I know you want to please
the Spirit of God with your life, so today I want to
tell you about something that is guaranteed not
to please Him. By knowing this, you can avoid grieving
Him and can concentrate your attention on doing those
things that are sure to bring Him pleasure.
James 4:5 says, "Do ye think that the scripture saith
in vain, the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to
envy?" I want to draw your attention to the word
"envy" in this verse. But first I want to back up and
speak to you about the "lust" that the Holy Spirit
feels for you and me.
I noted in the February 14 Sparkling Gem that
the word "lust" is the Greek word epipotheo, a
word that portrays an intense desire; a craving; a
hunger; an ache; a yearning for something; a longing
or pining for something. Usually this word is
used to indicate an intense yearning for something
that is morally wrong and sinful. But in James 4:5,
this Greek word describes the intense yearning that
the Holy Spirit possesses to have us entirely for
Himself. Because the word epipotheo is used to
depict the Spirit's longing to have us, it expresses
the deep love and affection that the Spirit of God has
for every believer.
However, James goes on to tell us that in addition to
this intense yearning for us, the Holy Spirit also
experiences "envy" regarding you and me. The word
"envy" in James 4:5 is the Greek word phthnos,
a word that describes a person who is jealous
about something; a person who feels rivalry or envy;
or a person who holds a grudge because of someone
else's behavior. It also carries the idea of ill
will and malice.
This word phthnos is the very word that would
have been used to illustrate the emotions a young man
experiences when he discovers his spouse is being
romantically pursued by someone else.Because James
uses this word to depict the Holy Spirit, we need to
stop and think about what it means for a few moments.
Anger, resentment, rage, envy, jealousy -
these are the emotions a man feels in such a
situation. He takes this threat to his marital
relationship very personally and holds a grudge
against the pursuer.Every time the husband thinks
about what that romantic bandit is trying to do,
feelings of maliceand ill will toward
the violator rise up in his soul.
Even more significantly, a man who really loves his
wife is not going to sit by and watch his wife be
stolen! The envy and jealousy he feels will move him
to action - to do everything in his power to win back
his wife and permanently eliminate his competitor.
Because the husband is envious, he does all he can to
see his relationship with his wife restored. All of
these ideas are conveyed by the Greek word phthnos
used in James 4:5 when the Bible tells us about the
"envy" of the Holy Spirit.
One scholar says the picture contained in
the Greek word phthnos could be understood this
way:
"The Spirit takes it very personally when we
share our lives with the world. He wants us so
entirely for Himself that if the world tries to
take us away, it infuriates Him. You need to know
that in these cases, the Holy Spirit will not idly
sit by and watch it happen. He'll do something to
change the situation!"
Not only does it infuriate the Holy Spirit when
believers turn their devotion to the world, but it
drives Him to intense jealousy. At this point, He will
release His full rage against that unholy
relationship, moving on the scene like a Divine Lover
who has come to defend and rescue the relationship He
holds so dear. This is something you can be sure of:
If you commit more of your heart,soul, and attention
to worldly things than you give to the Spirit of God,
He will not take it lightly.
Never forget that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Lover.
He is preoccupied with you. He wants to possess you
totally, and He desires that your affection be set
wholly on Him. That's why the Holy Spirit feels like a
lover who has been robbed if you walk and talk like an
unbeliever or give your life to the things of this
world. He jealously desires His relationship with you
to be restored. He has divine malice toward the
worldliness that has usurped His role in your life.
The Holy Spirit is not a passive Partner. He
aggressively and actively pursues you. He fiercely
wants more of you. When you give part of yourself to
something or someone else's control, the Holy Spirit
wants to seize that part of your life and bring it
back under His divine control. He even has malice
toward your preoccupation with things in this natural
realm.
So make your relationship with the Holy Spirit your
top priority. Don't give Him a reason to feel
betrayed by or envious of other things in your life
that have taken His place. Get to know the Holy
Spirit's voice in your spirit so He can help you set
your life in order. Make sure every area of
your life is under His loving control! |