Destiny Destroyers: Refusing Jealousy
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice…What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. – James 3:14-16; 4:1-2
Jealousy and Envy are defined as the feeling of discontent or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, circumstances, or favor; to feel resentful and unhappy because someone else possesses or has achieved what one wishes to possess themselves.
They were at the root of Satan’s rage against God and man in the garden. Imagine, ones made from the dust of the earth, bearing the image of God and given dominion, as a free gift, by the Creator! It was jealousy that caused Satan to rebel against God and jealousy that drove the Serpent to make war on the image-bearers. The apostle James, the brother of Jesus, warns us against this Satanic root system and the culture that grows under the shadow of jealousy and selfish ambition. Like mold in a wet basement, or like maggots in rotten waste, all kinds of evil grow in this environment.
The term bitter jealousy that James used is the Greek word zelos. It is most often translated zeal in the New Testament. It means a harsh, contentious rivalry, excitement of mind, frenzied activity. James coupled it with another interesting Greek word, eritheia, or selfish ambition. This word was used to describe those who electioneer for office, courting popular applause by manipulation and low arts. In modern terms, it is partisan politics. It’s a fractious spirit, a desire for power that causes one to scheme, manipulate, lie, and deceive. The deadly cocktail of harsh zeal, frenzied activity, and fierce rivalry mixed with politicking, a drive for control, and a desire for power can have devastating results on the lives of people around it. Where this exists, James said, there will be disorder and every vile practice. In other words, this environment is a greenhouse for foul, base, and worthless things to fester and grow. “Do not lie to yourself,” James says. Do not think that your unchecked sin issues are not affecting anyone. Do not ignore the fact that your jealousy and ambition are poisoning the waters all around you. Do not justify it in the name of vision, purpose, or calling.
Refuse it with all that you have.
Let’s read James again with an expanded understanding of what James was seeking to warn us about:
But if you have a zeal that’s harsh toward others, causing you to be jealous of anyone else’s success, and have a competing rivalry fueled by selfish ambition, self-promotion, and lust for power in your hearts, do not lie to yourself. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For in the culture where these things exist in the leadership, there will be confusion, disorder, instability, and a greenhouse for morally degrading and worthless practices. —Jas 3:14–16 (author’s expanded translation)
Hell has been full of discord since the beginning, and so are those in agreement.
Jealousy will fuel the spirit of murder in us against our brother and sister when God’s favor rests on them.
In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it." Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. - Genesis 4:3-8
Cain grew angry when the Lord had regard for his brother’s offering. God asked him why he was angry that favor was given to his brother. Why couldn’t Cain celebrate when his brother did well?
Jealousy.
God responds to Cain with a question, “If you do well, will you not be accepted?” Just because Abel’s offering had favor on it this time, doesn’t mean that your offering won’t next time. God spoke tenderly to Cain, “No need to be angry, nothing was taken from you. Keep doing well and I will have favor on you too.” The Lord warned Cain that something was crouching at the door of his heart that would destroy his destiny. “Watch out!” God was saying. If you give jealousy any more room it will overtake you! It will destroy your life. It will destroy your relationships. It will destroy your destiny. At that moment, Cain had a choice; rule over jealousy or let it rule you. We are all aware of what happened next.
From that moment, jealousy becomes the weapon of choice when Satan wants to destroy the promises of God over people. Think about it; Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Saul and David…the list goes on and on. Every time jealousy enters the picture, it brings along the spirit of murder.
As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, "Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands." And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?" And Saul eyed David from that day on. The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David evaded him twice. - 1 Samuel 18:6-11
Jealousy must crush others that are being promoted in the kingdom because they are a threat to our own success, gifts, and achievements. Jealousy hates to see others promoted. It will say, “That should have been me” or “They aren’t as great as everyone thinks” and “I could do it better if I would have been promoted.”
Jealousy stalls out our destiny because it causes us to despise what we have been graciously given by the Lord in light of what someone else has been given. When jealousy is operating in our lives, we don’t steward and express the unique gifts God has given us to serve the Body of Christ; instead, we compare and compete to be better than one another. Jealousy and selfish ambition can’t work with others for long. It will cause us to cycle through friends, confidants, and teams to try to get to the top or stay on top. It will pollute the culture of a spiritual family and create an environment ripe with all kinds of demonic activity.
Jealousy chokes out true worship and kills creativity. When jealousy is ruling over you, no longer are you offering an authentic expression of your heart to God in worship; you are offering something to look, sound, and be better than your brother. You are more aware of the presence of your competition than the presence of your Father in heaven. Jealousy will shut down the anointing in our hearts and on us to minister. It gives way to a critical spirit, ingratitude, and murder.
God has designed the “Ferris wheel of favor” to train us in the culture of the kingdom. God intentionally promotes others around us in different seasons to train us to honor and celebrate others. When we see favor rest on others, it tests our hearts for jealousy, and when we respond with celebration, we are set free.
The culture of the kingdom is a culture of honor.
When we celebrate the favor on someone else’s life and honor the gift that God has placed in them, the Holy Spirit will increase His anointing on the whole family. Honor empowers people. Celebration opens up realms of creativity in you and others. Honor will give people courage to keep going in their assignment and release an environment for creativity and power.
We must refuse jealousy. It is a matter of life and death. Each of us must come to understand his or her significance in relationship to the whole Body of Christ. We must find our confidence in being loved and chosen by the Father. We must detangle our identity from our gifts so that, with a free heart, we can begin to honor the gift in others and the gift in ourselves that no one else carries. When we begin to celebrate others and steward and release our own gifts within the Church and the world, Heaven will begin to manifest on earth.
