Envy

Envy

Envy is a manifest sin; it is a work of the flesh. Gal. 5:19-21. Envy is seldom an everyday occurrence as (for example) anger is, which is also a work of the flesh. Sin must first be given an opportunity before it can become manifest. The opportunity for anger is there every time someone does or says something that is not in agreement with my will, and this happens constantly. However, the opportunity for envy arises only when someone is more blessed, makes more progress, is more honored and exalted in God, etc., than oneself. Unfortunately, this does not happen so often.

Envy is the sister sin of jealousy. They are one and the same thing. We usually call it jealousy when it concerns material things and envy when it pertains to spiritual things. Jealousy is therefore much more in evidence than envy because differences in earthly things are usually much more pronounced, whereas differences in the spiritual realm are not as obvious. Therefore when it comes to spiritual things, most people blissfully sleep side by side. However, this is no guarantee that one is free from envy. This will only be revealed on the day of trial.

For example, if there is a powerful revival, and one person is revived more than the next one, presses into God more, is blessed by God far more, receives more gifts, makes much more progress, is used more, is more spoken about and praised, testifies far more thoroughly and boldly about victory than the other person—then the golden opportunity for temptation to envy is there. Then one has the opportunity either to fall or to overcome. One must necessarily do one of the two.

“And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him.” Acts 7:9. Their hearts became evil because God had chosen Joseph over them. “Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that because of envy they had delivered Him.” Matt. 27:17-18. The Pharisees, scribes, priest, and the high priest were envious of Jesus because He spoke with authority and power, and His words were weighty and blessed, so that the people said, “No man ever spoke like this Man!” They were envious of Him and delivered Him to be crucified because God was with Him and blessed Him and used Him far more than He used them.

A person who falls prey to envy is in deep darkness, not knowing what he is stumbling over. He does not know what he is saying or doing; therefore he can do the most absurd things. For example, a brother has powerfully pressed into God and has been correspondingly blessed, become bold and active; and if for that reason, this person becomes envious, and goes on the attack against this brother. Why? Because God has blessed him more than himself. What accusations can he bring against this brother in this darkness?

That he has done this or that, many years ago, or a few years ago; in any case before he was so powerfully blessed. What is the person’s intention with that? That the brother should be less bold and not testify so blessedly about the grace and victory which God has given him; that he should draw back all the way—or almost—to his previous state, so that he should not advance further than himself. All this because he previously had done something that was not right. What should a person say about something like that? That it is absurd! Total darkness!

This is so, even if he is accused of having committed works of the flesh in his former life, but this horrible stuff called envy will confuse and darken a person’s mind to such an extent that he will even accuse his blessed brother of having done deeds of the body in his former life!!!

Imagine!—because the brother has committed deeds of the body in his former life (deeds which everyone, even the very best, has done against their own will and is bound to do both before and after they have been powerfully blessed)—should that now be a compelling reason for him to stop being so bold and active? What “noble” reason does one have for considering such a reproof necessary? One simply does not like to see him bolder, more blessed, more used, honored, and trusted than oneself.

Envy causes a person to go completely out of his mind!!!

It is not enough that he is accused of having done deeds of the body in the past, but he is also attacked for deeds which were not even deeds of the body but which were simply deeds which the other person did not like, and to which even God did not object.

There are absolutely no limits to the evil and the folly that is revealed by envy.

You always have an opportunity to react in at least three different ways whenever someone testifies about greater victory than you have. 1) You can lose courage and think something like this: “Yes, I know, I am a nobody.” Then you are relatively humble and pious, but unbelieving. 2) You can become darkened in your mind, become envious, and be zealously occupied with finding something with which to attack the person concerned, in which case you will find the most absurd things. Then you are proud, unwilling, and unbelieving. 3) You can rejoice greatly and be powerfully strengthened and encouraged to do the good by thinking something like this: “So there is hope for me too. God can also do for me what He has done for him.” Then you are humble, willing, and believing.

“Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, but who is able to stand before envy?” Prov. 27:4. In other words, it is very difficult to stand before envy. When your sacrifices in love—meant to strengthen your fellow brothers in the things that are for their own benefit and joy—are met with an attack, you can be tempted to stop serving. According to Proverbs 27:4 it is not so easy to remain standing. However, there is sufficient Spirit and power, wisdom and love. So there is abundant opportunity to remain standing—not only before wrath and anger, but also before envy.

In 1 Corinthians 12:26 we find the blessed, divine expression that is the opposite of envy, “If one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

May God give all of us such precious grace. Amen.