Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 NIV
Submit
This past December 15, a press release from the Governor of Colorado said, “Today, the Polis-Primavera administration and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing submitted Colorado’s proposal to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to import prescription drugs from Canada. The submission is the first step in requesting federal approval to operate Colorado’s Canadian Drug Importation Program, which aims to save Colorado consumers and employers … [between] $53 to $88 million annually, depending on market adoption.
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Temptation usually comes at us when we’re least expecting it and often seems to come from unexpected places. The Bible understands this and so gives us some practical advice about what to do about it. James, the half-brother of Jesus, is never bashful about giving advice – it is always direct and practical. So, what he writes about in James 4:7 is helpful: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” We need to be constantly in the place in our relationship with Jesus that when temptation comes, we are prepared. It begins with a daily submission of our lives to Jesus. Romans 12:1 tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice – we need to be continually crawling onto the altar of submission and surrender. Next, James tells us that we need to resist the devil. We are not without resources – the Holy Spirit dwells in every follower of Jesus, and He will provide what we need when we need it. When we stand up to the devil, he will take note that our spiritual armour is strong in that area and he will not attack us there again. Submit, stand up and walk in victory.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley