Strife and Envy
Webster’s dictionary defines envy as a feeling of discontent and ill will because of another’s advantages, possessions, etc.; a resentful dislike of another who has something desirable; a desire for some advantage or possession belonging to another; to regard with a covetous spirit; to show malice; to oppose; to hate.
Webster’s defines strife as exertion or contention with another: competition; contest; quarrel; or struggle. A wrestling if you will for superiority or position over another, and a pushing oneself forward at the expense of another.
James 3:14-16 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom (the wisdom of the natural man) descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devlish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. Both of these issues are elements of the sin nature of man, they progress from mild to severe forms of affliction, and they have in common the fact that they can open the door to all other forms of sin.
Pr 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. Pr 27:4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? In light of the definition of envy, look at Mark 15:9,10 … But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. The carnality of man and the sin nature of man through envy was on display here and it progressed to the point where the Lord Jesus Christ was condemned to the cross. The outworking of envy will lead to all other forms of sin.
Strife is also the result of a progression downward into greater and greater sin, resulting in dire consequences. Nu 27: 12-14 … And the Lord said unto Moses, get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. There was strife present in the people at this incident, and it got on and inside of Moses and caused him to sin before God in such a way that he was not allowed to enter the promised land.
The book of Proverbs speaks of strife in connection with associations, and warns us to be diligent to keep out of associations that include strife. Pr 16:28 .. a froward man soweth strife: and a wisperer separateth chief friends. Pr 22:10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. Pr 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. Pr 29:22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression. Pr 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. Pr 17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of sacrifices with strife. You cannot associate with people who have strife in their hearts and expect that it will not affect you. As indicated before, strife is inherent in the sin nature of man, so it is very common for people to be full of strife, and if you associate with people who are full of strife it will get on and in you. You must purpose in your heart to avoid strife and to avoid strifeful situations if you want to develop as a man (or woman) after God’s heart. You will not stay free from the effects of strife (or envy either) unless you purpose in your heart to do so.
Proverbs 20:3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling. A man after the heart of God will cease from strife and will stay out of strife at all costs. This does not mean that you do not have disagreements with people or that you will not have differences of opinion, but it does mean that you will make an effort to say out of the progression of differences to the point of strife. Gal 6:7,8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. You should purpose in your heart to not get into strife, even if you have to sow seed to stay out of strife. Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap, and if you sow to stay out of strife you will not only accomplish that goal, but you are progressing towards Christ being formed in you. When you are sowing away from the law of sin and death and sowing towards the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, you can engage the Holy Spirit as your helper in the process.
Pr 28:25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat. Pr 17:14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with. Phil 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. 2 Ti 2:23 Avoid foolish and unlearned questions, knowing that they do gender strifes.
Is 58:1-4 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice: they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. In this passage the people are seeking God, fasting, praying and calling out to God, but they are not getting answers and God himself says that they are doing the right things with a wrong heart. They have strife in their hearts and the things that they are doing are tainted and not producing results. God’s word to them is to change the attitudes of their hearts, get the strife out of their hearts and then he can do the things for them that they are asking for. This is a powerful picture: if you have strife in your heart, sin will work against you and God will not be working for you. Eliminate the strife, purpose to seek him with a right heart, and you will engage God on your behalf.
This is one of the great discoveries I made as a businessman over the years. If I was going to have God working with me and for me in my business, I was going to have to make sure I stayed away from strife. That meant that sometimes I was going to have to do things I really did not want to do, I had to keep my mouth shut when I really wanted to say something, and there were times when I had to pay things I really did not owe or had to pay more than I really owed. If I found myself engaged with people who were in strife or had the spirit of strife driving them forward, I got away from them as quickly as I could, even if it meant walking away from potentially lucrative deals. I chose that I would not knowingly get involved in any situation where there was a spirit of strife operating in the people or environment I was looking at. That meant that there were many situations that I could not get involved in, but God was always able to lead me to another situation where strife was not present, and in every case, it was a better opportunity. When I left a situation over strife, it became a seed for the supernatural. In every single situation, my response became a seed to engage the Holy Spirit on my behalf. If I purposed in my heart to stay out of strife, then the Holy Spirit could work with me supernaturally to bless and prosper me and to be my helper. This principle should be fundamental to who we are as Christians: if we do what God says and sow in that direction, we get God working for us; if we do not do what God says and sow away from God, he will not be working for us. It is elementary, but the sin nature of man prevents him from seeing the truth of this, especially if strife is involved. Strife is a spirit, and it is from the devil, and it will blind you to the truth if it gets on you or in you.
The same principles also apply to marriage and family relationships. If you want God to be involved in your marriage and family, you have to sow in that direction. God will not come where he is not invited, and he will not stay where he is not welcome. If you want the presence and power of God in your marriage and family, you must create an atmosphere where God is welcome. God always moves away from envy and strife and towards agreement and unity. When you sow to stay out of strife, you invite God in to the situation, and when God shows up he brings everything he is to the table. That means he brings his miracle working power and his power to transcend the natural realm in order to do things for you. In order to accomplish this and get God involved, you may have to do things you really don’t want to do, keep your mouth shut when you really want to say something, and endure things you really don’t want to endure. All of those become seeds to engage the power of the Holy Ghost on your behalf, and show God you are serious about becoming a man (or woman) after God’s own heart.
Make this your declaration: I am a man (or woman) after God’s own heart. I refuse to enter into envy or strife, and will repent of them if I have any attitudes or ways in me that contain envy or strife. I will sow away from envy and strife and purpose in my heart to keep out of them in everything I do. I will guard my friendships and associations and be careful to surround myself with likeminded people who also choose to stay out of envy and strife. I ask God to show me if there is any wicked, sinful, envious or strife filled way in me and I will repent and change it immediately. I am a man (or woman) after God’s own heart.