Trinity Fellowship Church
Many centuries ago, the church identified a group of sins (which plagued humanity) and they classified these as THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS! These included: Lust, Pride, Sloth, Wrath, Gluttony, Greed...And ENVY! One of the most subtle of these is ENVY! Today we will discover how to defeat envy through the power of the gospel.
1 Samuel 18:1-16 NIV
Defeating The Green-Eyed Monster
MONSTERS — Message #2
Pastor Chuck Hill — Trinity Fellowship Church
Sunday, October 14, 2018
1 Samuel 18:1-16
Many centuries ago, the church identified a group of sins (which plagued humanity) and they classified these as THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS! These included: Lust, Pride, Sloth, Wrath, Gluttony, Greed...And ENVY! One of the most subtle of these is ENVY!
Envy is an awful thing. It was ENVY, which sold Joseph into slavery, drove David into exile, threw Daniel in the den of lions, and (according to Matthew 27) — helped to place Jesus on the cross.
Today we will discover how to defeat envy through the power of the gospel.
So what is ENVY?Envy is that feeling and emotion of unhappiness that we get when we hear of the success or good-fortune of others. It is present when we have a bad day because someone else has a good one.
1 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. 5 Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well. 6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. 7 As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” 8 Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David. 10 The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand 11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice. 12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul. 13 So he sent David away from him and gave him command over a thousand men, and David led the troops in their campaigns. 14 In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him. 15 When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns.
1 Samuel 18:1-16 (NIV)
Envy is an awful foe. It is a monster that lies below the surface of our lives — haunting us with fear and insecurity, doubt and anger.
Envy causes us to see life through the lens of fear rather than faith!
There are three identifying features of ENVY:
1. ENVY ALWAYS FOLLOWS THE SUCCESS OF ANOTHER.
6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. 7 As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
1 Samuel 18:6-7 (NIV)
Unlike our culture, we should celebrate the success of others. Paul tells us:
15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another.”
Romans 12:15-16 (NIV)
2. ENVY ALWAYS WANTS WHAT IT CANNOT HAVE.
1 “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.”
James 4:1-2 (NIV)
3. ENVY ALWAYS UNDERMINES YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
1 Samuel 18:2-3(NIV)
9 And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David.
1 Samuel 18:9 (NIV)
"As rust corrupts iron, so envy corrupts man." (Greek Proverb)
SO HOW DO WE DEFEAT THE ENEMY OF ENVY?
1. REPENT OF ENVY!
2. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS.
3. STOP COMPARING YOURSELF WITH OTHERS!