James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Waiting On God For Orders
.. This is why waiting on God is essential for the Christian. We have to wait on Him to be led – to be guided – certainly in prayer and most certainly in warfare. Very important! I sometimes have waited for periods of times, sometimes up to a week. I know there’s to be spiritual warfare but I havn’t had the clearance, I’ve not had the go ahead yet. We have to do it in God’s timing. Why all of this? Because He’s teaching us that we are subject to authority – to leading.. guidance. We’re being trained, it’s not a wrong thing to think of Jesus Christ as our commander giving us the orders..
Under Authority
.. That is important for us to understand this in the light of getting the enemy off our backs. This is what we’ve been looking at. So going back to James then in verse seven ‘ Submit yourselves, then, to God ‘ that is what it means. We submit to God, we don’t retaliate, we don’t react. We know that He is completely in authority. He has all authority, He has all power might and dominion. The Father has given Him this and so we wait on Him – in order to submit to God..
Two Wills In Conflict
.. You see we don’t always submit straight away do we? Sometimes we’re having problems. We’re battling with our will and His will. So we need to give ourselves time, and this is where a prayer life is so vital. We’re often saying to you ‘ get into The Word and prayer ‘ because prayer enables us to get ourselves right. We become able to be sensitive – to listen to Him because He’s speaking to us – but we don’t always hear. That’s the problem..
Psalm 46;10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Sensitive To Hear
.. Just being still and knowing that He is God is absolutely vital. There have been times I have come before The Lord’s presence and I have just said ‘ Lord I’m not bringing a list before you because You know it anyway. I’m just here before You because that is what I want. I’m here before You to listen to You, to wait on You. I want to hear You – not You always hearing from me.. ..
Acts 12:17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.
Acts 15:13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Luke 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Luke 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
