Last night You kept repeating a scripture in my mind until I wrote it down, and then went back to sleep. After waking up, and beginning to write my prayer, I became convicted by what was written.
“Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10)
Father, you take care of all my needs, and have always done so. I complain too much, and dwell on the negative things happening in my life. Father, I repent, and ask for your help to change my ways of thinking, to focus on the good things you are doing, and give me understanding of how I can convert difficulties into overcoming victory.
So I studied its meaning:
Humble: (str. 5013) means to make low, to debase, lower oneself; devoid of all arrogance, and self-exaltation. A person who is willing and submitted to God and His will.
Lift up: (str.5312) a verb signifies to lift or raise up figuratively, of spiritual privileges given, and metaphorically, in the sense of exalting or uplifting. Scripture warns us that exalting ourselves will result in a disgraceful fall, but humbling ourselves leads to exaltation in this and the next world.
(James 4:6) “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
(James 4:7-8) “Therefore submit to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
(Eph. 4:26-27) “Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place (an opportunity) to the Devil.”
Place: (topos) emphasizes that believers can actually give ground in their lives to satanic control. Believers can yield to carnal disobedience causing sin. The Devil doesn’t make us sin.