Tearing Down the Stronghold of Negativity pt. 5

Overcoming Selfish Ambition

We are finishing off this series today.

Today we are going to find the root of all negativity.

It’s not rejection.

It’s not the pain in your life.

It’s not your circumstances.

It’s not the people you are around.

There is one main root of all negativity and it is an ugly word called SELF!

The Bible refers to it as selfish ambition. What is selfish ambition?

James 3:14–16 “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”

Selfishness is obvious. It is being focused on self.

Ambition or self-seeking means to be led of your flesh and your feelings. It means to seek after what you flesh desires.

This my friends is THE source of all negativity.

Jonah 4 NKJV

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!” But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?

Negatives found in chapter 4

Pride

Displeasure

Anger

Thoughts of death

Complaining

Discontentment

Judgement

Lack of empathy

Victim mentality

Entitlement

Rebellion

Injustice

Do you have a right to be angry?

God asked Jonah this question twice.

The first time Jonah did not answer.

The second time was after God began taking Jonah’s comfort away.

We will put to voice the anger we have at God when we feel like He is being unfair to us and when our comforts are removed.

James 3:14–16 “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”

Galatians 5:19–21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

2 Corinthians 12:19–20 “Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults;”

Philippians 2:1–17 NKJV

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

Secular psychiatrists and counesleors-

#1 cause of anxiety and depression?

Thinking about yourself too much.

Narcissim- Covert Narcissim

Passive aggressive

Condescending

Threatened by honesty

Denies the feelings of others

Victim mentality

Cynical and sarcastic

Exaggerates struggles

Focuses on unfairness

Holds on to grudges

Refuses to let go of things

Has a double standard for themselves

Focuses on their problems

Has outbursts of rage and contempt in private

Does not sincerely apologize

Lacks empathy

Walks in false humility

Uses guilt and shame in order to control

Low self-esteem and self-worth

Always seeking for a feeling of affirmation and acceptance.

STOP THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF!

Vlad- What you feed is what will get stronger and what gets stronger will dominate.

Some of us are being dominated by our thoughts.

Some of us are allowing others to influence us and then we are being sucked into a feeding frenzy of negativity.

Math- Subtraction.

You can be a positive 3, but if you are around someone who is a negative 7, you end up a negative 4.

Philippians 4:4–13 NKJV

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Emotional Healing

Deliverance

You can’t cast out the flesh.

You have to make a choice to think about what God is doing in your situation rather than about how it is affecting you.

A choice to think of others before yourself.

A choice to think about the good in your life rather than the negative.

You life is what you think of it.