Series: I Need Help Getting The Monkey Off My Back

Part 2 - Dealing With The Monkey Of More Strong Emotions

INTRO: Have you ever had a problem dealing with something in life that seemed to have control over you? Well I am going to deal with some things that are kind of like a "monkey on your back" kind of thing.

So, today when we hear the term, they have a monkey on their back, they are having a terrible time dealing with an issue, habit, or even a sin in their lives. I want to start a series dealing with some of these things people face in life.

Today I want to continue looking at the Monkey of Strong Emotions. Envy and jealousy, anger and hatred: These are the areas I want to look at today.

Hebrews 12:1-3 will be our theme scripture during this series:

Hebrews 12:1-3 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Genesis 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

Envy can escalate to a departure or break in fellowship

Cain was envious of Abel's special relationship with God

Cain silently stepped it up and slew Abel

Genesis 26:14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

The enmity with the Phillistines started with simple envy

The Phillistines soon stepped it up to spiteful actions

Their actions were against one of God's servants

Genesis 26:15 - 21 15For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

16And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.

17And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.

18And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

19And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

20And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.

21And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.

 

Envy pushes us to desire and grab what we should not pursue

Psalms 37:1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

Proverbs 3:31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

Our society too often idolizes the worst actions

Hollywood with all its ungodliness

Record labels' messengers of immorality and filth

Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

Proverbs 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

Envy corrupts the very soul and brings about wrong actions

Galatians 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

James 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

Genesis 37:11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

Vain and unneeded fame and glory

Bitterness and turmoil

Lying and ungodly nature

Kidnapping, thievery (Joseph's birthright would have been theirs), pain and sadness, and even to the point of murder

 

Numbers 16:1 - 50

1Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:

2And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:

3And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

4And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

5And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will show who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.

6This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;

7And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.

8And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:

9Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?

10And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?

11For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?

12And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:

13Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?

14Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.

15And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.

16And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:

17And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.

18And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.

19And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.

20And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

21Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

22And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

23And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

24Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

25And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.

26And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

27So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.

28And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

29If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.

30But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.

31And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:

32And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

33They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

34And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

35And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

36And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

37Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.

38The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.

39And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:

40To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.

41But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.

42And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.

43And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.

44And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

45Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

46And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.

47And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.

48And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

49Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.

50And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

Envy caused a fateful group to stand against God's anointed

Motivated by envy, power, fame, greed, etc.

Cost them and others their lives and families

In contrast, Moses…

Stood against their defiant disobedience - 22

Pronounced God's terrible judgment - 31-32

Positioned himself to help his people - 35

Lesson learned from verse 40…

A "stranger" will not get in

 

Esther 5:13 - 14 13Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.

14Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

Envy opens the door for poor advice and improper thoughts

To deal harshly or falsely or to just win

Envy ruined Haman's life

Psalms 73:1 - 17 1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

11 And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the most High?

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

Envy skews our thoughts to the point they are totally twisted

We begin to look at life from the wrong side

We only preview the present scenario

We need to see the end of all things and the blessings God has for us there

This brings us to jealousy…

Genesis 37:4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

Jealousy easily becomes full-blown hatred

1 Samuel 18:8 - 9 8And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?

9And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

Jealousy clouds the mind and fogs our vision

Instead of being thankful of David's help, Saul was bitter and resentful

Instead of giving recognition Saul found fault - 9

Instead of showing love Saul sought our a chance to do evil

Luke 15:28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.

Jealousy brings our the childlike attitudes we should outgrow

Are we also jealous of God's love given?

Are we also jealous of God's love shown?

Are we also jealous of God's love accepted?

 

Okay, I cannot get into the next two today.

But, before I end, what do we do with these two devastating emotions in our lives?

Lay them aside (every sin and weight that so easily ensnares us)

Let them go

Confess them for what they are

Confess them for what they do to our lives

Drop them run from them flee them at full speed

Ask God to forgive us

He can

He wants to

He will forgive us - only ask

Okay, here comes the hard part…

Ask the party you have wronged to forgive you.

OOOOOUUUUUUUCCCCCCCHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Replace them with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. The scripture say there is no law against those. They will make you a better person and a stronger Christian.

 

 

 

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 101407am