Most people don't think that envy is something that they would have to worry about, but I would beg to differ. There are certain circumstances that sponsor this spirit; and if we're not careful, we, too, can become victims of the illusion of envy. One of the reasons why we need to be on guard against this sinister spirit is because we are getting ready to enter a season where God is getting ready to bestow rewards and promotions.
For a long time, there have been many of us that really haven't had a lot, as it relates to material and financial acquisitions. This, my brothers and sisters, is about to change. The days of the devout Christians being broke are about to be over! Hallelujah! With this being the case, people who were comfortable and content with you not having anything, will not be so when God promotes you to where He's ordained you to be. So you need to get prepared for the "haters." Oh yes, they're coming. And you should expect them to come.
And for the record, you're not going to be able to "downplay" the blessing that God is going to give unto you. You won't be able to do that, because the whole reason that God is going to bless you in the way that He is, is so that He may be glorified. So, you need to prepare your heart and mind for those individuals, particularly those closest to you, to be irritated, cynical, and basically non-supportive, as you begin to move into the direction and the abundance that God has prepared for those who have been faithful and obedient to Him.
Then we need to watch out for our own susceptibility to envy. This vulnerability can grow out of a "spirit of comparison." One of the things that a lot of us do (I believe to a large degree unconsciously) is determine our own self-worth by comparing ourselves with someone else. My pastor taught me a long time ago, you always win in a comparison, and you always lose in a comparison. This is the danger of the "comparison" spirit. Once you start looking at what "so and so's" got, and what they make (financially) and how they're living, you start to draw assessments upon yourself. Not only is this not healthy, it's not of God. Once you start playing the "comparison game," inevitably, you'll find yourself longing for what they've got, or thinking you "deserve" what somebody else has: "They ain't smarter than me," "They aren't more spiritual than me," and the list goes on. This type of thinking is what gives Satan the foothold he needs to plant that spirit of envy in your mind and soul. And remember, it was this spirit that led the Pharisees to crucify Christ (Matthew 27).
The best way to protect yourself from this insidious spirit is through humility and being hidden in Christ. If you stay humble, then you'll understand that "whatever" you receive, you don't deserve. If you stay abased, you don't have to fall. That's why humility is such a blessing. It allows you to keep things in "godly" perspective; particularly the perspective of yourself.
If you want to compare yourself to somebody, compare yourself to Christ. Compare yourself to the Man who made Himself of no reputation (Philippians 2). Compare yourself to Him who was Meek and Lowly in heart (Matthew 11). Compare yourself to Him who knew no sin but suffered and died for the sins of the world unjustly. It's hard to become "envious" of that. Saints, this spirit of envy is dangerous. Let us keep our minds on Christ, that we may avoid the illusion of envy.
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