10 Secrets To Success Found In The Book Of James

10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF JAMES

I. Pray until you know that you have become a “different person.”

James 4:7-10(KJV)

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

2 Tim 2:20-22(KJV)

20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

A. A vessel of honor (Sanctification) - 2Tim. 2:20-22

1. Sin and bad habits are purged from my life

2. Holiness: I live a morally clean life

3. I demonstrate characteristics of godliness (righteousness, faith, charity,

peace, etc.) in my life.

B. Mentally transformed (Renewed Mind) - Eph. 4:23

1. My values and philosophies are not the same. What I used to think was important is no longer important at all. Additionally, things that I used to think were unimportant has become extremely important.

C. Spiritually awakened – (Rom. 13:11-12)

1. I now possess an enormous zest for spiritual things. (I have smelled the spiritual soap!)

Hunger for God and His Word

I want more of His presence

I long to attend worship and fellowship with other believers

I pursue opportunities for spiritual growth

I often sing and speak to God throughout the day

D. Spiritually empowered – (Acts 1:8)

1. I can stand against the enemy.

2. I can witness to others effectively.

II. Purpose to love the brethren rather than criticize or judge them

James 4:11-12(KJV)

11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

A. According to this passage, who is the only one who can judge others?

1. God is the only one who is perfect and has not sinned. There is not one person who could stand before God and claim perfection.

Psalms 130:3(KJV), “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?”

B. Why is it important for us not to judge others?

III. Replace Self-will with God’s Will

James 4:13-17(KJV)

13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

A. When we self-willed, we are selfish and prideful. When we are in God’s will we are giving and humble. In other words, we become a servant to both God and man. (Mat. 20:27)

B. Can we serve God with out being a servant to one another?

IV. Persevere with patience

James 5:7,10,11(KJV)

7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

A. What is our motivation to be patient while experiencing hardship in life?

1. Example of other believers as written in the scripture.

2. The joy of the Lord.

1 Pet 4:14(TLB)

14 Be happy if you are cursed and insulted for being a Christian, for when that happens the Spirit of God will come upon you with great glory.