LETTING GO OF SELF – PART IIJames 4:7-10

Letting Go Of Self

Just a few weeks ago, in our study of James, we looked at James 4:1-6

James speaks in depth here about the problem of selfishness

In that lesson on selfishness, we looked at the problems that it can cause for us in our lives

Letting Go Of Self

Selfishness…

Causes strife (v. 1)

Causes self-reliance (v. 2)

Causes hindered prayers (v. 3)

Causes enmity with God (v. 4)

Causes pride (v. 6)

Costs us grace (v. 6)

Letting Go Of Self

We pointed out that letting go of self begins by understanding the issues that selfishness can cause in our lives

If we don’t see a problem we will never move to fix it

So perhaps you are ready to let go of selfishness in your life

Letting Go Of Self

So what do we do?

What is the process we must undergo to let go of self

James didn’t just diagnose the problem…he also gave us the solution!

Here is what we must do to let go of self…

Letting Go Of Self

1. Submit to God (v. 7)

We live in a world that does not like to submit to anyone or anything

Kids do not submit to parents, teachers, or authority figures

Adults do not submit to governing authority, bosses, or anyone else

Letting Go Of Self

1. Submit to God (v. 7)

Submit means to obey or be under subjection to

Submitting to God doesn’t mean we only obey the things we agree with or like

It means putting ourselves under His complete rule and authority (Matt. 28:18; Col. 3:17)

Letting Go Of Self

1. Submit to God (v. 7)

It is an everyday action; we do not obey Him on Sundays and submit to the world the rest of the week

That means putting away the things of the world that try and drag us under submission (I John 2:15)

Romans 6:12-13, 16-18

Letting Go Of Self

2. Resist the devil (v. 7)

Too often we give into Satan and the lies he tells us

Resist means to set one’s self against; to withstand or oppose

Can we really say we are resisting him when we allow him to enter our thoughts?

Letting Go Of Self

2. Resist the devil (v. 7)

This commandment comes with a promise

If you resist Satan, he will flee from you

Satan is actually a coward; he runs from those who are brave enough to take a stand against him

Ephesians 6:10-18

Letting Go Of Self

3. Draw near to God (v.8)

Another way to let go of self is to draw near to God

This also helps us when we are resisting Satan

How can we draw near to God?

Letting Go Of Self

3. Draw near to God (v.8)

Bible study, prayer, fellowship with other Christians, immersing ourselves in good

Here is another commandment with promise or a positive result

God knows we seek Him, and makes Himself available (I Chron. 28:9)

Letting Go Of Self

4. Cleanse your hands (v.8)

This is a reference to the Old Testament and the Levitical worship and Jewish Christianity

It is figurative, such as in I Timothy 2:8

It represents a clean life that has been lived before God (Is. 1:15-17)

Letting Go Of Self

5. Purify your hearts (v.8)

Purifying the heart is not just getting rid of the action of sin (clean hands)

Purifying the heart (mind) is getting rid of even the thoughts of sin in our minds

Cleansing our hands doesn’t mean our conscience is pure (Matt. 27:24)

Letting Go Of Self

5. Purify your hearts (v.8)

The Pharisees thought that the ceremonial washing of hands was good enough to cleanse them

Jesus said otherwise in Matthew 15:19-20

We must purify our hearts if we want our hands to stay clean

Letting Go Of Self

6. Mourn for your sins (v.9)

To do this we must be aware of the sin in our life (I Jn. 1:8-10)

Paul said godly sorrow will produce repentance (II Cor. 7:10)

Jesus said blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted (Matt. 5:4)

Letting Go Of Self

7. Humble yourself (v.10)

Humility is a great quality, yet one that is not often found in man

Peter said we should be clothed with humility (I Pet. 5:5)

One that is lifted up in pride can come no higher, but God exalts the humble

Letting Go Of Self

7. Humble yourself (v.10)

Jesus illustrated this perfectly in Luke 14:7-11

Humility before God is a beautiful and wonderful thing

May we have the attitude of humility that the publican had found in Luke 18:13-14