(Psalms 138:6-8) For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
(James 4:6-7) But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
God calls you to humble yourself before Him, that is, to submit yourself in body, soul, and mind, to His authority. That means that your actions, your words, your thoughts, and most importantly your heart attitude are to all be in subjection to God's will. Knowing God's will means knowing His Word since He has revealed His will to His people through His written Word. The first and greatest step, therefore, in submitting yourself to God is knowing His Word. Although He does not give you specific instruction for every circumstance or situation in your life, God reveals His will for how He wants you to live your life in a general sense. By knowing the element of God's will for your actions, words, and thoughts as He has revealed it in His Word, the momentum created in your life carries you into and through the specific circumstances that are not revealed.
Submission is defined by the world today as an act or attitude that is stifling, repressive, and oppressive. According to his character, the enemy has taken the truth and convinced the world and, unfortunately, many believers that it means the opposite. To submit yourself to God frees you from the influence of sin and its author. It opens to you the full extent and purpose of the power God has placed within you through His Holy Spirit.
Submit yourself to God today in whole, that is in your actions, your words, and your thoughts. Remember the greatest step in doing this is to know God's Word and to apply His Word in all the circumstances of your life. Submit and experience real freedom and real liberty!
Questions For Discussion
What are a few of the practical things you can do to submit yourself to God?
How do you know what God's will is for all of your actions, words, and thoughts?
What does an accurate understanding of submission accomplish in your life?
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