THE CURE FOR CONFLICT IN THE CHURCH

In verses 1-5 you want to go your own way – the Lord said that this type of people are adulterous people

Road sign to cure conflicts

# 1 ~ Submit to God ( To submit is to obey)

James 4:7 Submit therefore to God

Luke 2:51 And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all {these} things in her heart.

Submission is a voluntary act

ü Romans 13:1-7 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.

Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for {rulers} are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax {is due;} custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

ü I Cor 16:16 “that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors.”

ü I Peter 5:5 “You younger men, likewise, be subject to {your} elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

ü Eph 5:22 “Wives, {be subject} to your own husbands, as to the Lord.”

ü I Peter 2:18 “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.”

When you submit to God , Satan will try to tempt you.

#2 ~ Resist the Devil ( Vs 7)- “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

ü 1 Pet 5:8-9 “Be of sober {spirit,} be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

But resist him, firm in {your} faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.”

ü Matt 4: Jesus quoted scripture

# 3~ Draw near to God(v-8)- “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Come close to God- Satan is not comfortable. You need to struggle with God. The more closer you are to God, the more distance you are from the devil.

#4~ Clean your hands (vs 8) “Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Ex 30 – Getting rid of our sins in our hearts

Psalm 24:3,4 “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully.”

#5 ~ Grieve, mourn & wail (vs 9) “Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.”

Psalm 6:6 “I am weary with my sighing; Every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears.”

Romans 7:24,25 “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.”

# 6 ~ Humble yourself before the Lord(v.10)-“ Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

Be down in your face

ü Psalm 149:4 For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.

ü Prov 3:34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted.

ü Matt 23:12 "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

Conclusion:- Seize every opportunity to lift others in the church