Humble Ourselves

2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

1 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

14 The descendants of Manasseh: Asriel was his descendant through his Aramean concubine. She gave birth to Makir the father of Gilead.

God works in contingent ways. We are saved through faith in Jesus through His death and resurrection. We are not saved just solely on His death and resurrection but we need to believe and then live for Jesus. It is a contingent relationship, meaning dependent on something else. God goes to work after we do our part.

Here in , we see a contingent clause. If we (humanity) humble ourselves and pray and seek the face of God and turn from our wicked ways, then God will hear from heaven and forgive our sin and heal our land. We are in a time and place where our land is sick. There are more people sick here than I’ve heard anywhere else in NL. So now more than ever we need to see our land healed, so lets fall in line with scripture. Lets watch God move when we hold up our end of the bargain.

This week we are looking at:

Humility: A modest view of one’s own importance.

humility n. — the disposition of valuing or assessing oneself appropriately; especially in light of one’s sinfulness or creatureliness.

humility n. — the disposition of valuing or assessing oneself appropriately; especially in light of one’s sinfulness or creatureliness.

As the body of Christ, are we humble? Many will say they are not selfish or conceited.

But what is true Humility? What does it mean that we are to humble ourselves?

Philippians 2:3 NIV

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

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php 2:3-5

Philippians 2:3–8 NIV

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

This is the way to be humble. To value others above ourselves. Are we doing that? Are we looking at others in this town above ourselves? Are we truly looking at others in the way that Jesus looks at others?

Are we doing things out of personal gain or for the gain of the kingdom?

If the church lost its charitable status, would we still pay our tithes the same, would we still give the same if we were to have church in a house instead in a building. Are our motives based on God or based on selfish ambition. Is our giving from a heart of sacrifice, or from a mind of tax returns? Is our giving from a heart of Love for others, or from a mind of obligation. Humility is more than just our personality, it bases our entire life upon God and his ways.

If we are to look out for the interest of others, what exactly does that mean? Verse 4 talks about each of you to the interest of others.

Hekastos is the greek word here that literally translates as:

each adjs. — (used of count nouns) every one considered individually.

Everyone considered individually. So its not that someone’s humility will cover the church in general. Paul is saying here that everyone has to step up in this matter as an individual. That when each person looks to the interests of others, then thats when the humility of Christ will flow.

Even though we are heirs of the kingdom of God and known as children of God, we are to be like Jesus who did not see himself equal with God even though he 100% is. His servant attitude is what we need to adopt into our own lives.

The key to taking the interest of others to heart is to establish a better way of life for the other person. Humility isn’t just a card we flash, like a police officer flashes his badge to show his authority, but it must be a process to show in the lives of others. As we live life with people, we show them the best life to live and how that looks by serving Christ. If we have a family member or friend as an addict/homo/drunk/etc, instead of pointing out the wrongs to make them feel like your pointing fingers, stay humble and see how humility will turn your suggestions into conversation that leads to listening and waiting for the right time to instil the truth of the gospel into their situation.

Humility leads to Healing

There are people who burn out while trying to be humble. People make it a point to go over and above and it leads to people just crashing from exhaustion of trying to be humble.

But says

James 4:10 NIV

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Hypsoo: is The Greek word that translates as exalt. If we humble ourselves before the Lord first and foremost, meaning daily, meaning before we do anything else, to seek him and to make it known we are nothing without God, then He will in return exalt us.

When God exalts us is to lift us up, raise us up, give us power in the situation we face in life. Humility isn't just for the people in our lives, or even people in general, but our humility ought to be towards God. How often do we think we can do it on our own, or how often do we lack to consult God first?

Therefore, trying to be humble will burn us out, but being humble with God before anything else will lead us to exaltation from God that means He will give us the strength and ability to do what we have been called to do.

Humility leads to Rest

Matthew 11:28–30 NIV

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matt 11:2

When we learn from the Word, who is made in flesh as Jesus, we become humble and in turn we have rest for our souls. How often do we see the world searching for peace, love, and rest? Well that comes from following the example of Christ and being humble.

The Greek word for Humble is Tapeinos and translates here as marked by meekness and modesty. If we are to learn from Jesus, we need to be modest.

Modest can mean 2 different things,

Modest: a state of being moderate in the estimation of one’s abilities. or Behaviour, manner, or appearance to avoid impropriety or indecency.

To be like Jesus, to follow in His example and to bear humility, we need to be modest. The way we present our selves, talk about ourselves, act both in private and in public. Modesty will lead to humility that will lead to rest.

The world is searching for Jesus and they don’t even know it. They long for rest, peace, and everything else that only comes from our Saviour. When we are humble, we a given rest from God that will be attractional to the world. They want what is at our disposal and its time we use the abilities that God has stored for us.

Conclusion

Humility is the first step in watching God heal our land. If God wait for us to do the possible before He does the impossible, in which He does, then we need to make it a priority to become humble in every way.

Humility around others is a must. To place the lives of others above our own. And this needs to be a individual effort that unites the Body of Christ as a whole. To lower selfishness and seek to help others in the servant attitude that Jesus had.

Humility with God is the first and most important part in being humble. That we humble our selves before God so that we do not grow weary and tired of this Christian walk. We seek God first and consult with him in everything. This leads to exaltation from God. He will raise us up, strengthen us, and give us the tools needed to continue on in life.

Humility will lead to modesty that leads to rest. We need to watch our actions, speech, and private life in order to be in the likeness of Jesus. If we take upon us the yoke of Christ, then we too are bathed in the humility that Jesus had. The world longs for the yoke of Jesus, yet we need to represent the glory of God in order for people to be attracted to these Promises from Jesus.