Submitting to God
Today’s Bible Verse:
James 4:7 ESV
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
This weekend, our church services focused on St. Michael and all angels. We spent time reflecting upon our reading from Revelation 12, in which St. Michael and God’s angel forces defeated the devil and his hench angels and threw them out of heaven to earth. As we know, the devil and his evil ones are all around us and tempt us at every turn.
They whisper in our ears, urging us to compromise our faith, indulge in sinful desires, and stray from God's path. James reminds us that resisting these temptations requires a deliberate act of submission to God. We must recognize our weakness and dependence on Him for strength.
The devil, our adversary, seeks to exploit our vulnerabilities and lead us astray. However, when we resist his advances, standing firm in our faith, he loses his power over us. We find freedom and victory in Christ.
This doesn't mean resisting temptation is easy. It requires discipline, prayer, and reliance on the Holy Spirit. It means turning away from sin and turning toward God. It means choosing obedience over rebellion, love over hate, and forgiveness over resentment.
When we submit ourselves to God, we acknowledge His sovereignty and trust in His guidance. We surrender our will to His perfect will, allowing Him to transform us from the inside out.
As we resist the devil, we are not alone. We have the full armor of God at our disposal. We have the Word of God as our sword, the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of the enemy, and the helmet of salvation to protect our minds. We have the power of prayer to connect with God and seek His intervention.
Remember, resisting temptation is not a one-time event. It is a daily battle that requires constant vigilance and renewal. We must continually submit ourselves to God, resisting the devil's schemes, and relying on His strength to overcome.
Prayers
Remember:
The people of the southeast who are dealing with the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene.
All people dealing with cancer
Those who reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
A Prayer for Today:
Merciful Lord, I thank You for Your grace and mercy. I acknowledge my weakness and dependence on You. Help me to submit fully to You, resisting the devil's temptations and standing firm in my faith in my Lord Jesus Christ. In His name, I pray. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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