Overcoming Internal Battles Through Humility and Grace

Devotional

Day 1: Internal Battles and Spiritual Adultery

Many conflicts within the church arise from our own desires and self-interest. Aligning with worldly values over God's principles is likened to spiritual adultery. We must recognize and address these internal battles to create a healthy spiritual environment. [01:04:44]

James 4:1-10 reveals the root of many conflicts within the church: our own desires and self-interest. When we prioritize worldly values over God's principles, we engage in what James calls spiritual adultery. This strong language underscores the severity of aligning ourselves with the world rather than with God. The internal battles we face—our selfish desires, pride, and wrong motives—often manifest as external conflicts, creating a toxic environment within the church.

To address these issues, we must first acknowledge them. Recognizing our own contributions to conflict is the first step toward healing. By humbling ourselves and submitting to God, we can begin to resist the devil and overcome these internal struggles. This process is not passive; it requires active participation and a willingness to follow God's commands. Only then can we create a healthy spiritual environment that reflects God's love and grace.

James 4:1-2 (ESV): "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You 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."

Reflection: Think about a recent conflict you experienced. How did your own desires and self-interest contribute to it? What steps can you take to align your values more closely with God's principles?

Day 2: The Call to Humility and Submission

True submission to God is an active enlistment in His army, ready to follow His commands. Humility is the key to receiving God's grace, which empowers us to resist the devil and overcome our internal struggles. [01:23:11]

True submission to God involves more than passive acceptance; it is an active enlistment in His army, ready to follow His commands. James emphasizes the importance of humility in this process. Humility is not about thinking less of ourselves but about recognizing our dependence on God. When we humble ourselves, we open the door to receiving God's grace, which empowers us to resist the devil and overcome our internal struggles.

This call to humility and submission is a call to action. It requires us to actively seek God's will and to be willing to follow His guidance, even when it goes against our own desires. By submitting to God, we align ourselves with His purposes and gain the strength to resist the devil's schemes. This active submission transforms our lives and enables us to live in a way that honors God.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (ESV): "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle with submission to God? How can you actively enlist in God's army and follow His commands today?

Day 3: The Power of God's Grace

Despite our failures, God's grace is abundant and transformative. This grace is not a license to sin but a call to live a life of sanctification and transformation, becoming more like Jesus. [01:20:26]

God's grace is a powerful and transformative force in our lives. Despite our failures and shortcomings, His grace is abundant and available to us. However, this grace is not a license to continue in sin; rather, it is a call to live a life of sanctification and transformation. God's grace empowers us to become more like Jesus, enabling us to overcome our internal struggles and live in a way that honors Him.

This transformative power of grace calls us to a higher standard of living. It invites us to leave behind our old ways and embrace a new life in Christ. As we receive God's grace, we are called to extend that grace to others, reflecting His love and mercy in our interactions. By living a life of sanctification, we become a testimony to the transformative power of God's grace.

Titus 2:11-12 (ESV): "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age."

Reflection: How have you experienced God's grace in your life? In what ways can you allow His grace to transform you and help you become more like Jesus?

Day 4: Drawing Near to God

We are encouraged to draw near to God through intentional actions like prayer, Bible reading, and worship. When we draw near to Him, He promises to draw near to us, providing the strength and grace we need to overcome our struggles. [01:28:46]

Drawing near to God is an intentional act that requires effort and commitment. James encourages us to engage in practices like prayer, Bible reading, and worship as ways to draw closer to God. These spiritual disciplines help us to focus our hearts and minds on Him, creating space for His presence in our lives. When we draw near to God, He promises to draw near to us, providing the strength and grace we need to overcome our struggles.

This promise of God's nearness is a source of great comfort and encouragement. It reminds us that we are not alone in our journey of faith. As we seek Him, He meets us where we are, offering His guidance, support, and love. By prioritizing our relationship with God, we create a foundation that sustains us through life's challenges and helps us to grow in our faith.

Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV): "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."

Reflection: What intentional actions can you take today to draw near to God? How can you incorporate prayer, Bible reading, and worship into your daily routine to strengthen your relationship with Him?

Day 5: Genuine Repentance and Restoration

James calls us to grieve, mourn, and wail over our sins, leading to genuine repentance. This process of acknowledging our sins and humbling ourselves before God results in restoration and elevation by Him. [01:34:44]

Genuine repentance involves a deep acknowledgment of our sins and a heartfelt response to God's call for transformation. James urges us to grieve, mourn, and wail over our sins, emphasizing the seriousness of our transgressions. This process of genuine repentance is not about self-condemnation but about recognizing the gravity of our actions and turning back to God with a humble heart.

When we humble ourselves before God and genuinely repent, He promises to restore and elevate us. This restoration is a testament to God's grace and mercy, showing that no matter how far we have strayed, He is always ready to welcome us back. Genuine repentance leads to a renewed relationship with God, where we experience His love and forgiveness in profound ways.

Joel 2:12-13 (ESV): "Yet even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster."

Reflection: Reflect on a specific sin or area of your life where you need to repent. How can you genuinely grieve and turn back to God, seeking His restoration and forgiveness?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the profound and challenging teachings from James 4:1-10, focusing on the internal battles that often lead to external conflicts within the church. We began by acknowledging the healing power of the Holy Spirit, inviting Him to break strongholds and bring freedom. The core of our discussion centered on the sobering reality that many of our struggles and quarrels stem from our own desires and self-interest. James uses strong language to describe the church's condition, likening it to spiritual adultery when we align ourselves with worldly values over God's principles.

We delved into the concept of rebellion, understanding that spiritual battles often start within our hearts. James calls out the church for its self-centeredness, prayerlessness, and wrong motives, urging us to recognize that these internal issues create a toxic environment. The message is clear: we must humble ourselves, submit to God, and resist the devil. This submission is not passive but an active enlistment in God's army, ready to follow His commands.

The sermon also highlighted the beauty of God's grace. Despite our failures and spiritual adultery, God offers more grace to the humble. This grace is not a license to sin but a call to transformation and sanctification. We are reminded that humility and repentance are the pathways to receiving God's grace and being lifted up by Him.

Finally, we were encouraged to draw near to God, knowing that He will draw near to us. This involves intentional actions like prayer, Bible reading, and worship. James emphasizes the need for both internal and external purity, urging us to wash our hands and purify our hearts. The call to grieve, mourn, and wail over our sins is a call to genuine repentance, leading to restoration and elevation by God.

###

Key Takeaways

1. 10 reveals that many conflicts within the church arise from our own desires and self-interest. Aligning with worldly values over God's principles is likened to spiritual adultery. We must recognize and address these internal battles to create a healthy spiritual environment. [01:04:44]
2. The Call to Humility and Submission: True submission to God is an active enlistment in His army, ready to follow His commands. Humility is the key to receiving God's grace, which empowers us to resist the devil and overcome our internal struggles.

3. The Power of God's Grace: Despite our failures, God's grace is abundant and transformative. This grace is not a license to sin but a call to live a life of sanctification and transformation, becoming more like Jesus.

4. Drawing Near to God: We are encouraged to draw near to God through intentional actions like prayer, Bible reading, and worship. When we draw near to Him, He promises to draw near to us, providing the strength and grace we need to overcome our struggles.

5. Genuine Repentance and Restoration: James calls us to grieve, mourn, and wail over our sins, leading to genuine repentance. This process of acknowledging our sins and humbling ourselves before God results in restoration and elevation by Him.

### [64:44]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[59:22] - Healing and Breaking Strongholds
[63:49] - Introduction to James 4:1-10
[64:44] - Internal Battles and Spiritual Adultery
[65:59] - Rebellion and Self-Interest
[68:43] - Spiritual Battles Start Within
[70:14] - The Enemy's Schemes
[71:44] - Spiritual Adultery and Worldly Values
[73:12] - The Ecosystem of the World
[75:22] - Pride and Enmity with God
[76:26] - The Holy Spirit's Jealous Pursuit
[79:13] - Charismatic Christianity and Transformation
[79:53] - Returning to God and Receiving Grace
[83:11] - Humility and Submission
[85:45] - Restoration and Spiritual Warfare
[88:46] - Drawing Near to God
[92:51] - Hands and Heart: Purity and Repentance
[94:44] - Genuine Repentance and Restoration
[96:14] - Communion and Response
[102:36] - Communion: A Meal of Connection and Hope

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does James identify as the root cause of fights and quarrels among believers? ([01:04:44])
How does James describe the relationship between friendship with the world and enmity with God? ([01:11:44])
What actions does James urge believers to take in order to draw near to God? ([01:28:46])
According to James, what is the result of humbling oneself before the Lord? ([01:23:11])

Interpretation Questions

Why does James use such strong language, like "adulterous people," to describe the church's alignment with worldly values? ([01:11:44])
How does the concept of humility play a role in receiving God's grace, according to the sermon? ([01:20:26])
What does it mean to "submit to God" and "resist the devil" in the context of this passage? ([01:23:11])
How does genuine repentance lead to restoration and elevation by God? ([01:34:44])

Application Questions

Reflect on a recent conflict you experienced. How might your own desires and self-interest have contributed to that conflict? ([01:04:44])
In what ways have you found yourself aligning with worldly values over God's principles? How can you begin to change this? ([01:11:44])
What specific steps can you take this week to draw near to God through prayer, Bible reading, or worship? ([01:28:46])
Think of a time when you felt distant from God. What actions did you take, or could you take, to humble yourself and seek His grace? ([01:23:11])
How can you actively resist the devil's temptations in your daily life? What practical strategies can you implement? ([01:23:11])
Is there a particular sin or behavior you need to genuinely repent of? How can you create a plan for repentance and seek God's restoration? ([01:34:44])
How can you foster a spirit of humility in your interactions with others, especially within the church community? ([01:20:26])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "The intent of the church is that now through the church, God will display his manifold wisdom, his glory, and it will make angels rejoice, and demons tremble, and then you read these verses, and they're incredibly sobering, and James is being really deliberate about the language he's using. He wants to shock us, he wants to get a hold of us." [01:05:59] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "God is a God of grace. You're saved by grace. You continue by grace. Ephesians 2 says it very clearly. It is by grace you've been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves. It's the gift of God. Not by works so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." [01:20:26] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "It doesn't matter how far you've drifted. It doesn't matter whether you've drifted for hours or days or years or decades. There is a way back through grace, through the finished work of Jesus. It is by grace, Paul said, Romans 5, you reign in life. It's not by your effort. It's not by your hard work." [01:20:58] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Come near to God and he will come near to you. It doesn't say, go away, get yourself cleaned up, work it all out with someone or on your own, and then come back. Come back to God and say, I'm here. And God says, that's great you got cleared up because now we can carry on this relationship." [01:28:46] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "The very thing you don't want to do is the very thing that God is asking you to do. The very thing the devil says, will tell you is impossible is the very thing the scripture says you must do. It's really simple, not easy to do, but really simple. The very thing we feel we should not do because we are not acceptable is the very thing the Bible tells us we must do." [01:30:14] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "James is saying they are very often internal spiritual battles that start in our hearts. Rebellion that causes this type of environment where there's quarreling and killing and coveting and people going after their own self-interest starts in our hearts and it's stuff that the church needs to be honest about and authentic about and real about." [01:08:43] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The Holy Spirit indwells us, and there is no way the Holy Spirit is going to sit comfortably with the things that I'm talking about. The Holy Spirit is not compatible with our self-interest. The Holy Spirit is not compatible with our sinful desires that destroy relationships. The Holy Spirit will jealously pursue us, to transform us, to convict us, to reveal things, and to change us." [01:18:14] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "When I say I need you, God, when I submit, this word here, submission, submit yourselves, verse 7, it's not a passive kind of lay on the floor submission. That's not really what the word means. What it really means is this. It's the idea of enlisting in the Lord's army and being ready to fight under his banner. That's really what submission means in this context." [01:24:31] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "When we are given a way out, we will not have to carry a greater burden than we can cope with. And that in our resisting, the enemy will flee. He will. That's a promise. It's not complicated, but it's something that we have to apply. And so the Lord will never overload you beyond your plimsoll line." [01:28:20] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "You come by the finished work of Jesus. But actually, there is an intentionality before God. Where you deal with the things in your heart. In the presence of God. And the things of your hands. The heart is the inner self. What's going on in here. But often, it gets manifest through what we do. The hands." [01:32:51] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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