Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7
Submit means to be in obedience to. To yield to. To consent to the authority of. It is passive.
Resist means to rebel against. To exert force in opposition. To withstand. It is very active.
These are opposites. But James links them.
We cannot be in obedience to God without resisting the devil.
Nor can we oppose the devil without submitting to God.
It works in reverse, too. If we resist God, we end up giving in to what Satan wants for us.
In verse 6 though, James says God gives grace to the humble, that is, to those who submit to Him. Grace, His unmerited favor.
What does Satan give?
Submitting to God. Resisting the devil. It should be easier than it is.
