How to end wars

Introduction: wars within end are visible

Class- - by the way we dress, money, rich and poor

Employment - Rich had the power to and control to with hold

Church fights ; - positions, teachers, leaders, selfish ambition ruled

Personal wars - Speaking evil and judging one another

Why? We have the same savior, same spirit, same God, and we still fight????

At War with ourselves

Wars in the heart fuels war in church

the essence of sin is selfishness- Eve wanted to be wise

selfish desires lead to wrong actions- kill, fight, war, wrong praying

Cravings Galatians 5:17

when our praying is wrong our whole Christian life is wrong

Praying is not for my will but God’s will

Thou shalt not covet is last of 10 commandments but its violation can make us break the other 9

2. At war with God- the root cause of every war, internal or external is rebellion against God

How do we declare war with God? By being friends with God’s enemies

A. The World- Human society apart from God- happens gradually

Abraham was a friend of God lot wasnt. We have lost the meaning of friendship and it has become a superficial title

Friendship with the world-

Friendship with the world-

Spotted or stained- - approval of the world

love the world-

confrom to the world

condemed with the world 1 cor 11:32

our souls saved yet as fire 1 cor 3:11-15

Friendship with the world is compared to adultry- , ,

They adopted the sinful ways of the other nations, and by worshiping their gods, the nation of Judah committed adultery against God

B. The Flesh-the old nature in heritied from Adam

;

the right to be jealous

He’s not jealous of you and your abilities but for His glory and honor and His spirit he has placed in you

- The mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God

-life and peace

C. The devil-The devil opposes the son of God

Pride is Satan’s greatest sin and greatest weapon

Ye shall be as God

God wants us to depend on His grace while the devil wants us to depend on ourselves

In the church there are to many who wish to be celebrities and not servants

yet here we see Satan and pride but don’t miss Christ’s grace

Three enemies that want to turn us away from God: the world, the flesh, and the devil. James gives us three instructions to follow if we would enjoy peace instead of war

1. Submit to God (v7)

This word is a military term that means “get into your proper rank.” When a buck private acts like the general, there is going to be trouble!

If there is any area of the life kept back from God, there will always be battles. This explains why uncommitted Christians cannot live with themselves or with other people.

2. Draw near to God (v8)

Greek word for purify means “make chaste.” This parallels the idea of spiritual adultery

A.W. Tozer essay entitled, “Nearness is Likeness.” The more we are like God the nearer to God we are

My dog on my lap- we have little in common, unlike me so i’m nearer to my wife

God draws near to us when we deal with the sin in our lives

not sharing, can’t be double minded.

Humble yourselves before God (v 9-10)

3. Humble yourselves before God (v 9-10)

conclusion: If we obey these three instructions, then God will draw near, cleanse us, and forgive us; and the wars will cease! We will not be at war with God, so we will not be at war with ourselves. This means we will not be at war with others. “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever” (Isa. 32:17).

Put the government of your life on His shoulders, and let Him become the Prince of Peace in your life (Isa. 9:6).