Do You make the devil nervous ?

Resist the devil and he will flee from you." - James 4:7

Do you make the devil nervous?

The devil is real, and he doesn't want you anywhere near God. Read that sentence again. Commit it to memory, because it is truth. More importantly, read the above verse from St. James, again. Commit it, too, to memory, because they are words to live by; this Scripture reaffirms a reality to us that we would be wise to remember, daily. Some don't want to believe that the devil is real. He is real. If the devil is not real, than neither is the Bible. Christ stood face to face with satan (Mark 1:13, Luke 4:2).

Jesus beat the devil down on more than one occasion; several were recorded, actually. St. Peter reminds us that the devil "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour" (1 Pet. 5:8).

St. Paul warns us that "when we seek to do good, evil will be at hand"
(Rom. 7:21). Make no mistake, the devil is not afraid of you. but he is absolutely terrified of Christ in you. It is because of this reality that the devil will do anything in his power to distract you, to suffocate you and to steal your attention, your heart and your very soul away from God.

We all know the "entry points", the individual areas of struggle or the personal sins that the devil uses to subtly and forcefully take control of our lives. Addictions are an open invitation for satan. Pride is the welcome mat on the door of the soul. Ego invites the devil in, and self-centeredness offers him a drink. The power is yours, though, to illuminate the light within your body, that light of Christ which reads "No Vacancy" for evil spirits seeking a place to rest their demonic heads. The sins we commit are the devil's greatest allies. If you are battling sexual sin in your life, if you're immersed in worldly temptations, if you struggle with pride, vanity, anger or self-hatred, if you are feeling overcome by the sins that come with addiction, if you feel that you are unlovable and unforgivable, know that you are in the grip of the evil one, but you don't have to be.

Offer up those sins, all of them, for the glory of God, and the devil will flee from you. That is what this verse is telling you this day. Throw yourself on the mercy of God's heavenly court and feel the Father of Mercy pick you up, dry your tears and make you new. And if you aren't currently embroiled in any of the above struggles. watch out, you have to be even more careful, because your entry points might be even more difficult to recognize. Don't ever fall into the trap of thinking that the devil isn't after you, as well. Where "sins of commission" might not be as prevalent, sins of omission are deadly.

Where in your life have you kept the peace rather than speaking Gospel truth? Where in your life have you grown predictable in your worship, unchangeable in your approach or "un-malleable" in your attitude? Are you giving everything you have back to God for His glory? Are you failing to surrender your life completely to Him?

Jesus has very strong words for those who commit sins of omission in Scripture (Mt. 25:14-46). But, once again, we have a promise from God:

if we put on the armor of God (Eph. 6:11), if we give no opportunity to the devil (Eph. 4:27) and if we "submit ourselves to God and resist the devil, the devil will flee from us" (today's verse from James).

One of the devil's most powerful weapons is that of distraction. Every sin is rooted in rejection (a rejection of God's love) and distraction (from God's promise fulfilled in Christ). The devil wants to leave you feeling alienated and powerless. But we are not powerless. Call on the Holy Spirit, the source of our power. And call on St. Michael the Archangel to go before you in battle. The devil is not Jesus' equal, he is an angel. St. Michael will beat him every time (Rev. 12).Stand firm and know that the devil is no match for God.

Never was, never will be.

Salvation Given: Resist the devil and he will flee from you." - James 4:7

We need never fear the devil, not if we are living in the light of Christ.