KEY SCRIPTURE:1Pe 5:5 KJV “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

Pride is a great threat to your ability to receive anything from the Lord. The Lord actually opposes the proud, for the proud is not subject to the way of God. Pride would not allow any individual to release his burdens unto the Lord. Let’s consider how the amplified bible amplifies 1 Peter 5:5-7
1 Peter 5
…….. Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility [as the garb of a servant, so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance] toward one another. For God sets Himself against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful)–[and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace (favour, blessing) to the humble.
Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you.” It is the man who has humbled himself who would be ready to leave his burdens at God’s feet

The above passage from the amplified bible tells us to clothe ourselves with humility so that after we have cast our burdens on the Lord, pride and arrogance do not set in to make us insubordinate to the will of God. Please note that God sets Himself against the proud. How does God set Himself against the proud? It says He opposes them, frustrates or defeats them. That is, He takes away from you every good ability to make you victorious. Please note that every good thing we have is never our creation but an act of God’s grace. When one acts in pride, they loses God’s grace and so forfeit every provision of grace. God rather gives more grace to the humble. Clothe yourself tightly with humility.

Why are some people proud? There are even certain individuals who used to be very humble before God, yet when they seemed to have things going their way, they soon became hasty to the Lord. Pride may set in because men stop focusing on the Lord and start focusing on themselves. Now, when an individual fails to maintain his dedication to Gid’s word and a corresponding commitment to doing what the word says, he would soon lose that reverential fear of God. In 2nd Chronicles 16, King Asa, who began as a humble man, fully submissive to the Lord, became so proud that he stopped trusting God and trusted men instead. He started even attacking and tormenting the priest who pleaded with him not to dishonour God. At the end he died as a result of God’s judgement on him.

THOUGHT: PRIDE DOES NOT ONLY ROB YOU OF GRACE. IT SETS GOD AGAINST YOU.

FURTHER STUDiES

1Pe 5:8 KJV “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Job 40:12 KJV Look on everyone that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place