also what I deserve. Jesus’ words of “deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me” are not likely to make any national marketing campaigns. Self-denial is not the way of our fallen world or the default of the sin nature that I carry. That’s the battleground of our enemy. Submission to God is crucial if we want to resist the devil.
So, let’s get practical with this. How does submission to God help me resist the devil? Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness give us great guidance. There were three particular ways that the devil tried to tempt Jesus (I’m using Luke’s listing of the temptation order in Luke chapter 4). One was to turn stones into bread, which challenged Jesus to act on His own rather than depend on God. The second was to rule the world, which He would ultimately and legitimately do but only after giving Himself as a substitute for you and me. The third and final temptation was to throw Himself off the top of the temple to see if God would save Him. All of these temptations were designed to lead Jesus to forgo submission to His Father and act on His own. I’m not at all comparing the weight of Jesus’ temptations with mine, but it seems that the things I’m tempted with are designed to do the same – rely on and look out for myself instead of depending on God.
In all three of Jesus’ temptations, He used God’s Word to counter Satan. He knew Scripture inside and out, so it was always available to Him. He submitted to His Father in all things and allowed God’s strength to fill Him. Submission is not just a one-and-done deal. It is accomplished over time, in both big and little things.
In these verses in James, we are assured that if we draw near to God, God will draw near to us. How amazing is that? The word submission has been tainted in our culture; the idea of submitting on any level seems to equate to being minimized. But God’s intention is not to minimize us. There’s nothing He needs from us. He has nothing to prove and doesn’t need to make me smaller to elevate Himself. He’s not like us. Submitting to Him is to become our best selves. The ones He created us to be.
Kim Feld
Executive Director of Education and Outreach
New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
newhope.org