James Explained | A How-to-Guide to Christian MaturityExemple

Day 4 | James 4

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Welcome back to Through the Word, James chapter 4 today. Today, Pastor James becomes general James, taking off the suit and tie and putting on his flak jacket and helmet. James 4 is preparation for battle as General James introduces us to the true axis of evil. The three big baddies that have declared war on us. This is the key: know your enemy.

Have you ever heard of the War of the Oaken Bucket? Probably not. It really wouldn't take up too much space in a history book. In 1325 soldiers from Modena in modern-day Italy stole a wooden bucket from the well of the neighboring city of Bologna. The armies of these two cities marched against each other and 2000 men lost their lives—over a wooden bucket. The truth is, the battle was never about the bucket. In a battle, it is crucial to understand what you're fighting for and who you're fighting against. So in verse 1, James asks the essential question:

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (James 4:1).

James lays down the intel on enemy number one: our own desires. The Bible often calls this the flesh, as opposed to the spirit. Now, these fleshly desires continually rear up, excite the flesh, and create a world of problems. If we continually give in to fleshly desires, then we are not yielded to the spirit, and we lose the fight. When we fight and quarrel with others, we're just letting these passions control us. We see others getting what we want, and we allow ourselves to become greedy and covetous. Well we may convince ourselves that we're fighting for the noble cause of equality, but that's just a wooden bucket. The truth is it's just envy, and it's ugly.

Now the flesh is a tricky enemy. It can even invade our prayer life when we covet. We start asking for things that we don't need and then get upset when God doesn't give us the wicked desires of our flesh. The second enemy we meet in this passage is the world. Look at verse 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. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?” (James 4:4-5).

In the battle we're about to face the world is a tough one to deal with. Why? Because when the Bible talks of the world, it's not talking about the ball of dirt and water we call planet Earth. It is talking about the culture and society around us that is opposed to God. Imagine a place that is antagonistic towards God, has no respect for life, and has extremely loose morals. Oh, wait! You probably don't have to imagine that place. We live there! To be friendly with the world while following God would be like an American soldier in World War 2 playing a friendly game of cards with Nazis.

Want a great example of someone who was a believer but was too friendly with the world? Look at Lot back in Genesis. He tried to be friendly with the world. But while he was busy playing cards at the town gate, the enemy was after the hearts of his family. In the end, he lost everything. To be friends with the world is to be enemies with God. In this battle with the world, you cannot fraternize with the enemy. James then brings in the third enemy, and it's a doozy. Verse 6:

“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:6-7).

Christians often have a fear of the devil—like he's able to make us do things we don't want to do or is able to destroy our lives or something. But the intel on this enemy reveals a weakness, and it's surprisingly simple: humility. Pride will make you an easy target. But God gives grace to the humble, and his grace is strength to resist. Resist and the devil will flee. When James says resist, he's using a military word for standing your ground. It means plant your feet. Don't give up, and don't run away.

Picture a war movie. Braveheart. The Patriot. Lord of The Rings. Pretty much anything will do. You always have that scene where one army begins rushing into the enemy. And what does the defending army do? They plant their feet, bend their knees, and get ready for the attack to hit. If we stand firm against the attack of the devil, he will flee from us. Why? He's not afraid of you, but he is afraid of God's grace inside of you. Satan knows if we stand, we are standing because of God's grace given to us. Satan cannot defeat the Almighty Creator of the universe, and he will back down.

So those are the enemies: the flesh, the world, and the devil. But before we engage, General James will give us a few warnings against some other serious pitfalls. The first warning is against pride. The United States Army used to recruit people using the slogan An Army of One, but soldiers work best not as individuals but as one unit working towards one goal. There's no room for pride or double-mindedness. Look at verse 8:

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:8-10).

We need to be serious and sober, ridding our life of sin. If we stay humble, God will lift us up. How do you know if this is an issue for you? Here's a simple test: Are you breathing? Do you have a pulse? Pride says, "I got this, God. I can handle this enemy." You're now an easy target. Humility says, "You've got this Lord, I need you for this battle."

The second warning is against criticism. Verse 11:

“Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:11-12).

So, do you like to receive criticism? No one really does. When I write something that needs review, I have to leave the room. I can't be there as that red pen of doom comes down on my work.

So often we criticize others, forgetting that we are not perfect ourselves. Jesus gave us that great picture of a man running around with a tabletop in his eye, trying to take a piece of sawdust out of his brother's eye. We can't be judging our fellow soldiers. In the end, we will be judged by the ultimate judge. So why try to take his job early.

Our final warning from General James is against boasting. Verse 13:

“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:13-15).

Soldiers don't know what tomorrow will bring. At any moment a bullet or a bomb may end their life. There is no point in boasting about what you will do because no one knows how long they will be around. It's not just soldiers that face this reality. Every person must face their own death at some point. The Psalms speak of numbering our days, living each day as if it might be our last.

Now this is not some excuse to sell off everything, go and live your full bucket list next month. Each of us needs to understand that tonight may be our last night on planet Earth. We may never fight in a war over some silly wooden bucket, but we do face battle on a daily basis, and we have a choice to make here. Are we going to fight, or are we going to just give in and let our enemies defeat us? Recognize your enemy, choose your strategy, and take your stand. You're in the army now soldier. So get ready for that fight.

James Chapter 4, a how-to guide on fighting the war we face.

Read James 4

All verses are quoted from the NIV unless otherwise noted.