James 4:1-10 Bible Study - Victory is ours

Chapter 4 reveals that there must have been more carnal divisions and disputes among the people James was writing to. These could have originated in the selfish desire to be teacher (3:1), but the basic cause was most likely disobedience in walking in unity.

Amos 3:3 HB:ERV

Two people will not walk together unless they have agreed to do so.

What enemies does James say we must face as people who are united in the cause of Christ?

James 3:15 NLT

For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

Our enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Read Ephesians 2:1-3, how does Paul describe the life of an unbeliever?

We battle the Flesh.

The flesh simply means desires. These desires are at work in the members of the body, and they create problems. Please keep in mind that the body itself is not sinful; it is the fallen nature that would control the body that is sinful. The flesh is human nature apart from God, just as the world is human society apart from God.

James 4:2 HB:ERV

You want things, but you don’t get them. So you kill and are jealous of others. But you still cannot get what you want. So you argue and fight. You don’t get what you want because you don’t ask God.

James describes these believers’ sinful actions: they desire, they kill to get, and they do not stop to pray about their desires. If, they do pray, they pray selfishly that they might enlarge their pleasures, not glorify God. The flesh can even encourage a person to pray! But to and for the wrong things.

We battle the World.

What is spiritual adultery?

Romans 7:4 HB:ERV

In the same way, my brothers and sisters, your old selves died and you became free from the Law through the body of Christ. Now you belong to someone else. You belong to the one who was raised from death. We belong to Christ so that we can be used in service to God.

There are four dangerous steps that take the believer into a wrong relationship with the world:

1) friendship with world, James 4:4

2) being soiled by the world, James 1:27

3) love with the world, 1 John 2:15–17

4) conformity to the world, Romans 12:1-2

We battle the devil.

Christians who live for the world and the flesh become proud, and the devil takes advantage of this situation. Pride is one of his best tools.

Luke 4:1–13 (HB:ERV)

Now filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan River. And then the Spirit led him into the desert.

There the devil tempted Jesus for 40 days. Jesus ate nothing during this time, and when it was finished, he was very hungry.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this rock to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say,

‘It is not just bread that keeps people alive.’ ” Deuteronomy 8:3

Then the devil took Jesus and in a moment of time showed him all the kingdoms of the world.

The devil said to him, “I will make you king over all these places. You will have power over them, and you will get all the Glory. It has all been given to me. I can give it to anyone I want.

I will give it all to you, if you will only worship me.”

Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God. Serve only him.’ ” Deuteronomy 6:13

Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem and put him on a high place at the edge of the Temple area. He said to him, “If you are the Son of God, jump off!

The Scriptures say, ‘God will command his angels to take care of you.’ Psalm 91:11

It is also written, ‘Their hands will catch you so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.’ ” Psalm 91:12

Jesus answered, “But the Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’ ”

The devil finished tempting Jesus in every way and went away to wait until a better time.

How did Jesus show us to defeat the devil?

The Christian must use the Word to resist Satan, and the Spirit of God will enable the victory.

We are Promised Victory.

James 4:7–8 HB:ERV

So give yourselves to God. Stand against the devil, and he will run away from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. You are sinners, so clean sin out of your lives. You are trying to follow God and the world at the same time. Make your thinking pure.

The flesh, world, and devil can only win in our lives if we allow them to take what doesn’t belong to them.

We must come closer to God, know His word, and be led by the Spirit.