Thursday, 29^th May, 2025

Bible Reading: Proverbs 16: 5, 18

Memory Verse:  All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech. Proverbs 8:13 (NLT)

Today we shall consider the shutting the door of our heart against pride.

9. PRIDE: Pride is an unreasonable or inordinate self-esteem while arrogance is the elder brother of pride; both in the school of self-destruction. Arrogance implies thinking more highly of ourselves. Pride causes us to assess our lives by the standard of our accomplishments rather than our God given identity (Romans 12:3). One researcher classified pride into 4 groups namely: Pride of Spirituality, Pride of Knowledge, Pride of Power, and Pride of Appearance.

CAUSES OF PRIDE

I. A desire to be God (Isaiah 14:13-14).

II. Moral self-righteousness (Luke 18:11).

III. Confidence in one’s accomplishments (Daniel 4:28-37).

IV. Ambition for prominence (Mark 10:35-45).

V. Lack of teachability (Hebrews 13:17).

VI. Self-directed satisfaction: People may feel pride when they meet their personal goals, especially if they believe they are the sole cause of the positive outcome. 

VII. Self-centeredness: People may do or say things to make themselves feel good or to get praise from others. 

CONSEQUENCES OF PRIDE

Pride is a feeling of self-satisfaction that can lead to negative consequences, including:

I. Separation from God: Pride can make people believe they are the source of their own life and accomplishments, rather than acknowledging God’s role. While the thought of vainglory seeks to gain ‘glory’ or admiration to prop up the self, pride cuts even deeper. The thought of pride not only seeks to take God’s glory for ourselves, it suggests that we are the very source of our own life and any accomplishments. The essence of pride is the belief that ‘I am god.’ Pride causes us to assess our lives by the standard of our accomplishments rather than by our God given identity. (Romans 12:3).

II. Alienating from others: Pride can make people more focused on themselves and less connected to the world around them. 

III. Preventing growth: Pride can make it difficult to recognize mistakes and shortcomings, and can prevent the growth of other virtues. 

Furthermore, from another extreme angle, pride leads to self-contempt and self- pity. Although pride is a self-expansive vice, it sometimes plunges people into periods of self-contempt and self-pity. Excessive pride can lead to overconfidence, increasing the likelihood of making poor decisions. Pride creates strife and discord and excessive entitlement to respect, success, love, affection, honour, and attention. Pride provokes God to wrath and indignation; it irritates him, agitates him, and displeases him beyond words.

Quote: Pride will cost you everything but leave you with nothing 

Prophetic Decree: Receive a garment of humility today, in Jesus name. 

Prayer Focus 

1. Lord, I am sorry in every way I have been proud, in Jesus name. 

2. Holy Spirit, please open my eyes to areas of pride in my heart, in Jesus name.

3. Dr. Jesus, circumcise my heart from pride today, in Jesus name. 

4. O Lord, deliver me from the pride of Spirituality and power, in Jesus name. 

5. Holy Spirit, deliver me from the pride of Appearance and knowledge, in Jesus name. 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 1-2, Psalms 37, 71, 94