Resisting Satan 

   “Give in to God, then; resist the devil, and he will run from you.  The nearer you go to God, the nearer he will come to you." (James 4: 7 – 8) 

   I once wrote that when we pray, Satan cringes.  I believe that to be true.  When we are in communion with God in prayer Satan must flee.  Perhaps he cannot tolerate closeness to the Father, but whatever the reason, prayer sends Satan away.

   Prayer is not only the time I spend in what might be called “normal” prayer, those well-known prayers we all say.  Prayer is not just my private prayer, when it’s just me and the Lord together.  Prayer is also the way in which I live my life, the way I approach others with the love of Christ.  If I offer all I do to the Lord, all I do becomes prayer.

   When I sin, it is because I’ve taken my eyes off God.  Some try to blame Satan for their sins, claiming that the devil made them do it.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  Satan cannot force me to sin, he can only tempt me.  He can make sin appear to be pleasurable, enjoyable, and even good in some twisted way, but I must submit to the temptation and agree to commit the act.

   The more I keep God in my thoughts and actions, the less opportunity Satan has to draw me into sin.  I pray that I can always draw nearer to God, pushing Satan further and further away.