The Charlie Daniels Band had a hit song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” that most people have heard. It is a catchy tune that has remained recognizable after many decades. The song portrays a young man contending with the Devil for his soul. The Devil has offered something of value and the boy takes the challenge. The problem with this song is that the boy’s arrogance is exactly what the Devil wants. At no point in this folk song does the boy need God for what comes next. James in his Bible letter writes “resist the devil and he will flee.” But we ignore the first part of that sentence just like the boy Johnny in the famous song.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:7-8 ESV

Step 1: Submit to God

If you want to resist the devil don’t do it in arrogance and pride because that is just speaking his language. Subject yourselves to God’s authority. Step one in resisting the devil is to submit yourself to the true King. Make God your King and mean it that you will do what he tells you to do. Your pride in flesh and skills will not help you to resist the devil until he flees.

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:7-8 ESV

Step 2: Resist the Devil

Resist is to set oneself against something. Oppose the devil. Now that sounds great because who does not want to resist evil but the Devil comes like in the song offering something of value. Something worldly that you might want. The best way to resist the devil on this dark day is to understand who God is and understand who you are in his kingdom.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:13 ESV

The Devil

The Devil is a false accuser and a slanderer. He is opposed any plans that God has. Whatever plans God has for you the devil will oppose it and fight to keep those plans out of your life. One guarantee we have is that the devil will lie and accuse. The boy from the song only thought he beat the devil and won the prize. But what the boy really learned is that he is the greatest of all time and has not need of God. The reality is that the Devil won in that song.

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Luke 8:11-12 ESV

He Will Flee

If you want to resist the devil so he will flee then you must submit your life to God. This is the opposition to the Devil. Resistance is being yielded to God and the devil will flee. Satan will seek safety by getting away from the presence of God. He will vanish but not because of your pride or your skills but because you are resting in the arms of God.

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11 ESV

Paul Resisting the Devil in Real Time

There is an interesting event that happens to Paul that is documented in the book of Acts. Paul is speaking to a local Roman political leader and that political leader has an advisor who is described as a magician. Paul starts to share the good news of Jesus but the Magician is opposed. Just as in the parable of the seed the devil is working overtime to snatch the seed out of the heart of this political leader.

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? Acts 13:6-10 ESV

Paul sees what is happening and being a servant of God resists the devil before him. What do you think happens next? Maybe like in the movies the devil fights back and there is this epic battle of good and evil? Hardly. The devil resisted by a man of God full of the armor of God flees just as James tells us he will.

And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. Acts 13:11-12 ESV

Dear reader the devil only has power when we are not near to God and the only time when we are not near to God is when we want to go about life our own way. That is why right after the verse on resisting the devil and he will flee James reminds us that we must draw near to God. Draw near to him now.