What To Do When the Battle Seems Too Hard
What to Do When the Battle Seems Too Hard
James 4:1-5 challenges us to look at our hearts in all situations of life and spirituality
Locations & Times
First Baptist Church Seminole Tx
202 SW Ave B, Seminole, TX 79360, USA
Sunday 5:00 AM
James 4 - Submit Yourself to God
Read Plan
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9:30 am First Service
10:30 am Second Service
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James 4:1-5 Touches on 3 main thoughts:
1. The source of our conflicts
2. The problem with our prayers
3. The loyalty God longs for in us.
1. The source of our conflicts
2. The problem with our prayers
3. The loyalty God longs for in us.
1. THE SOURCE OF OUR CONFLICTS
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you?
Fights and quarrels come from desires battling inside of us
WHAT TUG OF WAR ARE YOU FACING RIGHT NOW? BETWEEN WHAT YOU WANT AND WHAT GOD WANTS?
Conflict often reveals misplaced desires. Instead of pointing fingers at other, James calls us to examine our own hearts
QUESTION: WHAT AM I CRAVING THAT I'M NOT GETTING?
1. The Source of our Conflicts
2. The Problem with our Prayers
2. The Problem with our Prayers
2. THE PROBLEM WITH OUR PRAYERS
Unhindered Prayer
Read Plan
Spurgeon quote: “All heaven lies before the grasp of the asking man; all the promises of God are rich and inexhaustible, and their fulfillment is to be had by prayer.”
James deals with the problem of no prayer, and then addresses the problem of selfish prayer
"We must remember that the purpose of prayer is not to persuade a reluctant God to do our bidding. The purpose of prayer is to align our will with His, and in partnership with Him, to ask Him to accomplish His will on this earth"
"God is not a vending machine for selfish desires. Prayer is about aligning with His will, not bending Him to ours."
1. The source of our conflicts
2. The problem with our prayers
3. The loyalty God longs for in us
2. The problem with our prayers
3. The loyalty God longs for in us
1. THE LOYALTY GOD LONGS FOR IN US
Hosea: His Redeeming Love
Read Plan
Question: Am I living to please God, or am I cozying up to the world’s values for approval, comfort, or success?
Going Deeper
1. James points out that conflicts among us come from desires within us (v.1). How does this challenge the way we usually think about the source of conflict?
2. In verses 2–3, James connects unchecked desires with prayerlessness or selfish prayers. What does this teach us about the relationship between our desires and our conversations with God?
3. James calls seeking friendship with the world “enmity with God” (v.4). What does “friendship with the world” look like in our culture today, and how can we guard against it?
4. Why do you think James uses such strong language, even calling believers “adulterous people” in verse 4? How does this language help us grasp the seriousness of divided loyalty?
5. Verse 5 mentions that God’s Spirit yearns jealously for us. What does this reveal about God’s love and desire for His people?
6. How can we practically realign our desires so that they are centered on God’s will rather than on selfish ambitions?