As we walk in Holiness, we will become humble and no longer exalt ourselves in any area of our life!
All sin is rooted in pride.
James wrote by The Holy Spirit in James chapter 4:
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Feel the pain of your sin, be sorrowful and weep! Let your joking around be turned into mourning and your joy into deep humiliation.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
In other Words:
But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD and HAUGHTY, BUT [continually] GIVES [the gift of] GRACE TO THE HUMBLE [who turn away from self-righteousness].”
The soul seeks to exalt itself in pride. By nature, it is self-centered and desires attention from others in whatever means necessary. Sacrifice of self is not on the agenda of those who walk in pride.
The Beloved Disciple wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1st John chapter 2:
16 For all that the world can offer us—the gratification of our flesh, the allurement of the things of the world, and the obsession with status and importance—none of these things come from the Father but from the world.
Notice that what the world has to offer is temporary in nature. Entertainers rise up in stature that feeds their pride and later lose their appeal. Their stardom grows stale, and their followers move on to the next rising star.
We must understand the reality that FATHER hates pride!
Wisdom recorded in Proverbs chapter 6:
16 There are six evils God truly hates and a seventh that is an abomination to Him: 17 Putting others down while considering yourself superior (Pride), spreading lies and rumors, spilling the blood of the innocent,
18 plotting evil in your heart toward another, gloating over doing what’s plainly wrong,
19 spouting lies in false testimony, and stirring up strife between friends. These are entirely despicable to God!
If you are walking in pride, you cannot get close to FATHER. HE will not allow pride to be in HIS Presence. Consider why the fallen angel Lucifer was cast out of Heaven.
Isaiah recorded by THE SPIRIT in Isaiah chapter 14:
12 “How you are fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
His pride is what cast him out of Heaven, he was deceived in his own blindness to Truth. Anyone who exalts himself walks in pride. Beware!
What is acceptable before Our Heavenly Father? Humility, humbleness. It is vital to our maturity toward Holiness that we understand the importance of being humble in all areas.
Wisdom also wrote in Proverbs chapter 22:
4 By humility and the Fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.
This Truth provides us with the key to successful living.
Jesus spoke concerning the importance of being humble in Luke chapter 14:
7 So Jesus told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:
8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him;
9 and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.
10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.
11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”