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Many of us think the original sin occurred when the serpent manipulated Eve in the Garden of Eden. The original sin, however, was pride, and it sparked into a flame in heaven when the devil said, ".. I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). For this, it and all the angels that supported its cause were cast out of heaven.
The same level of pride is at work in people today. How many of us know someone or are that someone who believes they are a god? Many men and women, including self-professing Christians, believe they have the power to determine their fate and that of others. Some believe there is no one above them and thus lack the fear of the Lord. These types lack humility, are arrogant, and do and say what they want, believing there will be no negative consequences. Our society, with its worldly wisdom, encourages and rewards the proud, thus making it normal behavior.
As a collective, mankind can be described as prideful. For instance, the way we carelessly treat natural resources in the quest for wealth speaks volumes. It reflects a disregard for the Creator who made everything we see and gave us possessory, not ownership rights, over the earth. The way we often treat our fellow humans expresses a disregard for the One who made them and specified that we should relate to each other with love. What about nations and groups that see themselves as better than others for all manner of abstract reasons? They forget that God created all people equal and pays no attention to the metrics we humans use to rank ourselves
God detests the proud (Proverbs 16:5). He considers them wicked and promises they will experience a public downfall (Proverbs 29:23). The Pharaoh who defied God died in the Red Sea. His pride also led to the deaths of every firstborn son of Egypt and his army (Exodus 13 & 14). King Nebuchadnezzar was so proud that he couldn't acknowledge that God was the source of his success. He had seen God's power at work more than once and had been warned, yet he honored himself instead of God. He soon lost his mind and lived like a grass-eating spectacle for years (Daniel 4:33).
Sennacherib sent his war commander to proudly blaspheme, boast, lie, and insult the Lord at Jerusalem's walls in the time of King Hezekiah. Hezekiah applied the wisdom in Psalm 20:7 - Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. In humility, he trusted God for help, and the Lord declared that he would keep Jerusalem safe and deal with Sennacherib. The people of Jerusalem did nothing as God brought their proud enemy to a scandalous end. His two sons murdered him at his god's altar (Isaiah 37). A false god who neither warned him of the coming treachery nor prevented it.
God continues to deal with the proud of this age just as He did in the Bible. Those who are not stiff-necked, He will arrest and turn their lives around. This is why we hear testimonies from people who were once on a fast track to hell but met Jesus and were restored to the Lord. Some will not submit, opting to fight God and reject the chance to receive mercy and His transformation. While we might not always see what becomes of this group, there will always be someone to witness their downfall (Psalm 91:8). One way or another, God will use their experience to serve as a caution to somebody so that person doesn't go to hell.
How many of us are filled with pride? Don't point a finger at the overtly arrogant and boastful to feel better. God knows us, and we can't hide the truth of who we are from Him. He is calling us to let Him reveal the pride lurking in us. He wants to expose it to His light, so the darkness of satan disappears. And do not be deceived, all pride is of satan. As powerful as God is, He does not exhibit pride. Instead, He calls us His coworkers in (Corinthians 3:9). Rather than strike us down for our sin and disrespect to Him and His Son, He beckons us not to walk away from Him but return to enjoy His loving devotion to us.
How many of us fail to see God's hand in our achievements? Do we see our life as a sum of our wisdom and not the result of God's grace? Many react to His patience by choosing not to repent or obey Him. When we consistently reject His will and word, we tell Him we know best. Our actions dismiss the instructions given to shield us from satan's fangs. We declare that we don't need Him. However, God spoke the truth when He said, "My people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). He wants us armed with His knowledge so we are aware of the devil's scheme to use pride to destroy us and others. This way, we will not be seduced by pride into sinning.
It is time to reject pride and submit to God's will for our lives. He gave us the ability to starve satan of another of its desires - to prove that God is a liar and unable to rescue sinners. We need only repent and call on the Lord to reveal strategy to overcome the temptation to be proud and thus discount God and His word. We must invest time in prayerfully studying the Bible with the help of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And as we apply its wisdom, it will prevent every seed of pride from taking root in us. May pride never keep us from enjoying deep fellowship and relationship with God the Father, Jesus, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. IJMN, Amen.
As you wait for fellowship at 12 Noon EST, consider reading the following previous P&P messages:
