good morning my friends I'm pastor
Steven Brooks welcome today to our
midweek Bible study why don't you take
your Bibles and meet me in Matthew
chapter 22 let's drop on down the verse
15 today and talk about redhot Envy I
have a feeling that many of you will be
able to identify with today's message
let's pray
Heavenly Father as we jump into your
word we ask that your Holy Spirit would
quick in your word that your Holy Spirit
would illuminate the Scriptures that we
can take them and walk in the light of
them and walk above envy and jealousy
and all of these works of the flesh we
thank you for your protection we thank
you for your blessing and your grace in
the name of Jesus amen praise the Lord
Before we jump into today's message I
just want to say a big thank you to
everybody who's been sowing into this to
special projects of the ministry that we
have right now we have the ministry
aviation hangar that we're working
towards and we also have the ministry
fence the goal around the perimeter of
the ministry property two separate
projects but I appreciate that you're
taking the time to sew into those and
I'm believing that the Lord is going to
do some mighty miracles of blessing in
your life
beautiful harvest in your life so thank
you for supporting the general purpose
of the ministry but from time to time we
also have special projects and so thank
you for sowing into those two special
projects praise God if you're curious
about them there on the ministry website
you can find more there at Steven Brooks
org now verse 15 then the Pharisees went
and plucked it planned schemed they got
together and made these plans
what were they plotting pastor Steven
how they might entangle him in his talk
oh it's easy to be an armchair critic to
sit back and maybe watch a presidential
debate or you know the the election
process of seen who's going to be the
nominee to run against the president and
it's easy to sit back and thank all they
could have said that better or they
could have worded that better but when
you're actually up on the platform when
you're actually up on the stage with all
of these cameras in front of you and
Noah
that everything that you say is going to
be critiqued it's gonna be analyzed it's
going to be scrutinized it's a totally
different ballgame
so what Jesus was facing every day of
his ministry when his ministry started
what he was facing was really high
levels of intense persecution and the
greater the blessing that there is on
your life you have to be aware that the
enemy is not going to be thrilled or
happy about that so he's going to send
various forms of persecution against you
that's okay we're not afraid of
persecution or anything like that but
you have to know that as the Lord lifts
you up there will come specialized
attacks against you
the ancient Greeks in the study of
knowledge and of study of wisdom they
had a saying many many years ago a
couple thousand years ago that the
tallest tree is the one that gets struck
by the lightning so the higher you are
the more the more they're going to take
shots at you why because because of the
influence that you have and you just
need to be aware of things like that
because God's blessing is lifting you
lifting you lifting you and you need to
know what you're facing every day this
is why right now we're having the 21-day
prayer challenge which is to get up
every day for 21 days straight okay
we're still on the beginning phase of
this so if you're watching this and
you're thinking pastor Steven this is
the first time I've heard about it well
you could start next morning if you want
to join us okay but we're still in the
early phases just a couple days into it
going 21 days straight getting up every
morning at 3:00 actually we're meeting
at 3:30 3:00 in the morning okay do that
what I say we're meeting you know we're
doing that in the spirit you know I'm
here in North Carolina you may be on the
other side of the world the other side
of the country or you know a neighboring
state or something like that
in a different time zone but whatever it
is in it in your part of the world
we're being at that spot of devotion at
3:30 3:00 in the morning because 3 3
3333 Rize correlates with the book of
jeremiah chapter 33 verse 33 the Lord
wants us to call unto Him and he'll show
us grating
many things that we're not even aware of
that we don't even know about and God
will lay out your plan and he'll help
you to command your day and he'll help
you to the structure and order your day
supernaturally but he'll also bring
divine protection guidance and grace
into your life when you walk with Him
so for 21 days straight getting up early
in the morning being at your prayer post
at 3:30 3:00 in the morning and praying
for one hour okay because Jesus said
could you not tarry one hour so you can
go one hour now if you need some more
sleep after that and grab a little more
sleep before you go to work that's
totally fine but at least at least go an
hour if you want to do this 21-day
Prayer challenge with us now of course
some of you you're more developed in the
spirit and so an hour you know that's
not like a big meal for you that's more
like a snack so hey you're free to go as
long as you want have a good time in the
Lord glory to God but we're just asking
that you would go an hour now some of
you that are new to this I think that
when you're starting to find out is that
you're getting a good gauge of what kind
of shape you are in spiritually and
maybe you're thinking wow Pastor Steven
I'm glad you're doing this because I
really have realized I'm not in very
good spiritual shape well that is one of
the main reasons that I'm doing this so
that you could be fit spiritually I'm
not not concerned about the physical
stuff or you know your soul development
in a sense you know you have a lot of
other good teachers they'll teach you
that you can learn exercise and all that
stuff elsewhere although I have some
knowledge on that that's not my my
thrust of my teaching ministry my
ministry is to get you in shape
spiritually and so by getting up early
and seeking the Lord you get a good
gauge very quickly of where you're at
but you see also how quickly you can
progress in a walk with God who far
faster than you ever could make progress
in any form of exercise or you know
things like that so it's really really
good so please join me every morning get
up early and join me be at your prayer
post at 3:33 okay
3:33 a.m. is the hour of divine secrets
revealed let me say this just to share a
little light the things of God are by
grace but you still
have to pursue the Lord remember the
gifts of the Holy Spirit the nine gifts
of the Holy Spirit technically they're
actually called grace gifts they're
given by grace and so somebody might say
well then if they're by grace if God
wants me to have them it's just up to
him I'll just let him do whatever he
wants to do but at the same time Paul
said earnestly desire with the burning
desire that you may have the gifts of
the Spirit so you know there's two sides
of every coin so there's grace but you
also have to have pursuit and go after
the Lord go after the things of God and
so on the dark side I know that those
that don't know the Lord that that move
in what would be called spiritism I know
that they're all up right around you
know by 3:30 in the morning or at least
at the latest by 3:45 they're all up
praying any any yogi that that practices
that spiritual wall now that's that's
all darkness okay but even still any any
Yogi's gonna be up almost all night at
least by 3:45 praying the dalai lama
he's up every morning there three
o'clock doing his form of prayer okay
and you know astral travel in the spirit
and stuff like that this is just normal
okay over on the dark side that's just
normal they know that if you want to
walk in that realm of spiritual power
they have to do that and the further you
get into witchcraft the more the evil
spirits demand of you and some some of
the higher up witches and warlocks they
have to stay up all night now all of
that stuff is law
legalism on the dark side they have to
do it they can't get the power and they
have to do it even if they don't want to
do it okay so what we're doing is we're
in the light we're walking with the Lord
but there is still there's still an
element of pursuit
praise God so if you want to connect
with the Lord and connect with him seek
him out of love but still you need to
seek Him if you really love him you
would you would want to go after the
Lord praise God so there there are
things going on in the early morning
that are not going on at any other time
of the day and you can pray later if you
want I also pray later I pray in the
evening probably whenever I get some
free time praise the Lord
but there's something special
in the early morning hours right around
3:30 that even those in the dark room
they know that it's just like is easier
for them to do what they do and as a
child of God and I've talked with many
prophets around the world also usually
they're up at that time - that's the
time it's going on praise the Lord you
may think ain't nothing that happening
but that's because it's real quiet the
natural but in the spiritual you are
commanding your day you're structuring
and ordering your day before the Sun
ever comes over the horizon and by the
way when you have Pharisees plotting how
they might entangle you and your talk
knowing that they're ready to meet you
the moment you walk up that door show up
at that temple like Jesus going to the
temple o their way they're ready for you
they'd not only that you're going
against a whole group of them okay so
you really need the anointing of God you
really need the wisdom of the Holy
Spirit you really need to come out
strong and you can't get that you know
just you know walking into the day just
hoping everything works out you really
need to spend time with the Lord I know
those on the dark side do that now I
know it's all worthless it's all a waste
and I also know that let me say this
just also bring balance for a New
Testament perspective that a baby
Christian who's only been born again or
saved for 30 minutes has more authority
over every demon in hell and over Satan
himself because Christ has delegated his
authority to the church and we are the
church so I'm not intimidated by that
but I you know in the Western culture
people are just like oblivious of evil
powers and they are very very real and
the closer you get to the Lord you
realize there is a cosmic battle for
souls and it's winner take all
it's either heaven or hell and this
thing becomes very very real when you
draw close to the Lord and you realize
there are dark powers and they do have
power but we thank God that God's power
is greater greater is He that is in us
than he that is in the world but I think
we really need to be sober in the days
that we are living in and not just walk
through life like Lala you know whatever
happens happen
well whatever happens could be a
disaster so we're not gonna let that
command our date we're gonna let our
time with the Lord and orchestrating our
day in the spirit and in the world we're
gonna set that up and we're going to
have a great day every single day day
after day praise the Lord so that's my
little my little spiel before we
continue on in today's message from my
perspective from my perspective also I
think when I talk about these things
honestly it's just standard Christianity
it's basic Christianity and in other and
in other persecuted countries where
there is real threat and you really do
have to hear from God and you really
could lose your life and get martyred if
you're just if you're not careful you
have to walk into that day really really
prayed up and so this is normal this is
par for the course all over the world
it's it's a fat spiritually lazy totally
out of shape anemic spiritual culture
that just says ah you know you're good
to go God loves you you know you're
ready for heaven well yes you're ready
for heaven because his his righteousness
is your righteousness but you know we've
got a lot to do and there's a lot going
on whoo hallelujah so you know I could
talk more about that but I want to go a
certain direction today of what we're
talking about with this thing of envy
but my friends pursue the Lord get up
early and pursue the Lord well pastor
Steve and I like to pray at night but
let's find get up early in the morning
and get some sleep and then pray in the
afternoon or night or whatever you want
to do but you'll tap into a unique
anointing early in the morning and you
should because it says here then the
Pharisees went out and plotted how they
might entangle him and his talk they're
ready to meet him you need to be ready
now let's go over the mark chapter 12
mark 12 verse 13 then they sent to him
some of the Pharisees and the Herodians
to catch him in his words woo these are
law experts legal experts those that
have much of the Bible memorized if not
the entire Word of God and they're just
looking for a way to trap him
now what I'm going to show you is
amazing I'm going to briefly go through
all four Gospels you'll see it's an all
four so if it's in all four it's very
very important that we are aware of this
mark chapter eleven verse 53 says woe to
you lawyers for you have taken away the
key of knowledge you did not enter in
yourselves and those who are entering in
you hinder that would be verse 52 now
verse 53 and as he said these things to
them the scribes and the Pharisees began
to assail him vehemently and to
cross-examine him about many things
cross-examine him about many things how
would you like to walk into your day and
be cross-examined that they're just
ready they're ready to engage you well
pastor Steve in my life is really not
like that but what if it were mmm verse
54 they were lying and wait for him and
seeking to catch him in something he
might say that they might accuse him
would you give them ammunition are their
things coming out of your mouth that if
they caught it on a recording they could
say we've got you we're gonna bring this
unless you shut down your gospel
testimony we're gonna make this public
are there things coming out of your
mouth there are there are things that
you're saying that if they were captured
people enemies up a cross could take
your words and use them against you well
pastor Stephen um yeah there probably
are well then you need to you need to be
prepared for this just so that you're
not defeated in this area praise the
Lord
glory to God Luke chapter 20 let's
continue on Luke chapter 20 verses 19
and 20 say and the chief priests and the
scribes that very hour sought to lay
hands on him but they feared the people
for they knew he had spoken this parable
against them so they watched him and
sent spies who pretended to be righteous
that they might seize on his words in
order to deliver him to the power and
the authority of the governor they're
trying to grab his words anything that
they can use against him that they're
just looking for him to drop something
that's maybe misquoted or wrong
statement or an unbiblical statement but
he never made one mistake and if they if
they could have got him on something
they would now they took some of the
things you said out of context like the
rebuilding of the temple and things like
that they thought he's talking about the
physical temple he's actually talking
about his body so you know that they
twisted some things but all in all they
couldn't get him on anything let's go
through the final gospel which would be
John chapter 8 verse 6 this they said
testing him this would be the religious
leaders testing him that they might have
something of which to accuse him so on
all four Gospels its laid out very clear
clearly they were really trying to snare
him how with his words and every day
that's what he's walking into situations
where they have already been plotting
and planning how can we catch him in his
words how can we bait him into a
conversation or bring him into something
where we can get him to verbally stumble
and then use that against him to defame
him to you know basically say he said
this and this is obviously wrong so you
know you know let's say he's a
doctrinally wrong or incorrect or things
like that but also to publicly humiliate
and embarrass him well they really gave
it their best opportunities why why was
this happening to Jesus well why would
it happen to you I believe that the same
reason that these things were taking
place with Jesus this these attacks on
his life which even led eventually to
his crucifixion I believe we need to
understand this because these things can
they can drift over into your life and
you need to know what's going on know
what the Spirit is behind it so that you
can know how to pray and also know how
to be prepared Matthew chapter 27 let's
go down to verse let's go to verse 17
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 they had handed him over because of
envy while I mean even Pilate knew that
knew they had handed Jesus over not
because he's a sinner not because he's
broken Mosaic law not because he's yeah
you know he's broken Roman law they're
they're just they're they're doing all
of this because they're envious of him
Wow
hallelujah you must be aware of the
spirit of envy that would try to work
against your life verse 19 while he was
sitting on the judgment seat his wife
sent to him saying have nothing to do
with that just man some translations say
with that innocent man for I have
suffered many things today in the dream
because of him well they all knew you
hate the skies he's he's blameless we
can't get him on anything and the only
reason he was crucified because really
Pilate wanted to let him off the hook
was because the Jewish leaders kept
pushing crucifying crucifying and
eventually Pilate just you know he
Calvert cowardly gave up and gave in and
he gave the order for the crucifixion
but you have to be aware of the spirit
of envy and you need to know how to deal
with it because sometimes you have to
you have to still engage those that are
operating in that spirit but other times
it could be different
I remember when doctor Peter J Daniels
the Christian multi busines Christian
businessman who's a multimillionaire he
from Australia he shared the testimony
of how when he got into real estate the
Lord just began to blessing and he got
really good at real estate and it seemed
like he was just getting all the
listings well all the other realtors in
the big city just began to get envious
of him because he's getting all the
listings and he's you know that that's
what a realtor really wants you want
listings and you want clients and so
forth well they're all they're all going
to him and he's getting them now if you
ever listen to his teaching tapes he
tells you how he got all of those leads
and he tells you how he got all of his
clients and the funny thing about it he
said it was it was so easy that it was
like taking literally he said it was
like taking candy from a baby that's how
easy he found a way
as a realtor to get people to list with
him I'm not going to tell you what that
method was because that's a different
subject but people began to get so
envious of him the people being the
other realtor's that the other real
estate companies in the city with the
leading realtors they called a meeting
together and they demanded that he come
to the meeting and you know and explain
what he's doing and uh you know you know
because they were very very upset that
he's got like you know 90% of the
business in a very large city and they
were you know since he had started doing
this he's just exploding he's really
good at it so their business has
dwindled and they're you know they're
they're just all envious so about 300
realtors showed up for the meeting and
they're all ready just to tear into him
and cross-examine him and verbally tear
him up and the meeting was set for seven
o'clock and they're ready for they're
ready for him to show up and he never
showed up
and he never he never even came and the
next day a couple of those realtor saw
him he said how come you didn't come to
the meeting you said he said I'm not
under your whims and your control he
said I have no interest in your meeting
I don't I don't really care what you
think about me I'm blessed by the Lord
and obviously you're just envious of me
so why would I go to a silly meeting
like that and they're like you mean you
just rejected us and didn't come he's
like yes exactly I don't need to come I
don't answer to you I answer to the Lord
and so he didn't even go or they didn't
know they didn't know what to think of
him but he just continued to climb
higher and higher and higher in the Lord
now he was respectful but he's like no I
don't I don't need to answer to you I
don't need to go before all of you and
tell you why I'm blessed and maybe
perhaps perhaps while you're not that's
you know I'm living my life
and God's blessing me and so I don't
have to answer to you and all they were
was envious that's all it was hmm
therefore when they had gathered
together Pilate said to them whom do you
want me to release to you Barabbas que a
thief a murderer or Jesus who is called
Christ for he knew that they had handed
him over because of envy Envy Envy Envy
Envy that's why the Jewish leaders
crucified Christ now I know that I
some some messianic teachers they they
don't like that they they want to say no
but you sit and kill Jesus the Romans
did well the Romans did it but because
they only gave in to the Jewish leaders
and pyle was really wanting to let Jesus
off the hook and so I think it is
interesting in the book of Acts chapter
2 I'll just read this to you briefly
because I I just believe the Bible I
know some people don't want to say some
things some messianic Christian leaders
they don't want to say that the Jews
killed Jesus because they think it's an
anti-semitic statement but I'll just
read what the Bible says Acts chapter 2
verse 22 men of Israel but we know who
that's referring to men of Israel hear
these words Jesus of Nazareth a man
attested by God to you by miracles
wonders and signs which God did through
him in your midst as you yourselves also
know him being delivered by the
determined purpose and foreknowledge of
God you have taken by lawless hands have
crucified and put to death that's what
Peter said well by the way Peter was
Jewish that's what Peter a Jewish man
said that the people of Israel the men
of Israel did to Jesus he said you
crucified you you've crucified your own
Messiah
verse 36 therefore let all the house of
Israel know okay that all the house of
Israel the Jewish people that all the
house of Israel know this the leaders of
Israel let them know assuredly that God
has made this Jesus whom you crucified
both Lord and Christ again Peter said
you guys on you've killed your own
Messiah you murdered him you killed him
and of course verse 37 now when they
heard this they were cut to the heart
look they're like whoa I mean it hit him
that the reality of what they had done
and so they were like what do we need to
do and he said well let's begin you know
but basically get to repent you know you
know and then it's basically the
salvation experience that he leads them
into but but also Paul brings it out
even more fully still if you go into
Romans chapter 6 and I realize this that
in a sense
also not just the juice put him on the
cross but honestly I put Jesus on the
cross and so did you our sins is what
put Christ on that cross and so I don't
try to dodge that because I sure know
that I had sinned and that Jesus was the
only one that could fix my sin problem
so he went to the cross for me and he
went to the cross for you so I know also
that I'm the one that put him up there
and we all put him up there so we we
just faced that reality and we thank God
for grace and for mercy and we receive
it woo
thank you Lord Jesus amen so we all put
him up there praise God so at the same
time though we're not gonna dodge what
the Bible says if that's what the Bible
says we believe that and we embrace that
praise God now let me go back one more
time to Matthew chapter 27 and let me
read that to you again
that would be the 18th verse Matthew 27
verse 18 for he knew that they had
handed him over because of envy you you
need to be prayed up so that you know
how to deflect these spirits of envy
that work through people that
unknowingly maybe sometimes knowingly
yield to these evil spirits now we don't
wrestle with flesh and blood but against
the spiritual forces of evil
that worked through people sometimes
even Christians that yield to these evil
spirits and you need to know how to deal
with it praise God that's why it's very
very important to get up early in the
morning and pray so that should you go
into work and there's a lot of Envy
being manifested towards you maybe you
just got a raise maybe you just got a
bonus maybe you got lifted up to a very
lofty position and now there's envy just
I mean you can feel it you need to know
how to deal with that but if you just
walk into things like this with
Pharisees and Sadducees and people that
are so full of envy and you just walk in
there like hey it's just a normal day
you're real you'll sense it you can feel
you
feel the hatred and you need to know how
to deal with that so that you can defuse
that deflect that and not let that take
your peace praise the Lord
now let's describe just for a moment the
definition of envy what is envy envy is
to feel displeasure and ill-will at
another's success now I'm going to get
to jealousy in just a moment
jealousy is a little bit different is
actually a subgroup of envy but Envy
again is to feel displeasure and
ill-will at another person success
whoo praise the Lord they're upset they
don't like it they don't like it that
you're succeeding or something like that
one minister he has a rather large home
and he has received criticism because of
his home and you know he sent something
very interesting he said the criticism
is not so much that I have that home the
criticism is really in reality they wish
that they had my home but they don't
have it whoa that's true that that's
what the envy is they're actually
wanting something that they don't have
and it makes them mad and they're mad
that you have it that they don't mmm so
they're experiencing displeasure
ill-will toward you because of your
success praise the Lord now jealousy
jealousy can have a couple of different
facets let's talk about the first one
jealousy is wanting the affection and
the attention that is being shown to
someone else okay
again jealousy is wanting that attention
or the affection that is being shown to
someone else and you're like I want that
I want that to be displayed towards me
not that's not right that they're
getting all of that okay that's jealousy
oh my it's all yucky stuff isn't it
jealousy is also a desire to have the
same thing that they have but even if
you get it you're still not happy
because it's not working out for
you that the way it's working out for
them you you you're jealous but you may
even get it but it's like it's not it's
not you're not even having fun with it
but yet they're however they're having a
great time and everything's just like
working wonderful why why is it not
working for me why am I having this a
new sensation and so there's jealousy
also related from that aspect but it's
all it's all a yucky yucky mess
remember in galatians chapter 5 verse 21
really in galatians 5 you have the nine
gifts weren't not not gifts that's first
Corinthians 12 Galatians chapter five
you have the nine fruit of the Holy
Spirit love joy peace patience kindness
goodness gentleness faithfulness and
self-control nine beautiful fruit of the
Holy Spirit now right after the nine
fruit of the Holy Spirit you have the
twelve works of the flesh
don't bite theologians sometimes as the
dirty dozen okay and they're all yucky
that they're just all a big nasty mess
but they're in Galatians chapter five
verse 21 what is describing the twelve
works of the flesh you have to
understand that Envy is listed with
murder right next to it
whew Envy and murder they go together
so now jealousies also in there it's
over over to the left a little bit
so if jealousy is described sometimes
through the color of green you ever
heard that green jealousy well we really
if we're gonna kind of maybe paint Envy
Envy is going to be red because Envy
this displeasure and really getting
upset it's somebody else's success it's
also associated with what can go to rage
watch out many times that rage has even
turned into a murderous spirit it's
happened many times throughout biblical
history and it even happens in our
modern day world what at what a horrible
thing what what a disgusting thing we
really want to watch out for this thing
of envy this thing of India is very very
yucky now Cain actually killed his
brother Abel why because God refused
Cain's offering because it sought what
God wanted and that's not what God asked
for but God accepted Abel's offering and
Abel you know being a tender take one
who took care of sheep he brought you
know the sheep and so forth he did the
things that God wanted and so God's
happy with him and so Cain his face
drops down his countless drops and he
begins to get envious and he gives he
gets so envious that his brother was
except that he was rejected and the Lord
told him the Lord came and talked to him
and said Cain sins crouching at the door
if you do the right thing you'll be
rewarded but you know you're you you
know you better straighten up but he was
so envious of his brothers approval and
his disapproval
he was so envious whether you do he
murdered he murdered his brother mmm Wow
Envy and murder go together this Envy in
this rage and anger they can go together
I was I was similar well I can't
remember where somewhere locally some
years back this probably about 10 years
ago excuse me and ran into a local
businessman Christian so-called
spirit-filled businessman you know some
of these guys they can talk in tongues
shout holler but um they'd steal you
blind rob you blind and no ethics and
their finances rip you off rip their
mother off they would they wouldn't lose
any sleep over and he seemed he seemed
upset he actually he looked angry I said
brother I just kind of crossed his path
when I was going somewhere I saw him
going Summerson brother you are you okay
I mean he looked red he looked red I
said brother you okay he said it's not
right they said what's not right what
are you talking about
he said that pastor any uh he mentioned
a is actually an evangelist he called
him a pastor that evangelist I just
found out I just heard somebody gave him
five million dollars that's not right
you know you know what's making that guy
mad
you know what's making him angry it's
not that it's not that he got 5 million
dollars his other very godly minister
got 5 million dollars so he can preach
the gospel the businessman could care
less if the gospel preached that doesn't
move him what he's angry about but he's
envious about is he didn't get the 5
million dollars he thought he should
have the 5 million dollars that the
heathen go to hell he deserves 5 million
dollars not not the Christian man over
there who's preaching the gospel around
the world literally laying his life down
with blood sweat and tears for the
salvation of souls and somebody gave him
5 million dollars but this guy's over
here mad because somebody gave a man of
God 5 million dollars he's so mad he
looked like he he would I mean he would
get into a physical confrontation with a
man of God just made him mad very mad
mmm well Jesus ran into stuff like that
too I mean they're threatened they tried
to throw him off a cliff they tried the
drug that killing they plot it how they
can kill him and I mean they had a
there's death plots against Jesus
consistently and the angels for God just
protected him and sometimes you just
walked right through the crowd you know
and you know just all this - baloney
that the devil does you if they're
realized when you're walking with the
Lord there is a hedge of protection
around about you don't go outside of the
hedge though you stay in that hedge stay
in that wall and the enemy he can flail
and get mad and huff and puff and bark
and grovel and it doesn't matter he
can't touch you just walk with the Lord
and you're protected but up all that all
that yucky stuff is out there now you
know actually told that missus men I
said I said hey I said that's a
wonderful thing that is an absolute
wonderful thing that that Minister was
given five million dollars I said think
of all the souls he's going to win and
all he could say that's not right
somebody gave him that much money
mmm mm-hmm
now if somebody gave him that much money
he'd probably spend four point nine
million on himself and give the rest
away for something that maybe we just
old a few peanuts God knows what he's
doing god knows what he's doing praise
the Lord
Cain killed Abel out of envy praise God
watch out for the envious spirit because
gods lifting you up watch out for it
hallelujah don't walk into your day not
prayed up there are some people out
there they're so jealous they're so
envious they would love to get you
tangled up and get you to say something
they want to get you worked up and see
here's the purpose of envy the spirit of
envy actually wants to throw a wet towel
on your joyful experience that's what
Envy wants to do it wants to take away
from you your rightful blessing of
happiness and peace and joy and strip
that away from you and make you feel
miserable like they are but don't go for
it you stay happy you stay blessed you
keep walking with the Lord and
everything's gonna be just fine in your
life and the Lord's gonna lift you lift
you higher higher and higher praise God
thank you Lord Jesus
First Samuel chapter 18 one of the
classic examples in the Bible of envy
just really gone out of control First
Samuel chapter 18 verse 6 that would
happened is they were coming home when
David was returning from the slaughter
of the Philistine that the women had
come out of all the cities of Israel
singing and dancing to meet King Saul
with timber rings with joy and with
musical instruments so the women saying
is as they danced and said Saul has
slain his thousands and David his ten
thousands then Saul was very angry see
you see how envy and anger they go
together then Saul was very angry and
the same displeased him and he said they
have ascribed to David ten thousands and
to me he described only thousands hmmm
that's not right what what is he gonna
have next he's gonna probably take my
kingdom hmm and then from then on you
know then on Saul it's just a complete
mess well he already wasn't in the first
place but that's you know just saw was a
very insecure person and you know that's
just something that you'd already be in
a man of the flesh remember these are
works of the flesh that's just something
that um just ran wild in his life ran
wild for him and so of course you know
what happened
there'd be times David's trying to play
the harp to get call get salt King Saul
relaxed because he's got a tornado
spirit but that spirit of envy would get
so strong on Saul he'd grab a javelin
grab a spear and just hurl it at David
and was literally not not playing around
he's trying to kill trying to pin David
to the wall Wow okay now this is
something that you need to know whenever
Envy is being expressed to you in a way
where words like javelins and spears are
being hurled at you then no assuredly
that promotion and lifting up it's right
around the corner for you because it's
right after this that David just began
to ascend higher and higher and then
there's a break where David's has to
branch off and split off from Saul and
then Saul's Kingdom is going down down
down and David is going up up up okay so
watch that if things are being hurled at
you like Spears of words and you know
it's coming out of an envious heart know
that God has promotion
he has promotion for you and you have to
know how to handle that you have to know
how to handle it because even with this
going on it says that David still
conducted himself wisely he would go in
he would go out and he was acting in
such wisdom and it says when Saul saw
how he was behaving himself how David
was conducting himself it says he great
fear came upon him while it brought
great conviction now those that operate
in an envious spirit want to see you get
all scattered and you know get all
frantic and get all upset but when you
stay composed and you walk in the peace
of God and you can't do that without
prayer okay and they can tell that all
that junk it's not affecting you you
know what it does it it exposes them
that hey yes you are in the flesh and
they're gonna do and you are going up
higher and higher and they know that
they're in the wrong and that there's an
element of the Vinge's of the Lord that
will swing back and touch them unless
they repent for doing those types of
things this is very very real we saw
what happened to a cane we saw what
happened to Saul and also with
Pharisees they plot it to kill Jesus
why Envy Envy that was exposed in such a
way that even Pilate a sinner a Gentile
could just look at the situation and say
you know the only reason you guys want
to kill him is because of envy and you
know why the Pharisees and the Sadducees
and the religious leaders of the Jews
you know why they Envy Jesus because he
had one of the greatest things that
people want
he had true honor I mean they would say
things to G the people would say things
like Hosanna and the highest and they
would bestow honor and true respect upon
Jesus and the religious leaders wanted
that so bad but they knew that there
were a bunch of frauds they knew that
there were a bunch of covetous people
but yet they wanted the honor so bad and
so any honor they had was fraudulently
gained but everything that Jesus had was
righteously gained and it ain't about
because they they also knew on the
inside what he has is actually what we
want and we can't have it and he's
actually getting it and it just burned
them up on the inside he had the largest
ministry had the greatest followers in
had the miracles he had the validation
of God he had the signs and wonders but
he also had the deepest respect and
reverence of the people Wyatt they knew
he was the real deal they knew he was
the real deal and the Pharisees that's
really what they wanted the most and
they just saw it all heaped on Jesus and
there they actually said you know the
whole world's run after you they sat
down well what are we gonna do about it
well I'll tell you what well what else
what else could we do let's just kill
him and get rid of him so an even Pilate
saw that their only reason you guys want
me to kill him discuss you're envious of
him so you know the Lord he had to deal
with that you you'll feel that at times
that all the time sometimes you'll be
around people that love you and just you
know they do think you're wonderful they
see you for the blessing you are but
you'll have others that are either
immature or misinformed or just don't
know what they're doing
and so they could yield to envy and
even jealousy and things along that line
but you know what just love the people
just love people to keep on going here's
the thing about when you get prayed up
and you go into your day it's one of the
most amazing things you do you would you
like a supernatural thing to happen to
you okay
do this get prayed up really good I'm
talking real good get up early get up
early in the morning before Sun ever
comes up get up at 3:33 join me at 3:33
at least do it for 21 days walk into
your date watch this you want a
supernatural miracle watch how you go
into situations and maybe you run into
envious people maybe you're running the
people that just want to engage you
verbally somehow but yet yet because
you've prayed the Holy Spirit governs
your mouth and you know after the
conversation was over you think wow if
that had just been my normal self I to
probably blab something that would have
really messed that up and you know what
you would have but there's something
about having spent time in the presence
of the Lord that you're not baited
you're not you're not led into it by the
flesh and sometimes you talk and you
just diffuse it and nothing ever happens
because you diffuse it you stay calm or
whatever it is or the Lord gives you
words to kind of you know if you have to
engage it like Jesus did at times with
the Pharisees you just hold your own and
they can't overthrow you verbally you
hold your own and other times those are
the times the Holy Spirit will just say
don't even talk to them because they're
not they're not gonna listen
just like Jesus didn't let the blind
follow the blind and so just go this way
don't even don't even answer the
questions because they're never going to
get it anyhow it's not a matter if you
giving them 100 scriptures they're still
not going to obey so it's just it's just
amazing that when you walk close with
the Lord there's times he tells you what
to say and there's other times he just
holds you back and you know don't say
anything or say very very little and you
walk away from it thinking that wasn't
me that my I don't have that that of
grace to do that that's God governing
literally the words that come out of my
mouth whether to speak or not
to say a lot or hardly say anything or
just not engage at all I mean it is raw
supernatural it really is the grace of
God and you know just get up early and
pray and you'll see it happen you'll see
it happened actually on a regular basis
and the Lord needed that because this
this is stuff that he was running into
you know on a regular basis with those
ever envious and of course as we see the
envious
you know also related to anger and stuff
like that Paul ran into it on a constant
basis and sadly with Paul and I won't
say it's sad because it was part of also
his develop and what God allowed him go
through but what Paul a lot of the Envy
was even in the church because when he
was locked up in prison he said there
are some that are preaching a lot out of
like their own selfish ambition kind of
like spying Paul that he's in jail but
yeah we're out here really doing and
Paul's like oh well you know at least
the Gospels preached whether the motives
are right or wrong you know God will
sort all that out later but it's just
amazing that people would be so in the
church ministers would be so crude that
they would even in a sense mock Paul
while he's in prison the great man of
God why would they do that because
they're envious of him mmm praise the
Lord but my friends keep your eyes on
the Lord God has a special path a
special plan for you a great destiny
he's taking you into high places and
because of that because of that lifting
up there will be those that'll be
envious I don't worry about it just keep
on going serve the Lord you know bless
those who would persecute you and just
keep on going with the Lord and just
stay happy in the Lord here's the thing
sometimes people think well maybe maybe
they wouldn't be as envious if I you
know didn't have much let me tell you
this right now if you said you know in
order to be humble or sweet I'm not even
gonna wear shoes I'm gonna walk around
barefoot you would still have people
that would be envious and that would
persecute you because you know maybe you
cut your toenails and maybe they think
well if you're really humble you would
let them grow long like an eagle or
the wild animal you know yeah there are
just people that are out there you can't
please them they're not happy they're
they're upset they're jealous they wish
they could have what you have they would
never admit that but that's the truth
they wish they could experience the
blessing that you have they would never
admit that but it is true so they're
envious and really what it is they're
just frustrated with their own lives but
you keep on going and walk in the
blessing of the Lord because they're
gonna they're gonna persecute you give
you a hard time
whether you're blessed or whether you
know you're just trying to live as
moderate as you can so you might as well
let the Lord go ahead and bless you and
be happy and enjoy the goodness of the
Lord
but don't let these things throw you get
prayed up and it when you do that that's
stuff well it will run off of you like
some of these animals we have a terrier
and she's a wonderful little dog a
little uh she's a Welsh Terrier but she
has glands in her body that secrete oil
and the oil kind of works into the the
fur and so she's almost in a sense like
waterproof and she's made for that
that's what her breed does you know
chases uh she's a small dog but chases
these things that would be involved with
water and stuff like that so she's like
a waterproof dog because it just kind of
it don't it won't soak into her same way
with the Holy Spirit when you get real
prayed up those things that are set out
there you don't even pay attention to
them you just keep on going if something
this said that you do hear or see it
just it just rolls off of you it will
not penetrate your impervious to it
praise God Heavenly Father I pray for
your people blessing and strength and
joy Lord let them to continue to be
lifted up by your strength and your
grace into the high places the high
calling that you have for them we thank
you Father God just even even as you
counsel the psalmist of Psalm 37 verses
1 & 2 where you told the psalmist don't
fret or be envious of evil workers and
those doers of iniquity who seem like
they're prospering and have such a good
time because they're all going to pass
away and the way
it will be removed from off the earth so
father we just thank you we thank you
that we refuse to allow envy or jealousy
to affect us and our assignment and our
calling and we phew we refuse also to
let envy or jealousy be something that
would try to rise up in us so father we
give you praise we thank you in the name
of Jesus for your grace and strength in
Jesus name Amen
let's take communion together today I
think one of the ways that we can guard
our hearts from Envy is always love
support and encourage and push others
onward in their call and in their
assignment from the Lord praise God
praise the Lord I think one of the
reasons people get into Envy is they
think well that person's doing so well
they're doing so well actually takes
away from me being blessed that's never
true every everybody can be blessed
everybody can be prospered God's got
enough prosperity for everybody when I
told the story about dr. Daniels and how
God was prospering him by selling all
these houses he actually created a
phenomenal market where he began to move
from selling and begin to move over into
building houses and he sold them just as
fast as he could build them well now
that he's focused on this that just
allowed more he actually created more
prosperity for all the other villagers
and the other the other relatives were
envious eventually realized that wait a
minute he's actually creating more
opportunities for us he's not taking
opportunity away he's actually creating
more and he was just and still is a
great man of God a phenomenal wealth
creator about the anointing of the
Spirit of God upon him but don't be
envious because you think they have a
lot their gain is somehow like causes me
to have loss let that's that's a very
carnal way of thinking that's actually a
socialist way of thinking God's got more
than enough for everybody
praise the Lord so tie into the Lord and
be happy be happy encourage others I
really enjoyed one of these past Olympic
track and field races one of these men's
events where there was an American he
crossed the finish line won this event
that had not been won by an American I
think for like a hundred two years or
something like
that so he grabbed the American crosses
the finish line first and he's overjoyed
ecstatic really that he won he wasn't
expected to win but he won and you know
he was he's a great athlete so he won
first place but the guy who finished
third who got the bronze medal from
Australia came right up behind him with
such joy and congratulated him and put
his hands on his shoulders and was so I
mean you could see on camera that this
guy who got third was sincerely happy
for the guy that won because he knew it
was a great moment in that guy's life
and he was a young guy too that won
first place I found that later of course
the God that got third that got the
bronze medal it's a rock solid Christian
that loves God with all of his heart
so when you really do love the Lord you
just want to push others towards their
calling towards their destiny and get
behind them there's no need to be
envious guts got blessing for everybody
praise God hallelujah now father we
thank you for the bread the juice we
consecrate it we bless it now in the
name of Jesus we thank you this is the
flesh and the blood of our Savior who
has redeemed us from all sin sickness
disease poverty and spiritual death
father we received the body of Jesus now
with great Thanksgiving with great
Thanksgiving let us be people that
diffuse Envy with love and with kindness
but also confidence of who we are in you
we thank you for your blessings we give
you all the praise on we go with you
Father
in Jesus name Amen let's receive the
body of Christ
praise the Lord Psalm 37 verse 1 do not
fret because of evildoers nor be envious
of the workers of iniquity you don't
need to in you don't need to envy
anybody in an unrighteous way you just
don't need to do that Pastor Steven that
person is a sinner
they're not even serving God they've got
billions of millions of dollars
don't worry about it verse 2 for they
shall soon be cut down like the grass
and wither as the green herb praise the
Lord
we're serving the Lord we're gonna live
with the Lord forever we're heaven-bound
hallelujah we don't need the envy them
they need to look at us and say they've
got what we need you do hallelujah we've
got the gospel the eternal gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ father we thank you
for the blood of Jesus we receive it by
faith now with Thanksgiving let's drink
you to receive amen praise God in
closing if you're watching today's
program and you think pastor Steve and
I've enjoyed today's message but I feel
convicted and you realize you've never
given your heart to Christ then I would
like to give you an opportunity to right
now to make Jesus your Lord and your
personal Savior if you've never asked
him into your heart please pray this
prayer after me say Lord Jesus I come to
you as a sinner I ask you to forgive me
of all of my sins wash me with your
precious blood I give my life to you
write my name in your book of life right
now I believe that you were crucified at
Calvary that you were placed in the tomb
and that you rose three days later I
receive you as my Lord and Savior come
into my heart and save me now thank you
Jesus
amen praise God if you've prayed that
prayer I would love to hear from you
please email me at contact at Steven
Brooks dot org we rejoice and the
heavens the Angels rejoice in your
salvation today my friends thanks for
watching I'll see you back
next time