Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
9/15/2022
The tyrant keeping us from God's Grace
Pride is the enemy of the Christian life. It either inflates our ego, causing us to believe we are more than we actually are, or it deflates us so that we are convinced our faults leave us far from the grace of God. How can we recognize pride's presence in our lives?
We have heard of the deceitfulness of pride but have not studied the enemy to know well enough its tactics and their effect —
The fact is, it conceals the need for us to kill it before life can function healthily.
Ultimately, pride aims to kill what it finds threatening in others! How has it caused you to view others negatively?
Christ's followers acknowledge their sin, but we often do not always battle it.
Sometimes it seems to surface is the most holy of areas. Prayer. How often have we been intimidated by the beautiful prayers of others? They are so good, it makes us not want to pray out loud at all. Suppose I am comparing myself to others vs. taking in their gift's beauty. It has revealed an area that I am not so polished in, or isn’t a gift of mine at all. Or perhaps I have a speech impediment, or my education or upbringing didn’t include praying out loud, and now I’m embarrassed and totally stressed out because I know they are going to judge me.
Some simply resign to captivity because of the work that it requires to kill it. What are some ways in which you have resigned to your own pride? What would it look like to confront it more faithfully? What would result from choosing to ignore it? (How has that been going for you?)
Unless there is an intentional effort, we will drift into the area of pride. They say water seeks out the lowest level and builds from there. So does pride; it seeps into every crack and fills a hidden space until the mold and mildew do their damage. It functions by hiding itself. There was no such thing as pride in the Garden of Eden until the day of the apple and sin – Pride – entered paradise and turned it upside down.
Pride tends to focus on what needs to be killed in other people!
When the greatest threat to a spiritually healthy life is YOU.
The greatest threat to a spirit-filled, healthy marriage is YOU. Your sin!
Take the apple out of your own eye.
There are two types of people in the world. Those who know they are big sinners…and those who don’t know they are big sinners! Take a tough look in the mirror…IF you look closely enough, you will find deception, cover-up, justification, vs humility. That is why we need transparency and truth in an accountability partner to tell us the truth. To a degree, that will be your spouse, but also to a large degree, it will be an accountability partner to whom you have permitted to speak frankly and not worry about hurting your feelings.
There are also two types of people battling sin. One uses the law and the other the gospel/bible. The one with the law is using performance, and they tend to guard themselves, protect their reputation, or some, tend to be critical and demanding of others, and are typically uptight. Those using the gospel are compassionate toward others because they know the weakness of their OWN flesh. They should be humbler because they know that if they are better in one area than another, it is only because of the grace of God.
It is all the grace of God.
Not you.
Where do you lean in that evaluation? It's crucial that you acknowledge this. Where is your bent? Where do you tend to lean in your flesh when it comes to battling flesh and self-preservation? How does your leaning affect your day-to-day lifestyle and relationships? Where could your gospel focus improve?
Let’s consider some typical revealings of pride. You won’t be all of these, but I want you to think a little deeper about how pride has flavored your life’s filters. What has been hidden that you do not see so clearly?
I am overly competitive. I always want to win or come out on top, and it bothers me when I don’t.
I feel deserving. I think I deserve what I have. In fact, I think I ought to have more, considering how well I have lived or in light of all I have done.
I often feel ungrateful. I tend to grumble about what I have or my lot in life.
I can be jealous or envious of others' abilities, possessions, positions, or accomplishments.
I want to be what others are or want to have what others have.
I am envious of what others have, thinking that I should have it or deserve it.
I find it hard to rejoice with others when they are blessed by God.
I am pretty insensitive to others.
I feel that some people just aren’t worth caring about.
I have a hard time showing compassion.
I interrupt people regularly. I don’t let people finish what they are saying.
I feel compelled to stop people when they start to share something with me, I already know.
I listen to teachings with other people in mind. I constantly think of those folks who need to hear the teaching and wish they were here.
I’m not very open to input. I don’t pursue correction in my life. I tend to be unteachable and slow to repent when corrected. I don’t really see correction as a positive thing. I am offended when people probe the motivations of my heart or seek to adjust me.
I have a hard time admitting that I am wrong.
I find myself covering up or excusing my sins.
It is hard for me to confess my sins to others or to ask for forgiveness.
I view correction as an intrusion into my privacy rather than an instrument of God for my welfare.
I can’t identify anyone who would feel welcomed to correct me.
So where do we go from here?
Jeremiah 18:1-6 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!
Take inventory of your own heart today. Invite God to help you see the pride in your life that you have been previously blind to. Ask Him to create in you a greater dependency upon Him as He seeks to advance His kingdom throughout the body of Christ.
Pray for an accountability partner to walk through life with?
Excerpts are taken from Mike Sharrett The assault of Pride.
And from Hope Bible Church – Pride, Humility, Fruits of the Spirit by Natasha Penny.
Additional Scriptures.
John 1:16-18
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8
Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
1 Corinthians 9:22
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
Question 4
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
What can anyone do without humility?
1 Peter 3:8
8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
1 Corinthians 12:26
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
Colossians 3:12
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
Philippians 2:3
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. We often do for others but leave our spouses out. Why?
Matthew 9:36
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
1 John 3:17
17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
Ephesians 4:29
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
1 Corinthians 9:22
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
