ANCHOR OF LIFE DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
THURSDAY, 28TH APRIL, 2022
Author: PASTOR DR. SAMUEL AYORINDE
General Overseer
TOPIC: STRONG BUT INDISCIPLINED - Part 5
BE CAREFUL OF PRIDE IN YOU
MEMORIZE: “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.” Proverbs 18:12.
SCRIPTURE READING: Proverbs 16:17-19
“The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”
EXPOSITION:
A man's spirit is a sure indication of the lot that awaits him: if he be humble, he shall find honor; but if haughty, ruin. Pride is an act of self-exaltation. It is seeing oneself as better than others. Jesus told the story or a Pharisee who saw himself better and more religious than a publican in Luke 18:9-14 At the end, Jesus said, “I tell you, this man (publican) went down to his house justified rather than the other (Pharisee): for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:14. God “Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.” Psalm 138:6.
Pride will have a fall. Those that are of a haughty spirit, that think of themselves above what is meet, and look with contempt upon others, that with their pride affront God and disquiet others, will be brought down, either by repentance or by ruin. It is the honour of God to humble the proud. The Bible says - "Disperse the rage of your wrath; Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; Tread down the wicked in their place." Job 40:11-12. It is the act of justice that those who have lifted up themselves should be laid low. Pharaoh, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, were instances of this. Men cannot punish pride, but either admire it or fear it, and therefore God will take the punishing of it into his own hands. Let him alone to deal with proud men
Proud men are frequently most proud, and insolent, and haughty, just before their destruction, so that it is a certain presage that they are upon the brink of it. When proud men set God's judgments at defiance, and think themselves at the greatest distance from them, it is a sign that they are at the door; witness the case of Benhadad and Herod. Concerning Nebuchadnezzar, the Bible says, "While the word was in the king's mouth," Daniel 4:31. Meaning while exercising prideness, God’s anger rose against him and brought him low by giving him the heart of a beast. At the end of seven years, his understanding was restored back to him and he acknowledged God as the ruler of the whole universe. In his word, he said, “34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.” Daniel 4:34-37
Humility is the opposite of pride. It is the presage of honour and prepares men for it, and honour shall at length be the reward of humility, as he had said before, Proverbs 15:33. That has need to be often said which men are so loth to believe. Don’t learn humility in the hard way like Nebuchadnezzar. It is written, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” 1 Peter 5:6. Therefore let us not fear the pride of others, but greatly fear pride in ourselves.
PRAYER POINT:
i. Lord, help me to humble myself under your mighty hand so that you will not humble me by force in Jesus name.
ii. I renounce pride and its destructive end in Jesus name.
DAILY BIBLE READING IN A YEAR – Nehemiah 1 – 3.
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