James 4:10
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Application: 

What does it look like to humble yourself daily before the Lord? First, you must submit to God and draw near to him (4:7–8). To submit to God is to recognize your weakness, stop fighting, and surrender to him as your ultimate and final authority (see Rom 12:1–2). If you had the power to live a transformed life on your own, you wouldn’t need “greater grace” (4:6). To draw near to God is to come into his presence through prayer, praise, and obedience. However, if you reserve this for Sundays only, you won’t draw near enough.

Second, you must resist the devil (4:7). Submitting to God is one side of the coin; resisting the devil is the other. In the spiritual war, we must surrender to the true King and join in opposition to the wicked usurper. Don’t underestimate Satan. He’s stronger than you, smarter than you, and has been practicing his craft for millennia. There’s only one way to resist him: the same way the King of kings resisted him—by wielding Scripture (see Matt 4:1–11). When the devil whispers his lies to your conscience, proclaim the truth of the Word of God, and he will flee from you (Jas 4:7) as he fled from Christ (Matt 4:11). But you can’t proclaim what you don’t know.

Third, regularly repent of your sin: cleanse your hands and purify your hearts (4:8). Some people don’t receive the help they need from God because they “don’t sin.” Rather, they “make mistakes.” But Jesus didn’t die for mistakes; he died for sins. We live in a culture that rejects personal responsibility and downplays sin. These are symptoms of pride, which takes us right back to where James started (4:6) and where he ends: humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you (4:10). Admit your sin and eradicate pride. Riding God’s elevator to the top always starts with a trip down.

Reference: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1344-1345.

To God be the glory!

Our Lord Jesus Christ created everything! By Him, For Him!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

Disclaimer

When God inspires me, I write articles glorifying God. I invite you to view this writing as a Bible study. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, I encourage you to search the Scriptures to determine whether what I have written is true. Always consult with your church ministers regarding biblical matters. I am not a professional writer, so there may be some grammatical or spelling errors present. I strive to write as clearly and efficiently as possible. Your brother in Christ, Ricardo.

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