“Pride leads to Destruction”
Let’s quickly understand how the Bible defines pride. The Bible defines pride as a sinful self-exaltation, focusing on oneself above God, leading to arrogance, self-reliance, and rebellion, often described as haughtiness or a proud look that goes before destruction. It’s seen as the opposite of humility, an elevation of one’s own wisdom and strength over God’s, and a primary root of sin, contrasting sharply with the honor and glory due only to God.
As I said in a past devotion, pride is at the core of our sin. The scriptures teach us, the wages of sin is death. Therefore pride will lead to destruction. The Apostle Paul teaches us that we shouldn’t be deceived, we will reap what we sow. Take another look at the definition of pride, do you see anything good being produced when we walk in pride? Today’s scripture should leave us with no doubt that pride is not good!
Proverbs 16:18-19
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. 19 Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.
The Bible is full of examples of this truth. Many men who loved the Lord walked into destruction because of pride. Lucifer was cast out of heaven because he wanted to exalt Himself over the Creator of the Universe! Pride will NEVER produce fruit that will glorify God or build one another up. It will always lead us down the path to destruction. Even as I write these words I am reminded of the words of the Apostle James, Jesus’s half brother. He asked a question, “where do wars and fights come from among you?” He also gives the answer, “from our own selfish desires.” Our pride will lead to wars and fights with one another. We are called to love and live at peace with one another but the moment pride enters into our relationships destruction begins. Seriously this is a good time to evaluate your relationships, is there conflict? You need to ask yourself; “what am I attempting to gain, how am I adding to the conflict?
The definition we read also gives us the cure to pride, humility. We can choose to humble ourselves under God’s mighty power. We can acknowledge, trust and walk in the fact that without God we are nothing. When Job lost everything he was able to say, naked I came into this world and naked I will leave, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away but blessed be the Name of the Lord! We will be digging into this much deeper throughout this year. If pride produces sin and conflict in our lives I would hope we would all want to remove it from our lives. My brothers and sisters it is possible through the power of God’s love, Word and Spirit!
I love all of you and look forward as we all learn how to humble ourselves under the mighty power of God! Blessings my friends!!
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