What God says about pride & humility... Part 1

What God says about pride…

The way we respond when we are confronted with our sin reveals the condition of our heart.

“If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud… If you think you’re not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed!” C.S. Lewis

Proud people…
- Focus on the failures of others
- Have a critical, fault-finding spirit (makes fun of others weaknesses)
- Look at other’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope
- Are self-righteous
- Are independent, self sufficient spirit
- Have to prove they are right
- Claim rights, have a demanding spirit
- Are self-protective of their time, their rights, their reputation, (and their needs)
- Desire to be served – desire to come first
- Desire to make a name for themselves
- Desire self-advancement
- Have a drive to be recognized & appreciated
- Are wounded when others are promoted
- Feels confident in how much they know
- Are quick to blame others
- Are unapproachable or defensive
- Find it difficult to share their needs (spiritual and physical)
- Wants to make sure no one finds out when they have sinned
- Have a hard time saying they were wrong
- Tend to deal in generalities when confessing sin
- Are concerned about the consequences of their sin
- Are remorseful over their sins only after they have been caught
- Wait for others to come and resolve a conflict
- Are blind to their true heart condition
- Don’t think they have anything to repent
- Often thinks someone else needs to hear the sermon rather than themselves
(Taken from Seeking Him Study)

Proverbs 16: 18 – 19 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling. It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud.”
Proverbs 28:25 “He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.”
Hab 2:4 “"Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.”
Psalm 10:4 “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.”
Proverb 8:14 “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.”
Proverb 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.”
Proverb 29:23 “A man's pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.”
James 4:6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”