Jealousy

The first time I ever can remember really being jealous of someone was in grade school. My best friends family had a lot of money, and would constantly be getting new things. We, on the other hand, were struggling financially, and it started being that every time I would see her in something new, I would get jealous. That old familiar feeling has tried to be my friend throughout life. However, not just in the area of relationships, but at times, in ministry too.

JEALOUS - hostile toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage.

RELATED WORDS: controlling, demanding, grasping; covetous, envious, invidious, jaundiced; distrustful, mistrustful, suspicious

We all deal with iniquitous roots. Some of us have a tendancy to be thieves or liars. Others may deal with anger, rage, alcoholism, or drug abuse. Me, one of my iniquitous roots, one that I've had to fight all my life, has been insecurity...which tends to lead to jealousy. Deep down, there has been that feeling of "I'm not good enough" or inadequacy. Therefore, anyone who comes across as being "good enough" has, at times, been in my direct line of fire.

Some of the consequences of being jealous or envious are, falling into a mode of self pity, anger, bitterness, depression, and broken relationships. Unfortunatley, the relationships that get broken are usually close ones. Eventually envy and jealousy, if not defeated, can lead to death. In Genesis we see this in the account of Cain and Abel.

How do we overcome this, or any root, that tries to be our friend? When the Lord was talking with Cain before he murdered Abel, He said this:

Gen 4:6-7
6 So the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."
NKJV

Sin always makes an attempt to come to our door - but it is not to rule over us, we are to rule over it! We do this, not in our own strength, but by walking in the fruit of the Spirit.

Gal 5:22-26
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
NKJV

Learning to walk in the Spirit is a process. It doesn't happen over night. That is why being in the Word consistantly and having people who you allow to speak truth into your life is so important. We were never meant to do this alone. When I have old ways of thinking try to creep up, I have to be able to rule over it. To much time has already been wasted on being a slave to iniquitious roots. Today's the day to overcome!