James 4:1-3 (NKJV) Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
God does not condone covetousness, desire for pleasure, lust, and self-seeking. Therefore, He will not answer certain prayers of ours. Because He loves us, He won’t grant us anything that He deems will make us proud, draw us away from Him, and destroy us as a person. An idol does not need to be a clay figurine, but it can be anything from the corporate position that has become our identity, the company that we feel we must work for, our pride, or the lifestyle that we want to maintain but does not align with the consecration that God wants us to have. Therefore, when our prayers are unanswered, we should check our hearts to see if our prayer requests are self-serving.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Anxiety and fear are not of God. God is not the source of fear but the source of love, power, and security. The way to overcome fear is to crowd it out with faith—not blind faith, foolishness or presumption, but faith that is anchored in the Word of God and His character. The Word of God—whether it is Logos, the written Word, or Rhema, a personal Word from God—builds our faith in Him. We don’t need to live in fear of the future because our future is in God’s hands.
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
When faith is anchored in our hearts, we will be certain of something even though we may not see it yet. However, if we lack a correct perspective and understanding of our standing before God, our faith in God will be hindered. Jesus was made sin for us. He took our place and was judged for our sins. Today, as long as we call upon the name of Jesus, all of us can be saved. Therefore, as New Testament believers, we should be humble yet bold enough to take hold of what is rightfully ours as children of the living God instead of being deceived by the devil.
Sermon Series: We Are Entitled To Our Bread
祂掌管你的未来
雅各书4:1-3：你们中间的争战斗殴是从那里来的呢？不是从你们百体中战斗之私欲来的麽？你们贪恋，还是得不着；你们杀害嫉妒，又斗殴争战，也不能得。你们得不着，是因为你们不求。你们求也得不着，是因为你们妄求，要浪费在你们的宴乐中。
神不容忍贪婪、享乐、情欲和自我追求。因此，对于我们的某些祷告祂是不会回应的。因为祂爱我们，因此，任何祂认为会让我们骄傲、让我们远离祂、摧毁我们之所以为人的东西，祂是不会赐给我们的。 偶像不一定是泥塑，但它可以是任何东西，那已成为我们身份的公司职位、那间我们认为必须为之工作的公司、自身的骄傲，或者是那种我们想要维持，但与上帝希望我们拥有的奉献的生活不一致的生活方式。因此，当我们的祷告没有得到回应时，我们应该省察自己的心，看看我们的祷告请求是不是出于一己的私欲。
腓立比书4:6-7 应当一无挂虑，只要凡事借着祷告、祈求和感谢，将你们所要的告诉神。 神所赐出人意外的平安，必在基督耶稣里保守你们的心怀意念。
焦虑和恐惧不是出于上帝。上帝不是恐惧的源头，而是爱、力量和安全的源头。克服恐惧的方法就是用更多的信心来把恐惧排挤出局——不是盲目的信心、愚昧或自以为是，而是锚定在神的话语和祂的品格之上的信心。神的话语——无论是 Logos，即书面的话语，还是 Rhema，来自上帝的个人话语——都建立了我们对祂的信心。我们不需要活在对未来的恐惧中，因为我们的未来在上帝的手中。
提摩太后书1:7 因为神赐给我们不是胆怯的心，乃是刚强、仁爱、谨守的心。
当信仰锚定于我们心中时，即使我们可能还看不见它，我们也会很确定。然而，如果我们对自己在神面前的地位缺乏正确的洞悉和理解，我们对神的信心就会受到阻碍。耶稣为我们成了罪。祂代替了我们，为我们的罪受了审判。今天，只要我们呼求耶稣的名，我们所有人都可以得救。因此，作为新约的信徒，我们应该谦卑而又勇敢地抓住我们作为永生神的儿女所应得的，不受魔鬼的欺哄。
讲章系列: 我们可享用神的饼
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