James Week Four — Lordship
Scripture Highlights:
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
— James 4:7–8a (NIV)
“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city…’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow… Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”
— James 4:13–15 (NIV)
Introduction:
One of the most challenging questions a follower of Jesus must answer is this: Who’s in charge—me or God? James 4 is all about lordship. It’s a gut check on control, pride, and self-will. While we may say Jesus is Lord, James confronts whether we’re actually living like it.
The chapter opens by diagnosing the real cause of conflict and brokenness. It’s not just bad circumstances or other people, it’s our own desires waging war within us. It doesn’t take a behavioral scientist to know that people do what they want to do and we want things done our way. We chase after what pleases us. And when we don’t get what we want, we fight, we manipulate, or we sulk.
But the turning point comes in verse 7. James calls us to submit to God. That’s what lordship is: surrendering control, yielding our pride, and letting God lead. It means choosing humility, resisting the devil’s schemes, and drawing near to the One who gives grace to the humble.
Later, James addresses the illusion of self-sufficiency. We make plans, set goals, and map out our futures as if we hold the timeline. But true wisdom says, “If it is the Lord’s will…” Living under the lordship of Jesus means holding our plans loosely and trusting in Him tightly.
God isn’t just a consultant for our lives, He’s King. It’s important we put Him in the rightful place in our lives. And when we truly believe that, it changes how we speak, how we plan, how we prioritize, and how we surrender.
Read the Full Text:
James 4:1–17 (NIV)
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so 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.
4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
Questions to Ask Yourself:
Where in my life am I still holding on to control instead of surrendering to God?
What plans or decisions do I need to submit to the Lord instead of assuming I know best?
How do I respond when things don’t go the way I expected or hoped?
Am I drawing near to God daily, or just when life gets hard?
Pray This:
Jesus, I surrender. I confess the areas where I’ve tried to control my life instead of trusting You fully. Teach me to submit to Your will, to resist the enemy, and to draw near to You in every season. I let go of my pride, my plans, and my agenda. Help me live today and every day under Your leadership. I trust that Your way is better. In Your name I pray, Amen.
