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This is a sermon based on James 4:7-8 and speaks about steps the Apostle gives for his readers to succeed against temptations.
Written Excerpts:
James 4:7-8 (NKJV) 7
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from
you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your
hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you
double-minded.
Introduction:
I suppose that most of us here today have had experiences with being
sick and visiting a doctor for a diagnosis and treatment of the problem that
troubles us.
The doctor usually checks us over, asks a lot of questions and once he
has made his diagnosis and proposes treatment, he sends us home with a bill
that usually ruins the weekly budget! He also usually sends us away with a
small piece of paper to be taken to a pharmacy, which also ruins the budget
even more!
This paper for the pharmacy is called a prescription and with it we can
obtain the proper medication along with specific instructions on how it is to
be used or applied. Many times, when the medicine and the instructions are
followed, they produce positive results.
In our Scripture lesson today, I believe that we find a biblical
prescription that, if followed, will produce spiritual health and victory.
Let’s look at the words of the Apostle James to learn a four-step
prescription for spiritual health.
I. Submit yourself to God (v.
7a)
The word submit implies voluntary subordination or placing one’s self
under the authority of another.
Becoming a Christian and living as a Christian is often characterized
as a “surrender” to God. We willingly stop insisting on having our own way or
being our own authority and we voluntarily submit ourselves to God’s authority
and His ways.
There are at least two reasons we need to submit to God.
A. We need to submit because
God’s grace is more than adequate.
v. 6a – “He giveth more grace.”
The word “therefore” at the beginning of verse 7 refers back to the
previous verse for its meaning. When James says, “therefore submit to God” it
is based on what came before in verse 6.
So, we need to submit because it the logical thing to do based on the
amount of grace God has available – “MORE!”
Obviously, verse 6 should be understood in its context as well. So,
what is God giving more grace for? So believers can overcome the attractions of
the world (vv. 1-4).
That’s why we’re calling this a prescription for spiritual health and
victory (victory over the love of the world).
B. We need to submit because
God resists the proud.
Prov. 3:34 (NKJV) Surely
He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.
Can you imagine what it’s like to have God fight against you?
The word “resist” in v. 6 is a little different word than the one that
is translated “resist” in verse v. 7 (re: the devil).
Here the word means to “order, arrange, draw up against.” It is a word
that gives the idea “to range in battle against.”
James is reminding us that God draws up in battle against the person
that is “arrogant,” “haughty,” or defiantly says, “I can handle it myself.”
But, if we submit (admit our need and surrender to God’s will and ways)
then He will give us all the grace we need to win and more.
Isaiah 57:15 (KJV) 15 For thus
saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is
Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is
of a contrite and humble spirit…
Not only does God resist the proud, but God says that He will dwell
with the one that is contrite and humble. If we stay humble, God will stay with
us.
II. Resist the Devil.
Submitting to God is only the first step. It is an important step of
surrendering our will and our authority to the will and authority of God.
But, we can’t stop there. We must resist the devil.
Here, the word “resist” carries the idea of “standing against.” (i.e.
we resolve and purpose that we are going to take a stand against him no matter
what.)
A. How do we stand against the
devil?
We must do it in the name and in the strength of the Lord. We’re no
match for the devil.
Jude 1:9 (NKJV) Yet
Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the
body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said,
"The Lord rebuke you!"
Without taking time to digress and analyze this passage, it is enough
to point out that the Apostle declares that an archangel did not attempt to
bring a charge of blasphemy against the devil, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
We must choose to stand against the temptations and suggestions of the
Devil, but we must do so in the name of Jesus and let the Lord rebuke him.
I would also make this observation: our resistance or standing against
the Devil must be quick and immediate. The longer we wait and ponder his ideas
and schemes, the easier it is to yield.
B. If we resist he will flee.
The promised result is that the Devil will flee if we steadfastly
resist or stand against him.
III. Draw near to God.
Not only should we submit to God and resist the Devil, but we must also
make a willful choice to draw close to the Lord.
I am amazed sometimes at how many people I meet who are discouraged by
the way the Devil has been attacking them and defeating them. They often talk
about how much effort they have expended trying to resist the Devil and
withstand his attacks.
But, in all the efforts to fight off the devil and do what was right,
they failed to take this next step of taking specific action to draw near to
God.
A. To draw near means to
worship Him.
“draw near” – word translated for OT word that means to draw near for
the purpose of worship.
Lev. 19:22 – “Let the priests who come near the Lord consecrate
themselves…”
To worship means focusing on who He is and not who I am.
To worship means focusing on what He has done, not what I want.
To worship means focusing on giving adoration and praise.
To give adoration and praise doesn’t mean that we add anything to His
glory, we merely reflect it.
The tendency we often have is to shrink back and withdraw from personal
worship or corporate worship when we’ve been feeling defeated or feeling
discouraged, because we feel ashamed. But we need to do the very opposite.
We need to worship and praise Him on principle. We need to join with
His people and praise Him together.
I can’t tell you how many times I have felt discouraged and defeated
until I went to the house of God with His people and began to sing and pray and
hear the Word. I tell you I always felt many times better than when I first
came.
B. When we draw near, He draws
near as well.
Just like the previous verse, which promises that the devil will flee
if we resist him, so this verse promises that God will draw near to us if we
will draw near to Him.
Psalm 22:3 (KJV) But
thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel
When we worship God (corporately or individually), then He responds
with His divine presence and revives and refreshes our hearts.
IV. Deal with the problem of
sin in us.
The fourth step involves taking care of the sin problem in our hearts
and lives.
By placing this verse in this context the Apostle seems to be telling
us that we cannot have spiritual health or have victory over the attractions of
the world until we adequately deal with the sin problem in our lives.
This means both the deeds of sin and the nature of sin.
A. We need clean hands.
“clean hands” – refers to purity of conduct or actions, as “hands”
relate to what we do.
We absolutely cannot hang onto the “favorite sins” or “pleasant sins”
in our lives and then expect God to deliver us from the “bad ones.”
Sin is sin, and God abhors it all. So we need to let Him deal with all
of it.
B. We need pure hearts.
In this specific verse, the idea of a pure heart means one that is not
divided.
It is a heart that is wholly and completely united in love for God with
no competing allegiances to the world or self.
There is a whole lot more that can be said on this point, but when we
allow God to cleanse our hearts and solve the problem of a divided affection,
then it certainly helps us remain victorious in our spiritual walk.
1 Peter 1:22 (NKJV) Since
you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in
sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
Conclusion:
I don’t believe I know of any sincere Christian who does not desire a
life of constant victory over temptation and a life of spiritual growth and spiritual
health.
I’m glad I can confidently say to you today that it is possible to
experience consistent victory and maintain a vibrant relationship with Christ.
These steps we’ve talked about today provide important counsel for that
victory to be a reality in all our lives.
Let’s close our worship by singing a song about victory.
# 353 – Victory in Jesus
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