Bible Study - James (5) - Faith on Display in Facing the Enemy - James 4:1-10 - October 2, 2022

 

Bible Study – James (5) – Faith on Display in Facing the Enemy – October 2, 2022

This is lesson five (5) in our series entitled, “James: Living Out Your Faith.”

Our focus scripture is James 4:1-10.

You can stand triumphantly in CHRIST over sin, the world and Satan.

Often, our flesh and the Holy Spirit war against each other after we experience the miracle of Spiritual birth through faith in JESUS. Satan loves to cause dissension among brothers and sisters in CHRIST. When we, who know the truth, allow our flesh desires to take over and rule our lives, there will be trouble within our body. This often spills over into our relationships and the brick-and-mortar church where we attend. James saw this and wrote to fellow Christians to warn them that they cannot serve two masters, the flesh and GOD.

James identified the source of wars and fights as we read on ----

Let’s read James 4:1-3:

Proud or Humble

4 What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from your passions that wage war within you?^[a] 2 You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and wage war.^[b] You do not have because you do not ask. ³ You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

The source of wars and fights among fellow Christians and people in general comes from conflicts which come from hearts that are clinging to the desires of the flesh, while giving the impression of being spiritual.

Christians, in name only, have difficulty seeing the hand of GOD at work in their lives. Why? Simply, they have not allowed the transforming power of GOD, through faith in JESUS, to fully change their lives. They have not been born-again in their spirit by the transforming power and Spirit of GOD through faith in JESUS, thus, they have an internal war. They may desire to be fully committed to GOD through faith in JESUS but they hold back for many reasons or fears e.g., what will my friends think or can I hold out.

Many of us desire to be spiritual for a number of reasons. Often, being spiritual is good for our business, ego, status in the community, etc. But our true spiritual nature raises its head when we interact with others, especially fellow Christians.

James gives Christians a check list for them to use to measure their true relationship to GOD, through faith in JESUS:

-         Wars and fights among fellow believers come from our hearts.

-         We desire and have not – why?

-         Some have murdered and covet to obtain but you come up empty handed – Keep in mind, hate can equal murder - why?  

-         You go as far as to fight and wage war and you come up empty handed – why?

-         You do not have because you do not ask.

-         Oh, some of you ask but you do not receive because GOD knows your heart and you ask with the wrong motives. You want to have what you ask for to spend on the things that bring you pleasure.

James desired for his readers to focus inward to discover why they were not experiencing the unity and power of a changed life coming from the indwelling Holy Spirit. Were they being led by the Holy Spirit or the flesh? If they were being led by the flesh, what did they need to do?

James continued, as we read on -----

Let’s read James 4:4-5:

⁴ You adulterous people!^[c] Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So, whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think it’s without reason that the Scripture says: The spirit he made to dwell in us envies intensely?^[d]

James, in essence, goes back to his original concern, “What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from your passions that wage war within you?^”  

The followers of JESUS made a commitment to GOD through faith in JESUS. You asked GOD to forgive you for your sins believing that JESUS paid for your sins, in full. At that instant you became a child of GOD through the miracle of Spiritual birth. You were “born-again” in your human spirit. Now, you have broken that covenant by the way you live because you are living according to the dictates of the flesh and not according to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. You are still GOD’S Child but you are living according to the flesh.

It is time for those who once asked JESUS to forgive them for their sins and for HIM to come into their lives to ask GOD to examine their lives. The Holy Spirit needs to help them determine whether or not their salvation was real. If so, what they need to do to come back into a covenant relationship and fellowship with GOD.

James gave his readers some points to consider in verses 4 and 5:

⁴ You adulterous people!^[c] Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So, whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think it’s without reason that the Scripture says: The spirit he made to dwell in us envies intensely?^[d]

James referred to his readers as an adulterous people. He compared salvation to marriage.  In essence, they had broken their covenant or vow with GOD. GOD had not broken HIS covenant or vow with them. They need for the Holy Spirit to search their hearts to reveal what they need to do to restore their covenant/vow relationship with GOD. Repentance is always a good starting point both in marriage and returning back to having the right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS.

The scripture is clear, GOD is jealous and HE does not share, just as the marriage vow is a convent, so is our eternal relationship with GOD through the miracle of Spiritual birth. GOD keeps HIS promises and can be trusted. HIS desire is for HIS wayward Children to repent and come back home to HIM.

One might ask, “if a person is Spiritually born into the Family of GOD and they are living a Spiritually adulterous life, what happens to them when they die?” Keep in mind this is a truly Spirit-born person, as we read on ----

In 1 Corinthians 3:15 we read, “¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience^[e] loss, but he himself will be saved—but only as through fire.” This verse follows Paul describing the building material Christians use to build upon the foundation of CHRIST e.g.  gold, silver and precious stones versus wood, hay and stubble. These building materials will be tested by fire, which do you think will burn up and which will survive the test of fire?

When a person accepts JESUS as his or her Savior, that person is Spiritually born into GOD’S Family, never to be Spiritually unborn. All who are Spiritually born are done so by the grace of GOD. GOD’S Grace is greater than all of our sin. Therefore, once a person is saved and Spiritually born into GOD’S Family, that person is never Spiritually unborn but their rewards are impacted.

We read in 1 John 1:9-10, “⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Spirit-born people must realize that they sin and they need to confess their sins. Unconfessed sin becomes a barrier to a Spirit-born person’s relationship with GOD. A Spirit-born person does not want anything to block his or her fellowship with GOD. We must keep in mind that Satan is our adversary and he walks around seeking whom to devour. Satan’s desire is to defeat Spiritually born people but greater is GOD WHO is in us than Satan who is in the world. Spirit-born people live in victory but they must claim it when they encounter doubt or attacks from Satan.

GOD is the GOD of second, third, or more chances when a person has been Spiritually born into GOD’S Family. GOD is constantly looking for HIS Children to return home. Take your first step toward returning by asking for forgiveness.

Unconfessed sin is like an unwanted seed in your garden, if left in our lives it sprouts and will take root and cause problems. Deal with issues and struggles quickly. A friend and counselor recognized that he was experiencing signs of mid-life crisis. He told his wife about it and sought her help as he went through that time in his life. Smart man. When you hide or cover up, you become a target of Satan.

I have heard people say that they did not want to bother GOD with small things. That is Satan’s lie. Those who have been Spirit-born have access to GOD 24/7. Bother HIM!!!

Sin is like the frog and water story. If you put a frog in hot water, it will jump out but if you put a frog in a pot of cold water on the stove and gradually turn up the heat, the frog will be cooked to death. GOD has special gifts for HIS Children, which we will see as we read on –

Let’s read James 4:6-10:

⁶ But he gives greater grace. Therefore, he says:

God resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble.^[e]

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, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Grace is GOD’S gift to those who accept JESUS as their Savior. Those who have been Spirit-born should realize what it required for JESUS to leave HIS home in Glory and come to earth. HE had to live a sinless life and give HIS sinless life to pay for the penalty for sin, in full, by the shedding of HIS blood in death. HE did this for all people but not all people will accept what HE did for them. But we, who know the truth and have accepted JESUS as our Savior, are urged to share this good news with others. James acknowledged the fact that Satan is a Spirit-born person’s adversary and seeks to destroy their relationship with GOD.

Do Not give Satan a place in your life where he can enter your life. Submit your life to GOD and GOD gives HIS Children a promise, “submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

James gave his readers then and us today the sequence of steps for Spirit-born people to live their lives upon earth:

-         Submit to GOD – that is to place oneself under the authority of GOD. Often, we try to manage the things in our lives ourselves. Those who have been Spirit-born have GOD to come to their aid. Some want to be macho and hold GOD’S help for more serious issues. DO NOT DO THAT. Go to GOD with all your cares for HE cares for you. Remember the frog in the water. Satan desires to cook you Spiritually. GOD urges you to come to HIM, 24/7, with all issues that concern you. What is GOD’s promise to us when we submit ourselves to HIM? Let’s keep reading ---

-         When you become a Christian, you have an enemy. The enemy is Satan, who orchestrates some things in your life to confuse you and cause you to stumble. So, what are Spirit-born Christians to do? Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  How do you resist the devil? Read and study GOD’S Word, the Bible. Get to know GOD through HIS Word. Be honest with GOD. Trust GOD. You will be amazed when you ask GOD to reveal truth to you through HIS Word. The Holy Spirit will open your Spiritual eyes to truth, hope and increase your faith in GOD.

-         What is your next step? Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Keep in mind that Satan will do all he can to prevent you from rebuilding your relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. Satan wants a Christian to think GOD has abandoned you but GOD DOES NOT ABANDON HIS CHILDREN. Remember the parable of the prodigal son or daughter. GOD waits with open arms to welcome you back.

-         Draw near to GOD and HE will draw near to you!!! Drawing near to GOD takes a decision on your part. When you do it builds trust.

When we submit to GOD, we place ourselves under HIS authority which in turn shows our trust in HIM. Trust rebuilds relationship.

How do we rebuild our relationship with GOD? We place any issue we have with GOD on the table and ask HIM to help us to understand why it is an issue and search for the answer in the Bible and pray as the Holy Spirit leads us to answers.

Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Notice the order – from our sinful hands and doubtful hearts, to repent from a life of pleasure due to sin. We must repent from a life of sinful pleasure to Godly sorrow for our sins and seek renewing and restoration of our relationship with GOD.

The sin of “double-mindedness” is doubt. The key to remove doubt is to seek the truth from GOD. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. But you must go to GOD and HIS Word for your answers. The idea is to keep on seeking and keep on knocking as you trust GOD for the answer. Yes, we can go to our pastor, Christian friends or Christian counselors.

We are to confess our sins. When we do, the shed blood of JESUS cleanses and removes the sin barrier. Spirit-born people cannot serve two masters. We are to choose who we will serve, GOD through faith in JESUS, the world, Satan or ourselves. Choose carefully my friends!

We read in Revelation 3:16 - ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit^[a] you out of my mouth.

GOD desires for us to make a choice and serve HIM. If we stump our toes, HE does not kick us out of HIS house. When we confess our sin and ask for forgiveness, HE does and restores. GOD wants us to submit to HIM and draw near to HIM and in doing so, we acknowledge our faith and trust in HIM through faith in JESUS. Blessings!!!