““Self or Spirit”Self or Spirit”

James 4:1 What causes fights and James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. pleasures.

James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”favor to the humble.”

James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

JAMES DESCRIBES THE JAMES DESCRIBES THE SYMPTOMS OF SELF SYMPTOMS OF SELF CENTEREDNESS.CENTEREDNESS.

Self centeredness leads to Self centeredness leads to disagreements. (v. 1)disagreements. (v. 1)Self centeredness leads to Self centeredness leads to relying upon one’s self. (v. 2)relying upon one’s self. (v. 2)Self centeredness leads to an Self centeredness leads to an improper prayer life. (v. 3)improper prayer life. (v. 3)

JAMES TELLS US THE SOURCE JAMES TELLS US THE SOURCE OF SELF CENTEREDNESS.OF SELF CENTEREDNESS.

Self centeredness is caused by Self centeredness is caused by our rebellion against God. (v. 4, our rebellion against God. (v. 4, 5)5)Self centeredness is caused by Self centeredness is caused by our pride. (v. 6)our pride. (v. 6)

JAMES GIVES US THE HEALING JAMES GIVES US THE HEALING PATHWAY FOR SELF PATHWAY FOR SELF CENTEREDNESS.CENTEREDNESS.

Self centeredness can be cured Self centeredness can be cured by our submitting to God. (v. 7)by our submitting to God. (v. 7)Self centeredness can be cured Self centeredness can be cured by us prioritizing our by us prioritizing our commitment to God. (v. 8)commitment to God. (v. 8)

Self centeredness can be cured Self centeredness can be cured by us cleansing one’s self. (v. by us cleansing one’s self. (v. 8)8)Self centeredness is cured by Self centeredness is cured by our repentance . (v9)our repentance . (v9)Self centeredness can be cured Self centeredness can be cured by us humbling ourselves. (v. by us humbling ourselves. (v. 10)10)

Romans 7:15-25 "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.

Romans 7:20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.

Romans 7:24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."

Our 21st Century Life Our 21st Century Life ApplicationApplication

1. We need to recognise this 1. We need to recognise this constant Battleconstant Battle2. Christ is the only one who 2. Christ is the only one who delivers us from selfdelivers us from self3. We need to exercise those 3. We need to exercise those Spiritual disciplines that enable us Spiritual disciplines that enable us to hear from Godto hear from God

3. We need to exercise those Spiritual 3. We need to exercise those Spiritual disciplines that enable us to hear disciplines that enable us to hear from Godfrom God

Listening to the Spirit through Listening to the Spirit through Prayer - community and personallyPrayer - community and personallyBible Reading and JournalingBible Reading and JournalingLife Group of whatever shape or Life Group of whatever shape or form - we journey togetherform - we journey togetherSubmission to Christ as a practiceSubmission to Christ as a practiceGenerosity in $'s and time - Generosity in $'s and time - ourselvesourselves