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Review: James has challenged us with various pitfalls that can diminish our faith:

• Not letting the Word of God be a mirror to your heart.
  
  
• Putting too much value on appearances and social status.
  
  
• Stating faith with no intent to live by faith—Vestibular Illusion.
  
  
• Dismissing the need to control the tongue.
  
  
• Letting selfish ambition rule your path which creates a culture of chaos and the seedbed for evil practices to thrive.

Not only do these things create relational tension between us and God, but also with others.  Today James will address relational brokenness which happens when our inner flesh goes unchecked. 

Read James 4:1-10

What causes fights and quarrels among you—in the church?

THE TRUTH REGARDING THE FLESH AND IT’S OPPOSITION TO GOD

Your desires and wants are the cause of every relational battle both with God and others. (1a-2)

• You desire what you do not have, so you destroy or break down so you can take. (2a)
  • David desired Bathsheba then killed her husband Uriah.
  • Athletes will tear down another to gain an edge in playing time.
  • Politicians do smear campaigns to diminish a candidate to take the seat.
  • Smear the guy to get the girl.
  • Highlight the faults of another to get the promotion.

• You covet but cannot have, so you engage with harshness and hostility.
  • You lose out, but you now become the antagonist.
  • You choose to argue any point they make because they cannot possibly be right.
  • If you cannot have it, then don’t let them enjoy it.
  • You give the silent treatment or maybe lead an effort to have someone canceled.

• Your first efforts are to take for yourself verses going to God for help.

Are you with God or are you against him when you approach life this way?

There are times the effectivity of our prayers is a matter of what your end game is when you pray. (3)

• God’s motive in helping mankind is to fulfill his work in building his family.
  
  
• God delights in responding to requests that are for building His Kingdom, not for you building your empire.
  
  
• It’s like hitting God up for a loan that you will use to build a weapon to harm those He is seeking to save.
  
  
• You are “spending” the goodness of God for the “demonic” (3:15) pursuit of your success.

Are you with God or are you against him when you approach life this way?
 

Approaching God as an ally in your worldly pursuits will only lead to greater divide between you and Him.  (4)

• Such a person is an adulterer—trying to love God and love yourself as if both are most important when they are at odds with your heart.
  
  
• No wife would consider a husband’s mistress as an ally, but rather an enemy to their relationship with their husband.

Are you with God or are you against him when you approach life this way?

People fail to live by the Spirit God gifted us.  (5)

Are you with God or are you against him when you approach life this way?

We are against God when we lack humility and are self-confident. (6) Prov. 3:34

Are you with God or are you against him when you approach life this way? 

WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET BACK ON GOD’S SIDE?

1. We must begin by rejecting Satan as leader making Jesus Lord of our life. (7)

• Who are you submitting to?
  
  
• Who are you resisting?

Are you with God or are you against him when you approach life this way?

2. Draw near to God. (8)

• Come to him in prayer in confession of where you have been and acknowledge where you want to go.
  
  
• Commit to a posture of “not my will, but your will be done.”
  
  
• “Wash your hands”—committing to actions that are honoring to God.
  
  
• “Purifying your hearts”—committing to thoughts and motives that will honor God.
  
  
• Committing to the fidelity of the mind—serving one Lord and not attempting to be both an advocate for God and you.

Are you with God or are you against him when you approach life this way? 

3. Let God pick you up by your bootstraps. (9-10) [Jeff mentioned this two weeks ago—we are not to try harder.  We are to relent and submit to him.]

• Repent—think differently about who you have been.
  • Grieve- regret your sin.
  • Mourn- un-celebrate your sin.
  • Wail- reject your participation in sin.

• Lay these things before the Lord in humility.
  
  
• He will lift you up.

Are you with God or are you against him when you approach life this way?

LET GO!  LET GOD!

Benediction:  James has given it to us straight—adulterous, demonic, grieve, mourn, wail.  But he ends with—THE LORD WILL LIFT YOU UP!