From the Pastor’s Pen

Final thoughts on James 4:7-10

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.           NKJV

There is a very real, spiritual war going on between the kingdom of God and forces of Satan, and between the Christian’s renewed heart and the old lusts of the flesh. Satan’s main goal is to steal, kill and destroy every person made in the image of God and he especially hates Christians who are spiritual members of God’s family. Even for born again believers, living a life that is humble and close to God is a real challenge, and for unbelievers, it is impossible. If we really want to overcome evil in our lives, we need to seek the Lord’s help. We need to realize the wickedness that is in our hearts, and cry out for God to create in us a clean heart for an humble spirit and a repentant heart are what God desires from us (Psalm 51:10, 17).

How can we as Christians triumph over evil? First, realize that we need to repent (turn from our sins) and follow Jesus. Second, must not allow the world to entice and tempt us. Third, we must stay close to God though daily prayer and meditation upon His word. We must get down on our knees before God, for it is the only way we will get on our feet.

When we do these things, God promises to draw near to us, and to lift us up. Believe that He will and remember that we fight the spiritual battles because so many souls are at stake!