“1From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not.
3 You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:1-3
Operating from self will, intellect and abilities, Believers (NOT unbelievers) desire to have and cannot obtain. They ask and receive not because they are asking from their own selfish desires and not the Will of God that He may be glorified.
“You adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4
Adulterers and adulteresses are married to Christ for Salvation but depend on their own abilities, intellect and self will to obtain the desires of their heart. Little do they know their desires are evil and their heart is deceitful. Friends with the world, they continue manipulating in vain the worldly system to obtain and consume upon their own lusts.
Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the Source and the means by which they are Saved but not the Source and the means by which they daily live for God. Outside of the Will of God, they are asking amiss and are utterly spiritually defeated. For some, their faith is completely destroyed and they walk away from God. Others, they remain in Egypt, bound to the world and oppressed by the enemy. Peace beyond all understanding is something they are constantly trying to obtain instead of maintain. Joy unspeakable seems so to always pass them by.
“5 Do you think that the Scripture says in vain, The Spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy?
6 But He gives more Grace. Wherefore He said, God resists the proud, but gives Grace unto the humble.” James 4:5-6
As we struggle in vain to usurp the ministry of the Holy Spirit and ‘produce’ the fruit of the Spirit through our many wonderful works, vain philosophies and disciplines, the Holy Spirits “lusts to envy”; He ‘envies’, if you will, the fallen nature which has control over us and passionately desires to control all of our thoughts and deeds. He wants to do that which He is commissioned to do, which is superintend the Work of God in our hearts; giving us the desires of our hearts by removing evil desires and replacing them with God’s desires for HIS perfect Will in our lives. THIS IS the circumcision of the heart without hands (Colossians 2:11); the changing “…into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Spiritual adultery is the problem. We have become adulterers and adulteresses through our many vain philosophies being taught from the pulpit as Biblical doctrine. These doctrines direct the Believer’s faith away from the Cross of Christ and to self will and intellect, talent, abilities, etc. as the source and the means by which we obtain. 40 days of purpose, celebrate recovery, 21 days of fasting and various forms of white witchcraft have corrupted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified and have made the Cross of Christ of no effect in the Believer’s life.
The Holy Spirit lusts to envy. He wants to do that which He is commissioned to do but we are fornicating with others ways in order obtain the evil desires of our heart.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
The devil will not flee as long as we are depending on our own abilities. He will continue to tempt and we cannot resist; therefore submit yourselves unto God. Be determined to know nothing else among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
-Donna Clark Warren
Living in The Spirit 