James 4:6‏

6. "But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it)."

Friends... God wants us to get out of all these old habits of trying to satisfy our desires (covet) from the world's system, and covet instead, solely upon the Holy Spirit's leading. This takes humility. "The Spirit that dwells in us longs jealously over us"? I know that since we have been saved, that many changes have occurred in our new life... yet there are still many things we depend upon that grieve the Holy Spirit. He doesn't want us to have a divided allegiance and His jealousy is for our benefit.

What is James contrasting, and what is God's grace greater than? We'll, in the last 5 verses, the issue is on the wicked old nature, the flesh, the quarrels, conflicts, war, lust, murder, envious, asking with wrong motives, our pleasures, adulteresses, friendship with the world, all hostility toward God.

Breaking our dependence upon the world for what our spirit want's and yielding to the Holy Spirit's leading, is hampered by PRIDE. The world thinks God's ways are funny, out-dated, and they want us to feel stupid to trust an invisible being. James promises God's grace for those of us whom are willing to suffer the whispers... the jokes, and ridicule. That takes humility. God gives more and more grace for the humble of heart. We can do this.

Let's pick up with James verse 4:7 next time.

I love you.