Humility and Brokenness

James 4:1-10

Verse 1:

Where does the fighting among you come from?

From

Your Lusts

That war in your members

We want revival but we fight and war among ourselves.

Verse 2:

lust (covet), and have not.

kill, and desire to have, but cannot obtain.

fight and war, and have not because you do not ask.

We want revival but we lust, covet, desire, fight and war.

Verse 3:

You ask and receive not why?

Because you ask only to receive to fulfill your lustful desires!

What lustful desires

Covetousness

Pride

Fleshly desires

Worldly passions

We want revival for pride, in a desire to be known, in desire to be seen as having a move of God.

We ask a miss, off the mark, with wrong motives.

Verse 4:

See the charge here

You adulterers and adulteresses

Don’t You Know that your friendship with the world produces enmity with God, hostility with God!!!

God hates your friendship with the world.

God hates your coddling the flesh.

These make you at odds with God, enemies of God!

Verse 5:

What do the scriptures says?

Genesis 6:5, Genesis 8:21, Numbers 11:29 ,Proverbs 21:10

Verse 6:

God gives grace

Grace is not given to the proud. In fact it says that God resists the proud.

He resists them to prompt them to humility.

But he gives grace to the humble.

Verse 7:

Here is the remedy, the prescription for the charge against us.

Submit yourselves to God

To his judgements about you

To his rule over you

To his chastening of you

Resist the devil

Resist your evil desires

Resist your worldly lusts

Verse 8:

Draw near unto God and He will draw near unto you!

Here is a great promise

Here is our great confidence.

Cleans your hands - sinners

Purify your hearts - double minded

Verse 9:

Be afflicted

Mourn

Weep

What is this reminiscent of?

Joel 2:12–17 “Therefore also now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn unto the Lord your God: For he is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness, And repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, And leave a blessing behind him; Even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, Gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: Let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, And give not thine heritage to reproach, That the heathen should rule over them: Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?”

Let us call the fast!

Let us call for a holy convocation

Let us weep and mourn and fast and pray and rend our hearts before God!!!!!

Verse 10:

Again the promise of verse 8 is restated and the prescription given.

Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord oh you his people

Have pure motives

Clean hands and hearts!

Application

1️⃣ Repent from Self-Centered Motives and Submit to God's Authority

James 4:3–7, Joel 2:13

Revival begins with motive. If we want God's presence, we must stop asking for His move merely to validate ourselves.

Ask yourselves : “Why do I want revival? For God's glory or for my own?”self-examination

Submit fully—not partially—to God's rule, correction, and timing. That means surrendering pride, ambition, and even spiritual performance.

🛐 Challenge: Take time this week to journal your spiritual motives. Repent where you find selfish ambition. Submit every ministry desire to God's lordship.

2️⃣ Resist the World and Its Subtle Influence

James 4:4, Genesis 6:5, Proverbs 21:10

Friendship with the world isn’t just blatant rebellion—it’s compromise, comfort, and self-indulgence masked as progress.

Exhort yourselves to — renounce worldly values

I invite you to resist not just sin, but the systems that normalizes pride, greed, and lust.

⚔️ Challenge: Fast from cultural entertainment or social media this week. Create space to listen for God's voice free from worldly noise.

3️⃣ Respond with Lament, Fasting, and Hopeful Humility

James 4:9–10, Joel 2:12–17

True revival isn't hype—it’s holy mourning over sin. It’s weeping between the porch and the altar.

Call for —a time to fast, to mourn, and to rend hearts before the Lord. a sacred assembly

I would remind you: the end goal isn't despair, it’s . When we humble ourselves, He will lift us up. hope

📯 Challenge: Organize a night of prayer and lament. Set apart time to mourn over sin and cry out for fresh mercy and grace.