Verse 7
In view of God’s certain supply of this grace we need to adopt a definite stance toward the people involved in this conflict. Ten aorist imperatives in James 4:7-10 demand decisive action. They sound like military commands and reflect how seriously James viewed double-mindedness. [Note: Hiebert, James, p. 236.]
Toward God we must submit in humility. This means making what is of importance to Him important to us, ordering our priorities in harmony with God’s priorities. It means not living to fulfill our personal ambitions but using our lives to fulfill His desires. Submission is not identical to obedience. Submission involves the surrender of the will that results in obedience.
We must resist Satan strongly. When we do, he will flee from us. What is Satan trying to get us to do? The record of his temptations, including those of Eve and Jesus Christ, indicates that he wants to make us doubt, deny, disregard, and disobey God’s Word (cf. Genesis 3; Matthew 4). We resist him by refusing to do these things.
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