Pride is one of the devil’s subtle tools that he uses to bring destruction into our lives. He begins in areas that seem insignificant and continues leading a person deeper and deeper into self-satisfying lifestyle until eventual they openly walk away from God.

Pride will Puff up a person, making them think they are above others, above correction, and even above the law of God.

Pride will cause a person to think that their own Righteousness is good; when the Bible says our own righteousness is filthy like rags – meaning like dirty rags. (Isaiah 64:6)

Pride keeps a person Interested only in themselves; not looking as to how to serve others but only how to get others to serve them.

Pride will bring about the Denial of Christ, starting in the little secret things behind closed doors and in our heart, making them think it doesn’t matter what they do when no one is looking.

Pride will cause a person to focus only on the present-day matters about themselves that satisfy the flesh instead thinking Eternally.

Pride is an awful characteristic; the downfall of many, and everyone has to guard against it.  Some people are somewhat able to keep it at bay so it doesn’t always show up outwardly but it still brings lack into their lives in areas they may not equate it to. Pride separates us from God because as stated in James 4:6, God opposes the proud – but He does shows favor to the humble. The antidote to pride is humility.  Pride brings destruction to us but humility brings the favor of God into our lives. We are instructed in James 4:10 to humble ourselves before God.  Certainly, humility is recognizing God for who He is and what He has done in our lives, but it’s also recognizing that we are and have nothing without God.

Humility creates the opposite characteristics of pride. Humility changes our focus from ourselves to God, which in turn allows Him to change us into His image of love, mercy, and forgiveness and from glory to glory. (2 Corinthians 3:18) Let us continually ask God to search our heart and reveal to us if there is any wicked way in us – if any pride has taken root. (Psalm 139:23-24)

The Bible says to give no place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:27) Why? Because Proverbs 16:18 teaches that pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall; meaning that pride brings destruction into our lives.  John 10:10 tells us that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and to destroy; that enemy is the devil.

Let us deal with the sin of pride by expelling it with repentance, and make a new commitment to acknowledge God in every area of our lives, including the secret places behind closed doors and in those secret places of our heart. When we humble ourselves before the Lord He lifts us up. (James 4:10) Notice that it tells us to do the humbling and therefore is our responsibility; the lifting us up is God’s part.

Jonah exalted his own reasoning against God, didn’t want to obey God, tried to run from God, and found himself in the belly of a great fish. I’d say that is “brought low”! It was then that he humbled himself before God with prayer and repentance, and obedience. As a result of his obedience a city was saved.

Saul exalted his religious thinking against God to the point of persecuting the Church, and found himself blind in the middle of the road with Jesus standing in front of him; blinded three days by that Light. When he humbled himself and obeyed the instructions of Jesus, he received his sight again when a man of God prayed for him.  And, of course, became not only a follower of Jesus but a great leader in the early Church.  (Acts 9)

Jesus is our greatest example. He went about healing and delivering all who were oppressed of the devil. (Acts 10:38) Then, after praying again in the Garden of Gethsemane, humbled himself by submitting his will to the Father’s, Jesus died on the Cross, giving His life to redeem a lost and sinful world.  (Matthew 26:39; John 3:16-17)

Let’s each humble ourselves to walk worthy of God who calls us into His own kingdom and glory.  (1 Thessalonians 2:12)