While
preaching this past Sunday and elaborating on the conversion of Saul of Tarsus
to Paul the Apostle, something unusual happened. As I began commenting on Acts
9:6, something stirred deep in my heart. I suddenly stopped in the middle of my
message and found myself praying, “O God, bring down the proud and arrogant
leaders in our nation, both political and religious.”
Acts 9:6, where this experience
occurred, reads, So he, trembling and
astonished, said, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” Saul, who was on his
way to Damascus to arrest followers of Jesus, had just been just been struck
down by a bright light from heaven. Lying in the dust, he heard a voice saying,
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Astonished and trembling, he inquired
as to the identity of the voice and heard, I
am Jesus, whom you are persecuting (Acts 9:5).
As I elaborated on the
intensity of this encounter for Saul, I suddenly realized that the proud and
arrogant Saul, who was bent on destroying this new Jesus Movement, had been
brought down and humbled in the dust of the Damascus Road. It was at that
moment that I spontaneously lifted up the prayer to God that He would bring down the
proud and arrogant leaders in our nation, both political and religious.
God Hates Pride
God hates pride and
both James 4:6 and I Peter 5:5 quote Proverbs 3:34 that warns, God resists the proud but gives grace to the
humble. Paul warned against putting a novice (one new to the faith) into a
place of leadership, lest being puffed up
with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil (I Timothy 3:6).
Pride is deadly because
it asserts the “self” or ego against God. The middle letter of pride is “I.”
Pride is the root of all sin for the end of all sin is self-gratification. It
was pride that brought down the beautiful archangel, Lucifer. It was pride that
caused our first parents to declare their independence from God and think they
could be gods and make it on their own. Their prideful action plunged the
world and the human race into what is theologically known as the fall, which
opened the door to sin, evil and death. No wonder that Proverbs 16:18 warns, Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty
spirit before a fall.
Pride Destroys Revival
Some years ago I was in
a “revival” church and scheduled to speak that Sunday morning. It was a very
festive atmosphere. But as people shouted, danced and ran, I heard the words in my mind and heart,
“The stronghold of deception is pride,” and I knew I was to speak on that topic
When the service was
turned to me I announced my theme and then shared with the congregation why
that especially during times of revival we must guard against pride. I explained, and gave
examples, how many men who were mightily used of God were brought down by
pride, because they got an inflated idea of their own importance because of
God’s blessing on their lives. I told a sobering story of one of the most powerful healing
evangelists of the 1940s-50s and how he began to think he was Elijah, ushering
in the second coming of Christ. I also told of his tragic end.
At the end of the
service a somberness and quietness seemed to pervade the atmosphere. The
people who were running and shouting earlier seemed almost afraid to move.
After the benediction the people departed very quietly, almost speaking in
whispers.
I later said to the
pastor, “I hope I did not squelch the enthusiasm of your congregation. “O no,”
he replied, “In fact you were so on target that I may be accused of bringing
you in to preach that message.” He then shared examples of how pride had crept
into their “revival” and was creating havoc in their congregation.
Charles Finney, who has
been called the Prince of Revivalists, commented on how in the midst of a
revival Christians often “sin against their own mercies, because they get
lifted up with their success, and take the credit to themselves and do not give
glory to God.” He further elaborated, saying;
Perhaps it has been
published in the papers what a great revival there has been in that church, so
that they begin to think how high they will stand in the estimation of other
churches all over the land, because they have had such a great revival. And
they get puffed up and vain and they can no longer enjoy the presence of God.
The Spirit of God withdraws from them, and the revival ceases.
We Must Deal with the Pride
A number of years ago I
was sitting in a “Revival Now” conference when I suddenly had an overwhelming
urge to bow down before the Lord. I considered how to respond for it was during
a time when people were being called to come forward to receive prayer for a
fresh touch of God in their lives. The urge to bow before the Lord would not go
away and I finally turned and bowed at my seat.
As soon as my knees
touched the floor I heard the voice of the Lord as clear as I have ever heard
it. I heard Him say, “I am going to be doing some incredible things in the days
ahead; and when you see My power and My glory, this is to always be your
posture. You are to bow down and acknowledge that I am the Sovereign Lord of
this universe.”
I believe God is about
to deal with the pride in America and in the American church. The proud and
arrogant are coming down. Isaiah 33:11 says, The
eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
We can, however, avoid
His discipline by humbling ourselves. I know someone will say, “But we are
living under grace.” That is true and Paul, the preacher of grace, said in I
Corinthians 11:31-32, For if we would
judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are
chastened [disciplined] by the Lord that we might not be condemned with the
world.
The Power of Humility & Prayer
For several
generations, the first immigrants to America would set aside days of what they
called “prayer and humiliation.” It was not a time of groveling or
self-flagellation, but a time of confessing the sin of pride and the sin of trusting in themselves and their own strength instead of totally relying on the Lord. Out of their days of
“prayer and humiliation” emerged the most powerful nation on earth.
We should not be surprised
for God promises that those who will humble themselves, He will exalt. I Peter
5:6 says, Therefore humble yourselves
under the mighty hand of God that He may
exalt you in due time. And Isaiah 66:3 says, These
are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in
spirit, and who tremble at my word (NIV).
It is time that we as American Christians humbled ourselves
before God, confessed that in our pride we have relied on our own strength, and
confess how much we need Him. This could lead to a Third Great Awakening that
will change the very course of this nation. If we do not humble ourselves, we
can expect to be humbled. The proud and arrogant are coming down.
Dr. Eddie Hyatt is an author, revivalist and Bible teacher. His latest book, The Faith & Vision of Benjamin Franklin, is available from Amazon. You can read about his vision for America and another Great Awakening by visiting his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment