Study Notes

Foundation Statement: People who walk in the fear of the Lord have submitted to God-James 4:7

 

I.      We are to submit to God (James 4:7)

A.    Submit in the Greek is a military term that means to “rank under”

1.     Submit – (1) To arrange troop divisions in a military fashion under the command of a leader (2) To be under, put under, be in subjection under, to subordinate, (3) To submit one’s self, To subject one’s self, To submit to one’s control (5) A voluntary attitude of giving in, to yield to

B.     Submitting is a voluntary act of your will to put yourself under the authority of another (1 Peter 5:6-8, James 4:7)

1.     Submission is not forced; It’s an act motivated out of reverence and honor

a.    Submission is not by the choice the submitted to, but out of honor and respect it’s by the choice one who is submitting

2.     There’s no honor or reverence in forced submission because it’s not done as an act of one’s will

a.    Submission is reverent because I recognize you as my superior and out of that recognition by my own choice I honor you and submit to you

C.    Literally rank yourself under God

1.     There are believers out there who rank themselves above God; They listen to God on a few things, but ultimately they have the last say in what they do

2.     Rebellion and disobedience scream that you’re in charge of your own life and above God in rank

D.    The idea is that it is very irreverent to not submit to those ranked over you (Hebrews 12:9)

1.     If we are going to be people who fear the Lord, who honor Him, who reverence Him then that includes us taking our rightful place under him

a.    EX: A new soldier who won’t submit to a general

2.     It’s irreverent when tell God what you’re going to do acting like you’re above him

II.     Understanding rank is key in submission

A.    We must understand rank (John 14:28, John 1:15 AMP)

B.     We must recognize rank (Heb 2:10, 2 Tim 2:1-3, Heb 13:7,17, 1 Thess 5:12)

C.    We must acknowledge rank  ( John 14:28, 1 Corinthians 11:3)

D.    It’s important that we keep rank (1 Chronicles 12:33,38)

1.     Keep rank means you submit to those over you and you don’t submit to those under you

2.     Jesus told them that they weren’t keeping rank (Luke 6:46)

E.     It’s important that we forfeit rank

1.     Jesus forfeited rank (John 5:19, 5:30, 14:31- I don’t do what I want to do John 8:26,28, 12:49-I don’t say what I want to say)

2.     People don’t obey because they haven’t submitted and the haven’t submitted because they’re not ready to forfeit rank

III.   Things to know about submission

A.    Submission is not agreement (Luke 22:40)

1.     Jesus’ prayer was not MY will, but YOUR will be done

2.     You only have the opportunity to submit when you don’t agree

a.    As long as you want to do what that person over you wants you to do that’s agreement more than submission

3.     Just because you disagree with somebody doesn’t give you the right to disobey and leave them

B.     Submission is not easy (Luke 22:40, Hebrews 5:6-8)

1.     You can suffer being tempted (Hebrews 2:18)

a.    The temptation is to do it YOUR way and not God’s

b.    The suffering is not getting to do it your way

(1)      If you just yield to rebellion that’s not suffering, when you stop yielding is when the suffering comes

C.    You grow up by submitting and obeying when you don’t want to (1 Pet 5:5-10)

1.     Jesus learned submission by not getting to do what he wanted to do (Hebrews 5:8)

a.    True submission involves suffering not getting to do it your way

2.     The results of suffering is perfection, Christ-likeness, maturing, and character (Now you’re an asset not a liability)

IV.   What submission looks like

A.    Numbers 16:1-14, 28-35 – What it doesn’t look like

1.     When you’re not submitting you’re putting yourself over another

2.     When you’re not submitting you’re following your own orders

B.     Matthew 8:6-10 – What it does look like

1.     6-The Centurion addressed him in reverence as Lord

2.     It’s simple, you give the order; you don’t have to motivate or plead with

a.    Speak the word only--All you have to do is give the order and it’s done

3.     The idea is that in submission after the order is given there’s no discourse, hesitation, excuse, or back talk

a.    The same way that there is no discourse, hesitations, excuses, or back talk when I give an order to them, there will be no discourse, hesitation, excuse, or back talk when you give the order

b.    Evidence that they’re under me is that when I give an order it gets done

(1)      Soldiers don’t check with their feelings when given an order

4.     In submission words from your superior in rank are all it takes to move you

a.    That’s reverent and respectful and honorable

C.    Submission is beautiful in the eyes of God (1 Peter 3:7)

1.     3-The meek, quiet spirit who is will submit is something that God values

2.     5-These women beautified themselves with submission

a.    God finds meek, quiet, submissive spirit beautiful

b.    When we submit to God it’s beautiful to him and draws Him to us

(1)      Rebellion makes us unattractive to God and it is ugly to God

c.     Psalm 45:7-11 (AMP)

3.     When that wife is strong and smart and able to be a great success on her own, but her husband hears from God and she takes all her strength, all her ability, all her wisdom and submits under the husband that’s not weakness, nobody made her do it, she chose to do it, that’s beautiful

V.    Results of submission

A.    When you resist the devil he will flee if you’ve submitted (James 4:7)

1.     In the army when a person doesn’t obey their superior that immediately give their subordinate right to obey them

2.     In the Garden of Eden the devil got control and authority because they didn’t submit to God

B.     You’ll be lifted up, elevated, and promoted (1 Peter 5:6)

1.     Where it appears promotion is being delayed there is a lack of submission