Sifting Pride

Winnowing

Over the next several weeks we will be looking at the theme of “winnowing”. Winnowing is the process of removing the chaff from the wheat. More simply, it is getting the junk out of the harvest.

We’ve been considering some farming themes from the Scripture this year. We began with some realities about planting. Just a couple weeks ago I preached “Rooted and Rising” – a message of encouragement that growth happens both above and below ground. Today we begin to see that in a growing season there are going to be some issues… and one big one is that ‘stuff’ will get into the crop and threaten to destroy or decrease it if we allow it.

It is interesting to know that John the Baptist referred to Jesus as a “winnowing fork”. John says the Messiah will “clear His threshing floor,” gathering wheat and burning chaff.

Matthew 3:11–12 NIV

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

We are going to go to the words of Jesus to identify these threats that destroy the fruit. For those of us who know Him, we know that He is loving, kind, and compassionate but at the same time He doesn’t suffer fools. He expects a crop of wheat (genuine faith and fruit) and demands the destruction of the chaff (hypocrisy, empty religion, sin, pride, and self-reliance).

Over the next few weeks, we will look at the comments of Jesus regarding:

Pride

The Necessity of Pruning

The Subtlety of Idolatry

Deadly Distractions

Have you ever heard the Aesop fable, The Roosters and the Eagle?

The Roosters and the Eagle        

Once there were two Roosters living in the same farmyard who could not stand the sight of each other. At last, one day they flew at each other to fight it out, beak and claw. They fought until one of them was beaten and crawled off to a corner to hide.

The Rooster that had won the battle flew to the top of the henhouse and, proudly flapping his wings, crowed with all his might to announce his victory to the world. But an Eagle, circling overhead, heard the boastful crowing and, swooping down, carried him off to his nest.

His rival saw the deed, and coming out of his corner, took his place as master of the farmyard. [1]

As Solomon wrote, “Pride goes before a fall”. One of the greatest problems that we all run into is the problem of pride. If it is allowed to exist, it will suffocate the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

Jesus calls it out in the disciples just days before His crucifixion. Even after 3 years of being with Jesus in ministry, the disciples were struggling:

Luke 22:24 NIV

A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.

Pride is subtle and has a way of creeping up on us. Jesus had demonstrated this servant leadership by washing their feet earlier that same evening, but the chaff doesn’t separate from the wheat easily.

Pride is often easiest to see in someone else's life and hardest to recognize in our own. That's why Jesus gives us Peter—not to embarrass him, but to teach us. If pride can hide in the heart of Peter, one of Christ's closest followers, then it can certainly hide in ours.

Peter is Sifted

Peter thought he was stronger than he actually was. He confused confidence with spiritual maturity. He mistook bold declarations for genuine dependence upon God. And Satan targeted exactly that weakness.

As the disciples were all there together Jesus gives them a picture of what Christian service should be – humble and service centered.

Luke 22:25–30 NIV

Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus lifts their spirits by telling them that they would be recipients of a kingdom, that they would eat and drink at His table, that they would sit on thrones, and that they would judge the tribes of Israel. But there is a problem…the devil wants to destroy Peter, the disciples, and our faith.

Exposing Pride and Self-Confidence      

In the next verses Jesus exposes Peter’s pride and self-confidence.

Luke 22:31–34 NIV

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

You may be saying, “Wait Pastor, John the Baptist said Jesus was the winnowing fork. It says here that Satan is the actor.” True but we have been given everything that we need to combat the attacks of the devil. Even here, Jesus foretells that Peter “when he turns back” would be used to strengthen his brothers.

It seems that God allows sifting to remove self-confidence, impulsiveness, and false strength. What remains is humble, usable faith. Peter’s pride and self-confidence are exposed before his calling is strengthened.

Pastor Sonia, Cindy and I had the opportunity to meet a young lady who is presently going through a discipleship program at a local ministry. She described to us living a life of addiction and dependence. Finally, at a point of brokenness in the back alley of a shopping center and next to a dumpster she realized how her pride was destroying her. She made a call and committed to getting well through repentance, surrender to Christ, and participation in a discipleship program.

The details of her story are not mine to tell but her statement about pride caught my attention. It reminds me of the prodigal son filled with pride who left his family and home and ended up in the pig slop.

Peter Was Not the Only One

We read this passage and remember Peter’s name. We know that just like Jesus said, he would deny Him 3 times and weep because of his guilt, but this wasn’t just about Peter. In the original language the passage would read more accurately,

Luke 22:31–32 NLT

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus was using a collective you. That is exactly what the devil wants to do…use our pride to destroy the good fruits in our lives.

I haven’t used an illustration from John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress in awhile so…in this illustration the character named “Ignorance” demonstrates how pride destroys a person.

Christian and Hopeful meet Ignorance on the King’s Highway. When they ask him how he intends to enter heaven, Ignorance boldly replies, “I know my heart is good”. He follows his own feelings rather than the objective word of God.  In addition, Ignorance believes that as long as he prays, gives to charity, and lives a relatively moral life, God is pleased with him. He views Christ’s death as simply a means to cover minor blemishes, rather than a complete substitution for his sins. Finally, Ignorance never entered through the Wicket-gate (which represents the humility of repentance and saving faith). He represents the “good” person whose pride in the own morality blinds them to their need for the Gospel.[2]

Yes, that is from an allegory, but the Bible is filled with individuals who lose sight of the gift giver and celebrate the gift (Samson) or the gifted speech of false teachers (in Acts). The devil has distorted the minds and hearts of gifted singers, gifted teachers, individuals with dramatic conversions, and powerful leaders (like Solomon). They embraced the chaff of the flesh and discarded the fruit of the Spirit.

Identifying Prideful Chaff

Pride is one of Satan's most effective tools because it is often difficult to recognize in ourselves. It can disguise itself as confidence, conviction, competence, or even spirituality. Scripture repeatedly warns that "pride goes before destruction" (Proverbs 16:18).

Here are several practical ways pride can damage a Christian's walk:

1. Prideful Independence

The essence of pride is self-sufficiency. Instead of saying, "Lord, I need You," pride says, "I've got this."

Prayer becomes less frequent.

Dependence on the Holy Spirit decreases.

Success is attributed to our own abilities rather than God's grace.

We work hard but pray little.

2. Pride Keeps Us from Repenting

Pride resists admitting wrong. When confronted:

We justify ourselves.

We shift blame.

We explain rather than confess.

We spend more energy defending our actions than examining our hearts. That was Peter before the courtyard. He was sure everyone else might fail, but not him.

3. Pride Damages Relationships

Pride creates conflict because it demands its own way. It leads us to:

Assume the worst about others.

Refuse to apologize.

Hold grudges.

Seek to win arguments rather than restore relationships.

Practical sign: We find ourselves frequently offended and rarely at fault.

4. Pride Makes Us Unteachable

A proud believer stops listening.

Advice is dismissed.

Correction is resisted.

Accountability becomes uncomfortable.

Practical sign: We can easily identify everyone else's blind spots but struggle to see our own.

5. Pride Turns Ministry into Self-Promotion

Even spiritual service can become a platform for ego. We begin to ask:

"Do people notice me?"

"Why wasn't I recognized?"

"Why did they choose someone else?"

What started as service to Christ becomes service to reputation.

Practical sign: Our joy rises and falls based on applause, recognition, or influence.

6. Pride Leads to Spiritual Comparison

Pride constantly measures.

"I'm more committed than they are."

"I know more Bible than they do."

"At least I don't struggle with that sin."

This was the sin of the Pharisee in Luke 18 who thanked God that he was not like other people.

Practical sign: We feel better about ourselves when someone else fails.

7. Pride Makes Success Dangerous

Satan often finds greater opportunity in success than in failure. After victories:

We become complacent.

We stop guarding our hearts.

We assume we are beyond temptation.

Practical sign: We believe certain sins could never happen to us. Peter had walked on water. Peter had confessed Jesus as the Christ. Peter had seen miracles few people ever witnessed. Yet success did not make him immune to temptation.

8. Pride Causes Us to Seek God's Gifts More Than God

We may love...

Ministry success

Knowledge

Influence

Blessings

..more than we love God Himself.

The devil is content for Christians to be busy with religious activity if their hearts drift from humble devotion to Christ.

Practical sign: We become more excited about what God can do for us than about God Himself.

9. Pride Isolates Us

Pride says:

"No one would understand."

"I don't need help."

"I can handle this alone."

Isolation removes the protection of Christian community and accountability.

Practical sign: We hide struggles while projecting strength.

10. Pride Robs God of Glory

Ultimately, pride seeks the glory that belongs to God.

The enemy's original rebellion was rooted in pride (Isaiah 14:12-15, often understood as reflecting Satan's self-exaltation). Pride whispers the same temptation today: "Make much of yourself."

Humility, by contrast, says: "Make much of Christ."

Peter’s Wheat Remained

The beautiful thing about Peter's story is that the sifting did not destroy him. Jesus never said: "Peter, Satan wants to sift you, and you are finished." Instead, He said: "I have prayed for you."

Peter's pride was exposed. His self-confidence was shattered. His boasting was silenced. But his faith survived.

Why? Because Jesus was not trying to destroy Peter. Jesus was separating the chaff from the wheat. Peter discovered that his courage wasn't enough. His loyalty wasn't enough. His promises weren't enough. But Christ was enough.

And when Peter finally understood that - he became the leader God intended him to be all along. The man who once bragged, "I will never deny You" became the man who humbly strengthened his brothers. The man who trusted himself learned to trust Christ. The wheat remained. The chaff blew away.

And that is true for us as well. Some of us are being sifted right now. Perhaps God is exposing self-reliance, stubbornness, hidden sin, a need for recognition, or spiritual pride.

And if we're honest, it is uncomfortable. But remember this: God does not remove the chaff because He hates the wheat. He removes the chaff because He loves the wheat.

The goal is not humiliation. The goal is fruitfulness. The goal is not destruction. The goal is transformation. The goal is that we would become men and women who depend more fully upon Christ.

So, when the Holy Spirit exposes pride this week, don't defend it. Confess it. Don't excuse it. Surrender it. Don't cling to the chaff. Let it go. Because on the other side of humility is greater usefulness, greater fruitfulness, and greater intimacy with Christ.

Peter's story reminds us that the Lord is not looking for perfect people. He is looking for surrendered people. And when the winnowing fork of God begins its work, it is not because He intends to destroy us. It is because He intends for the wheat to flourish.

[1] https://americanliterature.com/author/aesop/short-story/the-fighting-cocks-and-the-eagle

[2] https://g3min.org/the-dangers-of-heartfelt-ignorance/