James 4:7
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
We live in a world that creates and idolises a culture of independence. We tell ourselves, “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” People tend to imagine that spiritual life is a choice between God’s rules and our own personal freedom. However, James tells us that there is no such thing as a masterless person.
As Charles Spurgeon once noted, we often boast about our autonomy while remaining blind to who is actually pulling the strings. He suggested that if we aren’t actively submitting to God, we aren’t truly free. We simply fall under the enemy’s tyrannical power by default. We are always serving someone. The question isn’t whether we have a master, but whether our master is a loving Father, or a deceiver who wants to ensnare us, or even ourselves.
James provides a two-part battle plan, but the order is everything: First, submit. This means placing yourself under God’s authority, like a soldier under a good King. It is only when you are under authority that you carry the authority to resist. The devil doesn’t flee because he fears your willpower or cleverness; he flees because when you submit to God, you are backed by the King of the universe.
As we journey through Lent, this is our season to lay down our arms. Think about where you are still claiming to be lord of your own life. Is that freedom actually leaving you exhausted and unprotected? This season of reflection is the perfect time to stop rebelling against our Creator and start receiving the blessings of His reign. Real peace begins with surrender. Let us lay down our self-sufficiency and practise meekness before our Father.
