Some Christians believe God does not want us to resist the devil, but to do nothing except pray in the face of vicious attacks and just leave it up to God. But God used His people throughout the Old Testament to physically fight and resist the powers of evil and taught us in the New Testament to "... Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7. "Resist" is not a pacifistic word. It is an action verb. When Jesus said He would build his church, "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it", the primary emphasis here is not evil gates attacking the church but the church attacking the evil gates and the gates would "not "prevail". Matt.16:18. Gates defend positions and enclose or incarcerate people, they do not attack. Yes, I know, this is spiritual language describing spiritual warfare, but spiritual warfare regularly breaks out in physical warfare. And though it becomes physical, army against army, criminals against police or homeowner against home invader, it still has it's spiritual roots, cause and effect, evil against good and good against evil.
God's message to His people in Heb.12:4, included the statement, "You have not yet resisted unto blood", which infers the likelihood that they shall resist unto blood when their resistance reaches it's zenith ... of physical wounds and even death.
"Giving tithes unto God", a spiritual act, doesn't mean throwing your money into heaven or placing it in the actual hand of God, but bringing it into the physical storehouse of God, His church, and putting it in physical leadership's hands and they into other people's physical hands, Likewise, the only way we can resist the devil is to resist temptation and sin, in our own flesh, and the evil actions of the wicked around us who visit their depraved actions upon others. Yes, we must stay prayed up and maintain regular Bible study, but then we must take action by supporting society's "God ordained law enforcement" agencies (Gen.9:5-6). God reviewed that civil law decree, and it's enforcers, in Rom.13:4-6. But supporting law enforcement and military action is not the end of our personal responsibility to "resist the devil" and thereby put him to flight. Resistance sometimes includes the personal use of weapons against evil doers who physically attack us or those around us. Surely that is why Jesus told His Apostles to "buy some swords". The fact that two of those Apostles were already carrying swords says volumes. "Then said he unto them ...he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough." Luke 22:36-38.
Now that, my friends, is physically "resisting" the devil and is authorized by Jesus Himself as a spiritual, physical action.
