Four Sources of Your Conflict with only One Solution James 4:1-10

but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

Taking from God’s ability to bless (Vs. 2)

“You lust and do not have” - I want what you have

Taking from God’s control (Vs. 2)

“So you commit Murder” - I must be in control

1 John 3:15 NASB95

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Taking from God’s Graciousness (Vs. 2)

“You are envious and cannot obtain - I can obtain it on my own

Taking from God’s providence (Vs. 2)

“so you fight and quarrel” - I must survive

Titus 3:9 NASB95

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

Galatians 5:16–26 NASB95

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Do You deny the Power of God (Vs. 2b)

This is called Stupidity

We Deny God's Power

When we fail to pray

As though there is nothing He can do about it

Or that He is unconcerned with us

The great baseball catcher Yogi Berra was involved in a ball game in which the score was tied, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The batter from the opposing team stepped up to the batting box and made the sign of the cross on home plate with his bat. Berra was a Catholic, too, but he wiped off the plate with his glove and said to the pious batter, "Why don't we let God just watch this game?"

That is good theology when applied to the outcome of a baseball game. It's terrible when applied to the way we live our lives and carry out the work of God. Worse than that, it is fatal. God is merely in attendance at the game, our prayers are merely ceremonial functions: tips of the hats, verbal recognition over the loudspeaker between innings, or requests to throw out the game ball. Prayer is always getting nudged aside, neglected or perfunctorily performed. Many of us feel we just have too much to do to have time to pray.

Do You Deviate from the Will of God (Vs. 3)

This is called Selfishness

When we do ask God for things

We often ask for the Wrong reasons

Literally: You ask wickedly

Thomas Lea said, “They were dominated by a self-will which pursued pleasure, power, and prominence rather than the will of God. James rebuked their sinful ways and urged his readers to turn to God with repentance and purity.”

1 John 3:22 NASB95

and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

1 John 5:14 NASB95

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

In The Essential Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson, the cartoon character Calvin says to his tiger friend, Hobbes, "I feel bad that I called Susie names and hurt her feelings. I'm sorry I did it."

"Maybe you should apologize to her," Hobbes suggests. Calvin ponders this for a moment and replies, "I keep hoping there's a less obvious solution."

Are you Divided from God (Vs. 4-5)

This is called Separation

Love of the World

Separates us from God

Spiritual Adultery (Vs. 4)

Ezekiel 16:32 NASB95

“You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband!

Worldly Friendship (Vs. 4)

Romans 8:7 NASB95

because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,

1 John 2:15 NASB95

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Scriptural Vainness (Vs. 5)

John Gill said, “the sense of the Scripture everywhere, where it speaks of this matter, is to this purpose: nor does it say this, or any thing else in vain..the love of the world, and the love of God, are things incompatible.”

Spiritual Ownership (Vs. 5)

Thomas Lea explains, “Envy intensely translates a strong word describing an intense longing or desire.”

This appears to be the Jealously of God for our undivided attention

Weymouth version: “The Spirit which He has caused to dwell in us yearns jealously over us.”

Thomas Lea adds, “James was saying that God’s Spirit earnestly desired our undivided allegiance to the Lord”

Kurt Richardson states it, “The most natural understanding of “spirit” then is the human spirit, which gives us life and makes us spiritual beings.”

Implying our lives belong to God and He is Jealous for them.

Are you Directed back to God” (Vs. 6-10)

This is called the Solution

Proud vs Humble (Vs. 6)

Discussing the understanding of Parables Jesus said,

Matthew 13:12 NASB95

“For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

Proverbs 3:34 NASB95

Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted.

Matthew 23:12 NASB95

“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

1 Peter 5:6 NASB95

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,

Draw nigh and resist (Vs. 7)

Isaiah 1:18 NASB95

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

1 Peter 5:8–9 NASB95

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

Draw nigh, Cleanse and Purify(Vs. 8)

Psalm 51:10–13 NASB95

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.

1 John 3:3 NASB95

And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Experience Godly Sorrow (Vs. 9)

Mourn over your sin - Deep Conviction

Luke 6:25 NASB95

“Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

2 Corinthians 7:10 NASB95

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Humble Yourself (Vs. 10)

Ezekiel 21:26 NASB95

thus says the Lord God, ‘Remove the turban and take off the crown; this will no longer be the same. Exalt that which is low and abase that which is high.

Luke 1:52 NASB95

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.

(Remind them of Vs. 6)

The Fort Worth Star Telegram reported that firefighters in Genoa, Texas, were accused of deliberately setting more than forty destructive fires. When caught, they stated, "We had nothing to do. We just wanted to get the red lights flashing and the bells clanging."

The job of firefighters is to put out fires, not start them. The job of Christians is to help resolve conflict, not start more of it.

Romans 14:19 NASB95

So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

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