Recognizing and Avoiding the Danger of Pride
An interesting observation made when ministering to men and women standing for marriage restoration is that most of us don’t really know what pride is. Very few FAM Fellowship members who I’ve talked to more than once or twice could say that we didn’t eventually get around to discussing pride, and I couldn’t even say how many have said at least once, “I didn’t know that was pride.” Based on my study and understanding, the simplest definition of pride for our purposes is that pride is anything that attempts or desires to be what God is or anything that attempts and desires to do what God says HE will do. The best evidence of that is found in the Bible’s account of what caused Satan’s downfall, as revealed in Isaiah 14:12-14, which says How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
So any time we try to be what only God is and what only God can be or desire and attempt to do what only God can do, we are acting in pride. And that’s walking in very dangerous territory, because Proverbs 16:18 warns Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Being haughty or acting in some way superior to others is probably what most of us think of as pride, but based on this verse, it’s apparent that there’s more to pride than haughtiness. Then 1 Peter 5:5 says Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So obviously, humility is the opposite of pride and the best safeguard against the destruction that comes with it. That’s why we see the Lord work so mightily in our lives and circumstances when we finally reach a point of brokenness; when we realize that in and of ourselves, there’s absolutely NOTHING we can do to change or improve the circumstances of our marriages. And when we learn to live and walk in humility as we rely on the power and promise of God’s Word, we are assured that we will see the Lord move in our lives in ways beyond our wildest imagination and expectation, because the very next verse says Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Since God is obviously very serious about dealing with the sin of pride, it’s important to understand exactly what it is and how to avoid it. As Isaiah 2:11 reveals, The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. That once again confirms that pride is something that exalts itself where only God has a right to be, and that God will not allow it to stand.
Yet, all pride is not bad, as indicated in Isaiah 16:6, which says We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride; Even of his arrogance, pride, and fury; His idle boasts are false. So it’s excessive pride, arrogance and false boasts that get us into trouble; like when we think we can do or attempt to do what only God can do or when we try to take credit for something only God did and can do, thereby robbing Him of the glory due to Him and Him alone. For instance, when we try to be our spouses’ Holy Spirit Junior and attempt to bring conviction by pointing out their sins in an effort to get them to change their ways and come home, we’re trying to do what only God can do through the power of the Holy Spirit.. And ANYTHING we do to try to change our spouses’ minds and hearts to save our dead marriages, is trying to do what only God can do. When we try to defend and vindicate ourselves, we are trying to do what only God can do, and what He very specifically promises to do on our behalf. And when we do all of that, we are in fact trying to exalt our own knowledge and ability above that of God, and that’s pride.
But reading 2 Chronicles 17:6 (NASB) confirms that all pride is not bad, because it says He took great pride in the ways of the LORD and again removed the high places and the Asherim from Judah. And when we read that in the NKJV, we get a better understanding of when pride is not a bad thing; it says
One of the most interesting insights I’ve gained in this ministry, especially personally, is how Satan takes even the good things we know to do and makes them prideful if we get so caught up in doing them that they keep us from what God calls us to do. A personal example of that is my determination to walk in humility after gaining a better understanding of how important and powerful it is. But I took it to an extreme and didn’t want to have my name appear anywhere on the FAMM websites. And just as clearly as I’ve ever heard the Lord speak to me, He said “So WHOSE testimony is this?” Well, since He had just shown me the significance of Revelation 12:10-11, I knew exactly what He meant! It says Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. As strange as it sounds, I was being prideful in my humility! And then I decided to fast during a very difficult and challenging time in my life, and after fasting for nine days and nights, I knew for a fact that I could go a full forty days and I was very excited about being able to do that! But the Lord nailed me again, because my fast was no longer for the right reason; I was proud of the fact that I could fast for forty days and that became my focus and motivation instead of the original reason and purpose for the fast! So as difficult as it was to do, I had to break the fast, because it was the only way to squash my rotten pride.
So pride is a very tricky thing and can sneak up on any of us, even when we’re doing our best to walk in the ways of the Lord. That’s why Jesus told us that we have to pick up our cross daily to follow Him; which means crucifying our flesh every day. And the only way to be sure we aren’t walking in pride and the power and dictates of our flesh is to know God’s Word so we can recognize pride when it rears its ugly head. As 1 John 2:16 tells us, For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. So let’s learn to examine our motivation in ALL that we do to make sure that we are not acting in pride and learn to walk in true humility, which we can do ONLY by always being motivated to live and act in a manner that brings everlasting praise, honor and glory to the name of Jesus Christ! When we do that, we won’t walk in pride and we will truly be blessed by God Almighty, and true to His Word, HE will lift us up in due time!
The following devotional from Charles Stanley was sent to me last Monday morning, and that’s when I knew pride would be the topic for FAM Chat tonight, so read it and be blessed and encouraged!
You can read this devotional online at this link on OnePlace.com.