James Chapter 4

James Chapter 4

James 4:1 NKJV
1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

Mark 7:23 NKJV
23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

The wars and fighting among you are caused by the wars within you.

A. The desires for pleasure

II Timothy 3:1-4 NKJV
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

1. Unreasonable desire for something we don’t have

2. Murderous envy for those whose possessions we love or cherish

3. Open antagonism and discord

James 4:3 NKJV
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

B. Worldliness

James 4:4 NKJV
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

The reference is not to physical adultery, but to spiritual adultery. Disobeying God is like breaking a marriage vow.

I John 2:15-17 NKJV
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

II Timothy 4:10 NKJV
10 for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.

John 16:33 NKJV
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

1. He was filled with the Spirit.

2. He overcame His own flesh.

3. He was familiar with Scripture.

C. Pride
The word “pride” means one who shows himself above others; unwillingness to submit.

Proverbs 13:10 NKJV
10 By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.

1. Pride does not recognize its own need. Pride so admires itself, it cannot recognize any need.

2. Pride occupies itself with thoughts of its own goodness.

3. The proud will not let God help.

God’s grace operating in the heart of the humble believer neutralizes the passion that wars in the believer.

James 4:6 NKJV
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

II Corinthians 9:8 NKJV
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

I Timothy 1:14 NKJV
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

James 4:7-10 NKJV
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

1. Submit to God
2. Resist the devil
3. Draw near to God
4. Sanctify our lives
5. Purify our hearts
6. Repent when we are wrong
7. Allow the Lord to lift us up

Proverbs 29:23 NKJV
23 A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

The Principle of Humility
James 4:6
…“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

The Promise of Humility
James 4:10
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

The Products of Humility

The elimination of evil-speaking and unscriptural judging
V11-12

The humble live in daily dependence on God.
James 4:13-15
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

Proverbs 27:1 NKJV
1 Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.

Humility eliminates boasting from our lives.
James 4:16
16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

You can tell a great deal about an individual by what they brag about. The proud boast about themselves; the humble brag on their God.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 NKJV
23 Thus says the Lord : “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord , exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord .

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