Resist the Devil

QUESTION: Resist the Devil - Submit to God

ANSWER: Resist the Devil -- Insights from God’s Word
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. - James 4:7

Prayer: My King, so many times in my life I have found myself anticipating what you were about to do next. So many times, my awareness of Your activity all around me has increased, and over time I have watched You pour out Your Spirit on Your people. All around me I see people beginning the process of awakening from a slumber of sorts and starting to push their own envelope a little further.

Resist the Devil -- Get Ready!
There is no doubt in my mind that we are fortunate to be living in amazing times -- times when challenges are great and rewards for those who persevere, beyond their wildest imaginings. You are fulfilling Your promises, and You are manifesting Your Presence to those with eyes to see and ears to hear. As I pray today my senses are on the alert. My antenna is tuned to Your wavelength and my heart pounds in anticipation. O, how I pray for the wisdom to listen to Your “still small voice”! O, how I pray for the courage and strength to persevere! I so want to be found standing rooted firmly on the foundation You planted.

I feel Your heart’s cry for the suffering and the lost. I feel such a tender compassion coming from You here in this place. Yet, with it I sense urgency -- even “holy, righteous anger” at those who have harmed Your kids. As I surrender to Your Holy Spirit in prayer, I am in awe at the tenderness -- yet stopped dead in my tracks at the holy fire burning in the heavenly places I cannot see.

I know in my mind, Lord, that You are preparing the Bride, but I also sense a warning, telling us to lay down our comfort zones and do battle with our lukewarm attitudes. I sense a warning calling us to be alert to arrogance, pride, and idolatry in all of its forms, and I seem to be trembling in my spirit as You remind me that You use who You will use.

As Your Word reminds me, through the voice of John the Baptist, I thank You that there is a “voice of one calling in the desert, reminding us to prepare the way for the Lord to make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 40:3-5). Thank you for Your forgiveness which makes all of this possible.

I pray for a special anointing to fall on those men and women You are now putting in their proper places. I pray for those who are struggling and in pain. I pray for those who are insecure, that Your Holy Spirit would speak quietly to them in the deepest parts of their being. I pray they will be lifted up high, and the power You have always desired to shower on their lives, will be given. I pray for Your intercessors and Your watchmen, that they will be given a clarity of vision to see beyond the place where they are now, into a new dawning of kingdom significant possibilities -- so they can stand in prayer alongside the brothers and sisters You bring them with their feet firmly planted.

Grant all a renewed passion and a renewed faith -- especially where You see damage. I know Your power is mighty enough to sustain us all, so I simply ask You to help us trust that, “You do what You say You do”, so we can lay down anything that has us stuck in the quicksand. Even as I pray, Lord, I know the heavens are being shaken with the power and might of our King as He readies Himself and His army to take back that which Satan has stolen. I bow my head and I tremble as I recognize Your response. My soul anguishes as I plead with You to restore this land and its people and its churches and its leaders so we will be prepared when You give us the command to move.

How do I thank You? I have not got the words. Simply, to You be all the honor and glory as Your will is felt on the earth as it is in Heaven!

Resist the Devil -- Making it Personal
Reflect: We are living in remarkable times, and we are being given remarkable opportunities to serve our King. If you are being convicted of being lukewarm or complacent as you pray this prayer -- or if you are convicted of pride, idolatry or any other sin that could cause you to stumble -- get on your knees and repent. His forgiveness is as real as it gets. He wants to get His people in their rightful places. My challenge to you is to do what is necessary to get ready.