This year we celebrated Yom Kippur on September 24-25. It is known as The Day of Atonement, and is considered the holiest day of the year. It is a day to fast and pray, repent of our sins and ask forgiveness from God and our brethren. I felt God’s Spirit prompt me to fast and pray as well. In my prayer time I heard the Spirit say, “I want you to repent of pride for yourself and for the Church.”
Proverbs 6:16-19 (AMP) says, “Six things the Lord hates; seven are a repulsive abomination unto him: 1) A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others], 2) a lying tongue, 3) hands that shed innocent blood, 4) a heart that creates wicked plans and schemes, 5) feet that run swiftly to evil, 6) a false witness who breathes out lies [even half-truths], and 7) one who spreads discord (rumors) among the brothers.”
The #1 Thing on God’s Hate List is Pride!
God is holy, and an all-consuming fire. “A holy fear and respect of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10).
Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
In Isaiah 14:12-17, Ezekiel 28, and Genesis 3, we read where this “Root of Pride” started, with Lucifer or the devil. He tried to exalt himself to God status, and that didn’t end too well for him. When we think that we can run our own lives without God’s guidance or assistance, things will not go too well for us either. Pride also separates from any authority over us, which is rebellion. We want our independence and want to run our own lives and make our own choices. God gives us that liberty, and always gives us freedom of choice. But the problem is, we don’t always make wise decisions, so the smart thing to do would be to consult the “All-Knowing” One, i.e. the Omniscient God.
Here is what a prideful person looks like from God’s perspective. After reading the definitions, it helps put it into perspective in our own lives.
P – Proud
R – Rebellious
I – Independent
D – Disobedient
E – Exalts & Excludes
Proud:
puffed up, thinks too highly of yourself, exaggerated view, looking through rose-colored glasses. You can do no wrong, it is always someone else’s fault.
Rebellious:
Defiant, opposes all authority, wants to be in charge or in control, does not want to submit to leadership or mentoring, knows it all, unteachable, doesn’t listen only wants to talk.
Independent:
Self-Centered, not a Team player, it’s all about Me, Myself and I. If you are not the star, you don’t want to play. A Do-It-Yourselfer which means isolated and separated from others and from God (division).
Disobedient:
Do what you want to do, not necessarily what you are told to do. Total disregard and disrespect for authority. Will not follow instructions.
Exalts & Excludes:
“I am my own god, I answer to no-one. I make the rules. The Law applies to everyone else, not me.” Big ego, always talking about yourself and what you are doing, putting yourself in a favorable light, concerned about how you look or what other people say or think about you, think you are in a class all your own. Compare and look down on others with disdain or disgust, running over other people with total disregard for how it makes them feel or hurts them. Everything is a one-way street: “What’s in it for me?”
Definition of Pride – (Pride, conceit, self-esteem, egotism, vanity, vainglory)
A high or inordinate opinion of one’s own worth, merit, importance, superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in conduct, etc. A lofty or arrogant assumption of superiority. Exaggerated estimate of one’s own abilities or attainment. Excessive preoccupation with oneself.
Pride is being in love with yourself, consumed with self!
Psalm 37:4 tells us to “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” But we do the opposite, and delight ourselves, and do whatever we want! We do not give God a second thought and just run right over Him and what He desires. We don’t truly love Him, respect Him, nor appreciate Him. He is nowhere in the picture on a day-to-day level. We make decisions on our own. If we pray and ask Him, when He does give us an answer or leads in a certain direction, we question Him and second-guess His reasoning. We wouldn’t ever say it, but it is evident we think we know more than God does and can run our lives better than He can. So we usually override His input and keep doing what we want anyway. If we really loved Him, like a devoted spouse or obedient child, we would value His input and always want to please Him, instead of ourselves.
The Bible says in the last days people would be lovers of themselves more than lovers of God. Being around someone who is full of pride is also a very miserable experience. Your heart of compassion goes out to them because they can’t see how blinded they are. You just have to pray for God to enlighten the eyes of their understanding so they can see the truth. This excerpt from 2 Timothy sounds like we are talking about our world today!
2 Timothy 3:1-5 (AMP)
“But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, 3 [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.”
Are You Infected With Selfitis?
So I challenge you, as you read this article, do you see any symptoms of Pride in your life? The root is Pride, but the fruit it produces is Self… selfishness, self-centeredness, self-absorbed, self-conscious, self-confident, self-reliance, etc.
Self-itis is a “disease” just like any other “itis.” Selfitis is simply being consumed with one’s self!
Love Gives – Lust Takes
Love is Selfless – Lust is Selfish
Love Bows in Surrender and Respect for Authority – Lust and Pride Exalts Itself
Which one are you?
Do you take after your Father God, or your father the Devil? Do you have a spirit of anti-Christ separating yourself from God, wanting to Do-It-Yourself? Apart from God, we can do nothing. (John 15:5) But with God, anything is possible! (Matthew 19:26)
