The Power of Jealousy

(CEV) Genesis 37:17...Joseph left and found his brothers in Dothan. 18 But before he got there, they saw him coming and made plans to kill him.

Genesis 37 records a very cruel act done by a group of individuals to another person. While visiting the city of Shechem, Joseph was apprehended, stripped of a valuable coat given to him by his father, and then thrown into a pit and left to die (Genesis 37:23-24). He was then apprehended and sold into slavery like a piece of property. Ironically, all of this happened because he obeyed the command of his father! (Genesis 37:13). It would have been bad enough had Joseph been treated this way by total strangers. But imagine how heart-broken he must have been to be done this way by his very own brothers!

Why was Joseph treated so cruelly by individuals so close to him? What drove his brothers to be so “low-down and trifling” towards Joseph? Unfortunately, his brothers were jealous of him (Genesis 37:3-4) and their jealousy drove them to do such a thing. Jealousy is a powerful motivator and it’s the driving force behind some of the deviance done towards others. Jealousy can motivate one of the members of a couple to follow the other party around spying on them and even cause bodily harm if they feel like the relationship is compromised. It’s jealousy—more often than not—that’s the catalyst behind gossip, slander, and attacks on people’s character and integrity. Jealousy will cause people to do some of the most hateful, hurtful, and horrendous things regardless of the relationship of the parties involved.

The exhortation today is this: Never underestimate the power of jealousy!

Let’s Pray: “Father, we pray that You’ll examine our hearts and if there is any hint of jealousy, forgive us and deliver us from it! We pray that as long as we live that we won’t be jealous of anybody. Help us to rejoice when others are rejoicing and to mourn when others mourn, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Daily Prayer: “Oh, that You would bless me indeed,
and enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me,
and that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!”
The Prayer of Jabez, I Chronicles 4:10

Daily Confession: Father, I thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conqueror and not the conquered



I thank You for giving me all things that pertain unto life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I shall live and not die to declare your works

I thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I'm healed

I confess that I will not be stressed, oppressed, or depressed

Because You're keeping me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



I confess that I will not be distracted, disorganized, or in disarray,

but I will be diligent to what God has called me to do



I confess that there shall not be any lack in my life

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus

Thank You that all things are working together for my good

And that You always cause me to triumph



This is the day that you have made

I will rejoice and be glad in it

In Jesus, Name, amen.