There’s a sin out there that is cunning, crafty and absolutely deadly. It does everything it can do to make you think that it’s not actually the problem. It’s the cause of the first sin ever committed in the garden. It is known as the “Mother of all vices” and the sin that causes all sins. What is this deceptive killer? Pride…

As I’ve studied out pride in the Bible, read books, examined in myself and those I lead, I am left amazed and shocked. It feels as if I have come across the enemies battle plan against humanity. My eyes were illuminated to how I let the enemy use pride to hurt in me in many ways. I felt that if I could articulate Satan’s battle plan, then so many souls could be set free and avoid so much unneccesary suffering. Of course, since becoming a disciple, I have had a strong conviction that being prideful is sin yet I found that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The more I thought through my own sin and helping others overcome their sin, I came to one big conclusion. We have a pride problem! However, what I realized is that I not only found a “problem” but more importantly I found the “solution”. The solution isn’t always so apparent. We often disciple people on things like purity, attitude, lukewarmness, and rebellion as if that is the actual issue. What I have found recently is that when you dig deep beneath the surface you will find a smelly pile of pride. You especially know its pride when you poke it and it tries to bite you (also know as defensiveness).

So what does God think about pride? He hates it (Proverbs 6:16-17)! Do we hate it though? Pride is mentioned in the Bible over 100x.

Definition of Pride = Self-idolatry, ungodly self-sufficiency, independence (often stemming from insecurity), self-reliance, arrogance, excessive love for one’s own excellence, self-focused

Psalm 107:17 NIV “Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.”

Pride results in two things according to the passage above:

1. Become a Fool – turns you into someone who illogical and irrational; what is very clear and obvious becomes very foggy; things go right over your head.
2. Suffer unnecessary affliction – pride stops you from getting the help that could save you; stops you from learning so you learn the hard way; God sends you affliction to humble you
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Proverb 11:2 NIV “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

Primes brings disgrace…You never look back with fondness on your prideful moments. It’s embarrassing and you clearly see the error of your ways

Humility brings wisdom. Humility is the cure. The challenge is that pride comes natural to us and often times humility does not. It must be sought after!

Pride keeps you thinking you know something when you really don’t. Humility has you thinking you don’t know enough, while acquiring true wisdom.

2 Chronicles 26:16 “But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.”

King Uzziah had done so much for Judah. He was a hero in the faith! He had battled the Philistines and built up the kingdom in many ways, yet the deadly sin of pride took out another king of Judah. Pride has a long bloody list of kills. Pride isn’t “cute” nor is it just a character flaw, it’s one of the deadliest weapons of Satan. So the question is this: is your struggle really the problem or is it a pride problem?

I feel as if I could write many more articles on this topic because it feels as if I am only scratching the service of how pride has the potential to keep so many of us out of the gates of heaven, but I will close with this excerpt from the book “The Prideful Soul’s Guide to Humility” by Michael Fontenot and Thomas A Jones.

“It can be argued that there is no sin that is not somehow rooted in pride. Consider a few examples:

• Sexual immorality: “I deserve to have my pleasure, and I should not have to worry about consequences.”

• Lying: “I do not trust that God can work through the truth. I have more confidence in my ability to deceive and to distort the facts.”

• Hatred: “I am better than you are, and I have a right to despise you for what you have done or what you are.”

• Rebellion: “I know better than my leaders, and I can accomplish better things by doing what I want to do.” • Ignoring the needs of others: “My life is the most im- portant thing: accomplishing my goals, getting my pleasure, fulfilling my needs.”

• Ingratitude: “I have what I have because I worked for it, or at least because I deserve it. Plus, there are other things that I deserve to have.”

• Disobedience: “I know the Bible says this, but I have a better way.”

• Discord: “I have no need for a relationship with you. I will be able to accomplish what I need to without unity.”

• Prejudice and racism: “Those people just aren’t as good as we are.”

If you’ve made it this far, I want to inspire you and challenge you, reach out to me if you’d like to study the Bible and see how it’s radically changed me forever. Don’t let pride stop you. Thank you for reading!