1. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

2. Resisting The Devil James 4:1-10
“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
James 4:1-10
A contrast between the selfish and those that seek after God

3. Resisting The Devil James 4:1-10
Selfishness results in:
Quarrels and conflicts (vs. 1)
Wrong prayer (vs.3)
Enmity with God (vs. 4)
Opposition from God (vs. 6)
The judgment of God (vs. 11,12)
Foolish boasting about the future (vs )

4. Resisting the Devil James 4:1-10
Submission to God results in:
God's grace (vs. 6)
Victory over the devil (vs. 7)
Closeness to God (vs. 8)
God exalting you (vs. 10)
Confidence in the future (vs. 15)

5. Resisting the Devil James 4:1-10
Becoming less selfish & more submissive to God is the key to godliness and spiritual victory
The Holy Spirit convicts of sin leading to repentance, changes your heart & empowers you to live in holiness

6. Quarrels & Conflicts James 4:1-2
Quarrel is a general term for war.
Conflict is a more specific term referring to a battle
Fighting among Christians is contrary to their new nature demonstrating immaturity & succumbing to Satan
Pleasures = what you think will satisfy you.

7. Quarrels & Conflicts James 4:1-2
The lust for pleasures causes war between people:
Class wars ( 2:1-9)
Employment wars (5:1-6)
Church wars (1:19-20; 3:13-18)
Personal wars (4:11-12)

8. Quarrels & Conflicts James 4:1-2
Lust = “strong desire.” Context determines if it is good or evil
People murder for all sorts of evil desires
1 John 3:15 equates hatred with murder

9. Quarrels & Conflicts James 4:1-2
Hatred can arise from nearly any difference of goal or plan – even those that are supposed to be good.
Envy is a “hot emotion” of coveting & jealousy that destroys

10. Prayer & Motivations James 4:2-3
Reason for lack from God:
Lack of prayer
Praying with selfish motivations
Irreverence & lack of confession (Psalm 66:18)
Satan exploits our selfishness which hinders or prayers

11. Worldliness & Consequences James 4:4-5
Adultery transgresses the marriage relationship for a false substitute.
Loving the world transgresses the proper relationship with God for a false substitute.
It is proper for God to be jealous for we belong to Him & are not free to pursue worldliness

12. Pride or Humility James 4:6
Grace is blessing given to the undeserving
Where God makes demands He gives grace to meet those demands
God opposes the proud (1 Peter 5:5)
Pride results in selfishness and God’s punishment (Proverbs 16:5)
The proud will be judged by their evil

13. Pride or Humility James 4:6
Humility is the key to our relationship with God
Matt. 5:4; Proverbs 11:2; 1 Peter 5:6; Proverbs 22:4
Jesus came & lived in humility and we are to be like Jesus (Phil. 2:5-8 & Rom. 8:29)

14. Submission & Resistance James 4:7
Obedience is done because it has to
Submission is done because it wants to
Submission requires humility for it means you must yield your will to God’s

15. Submission & Resistance James 4:7
Reasons for submission to God:
He uses trials to mature you (1:2-4)
He grants wisdom to those who ask
Your life on earth is brief (1:9-11)
Those who love Him receive a crown
He does not tempt, but gives good (1:13- 18)

16. Submission & Resistance James 4:7
Reasons for submission to God:
Man’s anger does not achieve the righteousness of God (1:19-27)
God is impartial (2:1-8)
You are guilty & need mercy (2:9-13)
True faith is revealed in its actions (2:14- 26)

17. Submission & Resistance James 4:7
Reasons for submission to God:
The tongue is dangerous & should bless, not curse (3:1-12)
Earthly wisdom results in evil, God’s wisdom brings righteousness (3:13-18)
Pride results in fighting & worldliness while humility brings grace (4:1-10)

18. Submission & Resistance James 4:7
Submission to God boils down to being humble and seeking His glory and will instead of your own
Submission to God automatically results in resisting the devil because you cannot serve two masters

19. Submission & Resistance James 4:7
At every point in life you can choose to either do things God’s way or not.
The devil flees when you refuse his lies, slander and enticements and instead submit to God

20. Drawing Near to God James 4:8-10
True repentance involves both outward and inward cleansing as well as mourning over sin

21. Drawing Near to God James 4:8-10
Repentance desires:
Godliness more than self-fulfillment
Holiness more than self-esteem
Being loving more than being loved
Serving God more than safety
God’s word more than food & shelter

22. Conclusions
I do not fear the devil for:
I trust God
The Holy Spirit in me is greater
The devil flees when resisted
Spiritual war is not a one time event, but a constant series of battles.

23. Conclusion
In order to submit to God, you must know Him and what He desires - be a Christian & know the Bible
Wearing the armor of God is part of submitting to God in preparation for the devil’s schemes against you
Is your armor on?

24. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ