From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God,
and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;
and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Jas 4:1-8
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God,
and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;
and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Jas 4:1-8
In clear terms James explains the reasons people do not see answers come from their prayers. In the years I did bible studies, the book of James was the least one people wanted to sit through and learn, because it was too blunt, simple. These verses aren't hard to understand, they are hard to accept, and the heart of the sinner is pricked by the truth of the words-they cut to the heart and bring conviction.
Regarding the subject of prayer- the hands which one raises in prayer to God must be cleansed by withholding them from all evil practices, and from all grasping after the contaminating gifts of the world; and the heart must be purified by the quenching of unholy desires and the cultivation of a godly spirit. In this James is but repeating the principles laid down by the Psalmist: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart". (Psa_24:3-4)
Psa 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
Psa 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
When people read these verses, it cuts through every pretense, and every deception we may think we are hiding from God. He already knows whether we are involved in sin or not, and if there is any unconfessed sin in us, these words will pinch us, and we will be exposed. People do not want to hear this, if they are in rebellion and do not want to submit to or surrender to God, and his word. This is why many people do not spend any quality time in prayer-even in churches.
Rebellion and stubbornness go hand in hand, and is the greatest cause of unanswered prayer.
Regarding the subject of prayer- the hands which one raises in prayer to God must be cleansed by withholding them from all evil practices, and from all grasping after the contaminating gifts of the world; and the heart must be purified by the quenching of unholy desires and the cultivation of a godly spirit. In this James is but repeating the principles laid down by the Psalmist: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart". (Psa_24:3-4)
Psa 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
Psa 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
When people read these verses, it cuts through every pretense, and every deception we may think we are hiding from God. He already knows whether we are involved in sin or not, and if there is any unconfessed sin in us, these words will pinch us, and we will be exposed. People do not want to hear this, if they are in rebellion and do not want to submit to or surrender to God, and his word. This is why many people do not spend any quality time in prayer-even in churches.
Rebellion and stubbornness go hand in hand, and is the greatest cause of unanswered prayer.
Submission and Obedience to God-The Path to Blessings
and Answered Prayer
and Answered Prayer
Submit yourselves therefore to God - That is, in his arrangements for obtaining his favor. Yield to what he has judged necessary for your welfare in the life that is, and your salvation in the life to come. The duty here enjoined is that of entire acquiescence in the arrangements of God, whether in his providence or grace. All these are for our good, and submission to them is required by the spirit of true humility. The object of the command here, and in the succeeding injunctions to particular duties, is to show them how they might obtain the grace which God is willing to bestow, and how they might overcome the evils against which the apostle had been endeavoring to guard them. The true method of doing this is by submitting ourselves in all things to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you - While you yield to God in all things, you are to yield to the devil in none. You are to resist and oppose him in whatever way he may approach you, whether by allurements, by flattering promises, by the fascinations of the world, by temptation, or by threats. See 1Pe_5:9. Satan makes his way, and secures his triumphs, rather by art, cunning, deception, and threatening's, than by true courage; and when opposed manfully, he flies. The true way of meeting him is by direct resistance, rather than by argument; by steadfastly refusing to yield in the slightest degree, rather than by a belief that we can either convince him that he is wrong, or can return to virtue when we have gone a certain length in complying with his demands. No one is safe who yields in the least to the suggestions of the tempter; there is no one who is not safe if he does not yield. A man, for example, is always safe from intemperance if he resists all allurements to indulgence in strong drink, and never yields in the slightest degree; no one is certainly safe if he drinks even moderately.
(Albert Barnes)
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you - While you yield to God in all things, you are to yield to the devil in none. You are to resist and oppose him in whatever way he may approach you, whether by allurements, by flattering promises, by the fascinations of the world, by temptation, or by threats. See 1Pe_5:9. Satan makes his way, and secures his triumphs, rather by art, cunning, deception, and threatening's, than by true courage; and when opposed manfully, he flies. The true way of meeting him is by direct resistance, rather than by argument; by steadfastly refusing to yield in the slightest degree, rather than by a belief that we can either convince him that he is wrong, or can return to virtue when we have gone a certain length in complying with his demands. No one is safe who yields in the least to the suggestions of the tempter; there is no one who is not safe if he does not yield. A man, for example, is always safe from intemperance if he resists all allurements to indulgence in strong drink, and never yields in the slightest degree; no one is certainly safe if he drinks even moderately.
(Albert Barnes)
The Devil Put to Flight
Luther says: “Once upon a time the devil said to me, ‘Martin Luther, you are a great sinner, and you will be damned!’ ‘Stop! stop!’ said I; one thing at a time; I am a great sinner, it is true, though you have no right to tell me it. I confess it. What next? “Therefore you will be damned.” That is not good reasoning. It is true I am a great sinner, but it is written, “Jesus Christ came to save sinners”; therefore I shall be saved! Now go your way.’ So I cut the devil off with his own sword, and he went away mourning because he could not cast me down by calling me a sinner.”
Answer to the devil
A minister asked a little converted boy, “Does not the devil tell you that you are not a Christian?” “Yes, sometimes.” “Well, what do you say?” “I tell him,” replied the boy, “whether I am a Christian or not is none of his business.” (New Cycle. of Illustrations.)
Temptation sometimes subtle
If any temptation to spoil your purposes happens in a religious duty, do not presently omit the action, but rather strive to rectify your intention and to mortify the temptation. St. Bernard taught us this rule: for when the devil, observing him to preach excellently, and to do much benefit to his hearers, tempted him to vain-glory, hoping that the good man to avoid that would cease preaching, he gave this answer only, “I neither began for thee, neither for thee will I make an end.” (Jeremy Taylor, D. D.)
Fighting the devil
He who would fight the devil with his own weapons must not wonder if he finds him an over match. (R. South.)
Resist
In an old tower on the Continent they show you, graven again and again on the stones of one of the dungeons, the word “Resist.” It is said that a Protestant woman was kept in that hideous place for forty years, and during all that time her employment was in graving with a piece of iron, for any one who might come after her, that word. It is a word that needs to be engraven on every young man and young woman’s heart. It represents the highest form of courage which to them is possible—the power to say “No” to every form of temptation. (J. C. Lees, D. D.)
The devil to be resisted
A gentleman, who has spent many years of his life in capturing wild animals, says of the wolf, that, when attacked, he will first note the earnestness with which the enemy presses the attack, and, if he shows great determination, he scampers away. But if he detects the least fear in his pursuer’s movements, he will defend himself with great bravery. The same way with old Satan: he tempts us by first placing some trivial thing in our path; and if we offer no resistance, he suddenly attacks us with all his force, and overcomes us.
Answer to the devil
A minister asked a little converted boy, “Does not the devil tell you that you are not a Christian?” “Yes, sometimes.” “Well, what do you say?” “I tell him,” replied the boy, “whether I am a Christian or not is none of his business.” (New Cycle. of Illustrations.)
Temptation sometimes subtle
If any temptation to spoil your purposes happens in a religious duty, do not presently omit the action, but rather strive to rectify your intention and to mortify the temptation. St. Bernard taught us this rule: for when the devil, observing him to preach excellently, and to do much benefit to his hearers, tempted him to vain-glory, hoping that the good man to avoid that would cease preaching, he gave this answer only, “I neither began for thee, neither for thee will I make an end.” (Jeremy Taylor, D. D.)
Fighting the devil
He who would fight the devil with his own weapons must not wonder if he finds him an over match. (R. South.)
Resist
In an old tower on the Continent they show you, graven again and again on the stones of one of the dungeons, the word “Resist.” It is said that a Protestant woman was kept in that hideous place for forty years, and during all that time her employment was in graving with a piece of iron, for any one who might come after her, that word. It is a word that needs to be engraven on every young man and young woman’s heart. It represents the highest form of courage which to them is possible—the power to say “No” to every form of temptation. (J. C. Lees, D. D.)
The devil to be resisted
A gentleman, who has spent many years of his life in capturing wild animals, says of the wolf, that, when attacked, he will first note the earnestness with which the enemy presses the attack, and, if he shows great determination, he scampers away. But if he detects the least fear in his pursuer’s movements, he will defend himself with great bravery. The same way with old Satan: he tempts us by first placing some trivial thing in our path; and if we offer no resistance, he suddenly attacks us with all his force, and overcomes us.
