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.
V. Wait before god in prayer for the rain of revival and it will come!
James 5:7(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.
A. Early Rain – Prepared Soil for Seedtime
Latter Rain – Prepared Crop for Harvest
B. In this passage, what does the rain represent?
C. If the Early Rain took place in the upper room when the Holy Spirit was poured upon God’s people, when will the Latter Rain take place and what will happen?
VI. Do not sware
James 5:12(KJV)
12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
A. Why should believers refrain from swearing?
1. Swaring is prideful.
2. Swearing is not wholesome conversation.
B. Is there a difference between a faith promise and swearing?
1. Yes. A faith promise is different than swearing. When swearing a person makes a commitment to keep a vow based on his own ability to keep that commitment. A faith promise is when a person commits to keep a vow by the help of God and only as He enables them.
VII. Deal with inner-turmoil
James 5:13(KJV)
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
A. The Bible tells us that when we pray over each of our problems and turn them over to God that He will give us such a great peace that it will go beyond our ability to understand or explain it!
Phil 4:6-7(KJV)
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
1 Pet 5:7(KJV)
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
B. What will happen if we fail to pray over all of our problems?
VIII. Receive prayer from the elders when you are sick
James 5:14-15(KJV)
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
A. Why must the believer call upon the elders of the church?
B. Does everyone always get healed?
C. What is the prayer of faith?
D. Is it wrong to use medicine for our sickness or does it hinder us from praying the prayer of faith?
1. The Bible would have told us if it was wrong to use medication or herbs.
2. Paul instructed Timothy to use wine for medicinal purposes.
3. Jesus never told Luke to renounce the medical profession.
IX. Seek out and develop warm, honest and supportive relationships with other believers
James 5:16-20(KJV)
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
A. Why is it important for believers to have warm, hones and supportive relationship with other believers?
B. Godly relationships deepen our roots in the Kingdom of God and challenge us to grow.
X. Practice passionate spirituality
James 5:17
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
(KJV)
A. How to you experience a passionate and on fire Christian life?
1. Go back and do the things that you did when you were young and on fire for the Lord.
Rev 2:4-5(KJV)
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
