Pride - The Killer of Wisdom

Ga'avah - “to rise up; to lift oneself above others”

Isaiah 14:12-15 NLT
How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. 13 For you said to yourself, “I WILL ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I WILL preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. 14 I WILL climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.” 15 Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths.

Genesis 3:1-5 NIV
1)'Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2)The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,3)but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” '

THE TRUTH ABOUT PRIDE:

1. PRIDE POISONS YOUR ABILITY TO WALK IN WISDOM

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

Proverbs 3:34
God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble

Proverbs 16:5 (NIV)
“The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.”

Proverbs 15:25a (NIV)
“The Lord tears down the house of the proud

Proverbs 8:13 (NIV)
“To fear the Lord is to hate evil; for I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”

DIFFERENT KINDS OF PRIDE
1. Physical pride
2. Cultural pride
3. Intellectual pride
4. Economic pride
5. Spiritual pride

SUBTLE SIGNS THAT YOU’VE BEEN POISONED BY PRIDE:
1. When you refuse to ask for help
2. When you already know it all
3. When servanthood seems beneath you
4. When you're always the Main Character
5. When you constantly compare and compete
6. When you resist feedback
7. When you are easily offended or defensive
8. When you struggle with saying “I’m sorry”

THE TRUTH ABOUT PRIDE:
1. PRIDE POISONS YOUR ABILITY TO WALK IN WISDOM
2. THE ANTIDOTE FOR A PRIDEFUL HEART IS HUMILITY

I Peter 5:5b,6 (NLT)
“…And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor.”

Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT)
“You know that the rulers in this world lord (their authority) over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

4 Humbling Realities That Kill Pride
1.) We are Nothing
2.) We know Nothing
3.) We have Nothing
4.) We can do Nothing

How sweet it is to be NOTHING; that way Christ can be EVERYTHING…

True humility is not a groveling, self-deprecating attitude. It is the glad recognition that we are not God and that we desperately need Him."
- C.J. Mahaney

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