[ecko_quote source="Proverbs 16:18"]Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. [/ecko_quote]
I have seen many people, Pastors and Fellowships including Churches that have fallen apart because of various reasons. When you analyse these falls, you will see that the core problem is” Pride”. Lucifer (Satan) possessed the ability to choose his actions. He was a morning star, son of the dawn! And he who weakened the nations (Isaiah 14:12-13). Evidently, because of his beauty and splendour, he chose to rebel against God. His sin was a self-caused action that led to his losing his position, his place, and his possessions. Further, every subsequent fall was associated with pride. The ambition for power makes people blind, and power & pride always work together.
The scripture states that many Kingdoms had fallen, and Kings were utterly defeated because they allowed pride to reign their hearts. Today, we also can see in our Churches/ fellowships that people hunger for power and positions without even being spiritually qualified for that. They choose to go to any extent to gain that position. Even at the cost of their brothers and sisters who supported them wholeheartedly in their initial journey. In my early Christian life, I have witnessed one of my Pastors who had fallen from the grace of God for a wrong doing. Instead of confessing and forsaking it, he defended his actions when the congregation sought an explanation. I haven’t seen any progress of his ministry, but it declined rapidly. Now he regrets allowing such pride into his heart.
Did you know that Pride is the root of all sin? When Adam and Eve decided they knew better than God and went against His orders, that was pride. No longer humble, they wanted more. They wanted to be puffed up, and they wanted to be like God. The fall of man and fall of Lucifer are similar, and it was due to pride (Genesis 3:5; Isaiah 14:12-13). God hates pride. It is one of the seven deadly sins. Proverbs 6:16 says these six things doth the LORD hate: yes, seven are an abomination unto him a proud look, and that’s the ultimate result of pride.
Why is pride so sinful? Pride is giving ourselves credit for something that God has accomplished. Pride is taking the glory that belongs to God alone and keeping it for ourselves. Pride is essentially self-worship. Anything we accomplish in this world will not have been possible if it is not God who enabled and sustained us. “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” – (1 Corinthians 4:7). That is why we give God the glory—He alone deserves it.
“Pride is our greatest enemy; humility is our greatest friend.” So said the late John R.W. Stott. Make no mistake about it as it is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool. Humility which is our greatest friend increases our hunger for God’s word and opens our hearts to his Spirit. It leads to intimacy with God, who knows the proud from afar, but dwells with him “who is of a contrite and lowly spirit” (Isaiah. 57:15). It imparts the aroma of Christ to all whom we encounter. It is a sign of greatness in the kingdom of God (Luke 22:24–27).
Smith Wigglesworth, preacher and man of great faith who was used by God to do many miracles, signs, and wonders, said, “The way to get up is to get down.” We read in 1Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time”.
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