Pride’s Fall at the Gate of Sanctification’s Rd

Galatians 4:16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

How dare you tell me I cannot, for I will prove to you I can! For everything I seemingly accomplished in life, I needed not accolades, for I puffed myself up from within gloating at my seemingly accomplishments. When the accolades came, the prideful spirit grew exponentially, for it was seemingly self-sustaining. When God begins to break a man, the pain runs much deeper than the pride ever dwelled. The power of God seeks to root out even the origin in the sins that started the pride. The power of God’s Word and the vessels he chooses to use, will penetrate, cut to the bone and marrow, and narrow to the quick; he leaves nothing untouched when he begins to humble many supposed great men. I hang my head in shame in light of many things I once hung on my trophy wall of life. I thank God for the painful sanctification process of the last ten years; the rod he has not withheld from me, and it draws me closer to him when Satan goes down the roads of guilt, to weaken me, but God reminds me of his mercy and grace, I am set free, set free indeed.

Pride is the root of all sin; the reason Satan was cast from Heaven, and the reason Eve and Adam fell at the Garden of Eden; the reason we all are born into sin today…..pride. The evidences of those that elevate themselves play out in political arenas, play out in workplace environments, play out in our homes, and sadly, some of the clearest today play out in our pulpits. The call of God, the blessings of God to those he has called to preach, sadly turns humble servants into prideful men. Most men are broken by God when they are called, yet seem to forget and see the work as their own. Somewhere in all of this pride creeps into sermons, personalities, and many times ministries flourish because people elevate their pastor to a rock-star status. Proverbs 29:23 A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor. How many times have we seen the preachers fall? How many times have we not, is an easier question to ask. Every man you elevate will fail you. Every pastor you place, even unknowingly, above Who the message is about, will fail you; God will humble them in due time.

Accountability is critical to remain humble. Our close friends, church elder boards, our spouses that can speak openly, only through accountability will the flesh remain humble. Pride is a temporal battle for this lifetime, one that requires diligence in seeking to remain humble. Pride takes action, it takes effort to remain out of circumstances that elevate oneself. It takes intention to avoid situations that bring praise. Are you seeking the praise, or seeking to draw closer to God? If we are to emulate Christ, we are to remain humble. If we are to remain humble, we need not anything but the message of God to a world that he has prepared to hear. Seek out someone who will tell you the truth, and be prepared to listen, for you will begin the path of being closer to God than ever before, once you are humbled.