Day 8: James 4:1–12 - Know thy self, know thy enemy

"Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories." - Sun Tzu

Do you notice the arrows that fly your way - where do you get all your "great ideas" of what to do every day, what to say in a fight or the thoughts to not set an early alarm to do your devotion? The chances are you probably don't notice them at all - goes covertly under the radar. Do you know that arrows fly toward us from the moment we wake up until we go to sleep - will explain later. The arrows even turn into bombardments, especially in times of duress and quarrels. This is what James warns here. Here is the kicker: it is your very mortal flesh that calls for these arrows, the ungodly thoughts, to come to its defense - to get what it wants. The flesh is a part of us but it is also our enemy - it is not a friend. The flesh works with the devil and his cohorts to get its desires met - its goal is self-exultation and self-satisfaction above all things. The reason the arrows fly from the moment we wake to the time we go to sleep is because flesh has to have its desires met. The more we give into the flesh, the stronger the impulse and desire...the greater the bomardment of arrows.

According to USA Today, experts can predict, within three minutes of the onset of a quarrel, which couples will divorce. John Gottman and study co-author Sybil Carrere states this about those 3 minutes:

"Newlyweds heading for divorce start an argument by sending out hostile vibes through their tone of voice, facial gestures, and what they say. Eighty percent of the time, one spouse brings up an issue “harshly” and critically, and the other responds with great negativity."

Does this sound familiar? If don't have a healthy distrust of your thoughts when your flesh is enflamed with fleshly desire, e.g., anger, lust, jealousy, etc., you probably don't notice the arrows that are being called upon by the flesh. And make no mistake, it's coming your way. When you are enflamed with passion, this is the time to call for the word of God - preach to yourself and push back. Let us put on the armor of God and fight the good fight of faith. God is our defense!

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions." - Romans 6:12

Posted by Henry Jung on 6/10/2016

Comments

I think this section of James needs great attention by today's culture. The anthem of the now is "follow your heart" and unfortunately this is leading people to eternal damnation, wrecking all relationships - especially with God - along the way.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? - Jeremiah 17:9

As a Christian who has been awakened to the deceitfulness of this very heart - our sin nature - and has been emancipated from it, we must be ever vigilant to keep up the fight to resist its wiles.

For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. - Romans 7:22-23

Chris Moon on 6/11/2016 at 12:37 AM

Starting at the very beginning of the passage, James says that the beginning point of every quarrel is the battle within our hearts, the urge to be justified and right in your own eyes. When you allow this desire for justification to rule over the conversation/debate/quarrel, that's when you know that it will go south quickly ruled by anger and not out of love. It's also good to note that not everyone quarrels in the same way. There are some that are quick to voice their opinion on the issue and others that allow the thoughts to fester and they contemplate different things involved. I'd rather be the latter because that allows time to think about what God says about the particular issue and time to say a quick prayer for wisdom and clarity. In a way, by allowing "think time," you humble yourselves (vs. 10) to God's wisdom over your own desire for justification.

Good Points Chris! :)

Diana Lim on 6/13/2016 at 7:52 AM