Christian Living
Beware of Envy
Peggy Kannaday
Envy is one of the sins of the flesh as listed in Gal. 5, and yet it is much more insidious in its damaging results.
Definition of envy:
1. "Anger or discontent at the good fortune or possessions of another".
2. The word literally means "to look at with evil intent..."
What is the difference between envy and jealousy?
We often equate envy with jealousy. However, envy goes beyond jealousy.
JEALOUSY POINTS AT YOUR OWN HURT. A jealous person is usually an introvert, and he or she is angry and hurt because he wants more for himself.
ENVY DESIRES THE OTHER PERSON TO GET HURT!
The envious person is usually an extrovert, and he or she is also hurt and upset, but this type of person wants to hurt the person who is a success. He or she wants revenge.
HOW CAN A PERSON WANT TO HURT OR BLAME ANOTHER PERSON FOR THEIR SUCCESS AND THEIR OWN LACK OF SUCCESS?
Envy is one of the 7 deadly sins in church tradition: 1. Pride, Envy, Anger, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust.
Because of the very unfair nature of envy; Christians are far more likely to see in themselves and confess any of the other deadly sins than they would envy.
The pagan leader Pilate had more mercy on The Lord Jesus than the religious leaders of his day. (Mark 15:6-14) "For he (Pilate) knew that the chief priests had delivered Him (Jesus Christ) for envy."
When Jesus was before Pilate; Pilate tried several times to release Jesus.
One of his attempts was to grant an old Roman provision, that would allow a prisoner to be released at the Passover.
However, envy prevailed, and Jesus Christ was crucified even though He was totally free from all sin and evil doing.
There is no logic involved in envy. It is a demon spirit, and it will try and destroy its target, but in the final analysis; it will eventually destroy the envious person unless the person can overcome this sin. I have seen the death and destruction of many very envious people in my lifetime.
Envy was what caused Cain to kill Abel, Joseph’s brothers to try and get rid of him, Daniel’s accusers were spurned on to try and destroy him by envy, King Saul was envious of David and tried to kill him countless times.
If the spirit of envy comes upon a person; it needs to be checked quickly, so that it does not take root. In the cases where envy was allowed to grow unchecked; murder or attempted murder resulted.
The Bible asks us, “Who can stand against envy?” Proverbs 27:4, "Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?"
The answer is only God because envy is also an evil spirit that finds fertile soil in the unsanctified flesh.
Envy does not make any sense in the logical mind because it is an allusion and not a reality. It is demonic.
It operates in people who have insecurities and inferiority feelings. It is based on our feelings, emotions and unresolved defenses.
Our feelings are very unreliable and unstable, and so we must take authority over our feelings. A person that cannot control their own emotions will have more issues than Kleenex tissues.
Many Christians allow their emotions to dictate their actions to their own detriment and this also causes damage to others without repentance. When the evil spirit of jealousy comes upon a Christian; it must immediately be rebuked, renounced and a prayer for repentance must follow.
Unless we realize that envy is a sin; we will not repent, and this sin will grow stronger in our lives. I believe many crimes are initiated through the sin of envy which is then carried out to its culmination which is to destroy the person that is envied.
Envy is based on the often times erroneous idea that some other person has more than we have or life is better for them, etc.
It also involves the thought that the person does not deserve to be so blessed like Joseph, Abel, etc.
This type of thinking leads to unrighteous judgment, broken relationships, and many horrible consequences.
The very religious leaders were envious of Jesus Christ. Jesus did not even have a place to lay His head, but these leaders were influenced by demonic spirits that wanted to use them to have The Lord crucified.
These religious leaders were used as the dupes of satan. However, as always with the lies of satan; it back fired on satan, because satan did know realize that he was killing the Lord of glory that was dying for the sins of all mankind. If satan had knowsn what he was doing; The Bible says that he would never have Jesus Christ killed.
Envy is also involved among countries. America has always been considered a great nation, and because of that; America is being targeted by many who want to destroy, demoralize and render America powerless and ineffective. It was spoken by a Russian leader that America would be destroyed without firing one bullet because it would be taken over from within. This is happening today.
However, the church is going to rise up and take its place in America, UK and throughout the world. The church "will" be purified, and it will become the pure and holy bride of Christ.
The Church is going to become “One” as Jesus Christ, and God The Father are one, and so all of these sins of the flesh and spiritual sins will need to be eradicated and overcome by The Lord. We need to submit unto The Lord, resist The devil , and he will have to flee from us.
If you are the Christian that is being attacked due to envy, then The Lord Jesus Christ will take care of you, and He will work it all together for your good. He will bring you through it all victoriously.
Fret not about it, do not be anxious about it, but with prayer, supplication and thanksgiving; make your requests known onto God, and He will give you His supernatural peace.
Pray for those who have fallen into this insidious type of sin because they do not realize that it will end up destroying them if they do not repent.
Let’s get rid of all envying in the church. It does not have a place in the Body of Christ, and it will never be found in the beautiful, pure bride that Jesus Christ is coming back to wed.
We are all loved equally, as God is no respecter of persons. The enemy that tells you another person is more favored by God than you are is a liar of the highest order.
Satan uses envy to try and destroy the envied person, and also to use the envious person until that person is destroyed by satan in the end. If you feel envy coming upon you; get rid of it by renouncing it, and ask The Lord Jesus to deliver you from it.
Ask The Lord to give you love, kindness and forgiveness toward the person that is envied so that hatred and a desire to hurt the person is stopped before it starts. Envy will destroy the person that allows this demon to live and manifest in his or her own mind, heart and soul.
Trust God; He loves you more than you can even imagine, and He would have died just for you. We never need to envy anyone because God's love is shed abroad for everyone that loves Him, obeys Him and fears Him. He has no shortage of love and care to give to "ALL" of His children.
You never need to compare yourself with any other Christian because you are so very special to Him, and that is all that really matters in this life. He has prepared a glorious place for you in your future. God individualizes, and each one of us is so unique and wonderful to Him. We never need to compete or compare ourselves with each other.. Each one of us is more than a conqueror to almighty God.
He has each one of us engraved on His hand, and He cares even for a sparrow, and so how much more does He care and love each one of His beloved children? Trust in God's love for you, and you will not be able to entertain an evil spirit of envy.
My Prayer for You:
Dear Heanvenly Father,
Thank You for Your wonderful love and care for all of Your precious and beloved people.
Please deliver Your people and all people from the very insidious sin of envy. Let it not be named among any of Your people in Your church. May the spirit of envy and jealousy be
removed from Your Body, and may we have Your love one for another.
You are going to build Your last day church, and the gates of hell will no longer be able to stand against it because we will all be filled with Your love, Your care for one another and we will be in total unity as You, Lord Jesus and Your Father God. Thank You, Father, come Holy Spirit and fill us all, and we ask all these things in The all powerful Name of Jesus Christ and for His glory. Amen, amen and amen.
Peggy Kannaday, B.A., M.Ed., has been the Managing Editor for "Church Growth International" which is The Englist Outreach of The Yoido Full Gospel Church which has an 800,000 membership and is headquartered in Seoul, Korea.
Contact Information: [email protected],[email protected],chgrint.homestead.com/index.html,ihcf.homestead.com/index.html,happy707.wordpress.com
Contact is Phone: 803 547-2164, Regent Park/Glen Ridge, Fort Mill, SC 29715
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