Daily Nuggets of Grace Part 4 Victorious!نموونە

The Effects of Your World View

Two people living in the same region, one from the city and another from the countryside, can be so comfortable with their local sights and sounds that they barely notice them.

When a city person goes to the countryside for the weekend, they hear the birds and see the evening black skies and bright stars with amazement.

When a person from a rural area spends a weekend in a large city, they may be startled by the blast of sirens, gawk at the height of buildings, and marvel at the city lights.

The same is true when considering a worldview and reading Scripture. If you are from a Western culture, you may barely notice the devil when reading The Word and deny the reality of his influence on your daily life.

Other cultures may have a keen awareness of the spiritual dimension to the point of living in fear, therefore giving the demonic realm too much attention and power.

The Bible says we are to submit to God and resist the devil. Depending on where you live, you may be tempted to interpret this only as "Submit to God" or "Resist the devil." Most of us emphasize one over the other.

Notice that we are to submit to God first, and from our position in Him, we can resist the devil. Both are essential instructions in living out the freedom that Jesus has given us.

As children of God, we are free to resist the devil. We shouldn't pretend he doesn't exist because that would deny Jesus's words. From our position in Christ, we can expose the enemy's schemes and proclaim the truth of God's victory over them. We can resist the devil by the powerful truth of Christ.

It was a grand day in my walk with Jesus when I realized "I get” to resist the devil because of my position in Christ and submission to God. You can enjoy this freedom too.

This simple two-step process can be a powerful tool in helping you overcome sin in your life. When tempting thoughts or situations come, you can overcome them by submitting to God and resisting the devil.

Reflect and Respond

How has your worldview affected how you see submission to God and resisting the devil? Which do you naturally emphasize? Which are you more likely to ignore?

Pray

Lord God, you are all powerful and victorious. Thank you for the gift of submission to You. You are the One who created me for close fellowship with You. As I submit to You, I will resist the devil.