1. "Submit yourselves, then, to God." We must give ourselves completely to God, surrendering our desires, will, and all to Him. Obey God's Word and submit to God's will. Submission involves humility and obedience. "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up." (James 4:10) God hates pride but loves humility! When we humbly acknowledge that we desperately need God's help, He lifts us up. To be lifted up by God is to be rescued, comforted, strengthened, refreshed, blessed, empowered, and embraced by our Heavenly Father Who cares deeply for us and gives us eternal worth and glorious riches in Christ. "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." (Psalm 40:2)
2. "Resist the devil." Satan loves pride and hates humility. He will do all he can to inflame our pride (arrogance & selfish ambition), spark envy/covetousness in our hearts, and/or lure us to fall in love with worldly things. How do we resist the devil? Follow Jesus's example by answering Satan's temptations and accusations with the Scriptures. That means we have to know what the Bible says. We need to read it, study it, memorize it, and apply/live it. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Satan will flee from us because he cannot compete with or defeat the power of God's Word.
3. "Come near to God." Close communion with God assures His presence and intimacy ("And He will come near to you") and turns us away from loving the world. The more we know God and the longer we taste His goodness, the less worldly things can entice us. We must spend plenty of time with God in prayer and in His Word.
4. "Wash your hands, you sinners." This symbolizes spiritual cleansing. We must clean up our conduct/our lives ("go and sin no more"). "Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false." (Psalm 24:3-4)
5. "And purify your hearts, you double-minded." You double-minded (you who are trying to follow God and the world at the same time), quit being so. Instead, make sure your inner motives and attitudes are pure and right. Love God; hate sin. Follow God; forsake the world (worldliness). God wants our undivided allegiance. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8)
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