James 4:7-8
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Life can often feel like a battleground. There is great evil in the world, and any newspaper will illustrate that in agonising detail. But there is also immense kindness and goodness all around if we have the eyes to see it. Daily life can often feel like a pitched battle between good and evil. James is concerned that his readers should make good decisions as they live on this battleground and that they should give undivided loyalty to God.
It is true that the Devil is active and that his entire objective is to destroy. He “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for people to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). However, the really good news is that God is stronger, so we don’t need to live in fear of the Devil. If we resist him, he will flee from us. When Jesus died on the cross, He won the ultimate victory over the power of evil, so our task is simply to claim that victory.
Through Jesus’ death on the cross and the knowledge that our sins can be forgiven, we can live our daily lives with confidence. In the name of Jesus we can stand up against all the evil that this world chucks at us knowing that as we come close to God, He comes close to us.
Question
Given that the Devil is so active and destructive, in what specific ways do you need to resist him?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I praise You that because of Your death on the cross and Your resurrection, I can live today with complete confidence. Amen

Released on 30 Sep 2026