Let's Get Ready to Humble - Part 2

Last Week: Humility is the Prerequisite for Divine Intervention

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)

14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Prior to Praying. Prior to seeking. Even before repentance. God says “Humble yourself.”

Today: Religious Pride is Still Pride

As believer’s we are tempted to be prideful in our history, our experience, our spiritual victories, and testimony.

Because we have had encounters with God, because we have had great victories, we become the Spiritual gurus.

While we have needed God severely in the past, He now needs us to help the lowly, poor souls who have not made it to our level.

We throw spiritual platitudes at them, as though that word or thought that we had to struggle to make a reality in our life can suddenly be caught by them.

We forget that there were those in the trenches with us, helping us in our struggle.

Galatians 6:1–4 NKJV

1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

1 Corinthians 3:4–9 NKJV

4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.

Don’t Let the Gift Go To Your Head

Romans 12:1–5 NKJV

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Proverbs 6:16–19 NKJV

16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

Romans 12:6–9 (NKJV)

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;

7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;

8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

Hate What God Hates

Proverbs 8:13 CSB

13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

Proverbs 8:13 AMP

13 The reverent fear and worshipful awe of the Lord [includes] the hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate.

Cut Off the Flesh

Philippians 3:1–9 KJV (WS)

1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Concision: In biblical context, "the concision" refers to Judaizing teachers who were against the practice of cutting off the flesh. It stands in contrast to "circumcision," which is a complete cutting off of the flesh.

In other words, they believed an external ritual was enough. If you just went through the ritual of circumcision and the externals of the law, you were good.

We have that same spirit in the church today. If you just make a confession, pray the sinner’s prayer, make a public declaration through baptism, listen to the hottest worship music and get you praise on, you’re done. That’s all the cutting off of the flesh you need.

We take pride in that! I am blessed and highly favored! I am the apple of God’s eye! - And you ARE! But when we stop pursuing Him, when we stop allowing Him to prune off the unfruitful parts of our lives, we are making the prideful statement that we have arrived spiritually, and are in need of nothing.

Revelation 3:14–18 NKJV

14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

When You Think You Have Arrived, Start the Next Leg of the Journey

Philippians 3:13–14 NKJV

13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 61:1 NKJV

1 Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer.

Psalm 61:2 NKJV

2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Illustration - In the car after an amazing outpouring.......

Philippians 3:9 NKJV

9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

Philippians 3:10–11 NKJV

10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Revelation 3:19–21 NKJV

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.