How many times do you look at others and say they are prideful? How often do you look at others and compare yourself with “their pride?” Instead of looking at others and being judgmental, look rather to yourself, look in the mirror and ask yourself, “am I prideful am I haughty, am I arrogant?” God has given us the scriptures to examine to help us along the way. Perhaps God’s Word can give us the information we need.
Daniel 5
This is the story of Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar who was very prideful of “his” accomplishments. He gave no honor to God who is the true God and thus God took the throne away from him. Belshazzar was giving a great feast for all the nobles of the land. He dishonored God by his actions. His pride cost him more than his kingdom, that very night it cost him his life.
You can read of another similar account in 2 Chronicles 26 where King Uzziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. King Uzziah took care of the people, built cities, created a great army, but then he became prideful. His pride, the scripture says, led to his downfall. He did that which was unlawful. He entered the temple and burned incense which only the priests could do. As a result of his pride, leprosy broke out on his forehead that remained for the rest of his life. He no longer lived in the palace but in a separate house, isolated until the day he died.
You can read in Proverbs 6:16-19 that there are seven things the Lord detests and the first one listed is “Pride.” Why does God detest “Pride?” Because it says to others that, “I am better than you are.” (My baseball team is better, my company is better; my home is nicer, etc.) You look down on people because they have not accomplished what you’ve accomplished, or so you think. Pride occurs when you want to glorify yourself and your accomplishments. Pride says to God, “I don’t need you; I can do it on my own.” Pride is when sinful human beings aspire to the same status and position of God and refuse to acknowledge their dependency on Him. Pride says to God, “I am going to contend with you for supremacy.” Contend with God for supremacy? You are probably saying that you would never do that. Won’t you? What makes you so sure? Are you prideful of the fact that you are not prideful?
You can read in Ezekiel 28 where God calls Lucifer the model of perfection and in Isaiah 14 he is called the “Morning star, son of the dawn.” Lucifer wanted to contend for supremacy with God and we know that God was quick to respond. Because no sin is permitted in heaven, Lucifer was cast out, he and all the angels who became prideful with him. On your own, are you more powerful than Lucifer?
After Lucifer fell he was given a new name, Satan (Adversary of God). He is opposed to God. He is trying to deceive you and bring you down to his level. You’ve heard the saying, “misery loves company?” That’s Satan. He wants you with him. He will do whatever he can to bring you down. He started at the very beginning with Adam and Eve. In Genesis 3 we read where the Serpent deceived Eve. He honed in on the one thing that brought him down… Pride. “You can be just like God, you can be as smart as Him, as wise as Him, and you can live forever.” He of course lied to Eve but it was her Pride, her desire to be “just like God” that brought her down.
What about Job? Surely not Job! Didn’t God say that Job was blameless and upright? We read in Job 32:2 that Elihu became very angry with Job because he was justifying himself rather than God. Job’s sin was Pride.
Proverbs 16:18 says that Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before the fall. This can be on an individual basis or a corporate basis. It can happen in a local community or on a national scale. It can happen in a small church or a mega church. When pride enters in, be sure of this, destruction is coming, the fall is just around the corner. You can read in Isaiah 3 how the women of Zion were haughty, thinking themselves to be better than others, always looking down at people. It said that their necks were stretched out (kind of like having your nose in the air), they were flirting with their eyes, taking dainty steps, and covered with jewelry. They were snobbish. God doesn’t want his people to be prideful. He loves you to much to leave you there. He will do whatever it takes to bring you back to humility. For the women of Zion, this meant that God would give the women baldness with scabs on their heads. This meant God would cause them to loose all of their fine jewelry and beautiful clothing. This meant that God would actually make them stink. It says that God would replace their beauty with shame.
Both the Apostle Peter and James the brother of Jesus said that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Friend, you must examine yourself and ask God to reveal to you the areas of your life whereby you are prideful. You must repent of your sin of pride and ask God for humility. We must have the humility of Jesus himself. Philippians 2:5 says your “attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus: who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus showed His humility in many ways. Jesus, a king, rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Jesus exemplified humility by washing the feet of his disciples; Jesus left his throne in heaven to save us.
Most often, pride is revealed in your attitudes and interactions with others. Instead of desiring to be the best you can be, pride causes us to focus solely on being "better" than someone else. A prideful person wants to be the center-of-attention at all times, constantly referring to him or herself. A prideful person can't handle criticism and hates handing out apologies; A prideful person can't stand to see others succeed, and refuses to do "menial tasks." If Jesus was willing to wash the feet of His disciples, then is there anything that you can rightfully refuse to do?
When all else fails, God may allow adversity into our lives. Nothing gets our attention better than going through a difficult time. He allows these experiences in order to filter out pride, causing us to return our focus on Him. As much as our prideful spirit may disagree, we cannot live a fulfilling life without God. Simply put, when God is out, pride is in.
Here are some characteristics of pride to be on the lookout for:
• Prayerlessness. If you have no prayer life, take time to evaluate your relationship with the Lord. It takes humility of heart to pray and admit you can't make it on your own.
• The fear of man. Pride thrives on man's approval. But you will never please man - and even if you could, he is not the one you ought to be living for. It is God you must please.
• The inability to receive from others. Most of us love to give gifts, but receiving them can be a humbling experience.
• Judging others. You say, Oh, I would never do that! In saying that, you exalt yourself and your supposed resistance to sin. Matt. 7:1 warns, Judge not, that you be not judged.
• Good works. You may think highly of yourself for all the work you do in the church. Must you blow a trumpet to announce your dedication, or do you work joyfully and silently unto the Lord?
• Not waiting on God. It demonstrates an independence from God's timing; a rebellious heart and a desire to do things your own way. Many times you are on the brink of a miracle, but forfeit it because you give up on God or take control of the situation in an attempt to help God out.
• Contention. Only by pride cometh contention, but with the well advised is wisdom (Prov. 13:10). Contention arises when someone is not willing to back down from a confrontation. Take a look at your home, your church, your work, your ministry. Is there contention anywhere?
Repent of your pride. Ask God to make you humble, no matter what it takes.
There are several resources available to you.
Take a look at B.J Smith’s book, “Don’t Swallow Your Pride…Spit it Out”
Look at the booklet, “The Seven Capital Sins: Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, Sloth”
Other resources relating to pride can be found by clicking here!
Please visit Emmaus Road Christian Store at http://www.emmaus-road.com
May God Richly Bless Your Life!
• Prayerlessness. If you have no prayer life, take time to evaluate your relationship with the Lord. It takes humility of heart to pray and admit you can't make it on your own.
• The fear of man. Pride thrives on man's approval. But you will never please man - and even if you could, he is not the one you ought to be living for. It is God you must please.
• The inability to receive from others. Most of us love to give gifts, but receiving them can be a humbling experience.
• Judging others. You say, Oh, I would never do that! In saying that, you exalt yourself and your supposed resistance to sin. Matt. 7:1 warns, Judge not, that you be not judged.
• Good works. You may think highly of yourself for all the work you do in the church. Must you blow a trumpet to announce your dedication, or do you work joyfully and silently unto the Lord?
• Not waiting on God. It demonstrates an independence from God's timing; a rebellious heart and a desire to do things your own way. Many times you are on the brink of a miracle, but forfeit it because you give up on God or take control of the situation in an attempt to help God out.
• Contention. Only by pride cometh contention, but with the well advised is wisdom (Prov. 13:10). Contention arises when someone is not willing to back down from a confrontation. Take a look at your home, your church, your work, your ministry. Is there contention anywhere?
Repent of your pride. Ask God to make you humble, no matter what it takes.
There are several resources available to you.
Take a look at B.J Smith’s book, “Don’t Swallow Your Pride…Spit it Out”
Look at the booklet, “The Seven Capital Sins: Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, Sloth”
Other resources relating to pride can be found by clicking here!
Please visit Emmaus Road Christian Store at http://www.emmaus-road.com
May God Richly Bless Your Life!
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