Pride Vs. Humility
What is Pride? (Proverbs 16:18, KJV)
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- Pride – swelling, until it pops.
- When pride breaks forth in our life it brings destruction, and it most often hurts those closest to us.
How is pride manifested?
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- Pride is manifested in the way we think and then the words we speak.
- The way we think:
- Our opinion is more important than all others.
- We believe what we achieved was by our efforts instead of God and others.
- Wanting our way or the highway—our way or no way.
- Wanting our way or we will quit.
- Thinking we are more important, better looking, etc.
- Thinking others should serve us—we want to be worshipped.
- Thinking more highly of ourselves.
- Words we speak: (Isaiah 14:13-15, KJV)
- I want, what I want, the way I want it, when I want it –that is pride in the truest since.
- How we respond when we don’t get our way reveals pride or humility.
- Lucifer wanted to be worshipped like God.(Ezekiel 27:3; Ezekiel 28:13)
- Because of his pride he was brought down to hell—destruction.
- Pride destroys our dreams.
- Pride keeps us from asking forgiveness.
- Pride keeps us from apologizing.
The importance of the words we speak.
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- Pride was passed onto us by lies of Satan—which resulted in death—separation—loss of God’s best.
- Jesus speaks Truth—we can believe the Truth, speak the Truth, and obey the Truth—results in life & freedom.
- Death and life or in the words we speak and the answers we give. (Proverbs 18:21, KJV)
- Every time we believe the lie and speak a lie we begin to die.
- We begin to kill our relationships with God and others.
- Every time we believe the truth and speak the truth we begin to live and build relationships with God and others.
- If we speak the Truth (Word of God) even when we don’t feel like it our faith will grow. (Romans 10:17, KJV)
- The keys to victory in the Christian life is learning to overcome pride in the words we speak. (Matthew 17:20-21, KJV)
- When we have a problem –we need to learn that facts don’t always equal the truth.
- Facts + God’s Word (God’s promise in the situation) = Truth. (John 8:32, KJV; John 8:36, KJV; John 14:16, KJV)
How can we overcome pride?
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- By the words we speak. (Proverbs 16:24)
- When we use pleasant words our words minister to the soul (emotions) and our health (physically)
- Our words are like medicine—they can and will bring healing to ourselves and others.
- By learning to give people what they don’t deserve. (Ephesians 4:29, KJV)
- God wants our words to minister grace.
- Grace is the power to do what God calls us to do and do it with JOY!
- By the words we speak. (Proverbs 16:24)
- Grace is unmerited favor.
- Grace is giving someone what they don’t deserve.
- When we speak the right words at the right time, the right way, we minister grace to the hearer.
- By Humility. (James 4:6-7, KJV)
- First you must be saved. (James 3:8; James 3:9-11, RSV)
- Second you must admit you have sinned and not been controlling your tongue. (1 John 1:8- 2:1, KJV)
- Third is by fasting. (Psalm 35:13, KJV; Isaiah 58:3; Matthew 17:20-21)