Submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, purify yourself and humble yourself before God
James 4 can be summarised as follows: Submit to God. Resist the devil. Draw near to God. Cleanse your hands. Purify your hearts and humble yourselves before God.
Submit to God. James 4:7a(NLT) So humble yourselves before God.
Submission to God is about recognising His sovereignty, aligning one’s life with His will, and placing trust in His plan and purpose. The Bible frequently encourages us to submit to God as an act of faith, trust, and worship.
Proverbs 3:5-6(NIV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Resist the devil. The Bible emphasises the importance of remaining vigilant, strengthening one’s faith, and actively resisting the devil, using the power of God’s Word and by drawing close to God. Through such actions, Believers are promised that the devil will flee from them.
James 4:7b(NLT) Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
1 Peter 5:8-9(NIV) Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Ephesians 6:11-13(AMP) Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious].
Draw near to God. As we take steps toward God, He responds by drawing closer to us. James 4:8(NIV) Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Hebrews 4:16(NIV) Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 10:22(NIV) Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Cleanse your hands, can be understood as a call to correct one’s actions or behaviours and abstain from sinful deeds.
James 4:8b(AMP) Wash your hands, you sinners;
Psalm 24:3-4(NIV) Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.
Purify your hearts. The heart is often mentioned in the Bible as the centre of emotions, will, and thought. When the Bible speaks of the heart, it is referring to the inner self – one’s motives, desires, and inclinations. To purify your hearts means to rid oneself of insincere or divided motivations, ensuring that the inner self is wholly devoted to God. James 4:8c(AMP) and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people].
Psalm 51:10(NIV) Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Matthew 5:8(NIV) Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Humble yourselves before God. Humbling oneself before God involves recognising one’s own limitations, weaknesses, and dependence on God’s grace. It’s about submission, repentance, and giving God the proper reverence and honour.
James 4:10(NLT) Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
1 Peter 5:6(NIV) Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
2 Chronicles 7:14(NLT) Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
Micah 6:8(NIV) He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
I conclude with: Humility brings us closer to God, ensuring His blessings and favour in our lives.