The Dangers of Pride
The Dangers of Pride
PRIDE IS AN EVIL, DARK SNARE.
Many times, we begin our Christian walk well. Our focus is set on God and our hearts are fully committed to Him. Then without warning, pride begins to rise up, preventing us from being all God wants us to be by blinding us to His ways. It tempts us to believe that we know better than He does.
If left unchecked, pride will alter our attitude toward God and the route He has chosen for us to take.
As believers, we need to be aware of Satan’s goal, which is to deeply wound and destroy the lives of God’s children. He never gives up on his quest to reach this goal and will wreak as much havoc as possible in the life of a believer.
Each morning, the enemy lays out his landmines in our lives. If we are not discerning, we will fall prey to his tactics. The landmine of pride can tear a gaping hole in the life of the person who yields to its folly.
It is one of Satan’s chief modes of operation and favorite weapons of warfare because it tempts us to take our eyes off God and place them on ourselves.
In his book Power through Prayer E. M. Bounds writes, “[Today] somehow, self, not God, rules in the holy of holies…Self ability in some wicked form has defamed and violated the temple which should be held sacred for God.”
No matter how hard we try to cover it up, excuse it or justify it, pride produces the same result — arrogance and rebellion against God.
FALLING VICTIM TO PRIDE
The little book of Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. Obadiah is only 21 verses long, but it packs a powerful message--a message concerning God's judgment of pride.
Edom Will Be Humbled
Oba 1:1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumor from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.
Oba 1:2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.
Oba 1:3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
Oba 1:4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
Background
The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, the firstborn son of Isaac and the twin brother of Jacob. In the womb, Esau and Jacob struggled together, and God told their mother, Rebekah, that they would become two nations, with the older one serving the younger (Genesis 25:23).
As an adult, Esau rashly sold his inheritance to Jacob for a bowl of red soup (Genesis 25:30-34), and he hated his brother afterward.
Esau became the father of the Edomites and Jacob became the father of the Israelites, and the two nations continued to struggle through most of their history.
Edom’s land and capital is better known today as Petra.
The religion of the Edomites was similar to that of other pagan societies who worshiped fertility gods. Esau’s descendants eventually dominated the southern lands and made their living by agriculture and trade. One of the ancient trade routes, the King’s Highway (Numbers 20:17) passed through Edom, and when the
Israelites requested permission to use the route on their exodus from Egypt, they were rejected by force.
IN THEIR MIND THEY WERE SAFE BECAUSE THEY MADE THEIR OWN DECISIONS AND PATHS IN LIFE. THEY WERE MIGHTY, PROUD, PROTECTED, AND SELF EMPOWERED TO OVERCOME ANY PROBLEMS THEY WOULD FACE IN LIFE.
Although Obadiah was written centuries ago, it is very applicable today
PRIDE OF HEART.—Obadiah 1-4
Edom’s dwelling on the rock which seemed impregnable, fostered his pride and arrogant self-confidence. But this natural fortification afforded no shelter. God brought them down from their lofty heights, and retribution found its victims.
I. That pride of heart is deceptive. “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee.” Edom imagined that they were secure in their elevated rocks—that they were out of the reach of the enemy, and that they occupied an impregnable fortress. They were deceived. National fortifications avail not against the Divine hand.
Pride of heart deceives men in thinking that They have no need to be religious, or faithful.
Pride of heart deceives men in reference to their intellectual thinkings.
Many proud thinkers reject the word of God, imagine that they are safe in the invincible battlements of logic, and their ability to resist truth and God.
Pride of heart deceives men in reference to their moral safety. Men pursue a continuous life of sin, openly blaspheme the name of God, and imagine that they are safe in the fortifications of social position and wealth.
II. Pride of heart is presumptive. “Who shall bring me down to the ground?”
The Edomites presumed unduly upon the natural position of their city, and upon their high fortification. They trusted exclusively in these for protection against the foe.
THE TRUE FORTIFICATIONS OF LIFE ARE NOT IN STONES AND ROCKS, BUT IN LOVE AND PURITY OF SOUL.
III. Pride of heart is destructive. “I will bring thee down, saith the Lord.”
Men who boast of human fortifications which protect them from injury are ignorant of the power of God, or vainly imagine they can elude it
What does it mean to have pride?
It means that we think of ourselves as self-reliant, self-sufficient, and self-righteous.
Arrogance and pride have plagued mankind for as long as man has been on earth.
Pride influenced Adam and Eve to try to become like God (Gen. 3:5).
Pride motivated Cain to murder his brother (Gen. 4:5).
Pride provoked Joseph's brothers to sell him into slavery (Gen. 37:8).
Pride caused King Saul to resent David so deeply that he tried to murder him (1Sa 18:8).
Pride led King Hezekiah to foolishly reveal his nation's wealth to his enemies (Isa 39:2). Pride was at the root of the Pharisees’ anger toward Jesus
There is no room for God in him who is full of himself
They won’t search after what they really do need. This stands true, even when God and salvation to their soul is in question. How dangerous this is!
Pr 29:23
'A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.'
Human pride is the conflict between man and God. Our love of the world and self brings us into enmity with God.
Pride will convince you that you deserve better treatment.
Pride will impede your serving others. Instead, pride will have you striving for places of prominence.
Pride will have you listen to flatterers and ignore honest counselors.
Pride will lead you to isolate yourself so that you are not accountable to others.
WE HAVE A GREAT NEED TO BE HUMBLE BEFORE GOD
Pride is the great enemy of the Christian. Pride is an overly high opinion of yourself.
It motivates you to do things that you know are not Christ like, and it hinders you from doing what brings glory to God
In Proverbs 29:23, Solomon wrote, “A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.” There is an end result to pride — one that we usually want to ignore:
Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling. It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud (Proverbs 16:18-19).
Do Not Love the World
1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
