Why do you fight and argue among yourselves? Isn't it because of your sinful desires? They fight within you. You want something, but you don't have it. So you kill. You want what others have, but you can't get what you want. So you argue and fight. You don't have what you want because you don't ask God. When you do ask for something, you don't receive it. That's because you ask for the wrong reason. You want to spend your money on your sinful pleasures. James 4:1-3
I wanted to address something very uplifting!
Love Always Wins
Yet, we often play and battle in sandcastle kingdoms when God has called us to a higher, much more beautiful life than we are living.
Let's look at a pattern:
We fight others because of our sinful desires that battle within us. In his letter to the Romans, Paul said that if we live by the Spirit and not our flesh, we win because the Spirit does the battling.
We want something we don't have; instead of being content with what we have, we kill. Jesus changed the definition of murder. It is an issue of the heart not getting what it wants. It is hate. There are many things that we can kill. We kill reputations by gossip, Gospel attraction by not loving each other, relationships by self-seeking, and families through wrong priorities.
You don't have what you want because you don't ask God; if you do ask, you don't get it because you only ask for yourself. The antidote is an abiding relationship with Abba Father that leaves us in an ongoing position of loving dependence. We receive what we ask for because we ask for His kingdom's purpose, not our own.
This passage is rooted in being self-centered, self-sufficient, and self-guided. Jesus said anyone who would follow Him must first deny themselves and pick up their cross.
Self is the #1 problem.
All of the above is the opposite of being Spirit-centered, Spirit-dependent, and Spirit-led.
It is the opposite of Agape Love, for love does not seek its own.
Now what?
Deny yourself, surrender, die to yourself, or reckon yourself dead to sin. Regardless of your language, recognize your flesh as the issue and turn to Him.
Pick up your cross daily as a reminder of your death to yourself and life unto God.
Understand He will transform you into the image of His son, Jesus, so that you may become love; to love others instead of seeking to get your needs met outside of Christ.
We have such beautiful promises, callings, gifts, and empowerment upon High to bring His light to this present darkness. It is time to put away childish thoughts, things, and entanglements and walk in the abundant life as evidenced by fruitfulness.
How have you been seeking your own, as evidenced by quarrels, fights, gossip, bitterness, unforgiveness, or hurt feelings?
Who do you have in your life that you can openly share about your heart's condition?
Consider seeking God daily through scripture, prayer, and dependence.
Lord, You said to abide in You, so it is possible. Remind us what You command, You work, and what You ask, You will do. Find us living dead to ourselves and alive in You. Amen