While
preaching and elaborating on the dramatic encounter of Saul of Tarsus with Jesus on the Damascus Road, 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 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
these passages, I was so taken at how shattered Paul must have been lying in
the dust of the Damascus Road, having encountered the risen Lord. His world had suddenly been turned upside down. It was at
that moment that I spontaneously prayed 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 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
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, 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.
Some 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 invited to come forward and stand to receive
prayer. The urge to bow before the Lord intensified and I finally turned and
bowed at my seat. As soon as my knees touched the floor, I heard the voice of
the Lord saying,
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 dealing
with 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.
The
Power of Humility & Prayer
I have done extensive
research into America’s origins, and one thing that has deeply impressed me was
their emphasis on both “prayer and humiliation.” For several generations, the
first immigrants to America, and later America’s founders, would set aside days
for 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. 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 talents, and confess how much we
need Him. This is necessary if we are to see another Great Awakening across the
land. On the other hand, if we do not humble ourselves, we can expect to be
humbled. The proud and arrogant are coming down.
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