Battle with Desire - James 4:1-12
By
Doug Brown (United States) | July 02, 2008
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The Battle with Desire James 4:1-12
Desire. Desire has gone bad and mad in each one of us. But in Christ our desires are being transformed. However, we often find ourselves on a campaign of seeking our own pleasures - James 4:1. (We get our word hedonism from this word pleasure — pleasure becomes the chief goal of life). When we live this way the end result is quarrels and conflict. But God has a different way.
1. Read the passage several times (James 4:1-12) to get the flavor and big ideas firmly in your mind. What do you not understand James to be saying? What do you understand James to be saying?
Don’t understand I understand
2. Share with your group your findings and discuss what you don’t understand. Then discuss what you do understand and ways in which you will incorporate this Scripture into your life.
3. Find biblical characters that illustrate being a friend of the world. Find biblical characters that resisted becoming a friend of the world. Now, evaluate the outcomes of their lives.
Friend of the World Friend of God
4. Take time to do a personal inventory of your desires, of your ambitions, of your interests and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you through verses 4:8-10. Then find a friend whom you trust and can speak freely with about the lessons the Lord is teaching you. Invite them to speak into your life - what they see that is praiseworthy and what they see that they would recommend you change in. Ask them to be a prayer partner with you over these issues.
5. In order to experience God’s “greater grace” we must pursue humility (James 4:6).
Meditate on Jesus’ statement found in Matthew 11:28-30.
6. Based on Philippians 2:3-5, don’t just be on the look out to meet your needs but be on the look out to meet other’s needs as well. Ex. Give praise or honor to a rival.
7. Pray and ask God for that which you think you need. (Read Matt 7:7-12). Persevere in prayer until God answers with a green light - go; red light - no; or yellow light- slow.
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