Pride??

Pride?

Pride

Pride is a high or exorbitant opinion of yourself – something you have done, your children or something you own- whether you cherish it in your mind or you display it outwardly.

What is wrong with having Pride?

There is nothing wrong with it until it becomes your focal point or your little god.  It is at that point you loose focus on who God is and who you are not.  You are not God, but pride will make you think you are.

Proverbs 8 – a Chapter on Wisdom – verse 13 states “I hate pride”. To me, this is a strong and blatant verse on what the Word thinks about pride.

There is a difference between the kind of pride that God hates and the kind of pride we feel about a job well done. The kind of pride that stems from self-righteousness is a sin, and God hates sin.

As believers, we know that God doesn’t coexist with sin.  If we are full of pride then the Spirit of God is not dwelling within us.   The enemy knows this as well, that’s why he tries to fill us with pride.

1 Peter 5:6 (NIV)  6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Daniel 4:37b (NIV)  …And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

What these two Scriptures are saying is that you can exalt you and God will humble you.  Or, you can humble you and He will exalt you.  I prefer the latter.

I think this poem by Beth Moore says it best…

My name is Pride.  I am a cheater.

I cheat you of your God-given destiny…because you demand your own way.

I cheat you of contentment…because you “deserve better than this.”

I cheat you of knowledge…because you already know it all.

I cheat you of healing…because you’re too full of me to forgive.

I cheat you of holiness…because you refuse to admit when you’re wrong.

I cheat you of vision…because you’d rather look in the mirror than out a window.

I cheat you of genuine friendship…because nobody’s going to know the real you.

I cheat you of love…because real romance demands sacrifice.

I cheat you of greatness in heaven…because you refuse to wash another’s feet on earth.

I cheat you of God’s glory…because I convince you to seek your own.

My name is Pride.  I am a cheater.

You like me because you think I’m always looking out for you.  Untrue!

I’m looking to make a fool of you.

God has so much for you, I admit, but don’t worry…If you stick with me, You’ll never know.

Don’t allow pride to cheat you out of your greatness in Christ Jesus.