True Envy

Having advised you to seek God on the fact of much of the hostility, quarrels and bulldozer-type responses being exhibited in our Christian Churches and denominations, which stem from pure envy, I too sought our Lord on the matter. Permit me to be public about what He has told me, how He has shown it to me and how I and all believers, can ensure such evils do not grow and bear evil’s dangerously acid fruit in us. This offering today, therefore, is specifically on envy and coming to tighter grips on it.

The first thing I was told by our Lord is that envy never comes alone. It comes with two other inseparable personalities, named jealousy and covetousness. This threesome, consult together with one consent, forming a formidable conspiracy against all that is good, right and just. We must never be deceived about this fact. It is impossible to have envy with you and not have, joined to it, covetousness and jealousy. Just as it is impossible for a conjoined triplet to come to you without the others, so too with envy.

Never speak or think of one without the other. All are one and the same works of the flesh. In warning the Galatian believers against this, Paul makes it abundantly clear to them that the flesh lusts against the Spirit; and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Galatians 5: 17 – 18. He told them that the works of the flesh are evident, openly seen. In listing out these works of the flesh, he names jealousies, selfish ambition and envy. Remember, Paul has written this letter to believers. He addresses it to, The churches of Galatia. Galatians 1: 2b. They are all worshippers and believers in God, yet they need this strong warning against such a deadly confederacy. How heavy, weighty, dangerous and deadly is envy? Listen to this most damning, true, and to be avoided description. Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? Proverbs 27: 4 KJV. 

The Gospels are replete with religious people, especially the Pharisees, as being envious of Jesus. When we think of such people, lovers of Almighty Jehovah, worshipers, leaders and servants of His, being smitten with such jealousy, envy and covetousness, it sends us immediately to our knees of confession. I know that it has sent me there, for which believer is exempt or totally free of this menacing malady, this evil mischief? Doesn’t it literally scare you to bits, when even a secular ruler and leader can see nothing but envy in the mind, heart and actions of religious people, against Jesus?  This is what is recorded of Pilate. For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. Mark 15: 10. As has been stated earlier, envy is an evident work of the flesh, most visible.  Now, is envy not to be cast far away? Here it is that a non-servant of God, namely Pilate, sees clear evidence of envy in servants of God, namely chief priests, yet these holy men are too blind to see it in themselves.

May God, have mercy upon us all, who are too blind and full of the lawfulness of self and in self, to see the evil mischief we are instigating and causing.  Like psalmist David, who recognized the enemies of God in their midst, those who had come to cut Israel off from being God’s nation, so that the name of Israel would be no more, we too must come to God in prayer. As we also recognize envy, this enemy of God, in our midst, we make David’s prayer our prayer also, asking God to deal with envy and her companions.

Let them be confounded and dismayed forever; yes, let them be put to shame and perish, that men may know that You, whose name alone is LORD, are the Most High over all the earth. Psalm 83: 17 – 18.