Devotion 12 - Insecurity & Jealousy

Those struggling with an orphan spirit constantly battle with insecurity, since security originates in a secure father-child relationship. And unfortunately, insecurity often leads to jealousy. Those with an orphan spirit are insecure when they see others better than themselves and they perceive the strengths of others as competition rather than help. Secretly, they rejoice in the weaknesses of others and are happy when others fail because that make them feel good about themselves. Only those who are truly secured in the Father’s love are willing to help others succeed and will truly rejoice and celebrate their success from their heart.

First Murder - Cain kill Abel

Gen.4:3-8 – “And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord.  Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell…Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.”

Cain could have murdered Abel, his brother out of several motives, but the most obvious is jealousy because God accepted Abel’s offering but not his. The first murder in human history was rooted in insecurity and jealousy.

First Betrayal - Joseph’s Brothers

Gen.37:3-8; 23-28 - “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also, he made him a tunic of many colours. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him…Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.  So, he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:  There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed, your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.” And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So, they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.”

“Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” So, he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”  And his brothers were jealous of him…and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.”

Here is another example of how destructive jealousy can be. Joseph was Jacob’s favourite son, and Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colours, symbolic of his prominence in Jacob’s eyes. Out of jealousy, the brothers almost murdered Joseph, their own brother. Their orphan spirit prevents them from rejoicing and helping Joseph to walk into his destiny.

Saul and David

1 Sam.18:6-8 – “Now it had happened as 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 tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments.  So, the women sang as they danced, and said: “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousand.”

Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousand, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?”

With his gifting and talents, David would have greatly benefited King Saul and Israel, but because Saul was jealous of David, Saul became David’s enemy, which subsequently led to Saul’s downfall.

Miriam & Aaron

Miriam was an obedient daughter, a protective big sister, a prophetess, and a worship leader. In fact, she was the one who helped preserve Moses’ life and shaped his destiny (Ex.2:1-9). However, insecurity and jealousy got in her way. She felt jealous that Moses was a more exalted prophet than she was and so she led her brother Aaron into the same negative thinking: “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” (Num.12:2). As a result, she suffered the consequences of leprosy and experienced public disgrace and isolation from the camp.

Insecurity manifests in different ways in different people. In some, insecurity is expressed through meekness, timidity, compliance, and always assuming blame for themselves. In others, it can be defiance, arrogance and never admitting wrong. Insecurity can cause some to avoid attention; but others to crave for as much attention as possible, with the deep-seated of failure within them driving them to prove themselves and to succeed at all cost.

Those with an orphan spirit never have enough career success, material possessions, pleasures or illicit relationships to satisfy the voids in their hearts which is related to their identity. Due to their insecurity, they are constantly struggling with self-esteem and self-worth. It is very dangerous to base our identity on external referencing, i.e. others’ approval and acceptance, as that can often lead to discouragement, depression, anger and even suicide.

We are all God’s children and have unique calls in our lives. Rather than being jealous of others’ positions or possessions in life, we should rejoice with what God has done through them and work in unity with others for the common good of His kingdom. A house divided cannot stand, and jealousy can do a lot of harm to others and also to ourselves.

If we are always striving with the need of others’ approval, affirmation and acceptance, or if we are seeing a pattern of regularly disobeying Christ due to fear of man – then we have an identity problem. We need to repent and learn to walk as sons and daughters of God.