James 4:7-10

Hey, hey, good morning, good morning. Welcome to Coffee and Devotions. This morning we're going to talk about what it looks like to flee from the devil. Let's have some coffee. We'll pray. We'll get into God's Word. Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for this day. We thank you for your Word. And God, we need your Holy Spirit. You have hard things to tell us this morning, but they're good things. So God, we turn ourselves over to your Word, entrusting your Spirit to teach us, but also, Lord, to work in our hearts and empower us to actually be able to do what your Word says.
In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Here we go, James 4, 7-10, just three verses today. Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." Well, we need to ask ourselves, A, what's this about? B, what's the best verse to summarize this? And C, what do we call it to do in response to these words? So, what's this about? specifically tied to what was before it, starting in chapter 3.
This heavenly wisdom versus this demonic wisdom. Let's go ahead and in chapter 3, verse 15, the wisdom that does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exists, confusion and every evil thing are there. That's a type of worldly wisdom that did not come from above, but is demonic. Envious and self-seeking, sensual, and as James calls it, demonic and earthly. And then in chapter 4, verses 1 through 6, that type of self-seeking and self-serving demonic wisdom is filled with pride and God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
And so what's the implications of that? What's the thrust of that? Well, James here says to humble yourselves. Therefore submit to God submission looks like humility Saying God you're greater. You're better and I'm I'm not I'm less Submit yourself to God resist the devil and he will flee from you right this this demonic sensual wisdom We live in the code of happiness today, right? There's there's a song we used to but I know it's getting a little bit dated now, right but Because I'm happy Clap your hands if you know that happiness is the truth, right?
That's we people just want this sensual joy. And they keep thinking that they'll find fulfillment if they just get enough good experiences. And if they just get all the affirmation that they can from society, and you just get all this stuff and all the doodads and all the things and all the comfort and all the money, then someday you'll be happy. No, you won't be filled with pride and envy.
Sensual earthly demonic and we're called to resist that type of earthly wisdom to resist Satan How did he tempt Eve did God really say He wants to hold good things from you he doesn't want you to be full of knowledge and And Eve was tempted, tricked into turning her heart. And she saw that the fruit was pleasant to the eyes and good for food. Her heart affections returned away from trusting God. What God said was good and towards herself. And now we live in a culture like that today all the time, where God says, don't go after that.
It's not going to be good. It's coming from somewhere else. And I'm telling you, there's a better way. And yet people keep plunging headlong into self-indulgence, thinking that somehow I'll make them happy. And yet we have more antidepressants now being prescribed than ever before. People unable to find true joy because they haven't found grace in Christ. Chasing after the materialism, the self-seeking of this world.
And so God says, no, no, no, no, no, hold on. Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts, you double-minded, right? Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. We draw near to God by being humble, submitting ourselves to Him, confessing when our desires are self-seeking and sinful, sensual, earthly, that we've been duped by demonic wisdom and calling it out for what it is. I know that you might think, man, Brian, that doesn't sound so nice, but I need to love you and tell you that's what that is. And so we turn from that. turn from that because verse 10 humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up are we willing this i'm just going to jump to see calling by the way verse 10 was what i have underlined some people might underline verse 7 that's fine for the best verse but i think that's what this is calling us to do that we look in the mirror of scripture we see who we are We call out the schemes of Satan for who he is.
He's seeking to devour us with the wisdom of this world. And the wisdom of our world today is materialism, especially here in America, especially in the West. We are flooded by all sorts of commercials and advertisements, social media, societal pressure.
If you just get the right car, you'll be happy. If you wear the perfume, you'll get the girl. If you drink the right alcohol, you'll have all the friends in the parties. If you get along with a social group, everything will be rainbows and sunshine and happiness. It's a farce. If you just get enough sensual desire, if you have the right sexual experiences, if you're able to go on these vacations or do these things, I won't get duped by it.
It's demonic wisdom. We need to push it to the side, confess that to the Lord and say, God, I know that your plans are better for me. To love others is better. To be willing to be poor for your kingdom's sake is better. To be persecuted is to be blessed. To weep and mourn paves the path to the kingdom of heaven. It turns the world on its head. But God gives grace to the humble and he resists the proud. So do we follow him. we humble ourselves and listen to Christ and go in His ways. Let's pray.
God, we confess to you that we are so often filled with pride, pride in thinking we know what we want and what we need and that we have the plan for us. And if we're able to accomplish what we want, then it will be, our lives will be good. God, I confess, even in my own life, how often I make a mess of my life whenever I follow after my own heart's desires.
Father, please teach us to walk in your ways. Put to death in us, Lord. God, please forgive us and put us in our hearts to death. Envy and self-seeking passions. Father, please teach us to live for something more, something greater, something far more true. Teach us to live for You and to enjoy Your presence forever, to enjoy You forever. Teach us to love others, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. May God bless you. May you walk in the joy and peace of Jesus Christ, and I'll see you next time. Bye.