Pride’s Destruction Desires to Overtake You!

Perhaps one of the greatest enemies you and I will ever be forced to confront in this life is our own pride. Pride rises up within us and prevents us from being able to admit our mistakes, to take blame for problems we’ve created, and to step up and confess our faults and failures. Pride has been the downfall of many a great leader who refused to take the blame and clear the air.

We are told in the Scripture that: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6 HCSB). We also find that: “When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2). Again, we find the warning that: “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

It’s interesting to note the Scripture’s ongoing warnings concerning pride and its end product of absolute destruction. Maybe you have a problem with pride in your heart and life. Maybe your pride is preventing you from confessing your faults and sins thereby preventing you from discovering God’s forgiveness? (James 5:16).

Perhaps the single most significant Bible character we find whose pride brought him very low would be King David. Certainly, it is difficult to believe that a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22) could fall under consideration of such a failure, but he did! Now certainly there were a great many other sins involved at the time in David’s life, but it was his great enemy, pride, that prevented him from admitting his wrong before God and others.

The story begins in what would appear to be a very harmless situation. The Bible says: “In the spring when kings march out to war, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel…but David remained in Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 11:1). While it was not a common practice at the time for kings to stay behind during a battle, it was not necessarily unheard of.

So, “one evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing-a very beautiful woman” (v. 2). It wasn’t necessarily the first look that created the problem for David but the extended stare provoked by a deep lust in his heart that led to an invitation for her to join him in his chamber.

Some things we should know about this woman; she was married and her husband, Uriah, was away fighting battles as a soldier in the king’s military. So, to complicate any already despicable situation, she became pregnant. David, rather than admitting his great failure and sin, sent for her husband in order to try to coerce him to lie with his wife, which he refused to do.

So, to make matters even worse, David sent word to the commander to put Uriah into a place in the battle where he would be killed which is just what took place. A short time later, David married Bathsheba. No doubt, David was enduring a tough time in his life at this point. His sin had separated him from GOD. In his heart, he knew he had committed a great many sins; but, his pride prevented him from attempting to make things right.

But, a loving GOD was not willing to just write David off. He was not willing to allow David’s enemy of pride to win this battle. He stepped into David’s situation through Nathan the prophet. Nathan, risking his own life, willingly went in before the king and exposed his sin.

At that moment of exposure, David stood at a crossroads in his life. He could continue in his prideful way and have Nathan executed or he could take back control and win the battle over his pride by humbling himself in the presence of GOD. David chose to claim the victory. His heart broke and the peace of GOD began to flow over him as he humbly confessed all his sins, faults and failures.

He cried out to GOD: “Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. Wash away my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me. Against You-You alone-I have sinned and done this evil in Your sight. So You are right when You pass sentence; You are blameless when You judge” (Psalm 51:1-4 HCSB). Probably the single most humbling experience David ever passed through and yet it became a doorway to victory over his enemy and a restoration of peace with GOD.

Then David went further in his prayer recognizing a need for a complete cleaning and purification. He said: “God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit” (vv. 10 -12).

Perhaps you are going through life with a great deal of pent-up pain from past sins and failures that are holding you in bondage? Perhaps the enemy of pride has prevented you from letting go and letting GOD take over. Maybe you need to be broken before GOD today? Maybe your heart has hardened due to the influence of pride and sin preventing you from discovering GOD’s peace? It is time to come home. It is time to make peace with GOD by humbling your heart, confessing your sins and renewing your relationship with the Father.

Is there a battle raging in your heart? Has pride almost won the victory in your life? Give it to GOD today. Find His peace and restoration!

Scripture Reading: “Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. Wash away my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin. For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me. Against You-You alone-I have sinned and done this evil in Your sight. So You are right when You pass sentence; You are blameless when You judge. Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me. Surely You desire integrity in the inner self, and You teach me wisdom deep within. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt. God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit. Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways, and sinners will return to You. Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness. Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; You are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart. In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar” (Psalm 51).

Personal Prayer: Father in heaven, I have sinned against You! I acknowledge to You that I have allowed my enemy of pride to influence my life and decisions to the point of my near destruction. Please forgive me. Give me the victory over my prideful spirit. Humble me in Your presence that I may worship, praise and adore only You! Forgive all my sins and failures and help me to walk in purity and holiness before You. I love You and thank You…in Jesus’ name…AMEN!