Okay, full disclosure. I’m old enough to have viewed Star Wars in theaters. This was Star Wars before it was subtitled, A New Hope. I’ve also watched and rewatched every Star Wars movie through The Force Awakens (meh). We are the Christian version of the rebel resistance.
Yes, I can be described as nerdy on many levels. Who didn’t get a thrill pretending that they were underdogs fighting against the Evil Empire?
To this day, I still practice a Darth Vader-style chokehold on my dog, Bo. He sounds like Chewbacca so it’s quite funny. (No animals are ever harmed in my shenanigans).
You might be shocked to know that we in the church have a few things in common with Luke, Han, Leia, and Jyn. One primary commonality is resistance.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
I Peter 5:9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
Funny Like A Clown?
Resistance is a funny thing for a couple of reasons. One reason is that no one in their right mind enjoys resistance. It’s burdensome, can be painful and it’s just so oppositional! Secondly, we all need resistance.
If you’ve attempted to develop muscles you know exactly what I mean. Without resistance our muscles atrophy. Could that also happen in our spiritual lives?
I once heard a preacher from Sweden opine that American Christians needed some persecution. Perhaps he was correct.
The Rebel Resistance — Duck, Dodge, Dip, Dive, Dodge
Let’s return to what James taught in his epistle. We are first of all to submit, then resist, which results in the fleeing of our enemy. It’s vital to complete these in the correct order.
The Seven Sons of Sceva attempted to take on the devil before submission to God and it didn’t go to well for them.
Acts 19:13-16 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
Establishing our foundation in Christ — full submission to Him — is absolutely necessary.
But, what does that actually mean?
The Rebel Resistance — Without One Plea
There is an entire group of ministry leaders who have unintentionally lowered the salvation bar. At first that statement probably sounds odd.
None of us can earn salvation. Our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Let me reiterate: Salvation cannot be earned! There is, however, a cost to it.
Jesus often appeared to be discouraging people from following Him. He would make statements such as “Deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Me!” Those statements might seem tame to us but a cross during the time of Jesus meant certain death.
At another time, Jesus informed the crowd that they must hate their families and even their own lives (Luke 14:25-27)! He then encouraged them to truly count the cost of being His disciple.
This radical “altar call” was finished when He said, “So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”
Submission to God is more than simply raising a hand, walking an aisle, or parroting an innocuous prayer written by a delicate preacher. It’s fully yielding to the authority of the King of kings. We must bring everything we are to Him in absolute submission.
The Rebel Resistance — Are You In Or Are You Out?
It’s impossible for us to keep one foot in the realm of the secular and the other in the Kingdom. Those who attempt to do so could be in for a rude awakening one day (Matthew 7:21-23).
The church, at times, treats God as some long-lost relative. He’s out of sight and often out of mind. Absolute submission to Him and to His Word is stated but not always explicitly followed.
God, is the Creator of everything we see, hear, smell, feel, and taste. He measured the world in the palm of His hand and yet He is often dismissed by HIS church.
The serpent simply asked Eve, “Did God really say?” and she caved like a house of cards. We’re often no different.
As we read and understand the Word we must simply submit to it — even the ouchy sections.
Resistance Is Not Useless
Until we take our last breath we must resist the devil. Imagine an extremely bleak scenario where you are living in a dystopian universe. You’re walking alone at night and are attacked by a person who aims to harm you and your family.
What will you do? Will you resist with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Or do you fall apart and cry about how difficult your life is? I hope that you’re a fighter and not a fraud!
James told us to submit to God and then resist the devil. When we combine submission and resistance it results in the devil fleeing! We do not have to obey him or help him. Our flesh is owed nothing!
Romans 8:12-13 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Not Easy But Worth It
Resisting is not easy. Even the word sounds challenging. Our earth is sin-stained and cursed. Have you ever noticed that weeds will grow through your sidewalk but it takes a Christmas Miracle to get lawn seed to grow properly?
The curse is often noticeable in crazy things. We still must fight and resist.
As difficult as life may sometimes appear we still win. The absolute worst that can happen to us is death. Death, for us, is only the beginning.
We fight and resist and understand that suffering is simply something we endure for a season.
The Sufficiency of Grace
It’s impossible to resist sin, iniquity, guile, transgression, or the devil in our own strength. Our willpower is insufficient to empower us to defeat this day after day.
We must allow God’s grace to flood us moment by moment.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul assists us further in his epistle to Titus when He states that the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires. Grace is not a great cover-up but a powerful force that we all need in our battle against sin.
Resistance is not easy but we are called to live a life of resistance. We resist sin and the love of money and selfish desires and biblical ignorance and lethargy. This resistance is empowered by GRACE!
Two Minute Warning
I want to end with one last scripture.
Hebrews 12:4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin