DANGERS OF PRIDE (WHY MEN FALL)

DANGERS OF PRIDE (WHY MEN FALL)

WHAT IS PRIDE?

“A feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements, the achievement of one’s relationship or company, or from qualities and possession widely admired”

Or,

The excessive belief in one’s ability that it interferes with the Recognition of God’s grace upon a man’s life.

Let us look at this story, Luke 12; 16-20

16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

Pride; is the foremost undoing of angels and mankind. This is the first sin ever recorded in the bible. It led to the fall of Lucifer a bright and decorated angel to now become Satan a desperate, humiliated and defeated an enemy.

Pride is also the reason for the fall of man, Gen 3; 1-5

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Mankind will always have the desire to be more than what or who he is. It is in the nature of man to want to be the most preferred, most celebrated, most appreciated, and so on. This desire for man to be all-knowing and powerful has led man into falling into the trap of Pride.

Like the second definition of pride, and the story of the rich fool we see a perfect description of human nature. When we attain a difficult height and achievement, we feel so good and impressed at our abilities that we subconsciously make ourselves demigods

Dan 4;30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

We create a standard and make ourselves the prime. This feeling makes us forget the help and assistance we received while getting to the top and this is where God comes into the picture.

John 3;27 “John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” Look at the statements in (Luke 12; 19) Dan 4;30) Ultimately consumed by self-awareness and appraisal, he lifted up his head above his achievement and forgot the help enjoyed, thereby sidelining the God factor.

No man gets to the top without help, no man and that help is a pointer that you are not all-sufficient or perfect, we all need help at every point. God makes this help available to us and that is worth being grateful for without help we are helpless.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PRIDE

1 Self-Appraisal

Jer 9;23-24

23 This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, 24 but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness justice and righteousness on earth, for, in these, I delight,” declares the Lord.

Gal 6;3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.

Rom 12;3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. Prov 26 12

DANGERS OF PRIDE (WHY MEN FALL)

Whenever you start to blow your own trumpet it’s a pointer that the spirit of pride is working. Boastful talkers, always make others see how much they have achieved and taking glory in their effort.

2 Ingratitude

Ingratitude is a deceptive feature of pride because, as casual saying “Thank You” to the help rendered by another and much more to God Almighty, Luke 12; 19

Psalm 14; 1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

A Fool was used by God to describe the man in Luke 12;19

3 Arrogance

An absolute and undeniable appearance of pride

Prov8; 13; The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate. 21;4 A haughty look, a proud heart, And the ploughing of the wicked are a sin. 21;24, The proud and arrogant person–“Mocker” is his name– behaves with insolent fury.

4. Comparison

Gal 6;4-5 MSG Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

5 Negligence to Instruction Prov 13;10 Arrogant know-it-alls stir up discord,

but wise men and women listen to each other’s counsel.

Despising others Rom 12;16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.a]”>[a]”>aa]”>] Do not be conceited.

Exaggerating Achievements Phil 2;3 Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves.

To feel good about yourself above your equals, always talking about what you have achieved to dehumanize someone not yet there,

OVERCOMING PRIDE

It is good to pray against the spirit of pride but deliberate actions must be taken in that direction. Pride is a spirit but dealing with the spirit must require some measures and more as would be discussed.

Emulate Christ; Phil 2; 5-11

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Never be Sufficient in Your Eyes Phil 3;12-14 MSG 12-14 I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

DANGERS OF PRIDE (WHY MEN FALL)

Respect for others; No matter the level or height you have attained all respect those beneath or under for the sake of the God that holds tomorrow. Never despise any man in his state of nothingness because you have something to talk about. This is the God we serve, who raises one up and brings down another.

1Sam 2;8 He raises up the poor from the dust, He lifts up the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honour and glory; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the land on them.

A life of Gratitude;

Always recognizing the sufficiency of God over your deficiency, giving thanks for every goal, stride, height, win, and breakthroughs we’ve accomplished.

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humility sustains a man at the top, but pride will take up to crash you.

BY TYECHI @2020