How to Get Back to God James 4:7-10
James 4:7-10 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (ESV)
Establish Your Key Relationships Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (4:7-8)
1. Submit (hupotasso) A military term which means: to rank under, be subject to, or be subordinate.
2. Resist (antitasso) A military term which means: to stand against, to demonstrate extreme resistance, to make war.
A Real Enemy Be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Pet 5:8, ESV) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12, ESV)
3. Draw Near Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (James 4:8, ESV) Acknowledge God serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you. (1 Chron 28:9, NIV) The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. (2 Chron 15:2, ESV)
3. Draw near Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you (Zech 1:3) Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb 4:16) Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matt 11:28-30)
Establish Your Lifestyle Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (4:8)
4. Cleanse Your Hands Not about physical hygiene but rather is a call to moral purity.
5. Purify Your Hearts This is a call to inner purity. A right response requires an inward change.
establish Your Attitude Toward Sin Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. (4:9)
Imperatives 6--9 Be wretched (grieve), mourn, weep, be turned (change). Prophetic O.T. language regarding repentance. Be sincerely sorrowful for sin.
Biblical Examples The Pharisee and the tax collector Peter Hezekiah Jeremiah David
Psalm 51:1-4, 7 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (ESV)
James 4:6, 10 God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (ESV)
10. Humble Yourselves To make low. A genuine realization of our complete unworthiness before God.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (ESV)
James 4:8, 10 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (ESV)
How to Get Back to God God is calling all who hear, Come near!