ADULTERERS AND ADULTERESSES

James 4:1-6  Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2  You lust and

do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3  You ask and do not

receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is

enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5

 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"? 6  But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists

the proud, But gives grace to the humble.“

ADULTERERS AND ADULTERESSESA. Where do wars and fightings come from among

you?1. Desires and pleasures that war in your members.2. You lust and do not have.3. You murder and covet and cannot obtain.4. You fight and war yet do not have because you

do not ask.5. You ask and do not receive because you want to

spend it on your pleasures.B. You are adulterers and adulteresses.

1. Friendship with the world is enmity toward God.2. The Spirit yearns for our obedience jealously.3. God resists the proud but give grace to the

humble. C. What can be done to solve this problem?

I. SUBMIT YOURSELVES TO GOD.

A. Doing the will of God is always the answer to our problems.

B. Romans 10:3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

II. RESIST THE DEVIL. A. Satan is always tempting us to go

against the will of God.

B. 1 Peter 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

III. DRAW NEAR TO GOD. A. We must return to obedience to God.

B. Hebrews 10:19-22  Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20  by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21  and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

IV. CLEANSE YOUR HANDS. A. We must repent of the sins we have

done.

B. 1 Timothy 2:8  I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

V. PURIFY YOUR HEARTS. A. We must get to the heart of the problem and

make our hearts and thoughts clean.B. Matthew 23:25-28  Woe to you, scribes and

Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26  Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28  Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness

VI. LAMENT & MOURN. A. We must be sincerely sorry for our sins.

B. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10  Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10

 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

VII. HUMBLE YOURSELVES. A. We must swallow our pride and repent

of our sins.

B. 1 Peter 5:6-7  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7  casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

VIII. SPEAK NOT EVIL ONE OF ANOTHER.

A. We must show love in all that we do.B. Titus 3:1-2  Remind them to be subject

to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2  to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

ARE YOU IN SPIRITUAL ADULTERY?A. Are there things which you want in your life and do not have?B. Have you asked God for these?C. Are you too close to the world and therefore have made God

your enemy?D. Have you humbly repented of your sins?E. Have you submitted yourself to God?F. Have you resisted the temptations of the Devil?G. Are you drawing nearer to God each day?H. Have you cleansed your hands from sin? I. Have you purified your hearts from evil desires and

thoughts?J. Do you lament and mourn when you realize you have

committed sin?K. Are you willing to humble yourselves and confess your sin

and repent of them? L. Are you speaking evil others?