The Stages of the War for the Heart

JT at Between Two Worlds references Paul Tripp's Instrument in the Redeemer's Hands, writing that the war for the heart develops according to the following stages:

Stage 1: Desire. "The objects of most of our desires are not evil. The problem is the way they tend to grow, and the control they come to exercise over our hearts. All human desire must be held in submission to a greater purpose, the desires of God for his kingdom." (p. 85)

Stage 2: Demand. ("I must.") "Demand is the closing of my fists over a desire. . . . I am not longer comforted by God's desire for me; I am threaten by it, because God's will potentially stands in the way of my demand. . . . The morphing of my desire changes my relationship to others. No I enter the room loaded with a silent demand: You must help me get what I want. . . ." (p. 86)

Stage 3: Need. ("I will.") " I now view the thing I want as essential to life. This is a devasating step in the eventual slavery of desire. . . . To 'christen' desire as need is equivalent to viewing cake as I do respiration. . . ." (p. 86)

Stage 4: Expectation. ("You should.") "If I am convinced I need something and you have said that you love me, it seems right to expect that you will help me get it. The dynamic of (improper) need-driven expectation is the source of untold conflict in relationship." (p. 87)

Stage 5: Disappointment. ("You didn't!") "There is a direct relationship between expectation and disappointment, and much of our disappointment in relationships i s not because people have actually wronged us, but because they have failed to meet our expectations." (pp. 87-88)

Stage 6: Punishment. ("Because you didn't, I will. . . .")


What to do?? Read on>>>

Lesson Nine: Why don't we have peace? Pt.1

James 4:1 "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it. You kill
and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not
have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because
you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

1. What causes us to fight and quarrel?
Desires that battle within us.
2. When we ask God for something, why do we often not get what we want?
We ask with wrong motives. We want something more than we want God.

Desires: Literally, "pleasures" as in v. 4:3. The Greek word hedonon gives us the word hedonism. James is not saying that pleasures of this life war against each other as though our main problem consisted in making a choice between higher and lower kinds of pleasure. Rather, they battle within us. The desires of our old man battles against our will to put aside selfishness and to serve others. This is also found in chapter 7 of Paul's letter to the Romans:

Romans 7:21 "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Application: What desires battle within you, against you? Are your desires or God the dominant concern in your life, in your specific situation where you do not currently have peace?

Examine your actions and ask God to show you the situation as He sees it. Ask God to show you your fault and where you can take responsibility. Submit yourself to God and ask Him how you can serve Him and others in the situation.

Lesson 8: Part II - Two Kinds of Wisdom

Two Kinds of Wisdom - Worldly wisdom vs. Godly Wisdom

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Discussion:
-What is bitter envy? ___________
-What is Selfish ambition? _________

Both have origins in “Pride” – which is the opposite of submission, or the willingness to come under Christ’s Lordship.

True wisdom manifests itself in the person’s life by a good life. (For a full treatment on the topic of Wisdom, I recommend Pastor Betters’ recent sermon series on the Proverbs -Teaching the Young)
The result of seeking worldly wisdom: war/chaos/death vs.

The result of seeking Godly wisdom: a harvest of righteousness/life eternal, Obedience to the law of God - Godly wisdom does not result in earthly wisdom/fights and quarrels

Conclusion: From the beginning, James’ hearers are being called to a Living Faith, which is a faith that shows itself in good deeds. They are Christians who are being persecuted because of their faith, but at the same time, some of them are prone to fighting, quarrels, envy, favoritism, selfishness and all sorts of behaviors that were inconsistent with what their faith required. Here James is showing the worldly wisdom that some of them have bought into is in complete opposition to divine wisdom. They are not living consistently with their faith in Christ.

Lesson 8: Part 1 - Wisdom Sermons from Pastor B

If you are interested in learning about what the Bible says about Wisdom, I'm recommending Pastor Betters' series from Proverbs, Chapters 1-9 that he has been going through. Here is a list:
10/19/08
Are Your Kids in Love with the Bride?
Watch
Listen

10/12/08
Do Your Kids Love the Church?
Watch
Listen

10/05/08
The 8-Fold Gospel Your Kids Need to Learn
Watch
Listen


8/31/08
Standing Alone
Watch
Listen

8/24/08
Is Your Child a Darth Vader - Part 3
Watch
Listen
Notes
8/17/08
Is Your Child a Darth Vader - Part 2
Watch
Listen
Notes
8/10/08
Is Your Child a Darth Vader - Part 1
Watch
Listen
Notes
8/3/08
The 2nd Most Important Decision Your Child Will Ever Make
Watch
Listen
Notes
7/27/08
The Slippery Slope to Moral Failure-Part 2
Watch
Listen
Notes
7/20/08
The Slippery Slope to Moral Failure-Part 1
Watch
Listen
Notes
7/13/08
Marks of a God Fearing Person
Watch
Listen
Notes
7/6/08
What Children Need to Learn Before the Age of 12
Watch
Listen
Notes

Lesson Two: Facing Trials, pt2

By Doris G.

If you lack wisdom, ask God and He will give generously. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt. James 1:5&6
James wrote of the early Christians who were facing trials which tested their faith in God to meet their needs.

Key Words: Lack… Ask…Don’t Doubt….Wisdom….

Lacks – means to be destitute or fall short; a shortage of resources.


ASK – in this verse from James …it is in the present active imperative implying that we should “keep on asking”…persevere
We are to ask for wisdom as Solomon asked…….Prov. 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”

Ask -
Ask for an inner calm to wait for the unfolding of perception from the problem …which would otherwise be a potential for doubt.

Doubt makes God our enemy rather than our friend.

Doubt is a sign that we need a deeper experience of who God is and how he works in our lives and what he is ready to teach us.

God is ready to turn our doubts into wisdom. Our doubt is our human response. God can take our struggle with doubt and give us faith to ask for wisdom and trust our situations to God
Trials of life….. wear us down…..sap our energy

_______PROBLEMS_____ _______Realization of God’s power____
VALLEY OF
DOUBT

THE CURE for doubt about God is the WISDOM OF GOD ..found in The Bible.

Wisdom is God’s intelligence entrusted to us, providing supernatural knowledge, discernment and insight………..Wisdom is an antidote to doubt.

We need to grow in our understanding of and reliance on God’s providential care.