“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you — the dual imperatives establish that submission to God and resistance to the devil are two sides of the same reality. The Greek hyptassō (submit) places believers under God's authority and rule. Resistance (anthistēmi) to the devil comes as consequence of such submission. The promise that the devil will flee (pheugō) suggests that the devil flees when confronted by those aligned with God's authority.
Church Fathers on James 4:7
He cannot, says he, hold sway over the servants of God, who with all their heart place their hopes in Him. The devil can wrestle against these, overthrow them he cannot. If, then, you resist him, he will be conquered, and flee in disgrace from you. As many, therefore, says he, as are empty, fear the devil, as possessing power. When a man has filled very suitable jars with good wine, and a few among those jars are left empty, then he comes to the jars, and does not look at the…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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