Chapter 3: Becoming the Devil’s Worst Nightmare
Subtitled: The Power of Submission, Resistance, and Intimacy with God
Opening Prayer
Father, forgive me of my sins. As I come before Your people to minister the Word, I lift You up, Father. I glorify Your name.
I give You all the honor and all the glory. Thank You for giving me a ready word that will build up, edify, and exhort the believers. Today, Father, we choose to trust You even more.
We thank You and give You praise. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Believers, as we continue discussing why the enemy wants us to focus on our circumstances, trials, and tests, we arrive at Part 3 of our series titled “Cause the Devil to Run in Terror.”
Our foundation for this teaching is James 4:7:
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (KJV)
Let’s briefly review:
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Resist means to refrain from doing or yielding to something—especially temptation.
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Flee means to run away from danger.
So, when believers resist Satan, he flees. Why? Because a submitted believer is dangerous.
Another way to resist the devil is to be sober and vigilant.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” — 1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)
Satan is not omnipresent. He goes to and fro, searching for believers who are not submitted to God, making them vulnerable prey. But a sober and vigilant believer is alert, watchful, and ready to proclaim the Gospel. The Word of God is our defense.
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” — 2 Corinthians 10:4 (KJV)
This means we must be spiritually armed, alert, and prepared. Fellowship with other believers, declaring the Word of God, and standing in faith are ways we resist the enemy.
The Greek word for resist means to “stand against.”
Its Latin root resistere means to take a stand—mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually—against a threat. The more you submit to God, the more you terrify the devil.
Let’s now look deeper into James 4:8:
“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (KJV)
This is a call for believers to seek intimacy with God. It is also a promise: when you draw near to God, He will draw near to you.
Drawing near means approaching God with worship, humility, and repentance.
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“Cleanse your hands” refers not only to ceremonial cleansing but to turning away from sin.
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Pilate washed his hands to symbolize detachment, but God calls us to actually separate ourselves from sin.
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“Purify your hearts” means to resolve to serve God and abandon the desire to serve both self and God.
A double-minded person is torn between two loyalties and is not fully committed to God.
“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” — James 1:8 (KJV)
Double-mindedness leads to instability and is a barrier to receiving wisdom. It shows a lack of mature faith and trust in God. A believer’s life must be rooted in complete trust in the Word of God.
The closer you draw to God, the more you become empowered by Him. This divine empowerment prevents spiritual strongholds from ever being established in your life. Why? Because you’re living in the presence of God.
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” — Isaiah 54:17a (KJV)
James 4:8 promises that as we draw near, God responds with intimacy and presence. This spiritual connection strengthens us, keeps us grounded, and prepares us to resist the enemy effectively.
Conclusion
The enemy loses power over a life that is fully submitted to God. When you resist Satan through submission, worship, purity, and vigilance, you become a threat to the kingdom of darkness.
Key Takeaways
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Submission to God is the starting point of spiritual victory.
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Resistance means an active stance against temptation and sin.
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Spiritual vigilance keeps us alert and protected.
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Drawing near to God invites His presence and empowerment.
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Double-mindedness leads to instability and spiritual weakness.
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Spiritual warfare is fought through worship, the Word, and unwavering faith.
From The Daily Word with Pastor KBN: Cause The Devil To Run In Terror ( Part 3), Apr 22, 2025
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily-word-with-pastor-kbn/id1800872165?i=1000704410929&r=571
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