Spiritual Warfare - The War Within

This blog is about the fifth chapter in the Bible study, Spiritual Warfare, written by Jack Kuhatschek.

James 4:1-10

1. “What words in this passage reflect tension and conflict?” Fights, quarrels, battle, kill, covet, grieve, mourn, wail, and gloom.
2. “If James asked most people, ‘What causes fights and quarrels among you?’ they would respond, ‘It’s the other person’s fault!’ How does James challenge that idea?” He says that our fights are caused by our own desires. When we desire something and can’t have it, it starts a fight with whoever has it.
3. “The meaning of verse 2 is seen most clearly in the following translation: ‘You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you quarrel and fight’ (NRSV). Why would frustrated desires lead a person to be verbally or even physically violent?” Sometimes when we want something really badly, we are willing to do just about anything to get it. When we don’t get it, we become frustrated and are willing to do even more than we were before. If someone has the thing that we desire, we can be really terrible to that person in order to try to get it (or make sure they don’t have it). I hate to use this example, but it’s kind of like two girls fighting over a boy: The one that doesn’t have the guy is willing to say mean things about the other girl in order to make her lose the guy. And if that doesn’t work, it may even end up in physical violence. That’s just the way sometimes are when we have frustrated desires.
4. “James goes on to say, ‘You do not have, because you do not ask God’ (v. 2). When our desires are frustrated, why is prayer better than fighting?” Isn’t the answer to this question obvious? Prayer = good. Fighting = bad. Good is better than bad. But looking a little closer, prayer is better than fighting because when we’re fighting, we’re focused on ourselves. When we are praying, we tend to shift our focus onto God (even if we are still thinking of our wants while praying). When our focus on God, we tend to be more rational. God also will guide us in what we should do with those desires, which will be a lot more productive than fighting and quarreling.
5. “Sometimes even God won’t give us what we want (v. 3). Why is it important to examine our motives when we pray?” If our prayer requests and motives don’t match God’s will, we won’t receive what we’re asking for. If we examine our motives when we pray, we will not be setting ourselves up for disappointment. If we pray for things we know are not in God’s will, we will be disappointed and have frustrated desires when He doesn’t answer. But if we examine our motives and seek God’s will when we pray, we will be satisfied with His answers.
6. “When we pray with worldly motives, in what sense are we asking God to help us commit spiritual adultery (vv. 4-5)?” We can’t pray with worldly motives and godly motives. It just doesn’t work that way. We are either in God’s will or not in God’s will. If we’re praying for things with worldly motives, we are committing spiritual adultery, and becoming friends of the world instead of friends of God. God doesn’t share us with the world. It’s all or nothing.
7. “If you fight and argue a lot, or if you desire the wrong things for the wrong reasons, then James says you need God’s grace (v. 6). What steps do we need to take to receive that grace (vv. 6-10)?” First, we submit ourselves to God. Then we resist the devil. After that, we come near to God. Then we wash our hands and purify our hearts. Finally, we must humble ourselves before God, and He will lift us up. Why do you think God requires such a radical response? When a problem is as deep as ours, nothing short will help. It’s kind of like my vegan diet. If I were to go halfway and only cut back a little, my diet wouldn’t be pure and going halfway doesn’t really help me at all. I have to cut out all animal proteins and bad things in order to clean out my system. Only then will I start to feel completely better. It’s the same with our spiritual selves. We can’t go halfway, because we really won’t feel the change. Only something this radical can really change how we feel spiritually.
8. “Even though James has stressed that our own evil desires and motives are the true source of quarrels, he says in verse 7, ‘Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’ Why do you think the devil loves to see us fight and quarrel?” When we are fighting and quarreling, we are not living in God’s will. The devil wants us to live outside of God’s will, and he will do whatever he can to stir up fights among us.
9. “When we resist the devil in the ways that James suggests (vv. 6-10), why will he flee from us?” The devil cannot be in the same place that God is. God is stronger and will make him leave. If we are living for God, it doesn’t mean that the devil won’t tempt us, but when we resist, he has to leave. God’s power in our lives will make him flee.
10. “Think of someone with whom you regularly fight and quarrel. How can James’s insights and commands help you live in greater peace with that person?” I need to stop focusing on my own desires and think more about what they want. When I fight with them, I need to ask God for guidance to resolve the issue without a big fight. A lot of the fights I have are so little, and over something that I really don’t care too much about. I need to learn to just back down and let the other person have what they desire. God will meet all of my needs.