When most of us think of resisting the devil, we might imagine something like demonic possession, exorcism, or a dramatic and visible display of blatant evil. But the devil’s influence in the world is more subtle than that. Throughout the scriptures, Satan’s primary tactic isn’t force, it’s deception.
From the beginning of time, Satan has used lies to distort God’s truth, turn people away from the way of Jesus, and live according to the world and flesh. And if we’re not aware of his tactics today, we can unknowingly give in to these lies as well. But James 4 promises us that the more we learn to resist the devil, the more we can find freedom through Christ from Satan’s deception.