James 4:7-10
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Humility is submission to God. It is to obey, believe, and agree with God. We have ministered at length on humility and pride, and we can finally take this lesson to the next level.
Submit yourselves to God.
Acknowledge your sins/need for God, agree with Him, then obey Him.
Resist the Devil
The devil’s tactic is to bring temptations that seek to allure you away from humility. It doesn’t matter how he comes, ALWAYS CHOOSE HUMILITY. If you resist the devil (by submitting to God) he will flee from you. The devil has no weapon that can overtake the Kingdom of God. Seeing that you have submitted to God, you are walking under His covering. Therefore, all attacks or temptation will be made to the Spirit of God to whom you are submitted. This is what will cause the enemy to flee because he fears the power of God. It is crucial then for your faith not to waver in these moments because it is your faith that will allow you to stand in the power of God.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Have you ever thought about what it means to be lifted up? Surely this is not speaking in a literal sense to be raised off the ground, rather it is metaphorical. Peter ministers the same concept in his writing saying,
1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
It is clear that this “lifting up/exaltation,” is not referring to someone being “lifted up” in pride. So what exactly is this lifting up? In our efforts to identify the exaltation of the humble, all we could state is that when you are humble God begins to bless you. However, the scripture actually defines it right before our eyes!
1 Peter 5:5
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
James 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
LIFTED UP = GIVE GRACE
GRACE - God’s influence in the heart that is reflected in our lives. Grace is the life of Christ exuding through us.
Yes, grace is much more than a covering for sin. In the new testament, grace is God’s influence in our hearts. Therefore, when you are humble, He will give you more influence in your heart to walk in His righteousness and power. This is how He lifts you up.
THE RICHES OF GRACE
Ephesians 1:7-9
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Another word for riches here is treasures, meaning things that are valuable. Let us look at the riches of Grace.
1. Redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. Grace grants you the forgiveness of sins and ongoing access to God through the redemptive blood of Jesus. The precious blood of Jesus is able to wash us and purify us from all sin. The blood of Jesus justifies us, thus, in the presence of God, we are sinless.
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
2. Gift of Wisdom and Prudence (Understanding of the Will of God). The working of grace will also empower you to perceive the mystery of Christ. It will cause you to discern that which was hidden in God. The mystery of Christ will remain a mystery even to a son of God unless God reveals it to them. Even if they are being taught it, it must be God that opens their eyes to the truth. The opening of the eyes is done by the working of grace. This is why Paul would constantly pray for the eyes of the saints' understanding to be enlightened. Simply put, He was praying that God will respond to their humility (obedience), by allowing them to receive the grace that opens their eyes to the mystery of Christ.
Ephesians 1:17-19, gives further clarification to the operation of wisdom and revelation.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
The knowledge will bring you to a point where you know the hope of your calling (eternal rewards), and will also bring you to a walk in the anointing (power) of the Spirit.
Ephesians 3:16-20
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Notice that the riches of grace are called the riches of his glory? This is because grace is the glory of God at work in us.
3. Strengthened with Might in the Inner Man. When grace is at work in the heart God will strengthen you in your soul against sin. What exactly is this strength? Nehemiah 8:10 - Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Grace unleashes joy in your heart. The joy of the Lord strengthens your resolve against sin, and your belief in God. It also produces sobriety, that causes one to protect their spirituality.
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
4. Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. Faith is the operation of the Holy Ghost in the life of a son of God, therefore a son of God walks in the faith when they obey the Holy Ghost. Obedience is the greatest form of belief. Therefore, this quote is saying that Christ will dwell in your hearts if you obey Him, and obedience is humility. Thus, Christ dwelling in your hearts is God's response to humility. Hence, we have another definition of grace. Grace is Christ dwelling in your heart.
5. Rooted and Grounded in Love. God is love. We become rooted and grounded in God when we give unto Him the love of obedience. Therefore, grace influences you to be steadfast in obedience.
- Comprehension with all saints. This is the same as number 2.
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
6. To Know the love of Christ, which Passeth Knowledge. This is an experience of love that only comes when God is pleased with you. Obedience will cause God to communicate His love for you. When you know (experience) this love, it is a love that is so overwhelming it is hard to understand (passeth knowledge).
7. Filled with All the Fulness of God. When grace is at work in your heart, all the above will be operational. Therefore, there is nothing impeding the work of God in you. God will be able to show Himself in and through you. Therefore, His influence will now be reflected in your life.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
God is able to do exceedingly above anything you can ask or think. However, He does the work in you. This is grace at work. Grace is the exceeding greatness of God’s power at work in us.
THE FLIP SIDE
If grace, causes all of the above to work in you, pride prevents and removes it. God resists the proud. Therefore, He undoes the influence He had made in your heart. If you do not have ears to hear (obey) God, He will take even that which you hath. Herein is the word of the Lord. However, if we humble ourselves, we will always have access to the wonderful riches of God's grace.