A Jealous God
by Francis Frangipane
Have you ever sensed spiritual resistance,
as though some power much greater than you
was deliberately opposing your success? We
often assume it is the devil who is
fighting us. Allow me to suggest that, on
some occasions, what is standing in your
way may not be an enemy at all; it may
actually be the jealousy of God.
Is the Almighty jealous for us? Yes.
The Lord describes Himself often in the
Bible as "a jealous God" (Ex. 20:5, 34:14;
Deut. 4:24, 5:9, etc.). We should expect
He would be jealous since we have actually
been created for His pleasure. While His
covering, nurturing love accepts us as we
are, a time comes when He begins to confront
the false gods, the idols, which rule in our
hearts. Indeed, anything in us that denies
Him full access to our souls, that stands
between our hearts and His, becomes His enemy.
The revelation that His jealousy will fight
against our hidden idols can be frightening
if we are intent upon sin, yet it can also be
liberating if we desire intimacy with Him. For
He will not allow us to find enduring
fulfillment in something apart from Him.
Listen to His command in Exodus: "Watch yourself
that you make no covenant with the inhabitants
of the land into which you are going, lest it
become a snare in your midst. But rather, you
are to tear down their altars and smash their
sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim ---
for you shall not worship any other god, for
the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous
God" (Ex. 34:12-14).
Oh, let us hear God's heart in trembling fear.
The Lord's very name is Jealous. Jealousy is
central to His nature. Indeed, it is an
abomination that false gods should occupy our
hearts, for we are the temple of God.
A Land Of Idols
Israel committed many sins, but the worst of
them involved idol worship; idolatry, beyond
all others, tried God's heart. How does that
relate to us, you ask? We don't have other
gods in our society. Yes, we do. Though they
are not standing openly in our city squares
(usually), the idols in our land are just as
demanding. In fact, our nation is full of
false gods that influence both our actions
and our thoughts. Since we each were created
to worship God in focused purity, God must
confront the idols in our hearts. Indeed,
from His view idolatry is unfaithfulness.
Recall the Lord's word, "No one can serve
two masters." One of the most dominant idols
in our culture is obsession with wealth.
Even though our currency says "In God We
Trust," it is more often the dollar we rely
upon, not God. In fact, while billions of
the world's poor starve, we are addicted to
spending our wealth selfishly upon ourselves.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "You cannot serve
(bow before) God and mammon." God, not money,
must be our master. If we tithe, give to the
poor, and do not let money rule us, wealth
can certainly become our servant, and thus a
blessing to us and others. But if we allow
finances to rule us, mammon can easily become
a false God adding stress and greed to our
existence. Yet, remember: Jesus did not say
we couldn't have money; He said we couldn't
serve money. The voice of mammon must be
subdued if the Lord alone is to be our Master.
Betrothed To One Lord
Consider the powerful influence that
entertainment, sports, fashion and the drive
for success and materialism have over American
society. If the Lord has to compete with our
passions, then we are harboring idols in our
hearts. Fear also is a powerful idol that
rules many souls, especially during these times.
We must see God's jealousy as His desire to
love and shelter us through life. He is without
the dark, evil elements that human jealousy has.
But even with our finite understanding, we know
jealousy is response to unfaithfulness in a
loved one. Once human jealousy awakens, it
easily can become a consuming fire. If this has
happened to you, then you know somewhat how our
unfaithfulness affects the Lord's heart. Paul
certainly was thinking about this when he wrote,
"For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy;
for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ
I might present you as a pure virgin" (2 Cor. 11:2).
James 4:5 says, "He jealously desires the Spirit
which He has made to dwell in us." Yet, James also
said, "You adulteresses, do you not know that
friendship with the world is hostility toward God?
Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the
world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4).
The Lord jealously desires our spirit; He calls us
into oneness with Him, where we live fearlessly and
radiantly as His bride in the earth. Sometimes, as
I seek the Lord, I call Him by His name "Jealous."
It has a profound effect on my heart. I know He knows
me and loves me. As I surrender to Him, I actually
advance deeper into the secret chambers of His love.
Yet, should I pursue other things at the expense of
my time with Him --- even this writing itself --- I
feel the fire of His jealousy. I am hemmed in and
unable to advance successfully anywhere except
toward Him.
The Idol Of Wanton Immorality
We've discussed the idol of mammon and we've
mentioned other idols such as fear and
worldliness. But let me also speak candidly
about another false god: the powerful idol of
unbridled sexuality.
Remember, in Exodus 34 we previously read the
Lord's command to cut down the Asherim. The
Asherim were fertility goddesses worshiped in the
ancient pagan countries surrounding Israel. They
were demons that had infested human sexuality and
perverted it until sex actually became a central
object of worship.
Today, in America, we may not have Asherim or
fertility poles on the street corners, but
certainly the realm of human sexuality has been
exploited by the demonic realm. Sexuality is the
bait used to sell a myriad of products that, in
themselves, have nothing to do with sex. It's a
demonic power in our world that is corrupting
millions of people.
Let me be very plain: If you're watching movies
or looking at other media that glorifies wanton
or perverted sexuality, you're serving a demonic
idol. My friends, don't compromise with immoral
entertainment. Don't compromise with the sensuality
that oozes from most of the fashion and music
industries. Put an Internet filter on your computer
so you won't stumble. Get rid of the cable movie
channels that bring immorality into your home. One
thing leads to another and you will soon be under
the power of a corrupting and addicting influence
that will literally consume your soul.
The Lord created sexuality for the purpose of
natural reproduction. Reproduction is God's design,
yes. But Satan has manipulated God's purpose in
order to bind people to their fleshly identity.
Once bound, we find ourselves trapped in an almost
irresistible and insatiable hunger for increasingly
perverse forms of sexuality, none of which have a
purpose in reproduction or marriage fulfillment.
Beloved, don't tolerate open doors to immoral filth.
Capture the first inclinations toward sensuality,
for it leads to seduction and many a life has been
destroyed by this idol. Do not "own" perverse
thoughts that urge you toward adulterous or
homosexual lifestyles. If you fall, get up, repent,
and rise again (See Mic. 7:7-8). Remember, God wants
you to destroy the idol of wanton sexuality, not
have it destroy you. You must be aggressive and stand
up and fight!
Before we pray, let's recap: God jealously desires your
heart. He is looking for people who are faithful to Him
in their spirits. And, He calls us to tear down and
destroy the inner idols that hold influence over us.
Lord Jesus, I submit my heart to You. I want a heart
free from idols, free from false gods, free from
demonic masters. Father, I repent for allowing idols
in my heart. In Jesus' name, I take authority over
every unclean spirit that has gained access to my
life through my compromise. Lord, be Thou the only
God who sits in the temple of my heart."
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