SPIRITUAL SECRETS.
JAMES 4:6—10.
1. The Apostle had much to say, in these few verses, about Having Favor With God. It tells us about how we can have Power With God. We see some Steps to having Divine Power. There is no limit to God’s Power.
2. Furthermore, the child of God, walking in the Spirit of God, has access to that Power With God. However, as Believers, we are engaged in a spiritual battle.
3. There is conflict between the world and the Heavenly Father. The flesh always opposes the Holy Spirit. The devil stands in opposition to Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
4. Pride is the great sin of the devil. It was the one that caused the fall of Lucifer in the beginning. It is one of his chief weapons against the people of God today. • • God wants us to be Humble while Satan wants us to be Proud.
5. Pride is the one sin that repels God. It will keep a person from God. It will keep him outside God’s Grace. In our Scripture reading, there are some Truths about Having the Favor of God and Having Power with God.
Let’s look at:
SOME SPIRITUAL SECRETS.
a. There is The SECRET OF SPIRITUAL VIRTUE. (4:6)
b. SPIRITUAL VICTORY. (4:7)
c. SPIRITUAL VALOR. (4:8-10)
A. THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL VIRTUE.
1. (James 4:6) This is a quote from Prov. 3:34 which says, TiSurely He scorneth the scorners; but giveth Grace unto the lowly.” King Solomon was warning his son about the wrong choice of friends.
2. ‘Grace’ is the Gift of God. It is Unmerited Favor and the Secret to a Virtuous Life. It is getting something we don’t deserve. It is the means whereby fallen man can come to God.
3. It is the key to the Kingdom. It is the deathblow to pride. God resists the proud.
a. He resisted Cain and his false religion. (Gen 4)
b. He resisted the Pharaoh of Egypt and his distainful words to Moses when he said, “...Who is the Lord, that I should obey His Voice to let Israel go?...” (Ex 5:2)
c. He resisted King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who tried to destroy three Hebrew young man in a fiery furnace. (Dan 3)
d. He resisted Prime Minister Haman of Persia who tried to destroy the Jews. (Esther)
e. He resisted King Herod of Judaea who tried to destroy Jesus after He was born. (Matt 2)
f. He resisted Alexander the Great who died in the prime of life.
g. He resisted Napoleon of France sending a snowstorm to stop his march toward Russia.
h. He resisted Voltaire, the French atheist, who on his deathbed had such horrors that he terrified his nurse.
4. Yes! God resists the proud! In order to receive the Grace of God, pride must be laid aside. There must be Repentance for sin and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
5. He is the Source of Grace. John 1:17 says, “For the Law was given by Moses, but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ.” It is by Grace that we are saved. But then, His Grace provides every thing we will ever need in this life.
6. However, it is only the Humble who are able to receive His Grace. Song: AMAZING GRACE (first 3 verses). Grace gives sight to the blind, freedom from fear and protection from danger. (James 4:6) So, we see the Secret Of Spiritual Virtue. (Salvation to the lost)
B. THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL VICTORY.
1. (James 4:7) It is only as we Submit ourselves to God that we are able to Resist the Devil and have him Flee from us. He is not afraid of any one no matter how strong that person might claim to be. Remember, he is more clever and stronger than us. He is a master of deception.
2. So, it is the one who is Submitted to God that is able to exercise the Power of God over the devil. Remember, before you can Exercise Authority, you must be Under Authority.
3. So, our victory over the devil and the forces of evil comes as we are empowered by. God. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, He responded by quoting the Word of God.
4. It is still the means of our defeating him today. (James 4:7) It is only as we are SUBMITTED TO GOD that we have POWER WITH GOD. We will have victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. We will be able to resist the devil and have him flee from us.
5. . Submission is not a popular word today even among Christians. Instead, the world tells us to assert ourselves. However, the Holy Bible says, “Submit yourselves.., to God. IT (James 4:7a)
6. When we are Submitted to God, we are saying as Jesus did in the Garden, “Not My Will, but Thine be done.” (5a) (Luke 22:42) (James 4:7) So, we see the Secret Of Spiritual Victory.
C. THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL VALOR. (James 4:8—10) This tells us all we need to know about being all we can be for God. It is as we do these things that our lives will be pleasing to God.
a. There Is A Word About COMING. (James 4:8a) These words contain a veiled reference to the Old Testament sacrificial system. The words ‘Draw Nigh’ or ‘Come Near’ were used to describe the high priest entering the Presence of God. Notice, the order here. It as we Draw Nigh’: to God that He will Draw Nigh to us. So, it seems that God has come as closely as He can to us. Before the Fall, there was no distance between God and man. God and Adam had perfect fellowship on a daily basis. But after the Fall, Adam and Eve fled when they heard the Voice of God. They were lost and separated from God by sin. There was rebellion against God and self—righteousness on their part. So, there was a distance between God and them. This distance is not measured in miles, but in morals. Notice, the words of the Song: ‘AT CALVARY.’ In some of His last Words in the Holy Bible, Jesus said in Rev. 22:17, “And the Spirit and the bride say, COME. And let him that heareth say, COME. And let him that is athirst COME. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.” The invitation is given and it is extended to all people. It is to COME. It is also extended to those who have known the Lord for many years. However, over the process of time, they have drifted away from Him. They have failed to maintain daily fellowship with Him by Prayer and Bible reading. They have neglected the House of God and fellowship with His people. There may even have been willful disobedience to the Word of God. But He says, ‘Come Back, Come Close.’ (James 4:8a) So, he spoke about COMING.
b. There Is A Word About CLEANSING. (James 4:8b) Cleansing the hands and purifying the heart refer to the ceremonial cleaning that was a prerequisite for approaching God in the Levitical System. The Hands and the Heart always go together The Hands symbolize the Outward Life, the Life that other People See. The Heart symbolizes the Inward Life, the Life that God Sees. The Hands speak of WHAT WE DO while the Heart speaks of WHAT WE ARE. When there is a distance between God and us, it is because of a failure with the heart. Prov. 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” When the heart is not right, the hands are as well. They do things that are not pleasing to God. That’s why it is so important that we spend time with the Lord every day. If the Holy Spirit Convicts us of something, we should immediately confess it and seek cleansing. (1 John 1:7—10) (James 4:8b) So, he spoke about CLEANSING.
C. There Is A Word About CRYING. (James 4:9) There is nothing funny about sin. When a person is under Holy Ghost Conviction, you don’t find him laughing. People are in Spiritual Peril today and yet some Preachers are best known for their humor. When Nathan, the Prophet, confronted King David with his sin, there was no laughter. (2 Sam 12) We should weep over sin. (James 4:9) This refers to Repentance for sin. King Solomon said in Prov 14:9, “Fools make a mock at sin. It seems that there is little sorrow for sin today. However, it is probably our greatest need. Remember, God hates sin, whether it is in the life of the saint or the sinner. It is destructive to the spiritual man of the Christian. (James 4:9) So, he spoke about CRYING.
d. There Is A Word About CONTRITION. Again, we see the word ‘Humble.’ It is used twice in our Scripture reading, in Verses6 and 10. (James 4:10)
The only way that Promotion is guaranteed is by Humility. (James 4:6b) 1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the Mighty Hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” In his prayer of repentance over his sin with Bathsheba, David said in Ps 51:17, “. broken and contrite heart, 0 God, Thou wilt not despise.”
It is always the Humble who have been and who are promoted by God. The great Pastor Phillips Brooks once said, ‘The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against some higher Nature. Of course, he was referring to the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Original Pattern. (James 4:10) So, he spoke about CONTRITION.
1. Notice, there was a Conviction of Sin. (James 4:8a) This was accompanied by Godly Sorrow that leads to Repentance. (James 4:9)
2. If you want to be a Person of Valor, it will mean:
a. Coming To Christ.
b. Cleansing from Sin.
c. Crying over Sin.
d. Contrition before God.
3. SOME SPIRITUAL SECRETS.
a. THERE IS THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL VIRTUE. (James 4:6)
b. THERE IS THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL VICTORY. (James 4:7)
c. THERE IS THE SECRET OF SPIRITUAL VALUE.
It involves:
i. COMING. (4:Sa)
ii. CLEANSING. (4:8b)
iii. CRYING. (4:9)
iv. CONTRITION. (4:10)
4. As Believers, we are in a spiritual battle today. We have everything that is needed to win at our disposal. However, it is the supernatural Ability of God and not the ability we have in ourselves.
5. Let’s Humble ourselves before the Lord, Submit ourselves to Him and allow Him to be all He Can Be in us.
