Introduction:

• Humility will:
  1. Humility empowers you in weakness and develops the Divine nature in you.
  2. Humility gives you strength to discipline your soul.
  3. Humility brings God’s favor (grace) into your life. It is a key to seeing His will accomplished through you
• We’re well associated with the enemy of humility, which is pride. Pride and humility can both be shown in the:
  1. The words you speak
  2. The attitudes you entertain
  3. In how you use your time
  4. In how you use of your finances
• Last week we talked about repentance from behaviors, words, and attitudes, and how this can aid you in regaining the lost ground of relationships, your health, and even finances.
• However, moving forward how do we proceed and not fall into the trap of error, pride, selfish ambition, or even deception?
• Much loss and pain can be avoided in our lives when we are intentional in refusing pride and choosing humility.

The Final Quest- published in 1996

The Final Quest Part 2: “ Behind me, more of the glorious warriors were constantly taking their places on the mountain. I knew that we were now strong enough to attack and destroy what was left of this enemy horde. “Not yet,” said Wisdom. “Look over there.” I looked in the direction he was pointing but had to shield my eyes from the glory emanating from my own armor to see anything.

Then I caught a glimpse of some movement in a small valley. I could not make out what I was seeing because the glory shining from my armor made it difficult to see into the darkness. I asked Wisdom if there was something that I could cover my armor with so I could see. He then gave me a very plain mantle to put on. “What is this?” I inquired, a little insulted by its drabness. “Humility,” said Wisdom. “You will not be able to see very well without it.” Reluctantly I put it on, and immediately I saw many things that I could not see before. I looked toward the valley and the movement I had seen. To my astonishment, there was an entire division of the enemy horde that was waiting to ambush anyone who ventured from the mountain. “What army is that?” I asked, “and how did they escape the battle intact?” “That is Pride,” explained Wisdom. “It is the hardest enemy to see after you have been in the glory. Those who refuse to put on this cloak will suffer much at the hands of that most devious enemy.” … I saw many of the glorious warriors crossing the plain to attack the remnant of the enemy horde. None of them were wearing the cloaks of humility, and they had not seen the enemy that was ready to attack them from their rear. I started to run out to stop them, but Wisdom restrained me. “You cannot stop this,” he said. “Only the soldiers who wear this cloak will recognize your authority…

Completely undetected, (the enemy of pride) had marched right up to the rear of the advancing warriors and was about to release a hail of arrows. I then noticed that the mighty warriors had no armor on their backsides. They were totally exposed… Wisdom remarked, “You have taught that there is no armor for the backside, which means you are vulnerable if you run from the enemy. However, advancing in pride also makes you vulnerable… I knew the kingdom of God was about to suffer a major defeat. Though I had felt sorrow before, I had never felt this kind of sorrow. To my amazement, when the arrows of Pride struck the warriors, they did not even notice. However, the enemy kept shooting. The warriors were bleeding and getting weaker fast, but they would not acknowledge it. Soon they were too weak to hold up their shields and swords; they cast them down, declaring that they no longer needed them. They started taking off their armor, saying it was not needed anymore either. Then another enemy division appeared and moved up swiftly. It was called Strong Delusion… It only took a few of the demons of Delusion, who were all small and seemingly weak, to lead away this once great army of glorious warriors. They were taken to various prison camps, each named after a different doctrine of demons. I was astounded at how this great company of the righteous had been so easily defeated, and they still did not even know what had hit them.

“Pride is the hardest enemy to see, and it always sneaks up behind you,” Wisdom lamented. “In some ways, those who have been to the greatest heights are in the greatest danger of falling. You must always remember that in this life you can fall at any time from any level.” “Take heed when you think you stand, lest you fall,”(1 Corinthians 10:12) “When you think you are the least vulnerable to falling is in fact when you are the most vulnerable. Most men fall immediately after a great victory,” Wisdom lamented.[1]

• What is pride?
  1. In the Online Merriam Webster, pride is defined as:
     1. reasonable self-esteem, confidence, self-respect
     2. pleasure that comes from some relationship, association, achievement, or possession that is seen as a source of honor, respect, etc.
  2. The scriptures define pride as: (זָדֹון [zadown /zaw·done)
     1. Height, exaltation, grandeur, haughtiness.
     2. Unreasonable and inordinate self-esteem.

• Insolence, presumptuousness, arrogance.^[2]

1. Pride is an imposing confidence in oneself because of what they have done, who they know, or what they have.

• How do you know if you have a pride problem?
  1. “The more pride we have in ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.”– C.S. Lewis
• The Pride test (From Freedom in Christ- Fare Small Group) and a teaching from Katie Souza

Symptoms of pride: this is not condemnation, but a wellness check.

• If you feel you deserve to be treated different because of your achievements, jobs, education or wealth.
• You have to have the last word.
• You often turn conversations back to yourself and your experiences. (the one up storyteller)
• You often think you are right in conflict
• You mock people who you feel are less than you.
• You talk down about others.
• You want to be served, but don’t serve others.
• You can’t accept criticism; it sparks anger and denial and cannot listen.
• You don’t like to associate with the ordinary or those you think are “lower”. than you.
• You blame others or even God for your failures.
• You are fond of name dropping so others will value your opinions.
• You are critical of those who appear to be doing better than you.
• You easily rely on your strengths and abilities instead of consulting the Holy Spirit.
• You’re more concerned about controlling others than in developing self-control
• You are too busy doing important things to take time to do little things for others
• You say or think, I don’t have any needs, I don’t need others.
• You find it hard to admit when you’re wrong
• You are regularly concerned about what people think about you.
• You are offended when you don’t get credit for your work or accomplishments.
• You think you are more humble, spiritual, religious or devoted than others
• You are driven to obtain recognition by attaining degrees, titles or positions
• You often feel that your needs are more important than another person’s needs

Why choose humility? (4 Reasons)

• Humility enables God’s nature to work through you

Philippians 2:7–8

⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, andcoming in the likeness of men. ⁸ 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. ⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ 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, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

• Humility gives you supernatural favor

James 4:6-7, 10

⁶ But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace (supernatural favor) to the humble.” ⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

• Humility gives you wisdom

Proverbs 11:2

²When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.

• Humility will give you honor

Proverbs 29:23

A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.

• Humility will give you supernatural strength in difficult situations.

Philippians 4:10-13

¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ¹² 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. ¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

• How do I humble myself?
  1. Pray for humility
  2. Be quick to repent of prideful behavior.
  3. Find ways to put others first in your weekly activities.

Prayer:

Lord, I humble myself and repent for the areas of pride in my life. Clothe me in humility and give me grace to remove pride from my life.  Holy Spirit, I submit to your guidance and ask you to lead me in humility in the weeks ahead.

[1] Joyner, Rick. The Final Quest (The Final Quest Series Book 1) . Morning Star Publications. Kindle Edition.

^[2] Strong, J. (1995). In Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.