1. The pressure of conflict James 4:1-10

2. Introduction Conflict inevitable

3. Introduction Conflict hinders my relationship with God. Conflict messes my prayer life

4. Introduction 1 Peter 3 7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers..

5. Introduction Conflict hinders my relationship with God. Conflict messes my prayer life Conflict brings misery to my life

6. 3 REASONS WHY CHRISTIANS DEGENERATE INTO UNGODLY CONFLICT When our desires are selfish (4:1-2a) James 4 1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.

7. 3 REASONS WHY CHRISTIANS DEGENERATE INTO UNGODLY CONFLICT When our prayer life is a mess (4:2b-3) James 4 You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

8. 3 REASONS WHY CHRISTIANS DEGENERATE INTO UNGODLY CONFLICT When we befriend the world that opposes God (4:4-5) 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?

9. 3 GRACES FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO OVERCOME UNGODLY CONFLICT The grace of humility (4:6-7a) The grace to resist the devil and come near to God (4:7b-8a) The grace of purified motives (4:8b-9)

10. 3 GRACES FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO OVERCOME UNGODLY CONFLICT The grace of humility (4:6-7a) 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God.

11. 3 GRACES FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO OVERCOME UNGODLY CONFLICT Make the first move to reconcile in a conflict.

12. 3 GRACES FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO OVERCOME UNGODLY CONFLICT Prov 13:10 Pride leads to conflict (NLT)

13. 3 GRACES FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO OVERCOME UNGODLY CONFLICT Humility leads to reconciliation – even when there is no resolution

14. 3 GRACES FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO OVERCOME UNGODLY CONFLICT 2 Cor 5 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: he old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

15. 3 GRACES FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO OVERCOME UNGODLY CONFLICT The grace to resist the devil and come near to God (4:7b-8a) Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.

16. 3 GRACES FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO OVERCOME UNGODLY CONFLICT See the devil in your conflict

17. 3 GRACES FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO OVERCOME UNGODLY CONFLICT Hurt people hurt people

18. 3 GRACES FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO OVERCOME UNGODLY CONFLICT The grace of purified motives (4:8b-9) Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.

19. 3 GRACES FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO OVERCOME UNGODLY CONFLICT Repent of our own failures. Look for our blind spots

20. CONCLUSION (JAMES 4:10) 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

21. CONCLUSION The Cross of Christ 2 Cor 5 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.