James 4:1-12 - Outline

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

September 7, 2012


 *MAY 12 - JAMES 4:1-12 - WISDOM IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE*


 *1. 4:2:3 (4:1-3) WARS AND FIGHTINGS. “You lust, and have not: you kill,
and are jealous and cannot obtain: you fight and war; you have not, because
you ask not. 3 You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you
may spend it in your :pleasures” (NNT). *Our warfare is essentially within
ourselves, in our own minds, souls, and pleasures in our members. Satan
merely makes use of what we are. But *we* choose to submit to *You*,
Father! *Hallowed be your :name!*


 *2. 4:4 FRIENDSHIP OF THE WORLD. “Adulteresses, know you not that the
friendship of the world is enmity with :God? Whoever therefore intends to
be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy.” *We are married to Christ
Father, whether we be male or female; corporately we are the body of
Christ, and His Bride. When we are unfaithful to Christ we commit spiritual
adultery, and are adulteresses. *Your :kingdom come.*


 *3. 4:5 ENVY. “Or think you that the scripture says in vain, Does the
spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?” *Father, we would
not be naïve. We would understand our basic nature and proneness to sin and
envy. We acknowledge that there is *no good thing* that dwells in our
flesh. *Your :will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.*


 *4. 4:6 HUMILITY. “But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, :God
resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” *We humbly submit to
Your statements concerning us, Father. Only Christ in us is good. You in
Him is our goodness, mediated by your Holy Spirit. O forgive us that we so
soon forget this truth and begin to think that we are something. *Our
:daily :bread Give us this day.*


 *5. 4:7-8 SUBMISSION AND PURIFICATION. “Be subject therefore to :God; but
resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to :God, and he
will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts,
you doubleminded.” *It is in *submission*, *resistance*, and *drawing
near*that we experience union and communion with You, Father! Help us
not to
depart from You! *And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our
:debtors.*


 *6. 4:10 (4:9-10) HUMILIATION. “Humble yourselves in the Lord’s sight and
he shall exalt you.” *Ah, this is our position of safety! not popular with
present day carnal Christianity, but valuable in *Your* sight, Father. We
scorn the misunderstanding of fellow professing Christians, that we may
please *You*! *And bring us not into temptation!*


 *7. 4:11 (4:11-12) EVIL SPEAKING. “Speak not one against another,
brethren. Who speaks against a brother, or judges his :brother, speaks
against the law, and judges the law: but if you judge the law, you are not
doer of the law, but judge.” *Our brother is made in *Your* image, Father:
to speak against him, is to speak against *You* and Your law. Write this
truth on our hearts, that we may joyfully walk in it. *And deliver us from
the evil one!*


 *NOTE**: 4:12 (4:11-12) THE POWER OF GOD OUR JUDGE. **“One is lawgiver and
judge, he who can save or destroy: but who are YOU that judges yourneighbor?”
*Let Your fear enter our heart and lives, O Great Jehovah Father! Then we
will depart from iniquity and love You with *all* our heart, mind and
strength!


 *The Book of James has emphases that are unique in the New Testament. And
- he doesn’t pull any punches! He says it exactly as he sees it and hears
it from the Spirit. We too need to declare the Word of the Lord with
similar plainness and simplicity.*


 *James saw very clearly that only in Christ can we be right with God - and
be on the way to becoming consistent overcomers. Paul too saw this truth
both for others - but also for himself. See what he says in Romans 7:18
(7:13-25) - “For I know that in me, that is, in my :flesh, dwells no good:
for to will is present with me, but to work the good, no.” There are
nuances in his above statement the we could miss. But as we meditate upon
it, even vocally - then the Spirit can release us into Romans 8:1-11, where
there is amazing victory!*


 *Though many times in other places I have given these same verses - yet
according to good pedagogy - repetition often enables us to have a
break-through. Derek Prince consistently used this principle. See again
then Philippians 3:3 (3:2-4) - “For we are the circumcision, who worship by
God’s Spirit, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
Did Paul practice what he preached? Absolutely! This is the mark of a true
and good preacher - and a true and good believer as a witness!*


 *Then in our Spiritual Warfare - let us take advantage of and make use of
the principles laid out by James in the above 12 verses. Early church
believers did so. We today can follow their example.*


 *Our Psalm for the day: 132:3-5 THE LORD HAS CHOSEN ZION! “I will not
enter my house or get into my bed, 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or
slumber to my eyelids, 5 until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling
place for the Mighty One of Jacob” (ESV). *Though You Father, through
Nathan, would not allow David to build You a house; yet You were pleased
that he had it in his heart to do so! *Hallowed be your :name!*



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