The Crucifixion of Pride
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
There was war in heaven and no place was found for Lucifer. He was cast out of heaven after having lost the war with the angels of God. Pride was defeated and destroyed so that what was needed to be done could be done.
Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, Rev 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
A monumental event took place in heaven that paved the way for God’s salvation and kingdom to be established in the hearts of men through Jesus. Jesus, the very epitome of humility and the direct opposite of pride portrayed by satan could now provide for His people’s salvation having gone to the cross in obedience.
In order to kill pride, we have to resist our self-will which imposes upon our being. It is in this area of self-will that satan operates with his deceptions. He offers man independence from God based on knowledge that he possesses. He once offered this to Eve when he deceived her to disobey God’s word. By doing this, he revived pride as the number one sin through man and turned the heart of man against God. However, God through Jesus on the other hand showed great humility and saved His people through death to pride. God humbled Himself through Jesus to go to the cross and die on our behalf to save us.
Doing the will of God eliminates pride whether we understand His will and way or not. Obedience and humility are at the heart of God’s desire for us. An act of submission to His will requires obedience and humility that comes out of understanding. It is in understanding that we will find our humility. No one is self created and therefore cannot claim independence from the Creator. Only God is uncreated and exists. I am that I am is the best way to explain who God is. Subsequently, the revelation of His other names and attributes of character will determine for us who God is.
Those of us who do not submit to the existence of God will often find that we seek another form of God as long as that god gives us our independence. This is the pursuit of pride. For a person to make an idol out of wood or stone or any other thing and then bow down to it, is an act of pride. The reason is, they say to themselves, we have made gods that we can now bow down to. Perhaps they are truly only bowing down to themselves, their own creation. They attempt to control these self-made gods by their own dictates and give them power over themselves by virtue of self-imposed values of worship. This form of creation and invention is finite and earthly.
In understanding what true idols are, we realise they are not objects made out of a material only but a character trait within one’s own soul. Pride is a character trait just like many other negative character traits in humans. All of our weak character traits are influenced and even controlled by satan. This is the feeding ground for sin because it is the devil that introduced sin into man’s heart in the garden.
What most idol worshippers do not realise is, they are being manipulated by the evil one to oppose the true and living God who is the only one to be worshipped. When satan himself was given the position of an arch angel in heaven and perhaps in charge of worship, he strove with the concept of being God. He wanted to be above God. Whereas, Jesus who was equal with God did not strive to be God when He discovered He had come to the earth as a man. Instead He humbled Himself and strove to do the will of God His Father. Ehp 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: This is how the killing of pride can be achieved, by stepping down from being Master of all to servant to all. Wow! This is true humility.
There are lessons to learn along life’s journey about the killing of pride because it pops up its ugly head often especially in conflict situations. The pursuit of power, revenge and the release of anger are all strong roots to pride, the chief corner stone of destruction. Pride comes before a fall the Bible says. Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Pro 16:19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Through the pursuit and practise of humility as a self discipline, pride can be destroyed in anyone’s life. Indeed, the practise of humility is a great sacrifice used in self discipline which brings about supernatural victories that are otherwise unattainable.
Humility also carries with it abandonment into the hands of God to bring about justice in conflict situations.
Pride on the other hand urges a person to solve the problem in their own strength. God wants us to know that nothing can be done or achieved without Him. This is humility because when we can take decisions for ourselves and we instead submit them to God before we act, we are humble. Pride refuses to listen to God or anyone except itself because it feels it can do what it likes.
Pride is a greater force than most people understand. It has many subtleties attached to it and can make itself known in action, speech and thought. These areas of its operation do not necessarily manifest pride at all times because it guises itself under many niceties and diplomacies. The reason it does this is, it is plotting to take over at some given moment and annihilate its opposition. The raw demonstration of pride is ugly at best to observe. It turns nasty and can be very powerful in its destruction.
In pride, there is the constant lifting up of oneself through action, speech or thought to the extent that it worships itself. This I believe is the true essence of pride. Furthermore, pride will never admit to being wrong or making mistakes. It will always deny. Pride also attaches itself to status, money, and power easily along with natural beauty and physical and mental accomplishments. It is haughty and shows itself in this manner. It tells itself that it is the ‘I’. It even believes it is self-evolved. We must kill all forms of pride in our lives and never be involved with others who walk in pride. They will pull us down in the process.
The Pharisees pulled down Jesus who was a Jew, one of their own because they prided themselves on the knowledge of God. So, when Jesus spoke of things they had never heard before and saw Him do the miracles, they were bitter and cut to their heart. Pride arose in them and they sought to kill Him and finally did on the urgings of satan. Hence the cross is the killing of pride.
Lots of love
Pastor Noble 25/10/2020