“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Before you the reader goes forth, understand i fight this war myself, for the Holy Scriptures say our members war against us… Sometimes i perceive that’s within my flesh and soul, but sometimes from other believers as well. Why? i have revelation of the need of absolute total reliance upon the Holy Spirit. i know personally what the old me is capable of. How do we remain… Abide in Christ. We get to know Him personally. No other Way. Jesus is the Way, Truth and Life. Jesus stated no man comes to the Father, but by Me. Please read the following slowly and carefully.

1 John 2:27-29 (AMPC)

27 But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you.

But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do].

28 And now, little children, abide (live, remain permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence (boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming.

29 If you know (perceive and are sure) that He [Christ] is [absolutely] righteous [conforming to the Father’s will in purpose, thought, and action], you may also know (be sure) that everyone who does righteously [and is therefore in “like manner” conformed to the divine will] is born (begotten) of Him [God].

definition: Pride is an excessively high opinion of oneself. Conceit is too high an opinion of one’s own abilities, worth, or personality; vanity. An arrogant person is overly convinced of one’s own importance; overbearingly proud; haughty).

When we look at how the Holy Scriptures uses the word pride we see that pride is substituting our own authority, doing things in our own strength, our plan, our greatness, our human goodness in place of God’s. The proud person looks at himself differently than God looks at him.

Pride is a mental attitude sin. A wrong mind-set. The Mind of Christ is not operating in this type of individual. It is listed in Prov: 6:16-19 (“haughty eyes”) as one of the seven worst sins (Prov 8:13; 30:13; Ps 131.1; Mark 7:20- 23; 1 Tim 3.6).

Pride is a part of ungodliness (2 Tim 3:2).

Pride is the opposite of humility (Prov 11:2; 29:23; Dan 4:37; James 4:6;1 Pet 5:5-6).

Strong’s #1346: ga`avah (pronounced gah-av-aw’)
from 1342; arrogance or majesty; by implication, (concretely) ornament:–excellency, haughtiness, highness, pride, proudly, swelling.

huperéphania: haughtiness, disdain
Original Word: ὑπερηφανία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: huperéphania
Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-er-ay-fan-ee’-ah)
Short Definition: pride, arrogance
Definition: pride, arrogance, disdain.

HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 5243 hyperēphanía – properly, excessive shining, i.e. self-exaltation (self-absorption) which carries its own self-destructive vanity.5243 (hyperēphanía) is used only in Mk 7:22. See also 5244(hyperḗphanos).

Pride will cause a blindness that makes a person believe they can do it in their own strength. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. John 15:5 says we can do nothing without Him, Jesus… we must yield to the Holy Spirit.

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?

Where did pride come from? The heart of Lucifer: a reason why Father deals with man through their heart.

Ezekiel 28 (speaking of Lucifer before he was Satan)

14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.

15 You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.

16 Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,
and you sinned.

So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, guardian cherub,
from among the fiery stones.

17 Your “heart” became “proud”
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;

Satan introduced sin (and pride) into God’s perfect creation. Satan thought that he was good enough to challenge God’s authority and rule. He was showing pride (Isaiah 14:12-14 and 1 Tim 3:6).

After Eve was deceived and Adam sinned (the result was the fall of all mankind) each person’s sinful nature became a source of pride, absolute rebellion came into humanities heart from the devil. Pride is an inner fleshly nature that tempts man into making wrong choices and preventing them from having the ability to make healthy choices such as to obey Father (Mark 7:20-23; Gal 5:19-22 pride; But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions)~James 1:14).

A simple modern example would be commercials which cause people to buy things they don’t need nor have the money to buy, placing so many in debt compromising their sense of security. The only source of Peace is in Christ.
The sinful nature uses power, fame, possessions, sex, money, positions in ministry and other worldly lusts to stimulate people to become proud (Lev 26:19; 2 Chron 32; 1 John 2:16).

Dangers that pride has:

The newer believer or convert can easily become proud (1 Tim 3:6, “conceited”) In 1 TImothy 3:6 Paul instructs Timothy concerning qualifications for those who have potential to be an episkopē. He warns Timothy not to select a “recent convert” and Paul selects the participle tuphōtheis (“or he may become conceited” (NIV) as one part of his explanation. When describing human behaviour “in the last days,” Paul claims that “people will be…tetuphōmenoi (“conceited” (NIV)) (2 TImothy 3:4). Paul also tells Timothy that a person who teaches false doctrines is “conceited” or puffed up (1 Timothy 6:4) tetuphōtai(“conceited” (NIV)) (1 Timothy 6:4).

Whether the sense of this verb in these contexts should be construed as “conceited” or more as “foolishly deluded” is worth studying. In each case the verb describes behavior that the Holy Spirit expects mature believers would not demonstrate. A mature believer is one who is led by the Holy Spirit, it does NOT matter how long one has called himself a “Christian”… maturity in the Spirit is do you hear Fathers voice and are you led by the Spirit of God.)

Never forget that God receives all the Glory. Without being connected and in union with Christ the Holy Spirit leading you, we can do Nothing. A child of God sometimes makes the mistake of taking credit for spiritual growth and ministry. He forgets that he is a product of God’s grace (1 Cor 15:10).

Proud believers reject God’s authority (Written scripture) in the church (1 Cor 4:6, 18 “become arrogant” phusioó: to puff or blow up…

Original Word: φυσιόω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: phusioó
Phonetic Spelling: (foo-see-o’-o)
Short Definition: I inflate, puff up
Definition: I inflate, puff up; pass: I am puffed up, arrogant, proud.

HELPS Word-studies
5448 physióō (from physa, “air-bellows”) – properly, inflate by blowing; (figuratively) swelled up, like an egotistical person spuing out arrogant (“puffed-up”) thoughts.

The spirit of religion is full of pride. Self perseverance and self motivation. This spirit has definite signs which are tied into false humility. The Lord spoke to me and said “false humility is tied to the spirit of fear (timidity)” Please note fornication always follows this spirit of mans tradition. The Holy Scripture states clearly we must be delivered from the law by following and be guided by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:1 (KJV)

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

So if we follow the flesh there is condemnation because the devil has rights to the flesh.

Why? Because Father condemned sin in that flesh which has NO good in it. Romans 7:18

For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ~Romans 8:3

Here are some signs: You judge other people by their appearance and not their righteousness, meaning do they obey Gods Word. You try to earn God’s love and salvation which cannot be earned, by Faith only. You try to conform to outward holiness without inward transformation. You are always critical of other people’s walks with God. Your closest Christian relationships are based only on ministry activities. You perform Christian duties but have no passion or hunger for God. You desire position and honor in the church more than honor from God. Your identity is rooted in a lifestyle of Christianity instead of in Christ. You know about the truth of Jesus but not the way of Jesus which is the Cross. You project righteousness but inwardly are filled with anger and resentment.

Knowledge that is not understood, accepted as certain, and applied can stimulate pride (1 Cor 8:1). Knowledge that is understood, accepted as certain, and applied is needed for the Christian life (Eph 1:17; Phil 1:9; Col 1:9-10).

Pride can affect what you say (James 4:16). The result is a sin of the tongue which can cause great damage to self and others (James 3:2-6). Life or death in the tongue. Your mouth should belong to Father God for giving Thanksgiving to Him, Praise to Him, to Worship Jesus and to be a blessing for others you come in contact with. The mouth is also a weapon against the kingdom of darkness praying in your Most Holy Faith. Tongues of FIRE.

Pride will eventually come back and hurt you (Prov 11:2; 16:18; 29:23).

What God does about the proud person:

God rejects the proud (Prov 3:34; James 4:6; 1 Pet 5:5).

Father God will discipline His people because they are proud (2 Chron 32:20-26 and Heb 12:5-11 since pride is sin).

God can break our pride (Lev 26.19; 2 Chron 32.24-26; Dan 4.37).

How do we conquer pride? Deny self (fasting), pick up our Cross and follow the guiding of the Holy Spirit. Line our life up with the Holy Scriptures which is our medicine and the Lamp to our Feet in this kingdom of darkness.

The believer does not conquer pride. The Holy Scriptures state; With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. The Holy Spirit, who lines Himself up with only the Holy Scriptures, conquers pride through His work inside the believer (Gal 5:16; Phil 2:13; 2 Tim 3:16-17; Heb 4:12).

Spiritual growth through the filling of the Holy Spirit. We must yield to the Holy Spirit and allow the Mind of Christ to take over this earthly vessel.

2 Peter 1:3-4 (KJV)

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Once we truly take off the old man and place him upon the Cross by denying him, we then read the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds, day by day. Holy Spirit becomes our Teacher and guides us into all Truth.

One expression of this spiritual growth is that humility replaces pride, that humility was completed within the framework of the Cross, in Jesus Christ. (Prov 8:13; 15:33; 22:4; Ps 131; Eph 4:1-2; Phil 2:2-6; Heb 12:1-2; James 4:6-7 ).

Who practiced pride?

Satan (Is 14:12-14 with 1 Tim 3:6).
Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:28-37).
The Pharisees (Mt 23:1-12).
People that reject the work of the Cross and Spiritual authority of the Written Word(1 Tim 6:1-4
A man named Diotrephes in 3 John 1:9; I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.

There are many examples of Pride in the Bible. A big one is the inability to forgive people. Because if you are truly in the Atonement, under the blood of Jesus Christ. The blood cries out forgiveness.

Hebrews 12

24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?

26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”

27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,

29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”

We need to be baptized into Holy Fire… by the Holy Ghost. This is the refining process.

Romans 8:3-4 (AMPC)

3 For God has done what the Law could not do, [its power] being weakened by the flesh [the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit]. Sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, [God] condemned sin in the flesh [subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice],

4 So that the righteous and just requirement of the Law might be fully met in us who live and move not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit [our lives governed not by the standards and according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the Holy Spirit].

Once baptized into Christ by the Power of the Holy Spirit, then and only then can you deny your old nature, put on Christ and begin to see the fallen operation within the flesh.

But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ~2 Corinthians 3:16

The flesh is corrupted and must be put to death by Father upon the Cross. Good News is, Father did this in Christ for you 2017 years ago by believing. Only by the Spirit of Grace is this possible and the gift of faith which comes from the Holy Ghost.

We must come to Father as a child believing His Word without any doubt. Giving our lives up here upon the earth, to be set apart, to Jesus as a living sacrifice (Romans 12), yielding our will, Loving Father with All our Heart and Strength. Allowing Jesus the Holy Spirit to lead us daily in every aspect of our lives which allows us to become partakers of the divine character of God becoming sons of God. (Romans 8:19)

Jesus must become our All and All.

Matthew 22:37-40 (AMPC)

37 And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

38 This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.

39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.

40 These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.

A prayer David prayed. He knew something was deep inside him that caused him to turn from God and rebel against Fathers authority.

Father I ask that you would…

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” –Ps. 51:10

In Jesus Name… Amen.