SOUTHERN BAPTIST’S DAY OF PRAYER: Humble Yourself and Put Away Pride

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:5-6, NIV)

Quoting from Proverbs, Peter wrote, “  ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:5-6, NIV). Pride is a sin that stands in opposition to God. He aggressively opposes it. Consecrate yourself and put away pride.

❍ To get an idea of God’s thoughts about pride, read the Scriptures below and circle words like pride, proud, arrogant, and haughty.

The LORD protects the loyal, but fully repays the arrogant (Psalm 31:23, HCSB).

Though the LORD is exalted, He takes note of the humble; but He knows the haughty from a distance (Psalm 138:6, HCSB).

I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech (Proverbs 8:13, HCSB).

Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished (Proverbs 16:5, HCSB).

Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18, HCSB).

I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant and humiliate the insolence of tyrants (Isaiah 13:11, HCSB).

When pride is present in your life, it may manifest itself in a variety of other sinful ways. It is like the root of a tree that bears much fruit. If you cut off a branch to get rid of the fruit but do nothing to the root, you will soon get a new crop of fruit. Pride is like that. The following list includes some of the fruit sins that come from pride.

❍ As you read the following list, look for evidence that you may have pride   issues you need to deal with in your life.

□ prejudice □ argumentative □ sexual immorality □ rudeness □ boastfulness  □ taking license to sin □ complaining □ stubbornness □ a critical spirit_______ □ disobedience □ independence □ selfish ambition □ exalting self ________ □ prayerlessness □ a judgmental spirit □ faultfinding  □ self-promotion ____ □ rebellion toward authority  □ gossiping □ self-sufficiency □ thinking highly  of self □ unrepentant □ holding on to sin □ unwilling to confess sin _________ □ haughtiness □ being demanding □ desiring control □ impatience □ being  unforgiving □ pleasing people over God □ ingratitude □ self-righteousness _ □ following your evil desires

❍ Do you see any evidence that you struggle with pride? Check one.

□ Yes □ No

If you checked no, that may be the best evidence of all. Pride is such a fundamental sin for all humans that we must always watch for evidence of it in our lives. Peter explained that the way to get rid of pride is by humbling ourselves. When God promised forgiveness and healing in 2 Chronicles 7:14, He gave four requirements to His people:

(1)Humble yourself (2) Pray (3) Seek His face, and (4) Turn from your evil ways.

The starting place is to humble yourself. Dealing seriously with your pride is a starting point for returning to a right relationship with God. In order to humble yourself, you can do such things as the following.

•  Acknowledge God’s greatness and sovereign right to rule your life.

•  Agree with Christ that apart from Him you can do nothing.

•  Agree with God about your sin. Confess your pride to others.

•  Give up or yield your rights. Yield control to others.

•  Submit to one another in reverence for Christ.

•  Serve others. Accept lowly tasks without complaint.

•  Confess your weaknesses or needs and accept help.

•  Confess dependence on God and interdependence on others.

•  Honor others above yourself.

•  Do the things pride tells you not to do.

•  Ask people to pray for you. Ask for help in getting rid of pride.

•  Give away or dispose of things that cause you to feel proud.

•  Be willing to associate with people of low degree.

❋ PRAY And ask the Lord to help you humble yourself and get rid of pride and every evidence of it in your life.