REFERENCE & DEFERENCE - PART 3

WEDNESDAY 09 JULY 2025

Deference is our main focus in today's article. It is defined as courteous submission and cultivated respect. The Greek translation powered by Oxford English-Greek dictionary is known as "sevasmós", and it denotes considerable esteem, noteworthy veneration, and appreciable respectfulness, blended with a great deal of urbane, utmost politeness. More below!

Reference: Hebrews 12:28 English Standard Version (ESV)

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe."

When you have reverential fear for God, you'll easily submit to Christ's Lordship. And that is where deference comes in. Your willingness to submit, and your compliance in relation to the Word usually connote an absolute functioning ability under God's authority. It is termed, "deference" and it is equally associated with the action of complying with the command or will of God.

When deference is hugely functioning in your life, it cannot be hidden because it shines forth in the panorama of your countenance before God and man, and it reflects in the exhibitory process of your service to God. Simply put, people will take notice that you're truly submissive to God. Deference affords us the pleasing aura of God's grace and favour because its especial expression is the apex of notable influence via absolute dominion. In accordance with this verity, the GOD'S WORD® Translation of James 4:7 reads, "So place yourselves under God's authority. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you."

Imagine that the devil will run away, not simply walk away, when you're in deference to God's authority. That's what the Bible means by saying: he will flee from you, which implies a quick and urgent departure to escape a threatening situation, because you are a threat to the devil. In other words, under the enabling influence of deference, you can roar at the devil with an expression of intense emotion (that is, resist him), and he will frightfully depart from you.

This tell us that the enemy has an inwardly-possessed character in the order of a coward, yet so many people magnify his inferior powerless schemes of devilism, and even operate at the capitulation of his opposing negative operations, but you see, your deference to God must never be a reluctant one but absolute deference, both inwardly and outwardly, because the adversary knows the difference (see Acts 19:13-16 NIV). That way, you function as a superior god on earth, because you are yielded to the governing influence of God's Spirit, by virtue of serviceable display in the range of functional dominion which is far above and beyond the world of sensory activations and any humanly-inspired approaches.

Significantly, the book of James addressed the devil as a singular number, without mentioning his demonic associations and minions, meaning that when you function in deference to God's authority, you don't consider the numerosity of your adversary because it makes a zero difference (see James 4:7 NIV). Once you address the devil, the rest of the insignificant, defeated squad will run faster than normal and disappear because their chief priest was utterly overthrown by the Lord Jesus Christ [over 2000 years ago].

In line with this truth, the Bible says, "In this way, Jesus disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross" (Colossians 2:15 NLT). Now, as a result of our deference to God, Pauline epistolary expression numbered as 2nd Corinthians 2:14 says, "But thank God! He has made us His captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now He uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume" (NLT).

Beloved, there are no pitfalls or handicap in rendering proper deference to God. In doing so, our wills and actions in all things, will align with the will of God. By deferential demonstrations, our appetite and passion become focused on fulfilling His purpose for our lives on a regular basis, which implies that we do not nurture a misleading appetite or passion. More so, His thoughts and wisdom would be easily brought to our advantageous understanding as a mentally fixed awareness, through the instrumentality of the Word of truth. Stay tuned for part 4. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Job 22:21; 1 Peter 3:5-6; Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 5:6.

Exuberant Declaration:

God had prepared me for all things necessary for my dominion and comfort through the medium of deference to His authority. By submitting fully to God, I'm empowered and afforded with the evidential advantage to put the enemy of my soul where he belongs, which is under my feet. Therefore I'm grateful to God for the blessedness of His estate and mastery in my life, which ensures my dominion over all the forces of darkness assembled together. Glory to God!