Submission to God Part 4 – Suffering

Main texts: James 4:6-10 and 1 Peter 5. God resists the proud but gives His ability (grace) to the humble. If we submit ourselves to God, we can resist the devil, and he must flee. Submission is not easy. It includes suffering. Submission is not agreement. You submit when you don’t agree. Submission is not weakness. It is strength of character. Submission is not forced. No one can make you as an adult submit. Submission comes before authority. Submit means to rank or arrange under. Jesus suffered because He chose to pay the price for our sin and to submit to the Father’s will (Heb. 2:8-10, 14-18; Heb. 5:5-10, Matt. 26:36-44). We are to humble ourselves, which includes the suffering of not getting our own way. 1 Peter 2:18 tells us to submit to those over us (employers, etc.), regardless of how they treat us. First Peter 5:9-10 tells you that God will restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered.  Keep rank in God’s kingdom. This is especially important in spiritual warfare.