Winning the War
Robby Pollard, Lead Pastor
James 4:1a
1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you?
You’re not living your best parenting life until you’ve launched a toy out the front door to stop your kids from fighting over it.
James 4:1
1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?
James 3:17-4:1
17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?
James 4:1-6
1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:1
1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?
Matthew 7:20-23
20And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
The wars in your life are caused by the war in your heart.
James 4:2-3
2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
James 3:14, 16
14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.
16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
The wars in your life are caused by the war in your heart.
James 4:2-3
2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
James 4:2b-3
2...You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
“The purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven but to get God’s will done on earth.” - Robert Law, The Tests of Life
Matthew 6:9-10
9Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
James 4:3
3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
James 4:4-5
4You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?
Judges 3:7
7And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
Jeremiah 9:2
2 Oh that I had in the desert a travelers’ lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men.
Ezekiel 16:32
32Adulterous wife, who receives strangers instead of her husband!
Jeremiah 3:20
20Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband, so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel, declares the LORD.’”
The wars in your life are caused by the war in your heart.
James 4:4-5
4You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?
James 3:15
15This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
James 4:6
6But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Genesis 3:4-6
4But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Ephesians 1:7-8
7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
Submit to God.
James 4:7
7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Resist the devil.
James 4:7
7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Cleanse your hands.
James 4:8
8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Purify your hearts.
James 4:8
8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Repent.
James 4:9
9Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
Humble yourself before God.
James 4:10
10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Do not speak evil.
James 4:11-12
11Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
James 1:22
22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 4:11-12
11Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
Submit to God.
Resist the devil.
Cleanse your hands.
Purify your hearts.
Repent.
Humble yourself before God.
Do not speak evil.
Real faith works.
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