"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" James 4:7
Notice here James doesn't say "Ignore the devil and he will flee from you."
When we resist Satan we give an action or word that is going against what he's telling us. We see that with Jesus and the devil in Matthew 4:1-11, every time Satan will tempt Jesus, Jesus will deliver scripture that gives no other alternative to the devil except to flee. But alot of times we don't resist Satan instead we ignore Satan, we just give no attention to what he tells us, the down side with that is he doesn't flee those thoughts and temptations are still occurring.
In Job 22:28 the Bible says, "You will declare a thing, and it will be established for you" You see God has joy when we study His word but He accepts us when we apply His word. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 the Bible says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
When we brake that verse down we can understand two things.
(1) Understand how our spiritual walk with God is.
(2) Know how we can make it better.
"Given by inspiration of God," literally means God-breathed, so who is the author of the Bible not Paul, not Luke, not James, but God Himself!
Now the study of the bible is profitable in at least four different ways.
(1) Doctrine means teaching, Luke makes a huge emphasize in Acts 2:42 that the church must have a commitment to doctrine first.
(2) Reproof is conviction, that your life is not approved by God.
(3) Correction referring that we must set something straight. (2 Timothy 2:15) (4) Instruction refers to giving advice, as in the process of training a child.
God only instructs those who are seeking His righteousness, when you tell a child "Don't play by the fire!" Your instructing them to not get hurt.
In the same way when God says something or something happens in your life we must know that everything works for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)
Now notice in 2 Timothy 3:16 in that list there is only one that pertains to knowledge and information that's doctrine, the other three in the list involve a change of life. Knowledge that doesn't change one's life is useless. Now if we go on to 2 Timothy 4:2 Paul charges Timothy to "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching." What I want to point out is, "convince, rebuke, exhort," to convince some one we make them agree and realize the truth, when we rebuke we show disapproval, and when we exhort we encourage.
So that verse shows us three different kinds of people:
1). An unbeliever
2).A believer who is not walking with God
3). The true believer
A). With unbelievers we convince.
B). With believers who aren't walking the Christian walk we rebuke.
C). With the believer who follows God in spirit and truth we exhort.
Now you may be wondering why I'm explaining believers and what scriptures all about. When I was talking about resisting the devil in the begin. I am preparing you even more, because we can not resist the devil unless we know how our walk with God is right now. If we need to be convinced then were already losing the battle we need ask God for forgiveness and walking according to His word. If we need to be rebuked well then we need to study God's word and apply it much more then we have been. Then if we need exhortation then we must continue to wait upon the Lord. (Lamentations 3:25) You see the Bible says "we are not ignorant of his (Satan's) devices." (2 Corinthians 2:11)
God has given us His word to be the foundation of our lives and Jesus as the chief cornerstone. Christ is victorious, but we are robbed of His power when we allow Satan and this world to permeate our thinking and influence our values rather than living in submission to the Living God. You see when we are God's children, Satan has no power over us.
Who is Satan? He's a created being, a fallen angel. Angels have all kinds of jobs but, What is there primary job? What does the name angel mean? It means "messenger" As a messenger, Satan speaks to our minds.
God is sovereign, and Satan is only a messenger, a fallen angel, his only power and authority is speaking to our minds. Trying to deceive us that we might embrace that which is NOT true and contrary to God's word. So Satan doesn't take control of our actions it's us we embrace his lies and sin against the Almighty King. Jack Taylor, in his book "Victory over the Devil", writes and I quote "We need to discover there is a battle, decide that we are on the Lord's side, declare that He has won, and determine that we will walk from victory unto victory."
How do we know that we are truly followers of Jesus Christ?
In the Gospel of John, Chapter 15 verses 9&10 Jesus said "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."
God's love for Christ is unconditional as we see in verse 9, Christ says in John 5:19 "Truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." So as much as God loves Christ, that is just as much as Christ loves us, UNCONDITIONALLY!
Now if we have love, we have Christ for the bible says "Beloved, let us love one another, for God is of love; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7) Notice how John says "born of God" to be born of God literally means to be born again. We see in John 3:3-6 a conversation Jesus has with Nicodemus expressing to him how someone is born again. Jesus says "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) Then He says in verse 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
So then the question of how do we truly know were following Christ, would be answered with a question of are we walking according to the Spirit?
You see in Romans 8:5, Paul tells us how we are to walk according to the Spirit, he says, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." So in Romans 8:5 he shows us how to walk according to the Spirit, but then in Galatians 6:4-5 he shows us how we know if our walk is acceptable to God he says, "But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load."
Going back to Romans 8 instead go to verse 7 in Romans 8:7 the bible says, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." Now notice the word "subject" going back to John 15:10 Jesus said "If you keep My commandments," Paul was a man who understood discipline something the flesh does not obtain, nor can the flesh obtain, discipline. That's what Paul meant in Romans 8:7 by saying, "not subject to the law of God, NOR INDEED CAN BE." You see in 1 Corinthians 9:27 he says, "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." the Greek word for disqualified means "disapproved after testing." So to know that you follow Christ is to know that your talk matches your walk, and discipline is a key element. We must have discipline to stay away from the lusts of the flesh, that's why in Galatians 6:22 one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control.
We have discipline because we have accepted Christ into our lives, we know longer live setting our minds on earthly things, but on things above. (Colossians 3:2) But we are transformed by the renewing of our mind. (Romans 12:2) We could argue whether or not were walking according to the Spirit, but it's that walk that's going to show us the truth. You can't argue a transformation the Greek word for transformation is "Metamorphoo" which is the root of the word "Metamorphosis" meaning "a striking change in appearance or character." You see when Christ was transfigured in Mark 9:2-3 it deeply affected John and Peter, who mention it in their writings. John says "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) and Peters says, "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He recieved from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (2 Peter 1:16-18) So it is all about your transformation and self-control, for we have been given a good conscience by the grace of God, if we reject that conscience we will suffer shipwreck in our faith. (1 Timothy 1:19) "Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him, And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us." (1 John 3:24) So we know that if we have control over our carnality and discipline over our bodies to subjection to the law of God, then the Spirit dwells in us. "And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:10-11)
So when we talk the talk about Christianity let us walk the walk, that we may not misconduct the Christain faith. But instead let us walk the walk, exercising godliness which is profitable in all things, promised in this life and that which is to come. (1 Timothy 4:8)
The Standard of Evangelism! The Gospel of John was obviously written by the Apostle John, my mention about the author is that the Gospels were written as eyewitness testimonies, but in the passage of Christ and the Samaritan woman, John 4:1-26 in verse 8 the Bible tells us that no disciples or anybody, were present except Jesus and the Samaritan woman.
So, some how this story got repeated for John to record it, and we can tell by the way John writes the story. But why did this story have to be in the Bible, Jesus is only asking for a cup of water? Why did the Holy Spirit promote this story? I believe He did so because Jesus shows us the prefect way to evangelize in this passage. "He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria." (John 4:3-4)
So after Jesus and His disciples were done baptizing people Jesus left for Galilee, but instead of going around Samaria, along the Jordan River as the Jews often did to avoid the Samaritan people. He traveled directly through Samaria, that's the first step in evangelism in this passage, Jesus didn't avoid the Samaritans because His race avoided them. Instead He went right in and through their own land.
I like verse 6 because although Jesus had deity it shows that He is showing us that He lived a life like us, for us! Then in verse 7, Jesus being tired said to the Samaritan Woman "Give Me a drink" Classic! Notice He didn't say "I'm Jesus, repent!" in the same way when we approach a non-believer we don't say "I'm a Christian, repent!" Jesus started the conversation with common understanding, that's how we need to start our conversation with non-believers making them feel comfortable to talk to us. Now her response in verse 9, is in the same tone of a response that we would get now a days. She says "how is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" she's basically saying "why are You being nice to me?" in the same way we get the same tone of expression from people now just different wording, their always wondering why were so nice.
Then Jesus from her response goes directly to the truth and freedom of life. "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink', you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." (4:10) "gift of God" meaning salvation, then He says "who it is who says to you," showing her His position of authority. Then the verse goes on to say "you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."
So in that verse Jesus shows her three things:
(1) There's something far better then earth.
(2) He gives her an assurance of His authority.
(3) And He shows her how to obtain salvation.
In the same way, we must do the same.
(1) Show that there is a heaven and a God that loves them.
(2) Claim the assurance of salvation with the book of authority itself-the Bible.
(3) Then walk them through the sinner's prayer.
But after verse 10 we see in verse 11 that the Samaritan woman did not comprehend Jesus' spiritual message. She was only concerned about physical water and how Jesus could provide water without a way of drawing it, especially since the well was deep. She says "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and livestock?" (John 4:11-12) (notice in this verse that her tone of voice changes) she calls Him "Sir" showing a sign of respect.
Again in the same way, when we evangelize don't expect the Spirit to just fall upon non-believers and they suddenly have knowledge of Christ. No, they still have that carnal mind set and can't see the supernatural. (2 Thessalonians 2:10) Then she goes to something that she admires most her father Jacob, asking if Jesus is greater than him. Unbelievers always wonder if Jesus is greater than whatever it may be that is holding them back from having a relationship with Him. Then Jesus said "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in Him a foundation of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:13-14) Verse 13 shows that unbelievers do things to satisfy themselves at that give time and moment. But they will never be satisfied with earthly possessions, because it's shameful and leads to destruction. "whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame-who set their mind on earthly things. (Philippians 3:19) that verse shows us what happens when we live just to satisfy our "belly" in other terms our carnality. Then in verse 14 He shows her how she can be satisfied not only on earth but in life after death. Now in verse 15 comes the turning point she shows "interest" in the Gospel she says "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." We see now that she wants satisfaction in life and she wants to know how to get it. Then in verses 16-19 shows us, that just like an evangelist once He has her interested in salvation He seals her salvation by showing her signs and wonders, He exercises the gift of knowledge by mentioning she has "five husbands, and the one she's with now is not her husband;" (vs. 18) So now she's attentive, and knows He has power because she goes on to say "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet." (vs. 19) Then she changes the subject in verse 20 she talks about where to worship on the mountain where her fathers worshiped or in Jerusalem where the Jews worship. This could mean two things (1) either she's trying to shift the conversation away from her own sins, (2) or she recognizes she's a sinner and wants to know now where to truly praise God.
I'm going to lean more toward number two seeing as what Jesus is going to tell her next. He says in verse 22 "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship," This verse tells us that the woman wasn't completely unaware of God.
Did you know that 95% of the people in our world today uphold some type of religion. But religion with God is not worship, relationship with God is worship. Then in verses 23-24 Jesus says "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." Now Jesus is telling her you don't need a certain mountain, you don't need a rosary to pray, you don't have to light candles with pictures of apostles around your house, to worship. True worship is "spirit and truth" that's only what the Heavenly Father can see, our heart! Then in verses 25-26 she says and I'm paraphrasing "when Christ comes He'll teach us all things." Then Jesus says "I who speak to you am He." Now obviously when we evangelize we can't have as much of assurance as Christ did by saying "I am He" that's why we always now matter in evangelism or life in general, must leave the results up to God!
