Do not Envy the Wicked

One of the biggest challenge Christians face today involves financial success. Surrounded with tremendous opportunity and wealth, believers are commanded to trust in the Lord for basic necessities, safety and even and happiness.

While many that live for the world thrive from evil, Christians are asked to embrace challenges that come with discipleship. Suffering, persecution and even death are mentioned throughout the bible as acceptable sacrifices to God.

I have heard too many preachers claim spiritual rebirth was the hardest step of the christian walk. I am sorry to admit I strongly disagree. Going from darkness to light is nothing compared to facing the temptation carefully brought on by the enemy.

While misery, loneliness, envy, jealousy and anger are all feelings associated with spiritual weakness, they are unavoidable hurdles along the path that leads to heaven. Sooner or later every believer will be tempted. How we react to temptation dictates the harvest we will reap.

King David wrote many psalms about joyfully resisting temptation. Psalm 37 is a poem that inspires readers to patiently await their rewards as they encounter life’s challenges. The first seven verses are key to overcoming feelings brought on by temptation.

1 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

David tells us not to worry about the apparent prosperity of the wicked since their success will lead to death. Looking through God’s eyes, we are commanded to refrain from envying those who prosper from wrong doing. This difficult task is achieved by allowing the holy spirit to filter what we see, hear or expose ourselves to.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

By trusting in the lord, we embrace His strength and allow the holy spirit to guide our footsteps. Because God’s judgment is not based on His love for us but our love for Him, by trusting in God we allow Him to provide all we need to fulfill our mission in this life.

In the verses above, David clearly instructs readers to delight in the Lord in order to receive the desires of our hearts. Be careful what you delight in! By nature we are weak and too often give in to the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and the pride of life which are at the root of evil.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Commitment is key to receiving the Lord’s blessings. While these blessings may not involve financial wealth, professional achievements or even physical healing, God’s rewards are perfect and in proportion to our commitment to God and His children. Though we are saved by grace, we are justified by works.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” (Psalm 37:1-7)

Waiting patiently for our rewards in heaven, disciples of Jesus Christ are commanded to rid themselves of worry, of “fret”, knowing the wicked are on path that leads to destruction.

As we wait for our rewards, we must allow the holy spirit to influence the following from morning until night: The time we invest, the money we spend and the things we are passionate about. The result of these things amount to the person we are and inevitably, the person we will become.

There is no reason to envy those who are on a losing team. Immerse yourself in God’s word and use Psalm 37 as a definitive guideline for your life.

Are you struggling with envy, with worry? I invite you to call on this ministry for answers and prayer certain to strengthen you spiritually so that you may overcome feelings brought on by the enemy. Let’s pray!

Father God;
We thank you for being the light in our lives
And for watching over us in the day and through the night,
Father we thank you for your love, your forgiveness,
And your wisdom in our lives.

Lord we pray you will continue to guide our footsteps
So that we may become more like you,
Spreading your love throughout the land
And shinning your light bright onto those who surround us.

Through the holy spirit we will not worry ourselves
As the wicked seemingly prosper,
Knowing the time will come
When eternal fire is put to their wickedness.

God we know we are not perfect
But still we ask for your strength in difficult times
So that we may act as you would
Earning passage to life ever lasting.

God we thank you for all that surrounds us!

Praise God,
Amen!

This message was written by Daniel St.Pierre
Email: DanielStPierre@ThriveThroughChrist.com

Posted in Bible Studies.

Daniel St.Pierre