“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Oh, wow!

“And the devil will flee from you…”

I want that! That sounds so good. I really want that.

How can we do that?

The writer of James tells us, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

The million dollar question is, “How can I resist the devil?” Because, you see, I don’t seem to do a very good job at resisting the devil. In fact, my track record in resisting the devil is not very promising.

The devil has a tool up his sleeve that seems to get me more times than I would like to admit. It’s called temptation. And the thing about temptation is that I have yet to meet a temptation I don’t like. In fact, most temptations, I really, really like.

If temptations tasted like cauliflower, looked like a pile of dung, felt like stepping on a lego with bare feet I would never be tempted by temptations.

But that’s not how temptations work for me. My temptations never taste like cauliflower, look like a pile of dung, or feel terrible. At least, for the moment, my temptations taste awesome, look awesome, and feel awesome.

That’s the problem with temptations. How am I supposed to resist that?

Aha! Here’s the key. It’s not about me trying to resist the temptations of the devil so much as it is about submitting myself to God. The power isn’t in me. The power is in God. The key to resisting the temptations of the devil is not me trying harder, but me submitting to God.

When we submit to God, we resist the devil. And when the devil comes across people submitted to God, the devil flees.

“Then the kings of the earth and the great men and commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free men hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?'” (Revelation 6:15-17).

The final judgment.

God’s wrath.

Hell.

There are few things to our world, and to the modern church, that is more offensive than the ideas represented above. Our world hates hearing about God’s judgment, wrath, and hell. Today’s modern church is often afraid to mention these words.

But how the world feels about these words has nothing to do with reality. This is going to happen. On that day, the kings of the earth, the great men and commanders, the rich and the strong, and every free and slave men and women will be asking, “Why did you not tell us about this terrible day? Why did you not tell us the truth about Jesus Christ?”

If God’s wrath and judgment against sin is not real, then the whole Jesus being Savior and Lord is absolutely pointless.

It is God’s desire to be patient, “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

All the people who think they are mighty, powerful, important. All the people who believe they don’t need God nor the forgiveness that God offers in Jesus Christ. Every single human being who has ever taken a breath on planet earth will have to face the wrath of God. And should we not be covered by Christ’s righteousness, we too will wish that the mountains and the rocks would fall on us to hide us from the wrath of the presence of him who sits on the throne.

Disciples, Jesus is good news because of what he purchases for us through his blood and sacrifice.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:38).

Worry.

There is a reason why Jesus commands believers not to worry about tomorrow.

First, the reason why we are not to worry about tomorrow is because our worry has no power to change anything. Worry just stresses us out. Worry just makes us more anxious. And when we are stressed out and anxious, we are far from experiencing peace. What’s more, while we’re stressed out and anxious, worry is completely impotent to impact the future.

Second, the reason why we are not to worry about tomorrow is because every day has enough trouble of its own.

Finally, the reason why Jesus commands us not to worry about tomorrow is because worry robs us from enjoying today. The devil wants us to rob our joy from not only today, but tomorrow as well. If you are wise, you don’t fall for the devil’s ploy.

God is good. God is sovereign. God is in control.

Trust God and enjoy this day. Today is a gift. Be present for the present. You don’t want to miss it!