PRIDE
by Darren Langston

6/25/2003

Proverbs 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

The definition of “pride” according to Thayer’s is 2) an insolent and empty assurance, which trusts in its own power and resources and shamefully despises and violates divine laws and human rights. 3) an impious and empty presumption which trusts in the stability of earthy things.

As I was thinking about why pride was so effective it occurred to me that it was trusting in what it had no power to fulfill what it thought it could do. It was a vain imagination, just like when the devil wanted the praise of God and could not have it. He was not God but he wanted what he did not have the power for, so how could something like that do anything but fall. Everything gets tested and in the midst of the test you will be shown what you can back up. If your trusting in something that is not true, how could it do anything but fall, it would be like trusting in a shield that is not there. How easy it would be then for the devils to come through what is not really there in the first place.

We are independent of God because of Adam eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The big problem with that is that we were not designed to function independent of God because we don’t have the power in and of ourselves. So we allow pride to come in and cover us and because pride offers us a grandiose idea of ourselves that we can not back up but then we fall into shame. It says in

1Timothy 3:6
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

This is a pattern of Satan himself .

Isaiah 14:12-15.
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

So pride is trusting in a vain imagination that is there to protect ones’ self but it has no power in and of itself except to deceive us from reality.

Which is probably why it says in John 8:43-44.

43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Satan is the father of lies and pride is a lie (believing a lie about yourself to protect yourself) and its foundation is self centeredness and satan recognizes pride because it is him and therefore can deceive you further through it.

So what is the remedy to this?

The Truth, the Truth about ourselves. It is through humility that we receive the Truth. Humility is being exactly who God says we are and that is being entirely dependent on Him.

As Paul says in Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Pride is a lie that exalts self, Paul says is Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

In laying down our lives and allowing Christ to live through us we can take on the shield of faith, and the shield of faith does protect against all.

Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Faith, believing the Truth about ourselves and all the Truth about God is our real protection that pride and shame try to do for us instead.