Spiritual Warfare #14

Disarming Jealousy by Charles Stanley
How do we effectively deal with the jealousy in our own lives?

First, we need to admit that we are envious.

Second, we need to acknowledge that we are in conflict with God. It is Satan with his cruel desire to entrap you in sin and blow up your life with feelings of envy. But Godly repentance and submission to God defuse his traps.

Third, we need to thank God for what He has done in our lives and even for the people who are the source of our conflict. Resist the temptation to compare yourself to anyone else. Also, eliminate ungodly negative feelings, because they often do not reflect the truth. You may feel someone has hurt you, but God wants you not to hold a grudge or seek revenge. Once you grasp the good plans He has for you, jealousy will no longer be a landmine in your life.

Fourth, we need to pray and ask God to help us see the heart of the other person at the center of the conflict. You may be jealous of someone who is just being the person God has created her to be. When another person is living God's plan, we never have an excuse to be envious of her.

There is no way for you to know all that another person is facing. He could be dealing with some hurtful situation that is causing him to act a certain way. Instead of joining in on the push to get ahead, ask God to help you rest in His presence. When you learn to sit before Him, waiting for His timing and His direction, you will receive a blessing.

Fifth, we need to be willing to wait for God to work. Along with waiting comes the need to be open to God's guidance and ready to obey Him at all times in every situation.

Sixth, we need to ask God to help us hear His voice over the clamor of the world.

Seventh, we need to delight ourselves in God (Ps. 37:4). When we do, we will find that He will give us the desires of our hearts.

The next section is called Surrender Leads to Victory. On Saturday we'll start on Insecurity. This is a long, but fantastic chapter. There's a lot to share here and I can't wait.

On a personal note, our house was appraised for less than we hoped for, but we can still do the remodel and a few other things. We got the plans back from the designer yesterday and will be taking them to the City today. Very exciting, starting to feel a little overwhelmed as we have a few other big things coming up shortly. Aaaahhhhhh!!!!!!