Rooting Out Pride In My Life and My Family

Rooting Out Pride in My Life and Family

1 Peter 5:5-6

Rooting out pride requires a deliberate self-assessment and intentional change.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.1 John 2:15-16

Every obedient Christian struggles with pride.

Pride is absent at the moment of salvation and is a barrier during sanctification.

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.Acts 9:3-6

Pride in the life of the Individual.

Pride is Deceptive, It deceives you into believing you are much more, when you are in fact much less.

The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.Obadiah 1:3-4

For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.Galatians 6:3

Pride rejects correction and wisdom.

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.Proverbs 11:2

Pride seeks self-exaltation and self-promotion. It makes me the object of my worship.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.Isaiah 14:12-15

Pride is deceptive because it distances you from God and reliance upon His sovereignty.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” —Proverbs 3:5-6

Pride in the lives of __a Married Coupl__e.

Pride is Divisive, It introduces conflict that disrupts the harmony of marriage.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.Ephesians 5:22-27

Pride desensitizes us to the needs and feelings of our spouse.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Entitlement stems from pride and devalues the contributions of our spouse.

A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.Proverbs 29:23

Pride in the lives of Parents.

Pride is Destructive, It destroys lives and brings judgment.

Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.Proverbs 18:12

Pride of a child left unchecked welcomes destruction.

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.Proverbs 16:18

Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.Proverbs 19:18

Children who are the source of a parent’s pride are set up for failure.

A parent who places a priority on personal pride, compromises the spiritual development of the child.

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.Proverbs 28:13

How do I eliminate pride in my life?

Reflect upon God’s sovereignty and grace and remember your standing before God.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.Ephesians 2:8-10

Be open and vulnerable to examination from God and others to identify prideful actions and attitudes.

Pray for wisdom, strength, and accountability to overcome your prideful heart.

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.Proverbs 8:13

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.Philippians 4:8

Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.Proverbs 27:2

Replace pride with grace and love.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.James 4:10

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.Hebrews 4:16