Bible Reading: Isaiah 14,15 &16: Ephesians 5:1-16
“Pride goeth before destruction, an haughty spirit before a fall” Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)
Over the years’ man has not learnt a lesson of the pitfall associated with pride and arrogant disposition. The above scripture of the day remains undeniably a constant and incontestable statement of fact. The first victim of this undeniable fact was Lucifer himself, the one who walked in the midst of stones of fire in the mountain of God (Ezekiel 28:14), had all precious stones for his covering and was the first praise and worship leader in heaven in whom was created instruments for music. He was fashioned in excellence, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, yet his pride brought him to the grave. Hear the prideful thought of his heart “For thou has 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 cloud; I will be like the most High” Isaiah 14:13-14 (KJV). This is the extreme level of pride where the creature is thinking to surpass its creator in pomp and glory. See Satan’s fall, “Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy voils: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. 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” Isaiah 14: 11-12(KJV).
Pride brought Satan from his exalted position to the ground level. This scenario has continued over the years to repeat itself in the lives of men. Proud and arrogant men and rulers had appeared in the world scene dropping from their exalted position to abysmally low state. This has continued over the years as a tag associated with fall of men and empires. Pride blinds the hearts of men and remove the power of clear reasoning. Pride is a destroyer of relationship and it repels good advice and cannot accommodate soundness of mind. Pride produces an aftermath effect of shame (Proverbs 11:2). It is very distant from true wisdom and is easily accessible to failure. Pride is a product of carnality and is enemy to God. The bible says in Proverbs 10:14 (KJV) “The wicked through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts”
The antidote of pride and its consequences is humility, and that is what Jesus came to restore to humanity by showing example. He came from the rainbow circled throne in heaven to take the form of man and suffered great humiliation and shame to pay the price of sin in order to liberate humanity from the evil hold of sin and pride. Jesus is the solution to the destructive and slippery pitfall of pride. We live by His example to operate in humility and overcoming pride in its entirety. My dear reader I invite you to embrace Jesus Christ for a successful living.
Prayer: Father grant me the grace to live all through my life holding on to Jesus.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo