Living Out Your Faith Victoriously

Tonight wraps up our study of James 1. Last week we spent time revieing the last paragraph which was verses 19-27. Our purpose this evening is to go back and do a full review of the entire chapter.

You may remember that when we first started our study of James that I gave you an outline of the each chapter. I also noted that the entire theme of James is about learning to live our faith daily before the Lord. In fact, it was in April of last year when we started this study. That was right in the middle of the shutdown for the pandemic. Everything was done remotely at the time. So, if you were watching online, you might remember the outline which was this...

Chapter 1 - Living Out Your Faith Victoriously

Chapter 2 - Living Out Your Faith Openly

Chapter 3 - Living Out Your Faith Skillfully

Chapter 4 - Living Out Your Faith Submissively

Chapter 5 - Living Out your Faith Patiently

Sunday after next we will dive into chapter 2 and the thought of living out our faith openly. However, for tonight, let’s go back and see what we have learned about living out our faith victoriously.

We will begin with paragraph 1 which is verses 3-4. From those verses I learned that I can live out my faith victoriously...

James 1:2–5 KJV 1900

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Living Out Your Faith Victoriously By Understanding the True Purpose of Life’s Trials

The Holy Spirit lets us know right from the beginning that “divers temptations” are going to come. Note that He uses the phrase “when ye fall.” God does not say “if ye fall.” The fact is that there are going to be temptations. If you remember way back when we studied this passage, we learned the word “temptations” means a temptation or a trial. Sometimes we add the term “testing.” Thus, there are going to be times of temtation, trials, and testing. The Holy Spirit also describes the temptations as “divers” temptations. In other words, the temptations will come in various ways. Sometimes they are physical. Sometimes they are mental. Sometimes they come from others. Sometimes we bring them on ourselves. And, there are times when they are forced upon us by the strain of sin that cause all of creation to groan (aka storms, floods, earthquakes, wind, etc.) This is, of course, nothing new. The Bible is filled with examples of people who from Genesis to Revelation who face a myriad of trails, temptations, and testings. If time allowed, we could go back and look at the lives of Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, King David and many, many others who were faithful to God yet experience times of great trials and testings. Even Christ himself experienced times of trials and even temptation. We know that Satan tempted Him in the desert according to Matthew 4. Later, in the garden of Gethsemane, Christ talked about “the cup” that He was to drink. He asked the Father these words...

Matthew 26:39 KJV 1900

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Yet, in that same moment, Christ demonstrated the very thought of our text. He was willing to bear the “cup” given Him because He understood that it was the Father’s will. Which is a thought that brings us to the next point about living out our faith victoriously even in the midst of trials and temptations.

Next, I learned that...

God Has a Purpose for Every Trial, Test, and Tribulation that He Allows into Our Life.

The Holy Spirit goes on to help us overcome our ignorance about trials. He says “Kowing this...” Now that we know that God allows temptaions and trials into our life, we need to realize that He has specific reason for doing so. What is His reaons? The answer is simple. Look at verses 3 and 4.

James 1:3–4 KJV 1900

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

You might recall that the word “perfect” means mature or spiritually complete. The Holy Spirit also uses the word “entire” which means finished for service or use. Who is to be “perfect” and “entire?” We as true believers are! God is working both within and without on us moving us to spiritually closer to the image of Christ. That is why “the trying of” our faith “worketh patience.” The word “worketh” means to achieve. God is seeking to acheive within us patience. And, our response is to simply let God do what God does. The great thing is that when God does something that it always turns out perfect, entire, and wanting nothing. The phrase “wanting nothing” was an interesting phrase. It meant to leave nothing behind. You and I must come to a point where we learn to just trust what God is doing in our lives. Our problem is we want to know all the fine detials even before they happen. For example, whenever a problem situation happens, we panic. We immedietaly start trying to figure it out. We analyze it over and over. We think about every possible outcome and we begin to plan how we are going to achieve the most positive outcome that benefits me and my welfare. We want to be the news helicopter in the sky seeing everything. Yet, that is not our place. That is God’s place. Our place is to simply sit in traffic behind the wheel moving as God allows us to move and dealing Scripturally with what is right in front of us.

Here is the thing! When we try handling our adversities our way, we always filled with fear, worry, and anxiety. Yet, when we learn to simply trust God by accepting each situation He allows into our lives as moments through which He is helping us grow spiritually, we are filled with joy, peace, and comfort.

Thus, if we keep in mind that temptations are going to come and, yes, we are going to fall into them. If we keep that in mind along with the understanding God allows them for our spiritual developement, we can have...

We Can Have Joy During Times of Temptations

Going back to verse 2, the Holy Spirit advises us to...

James 1:2 KJV 1900

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

The word “count” means make it your leading thought. It is the first thought that all of us should have when faced with temptations or trial. Our very first thought should be “Awesome, God is creating spiritual growth. I am about to grow through this. Therefore, I am going to rejoice that God loves me enough to help me grow.” Yes, there may be some growing pains. It might be uncomfortable. It might come with some great sorrow. Yet, in the end, as I trust Him He helps me to grow spiritually. Our thought should be...

Philippians 4:13 KJV 1900

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Victorious living is possible when we understand the true purpose of life’s trials.

The second thing I learned was that I can live out my faith victoriously...

Living Out Your Faith Victoriously By Simply Following God’s Plan for Your Life

James 1:5–12 KJV 1900

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Ask God for Wisdom to Understand

James 1:5 KJV 1900

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Ask God in Faith to Understand

James 1:6 KJV 1900

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Ask God with Steadfast Faith

James 1:7–8 KJV 1900

For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Trust God’s Plan

James 1:9–10 KJV 1900

Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

Remember the Goal

James 1:11–12 KJV 1900

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Living Out Your Faith By Realizing the Consequences of Sin

James 1:13–18 KJV 1900

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Remove the Idea that God Tempts Us to Sin

James 1:13–14 KJV 1900

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Realize that Temptaions to Sin Come from Within and Have Dire Consequences

James 1:15 KJV 1900

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Embrace the Good and Perfect Gift’s of God

James 1:16–17 KJV 1900

Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Understand Your Responsibility Before Others

James 1:18 KJV 1900

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Living Out Your Faith By Faithfully Hearing and Doing God’s Word

James 1:19–27 KJV 1900

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

We must First HEAR God’s Word

James 1:19 KJV 1900

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

We must PUT OFF the Old Man and Its Filth

James 1:20–21 KJV 1900

For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

We must also DO God’s Word

James 1:22–25 KJV 1900

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

We CAN PRACTICE True andUndefiled Religion

James 1:26–27 KJV 1900

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.