Jealousy

Sins such as envy, jealousy, covetousness, and greed very markedly reveal a focus on self. Instead you are to please God and bless others by practicing biblical stewardship which is to care for and give of the physical and spiritual resources that God has provided for you.  John C. Broger

The cure for the sin of envy and jealousy is to find our contentment in God.  Jerry Bridges

I was talking to a good friend recently and we started talking about jealousy and the damage it can do to relationships.  It can destroy marriages, families, careers and friendships. 

If you look at where jealousy began we can see it is an all-consuming sin that destroys everything in its path.  One of the key things about jealousy is that it starts with self.  If you think about it, Eve was jealous that God had knowledge that she and Adam didn’t have and that was the beginning of the fall.  Then Adam and Eve had Cain and Abel and look how that turned out. 

Throughout the Bible there are examples of jealousy.  If you dig deeper into why many of the characters in the Bible failed, you will see a focus on self that expressed itself in jealousy.  There are many prominent people in the Bible who were susceptible to this sin.  Saul was jealous of David throughout his reign.  He was jealous enough to try to kill him over and over again.  Joseph’s brothers were jealous of their father’s favoritism towards him so they sold him into slavery. 

What often happens with jealousy is it starts in your head and then moves to your heart.  Once it takes up residence in your heart it joins forces with envy, suspicion, distrust and selfishness. When jealousy takes up residence in your heart you are fighting the battle of your life.  Satan will take every opportunity to exploit you and we often make it easy for him. 

There are several things we can do to remove jealousy from our heart.  We must first submit to God in everything.  In James 4:7 it says, “Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  The second thing we must do is resist.  In Hosea 4:6 it says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” We must resist Satan and his ploy to use jealousy to destroy us.  If we are not careful and diligent, we can fall just as easily into the trap that Satan sets before us.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, jealousy is a sin that can sneak up and overtake us when we least expect it.  If I don’t submit to You and resist this sin, it can destroy everything. I praise You for providing me the scriptures that tell me exactly how to fight against this all-consuming sin.  

Scripture:  
The Whole Armor of God
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Ephesians 6:10-12

Submit to God, Resist the Devil
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5-6