May 20
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JAMES 4
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. – James 4:7-10
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JAMES 4 CLOSING OUR HEARTS’ DOOR TO EVIL
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
As long as we are living in this world, we will be a target of evil
The Lord gave us strategies so we can close our heart’s door to the devil
Be accountable for your own actions and let go of all blaming
Pointing your fingers on someone else will keep Satan going
If you admit your part in any form of wickedness, go and repent
That will stop any more progression of the devil’s attempts.
The Lord gave us commands so we can be protected
If we follow these laws, it closes doors to being tempted
Obedience to the Lord is the best armor against the devil
If you submit to God, your selfish nature will certainly dwindle
Get close to the Lord and he will save you from the wicked
Examine your hearts always so you won’t be lured and be tempted.
Do not give in to so much revelry for that is worldly
Instead, be compassionate to one another’s misery
Embrace all trials and suffering so you can grow in your faith
Avoiding all uncomfortable and painful events only hinders your growth
Do not boast about anything for God raises up the humble and meek
Let go of all that is pleasurable to you but seek to only please the Lord.
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REFLECTION
• According to these following verses in the book of James, what are the strategies to keep our hearts’ door closed to the devil?
• Is it effective to just tell the devil to go away and flee? Why or why not?