Can God See Satan in You?

Can God See Satan in You?

James 4:1-17
Introduction: Can God See Satan in You?
1. James in this chapter rebukes these Christians for their worldliness and explains to them the
damaging effect it has had on their spiritual lives.
Vs. 1 – There were fightings among the church
Vs. 2 – Their desires were not being met
Vs. 3 – Their prayers were not being answered
Vs. 4 – They had become an enemy of God
2. James then gives a detailed plan of action for correcting the problem of worldliness in verse 7-17.
The worldliness of the church today has caused us to miss the abundant life Christ promised believers.
We are experiencing many of the same symptoms of worldliness. However, if we too will follow the
instructions of James, we can overcome the effects of worldliness in our own lives.
3. Vs. 1-4 – Worldliness hurts the Christian – God wants the believer to “shew out of a good conscience
his works with meekness of wisdom.” James 3:13 God desires the believer to live successfully as a child
of God. Worldliness blocks this success.
4. Vs. 4 – Worldliness forces God to become the enemy of the believer. The God who loved, cared, and
died for the believer is forced to oppose the very one He loves. Why would we dare do anything or be
associated with anything that would turn the God’s grace into judgment?
5. Vs. 7-17 – We must follow these clear and direct commands of James that our lives may be pleasing in
the sight of God lived in peace and righteousness.
6. Could you give a definition of worldliness? Could there possibly be things in your life that God would
consider as worldly? Webster defines worldliness as “a predominant passion for obtaining the good
things of this life; covetousness; addictedness to gain and temporal enjoyments.” He also defined
worldly-mindedness as “a predominating love and pursuit of this world’s goods, to the exclusion of piety
and attention to spiritual concerns.”
7. As of this moment, could you possibly be categorized as an enemy of God although you are saved?
8. James describes worldliness as having a “friendship with the world”. Friendship means you are fond of
the world and enjoy being around the world. In other words, the world holds your attention more than
God.
9. Do you realize that such love for the world causes God to look at you the exact way as He looks at
Satan. James said, you become the enemy of God or the “adversary”. The term is associated with
hatred.
10. So I ask, “Can God See Satan in You”? Does God see apart of you that will do Him harm or wish him
injury? Let’s look at verses 7-17 to see the problems James wrote to correct in these believers. Intently
look to see if any of these characteristics are present in your life.

These believers had a…

I. Problem with Authority – vs. 7 – “Submit yourselves therefore to God”
A. The Contrast of Authorities – “God… the devil”
1. Verse 7 presents a contrast. It is a classic on the struggle between the rule of God and Satan.
2. A good verse to use here is Luke 16:13, “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one,
and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon.”
3. The problem of these believers was their allegiance to the world and the god of the world Satan.
B. The Correct Action – “Submit… resist”
1. Submit – Definition = “to rearrange under; to subordinate; to yield”
a. Thayer makes the following comments concerning the term – Hupotasso is a Greek military term
meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader." In non-
military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a
burden".
b. Key to submission is the term “yourselves” – Submission is a personal act of obedience. God has given
the individual a choice in the matter of submission.
2. Resist – Definition = anthistemi – “to set oneself against, to withstand, resist, oppose; to set against”
a. One cannot resist the devil until he is submitted to God. These two cannot co-exist in the believer’s life.
b. It is amazing that standing against Satan will cause him to flee. If Satan flees or runs away he will take
the environment or atmosphere of worldliness away from the believer as he goes.
c. The believer’s problem with the flesh is undeniably affected by his relationship of submission to God and
resitance to Satan.
II. PROBLEM WITH ASSOCIATIONS – vs. 8 – “Draw nigh to God”
A. The Promise of Drawing Nigh to God – “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you”
1. This verse implies the people were walking far away from the Lord. Worldliness has that affect on the
believer. I John 1:6-7 sheds light on this subject. It reads, “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and
walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
2. If you walk with God you can have fellowship with him.
3. The term “draw” is a relative term to prayer. It means to “come near, to approach”.
a. Heb 10:21-22 - “And having an high priest over the house of God; 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.”
b. Heb 4:16 – “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need.”
B. The Process of Drawing Nigh to God – “Cleanse your hands… purify your hearts”
1. Cleanse your hands – This washing deals with outward sins
a. The hands are symbolic of the works we do.
b. The term cleanse comes from “katharizo” meaning “to free from defilement of sin and from faults; to
consecrate by cleansing or purifying.”
c. Why do we need cleansing? We are sinners!
2. Purify your hearts – This washing deals with inward sins
a. The heart is symbolic of the things we think and ponder.
b. Purify means “to make clean; to sanctify”. Sanctification means “to make holy”
1) 1 Pet 3:15 – “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”
2) John 17:17 – “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
3) Eph 5:26 – “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,”
c. Notice the Word of God is essential to purity in the believer.
d. Why do we need to be purified? We are double-minded! (means to have double interests)
III. PROBLEM WITH AFFECTIONS – vs. 9 – “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep”
A. The Product of Worldliness – “laughter… joy”
1. The closeness of the world had created laughter and joy in these believers.
a. Laughter – Laughter as a mark of gratification or satisfaction
b. Joy – This refers to cheerfulness or gladness.
2. What could possibly be wrong with laughter and joy? The problem was that the believer’s love for the
world had become their source of happiness. The joy and laughter they were experiencing was based
pleasures of the world. There was no sobreity in the church.
B. The Perspective of Godliness – “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep”
1. Three terms reveals the correct emotions the believer should feel.
a. Afflicted – “Talaiporeo” means “to be wretched, i.e. realize one's own misery” – James instructed the
believers to gain a correct perspective on themselves. We may relate the condition of these Christian to
the attitude of the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:17-18.
b. Mourn – “Pentheo” meaning “to grieve (the feeling or the act)” – Our hearts should grieve over the
carnality of our lives. We will mourn when we look at ourselves in light of Scripture.
c. Weep – “Klaio” meaning “to mourn, to weep, to lament; to cry aloud; weeping as the sign of pain and
grief for the thing signified (that is, for the pain and grief).
2. Often we are so consumed by the pleasures created by worldliness that we lose the right perspective
concering the seriousness of sin and purpose of our being in the world.
3. Our emotions of joy and happiness should find their constitution in holiness.
IV. PROBLEM WITH ATTITUDES – vs. 10 – “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord”
A. Personal Humility – “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord”
1. Pride is the greatest hindrance of God controling our lives. An attitude of rebellious pride refuses to receive
correction from others, and our nature is especially bent to rebellion against the commands of God.
2. Humble is translated from “tapeinoo”. It is means “to make low, to bring low; to level, to reduce to a plain;
metaphorically, to bring into a humble condition.”
3. Peter gives a similar command in I Pet 5:5-6, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea,
all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth
grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in
due time:” The believer’s attitude should be one of service, not of one’s self but of others.
4. Notice humility must be presented under the discerning eye of God.
B. Providential Honor – “and he shall lift you up”
1. The commendation of God is promised to those who will humble themselves. What honor and privilege to
be exalted by God Himself. I Corinthians 10:17-18, “But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For
not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.”
2. James 4:6 and I Peter 5:5-6 both teach that gives more grace to the humble.
3. God honors those who have an attitude of humility.
V. PROBLEM WITH ACTIONS – vs. 11-17
A. Negative Actions: Things we shouldn’t do – vs. 11-16
1. vs. 11 – The sin of slander
2. vs. 11-12 – The sin of judging
3. vs. 13-15 – The sin of presumption
4. vs. 16 – The sin of boasting
B. Positive Actions: Things we should be doing – vs. 17
1. Knowledge – There are some things we know we should be doing. If God has given knowledge concerning
a certain need or desire He has for your life, you are obligated to obey.
2. Choice – We are never forced to do those things we know to be right.
3. Sin – We will be held accountable for what we know to do.

Conclusion:
1. Did any of these commands of James hit home in your heart?
2. Do you see yourself from the same perspective of God?
3. Are you guilty of having a problem with
a. authority? Why not submit to the will of God for your life? Give Him full control.
b. associations? Are you associating with things that are contrary to righteousness? Break away from it.
c. affections? Do you receive more joy and happiness from the world than church? Re-evaluate your love.
d. attitude? Are you clothed with humility? Ask God to help you lower yourself and prefer others.
e. actions? Are living/behaving like a Christian? Pursue holiness and godliness in your personal life.