Praying James 4 to Avoid Satan’s Traps
Satan lays traps for us constantly. He wants us to take the bait, but our Savior has walked this road. He can point the traps out to us so we don’t fall for Satan’s schemes. Not only do we have our Father, Savior, and Holy Spirit, but we have fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to help us along our journey.
When I ran cross country, oftentimes we would hear someone in front of us shout, “Hole!” Our fellow competitors were kindly letting us know there was a hole in the ground coming up to avoid so we wouldn’t get hurt. Thankfully, we don’t have to compete with our brothers and sisters in Christ, even though Satan often wants to make it a competition of “who’s holier.” He tries to get us to fixate on what others are doing instead of focusing our eyes on Christ and encouraging others to do the same. James 4 warns us firmly to avoid these holes so we don’t hurt ourselves spiritually.
James 4:11
Lord, you’ve given us a wonderful blessing in the church body to help build each other up, sharpen each other, and keep each other from falling away. Let us not allow Satan to sneak in under the guise of helping each other.
We are supposed to reach out and help each other walk this faith walk, not gossip and slander behind their back. We are to love others like we love ourselves and continually point them to you. Not point and jeer at them even if they are veering off the path.
If we are falling into one of Satan’s traps, how would we want someone to help us out? That is how we should help someone else in the same position.
Oh, Lord! Let our hearts be focused on loving you and encouraging each other. May we build each other up instead of tearing each other down. We know Satan’s goal is to destroy your church from the inside, but help us resist him in this. If we don’t, we are allowing ourselves to sin as well.
In the One who teaches us how to win against the devil’s attacks – Amen!
James 4:12
Lord, help us clearly understand your word. Take off the blinders that keep us from understanding it.
Satan loves to twist your word so that we will become inactive and complacent in our understanding. May we continually lean into your word so that we will understand it better and live for you instead of against you.
This verse is one Satan likes to use to keep us inactive. He twists it in order to scare us into silence so that we will not share your truth. When we open our mouths to warn people that they are headed in the wrong direction, he shouts back,
“Who are you to judge your neighbor!?”
The truth Satan leaves out and that we need to embrace is that we are not to judge or slander others, but we are called to love. And love protects!
What better protection is there than to warn someone when the path they are walking leads to death? Lord, help us to be bold instead of scared. Help us love others enough to help them escape Satan’s bondage.
If we start walking down the wrong path, we pray that someone will be brave enough to let us know. We do not want to stray from you, Lord, but our hearts are prone to wander.
In the One who defeated death so that we may live fully and courageously – Amen!
James 4:13-15
How conceited we are, Lord! We make our plans and often don’t even consult you. We know what we want and plan how to achieve it. From vacations to business to everyday living, do we stop and ask you?
You know all! You know our past, present, and our future. Only You can see what lies ahead for us AND you are willing to guide us! Praise you, Lord, for loving us so much that all we have to do is ask. Instead of planning on our own, let us plan with you. Even in our conversation let us humble ourselves to you, by saying “If it is the Lord’s will.”
Let us always be reminded that our time here is short. Help us honor you with the time we have because tomorrow is not guaranteed.
In Jesus’ name – Amen!
Jams 4:16
Lord, it takes a little bit to wrap our minds around the fact that boasting about our plans for tomorrow and the future is evil. It’s such an everyday occurrence. On the surface, it doesn’t seem like a big thing, but then James calls it “arrogant scheming” and “evil.”
May we boast in nothing but you and your amazing ways!
Let us take heed that you hold the future, not us. You determine the number of our days and they are limited. As we speak of tomorrow and even the plans you have for us, remind us that if it is your will, it will happen. Overall, let us praise and honor you with our days.
In the One who is the beginning and the end – Amen!
James 4:17
Oh, Lord! Once again, you challenge us in how we think. It’s not enough to know you and to think about your Word. You want us to put into action what we know!
How often do we think about our own convenience over doing what’s right? Are we putting ourselves in front of expressing your love in our lives?
You make this point over and over, when you spoke of the good Samaritan, when you spoke of the rich man who stock piled stuff, when you picked up the cut off ear of the soldier who came to arrest you and you reattached it to his head! Constantly you are challenging us to do what we know is right.
It’s hard to swallow that it’s a sin when we let our feelings get in the way.
Surely, we wouldn’t just ignore you and what you are calling us to do. Thank you for warning us to not fall into this trap.
Hearing these words written in your brother’s hand, who did not follow you while you were teaching, makes these words even more pointed! It’s like James is begging us not to fall into the same trap he did.
Lord, open our eyes to what we are ignoring and walking away from. Help us to do what we know is right to do and do it in a way that honors you.
In the One who did what was right even though it cost him his life – Amen!
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I am a mother of 5 crazy, homeschooling children ages 10 & under, wife to an amazing man, and daughter of the King of the Universe!I enjoy reading, making my kids laugh, cooking, all things natural, learning to play guitar and dusting off my piano skills.One day I hope to run again, but until then I’m learning patience.
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So true! “It’s not enough to know you and to think about your Word. You want us to put into action what we know!” This is such an important reminder!
Beautiful, Kristi! I think when Satan infiltrates the church and turns Christians against one another, it is probably one of the most devastatingly powerful attacks to preventing disciples for Christ. It shows other would-be followers that we don’t live by our beliefs, and are actually hypocrites. We must abide by James’ words in that we cannot allow Satan to tear us apart, or to let our own plans overtake God’s will for our lives. Thank you for sharing!
When we love other people and consider them more important than ourselves, be believe the best in them, and when they sin, we want to speak gently, the way we would want to be treated. I hate sin. So I would want someone to tell me if I was sinning, but gently while thinking I’m wonderful in every other way. This is not how most Christians act.
What a great post! I love this and have been thinking of it more and more in this New Year: “May we build each other up instead of tearing each other down.” We need to be mindful of coming together and fighting off the stacks of the devil instead of tearing each other down.
I think another reason we avoid pointing out the truth is that we fear man more than God. We need to be willing to love others enough to speak the truth in genuine love.
“He tries to get us to fixate on what others are doing instead of focusing our eyes on Christ and encouraging others to do the same.” This! It is so easy to spend our time comparing.