CREDENTIAL FOR ALL-ROUND FAILURE
A lot of people wonder why they are finding it difficult to fulfill their destinies. They discover that things are not working even when they have made every conceivable effort well for them to achieve their goals in life. The more efforts they make the more failure they experience. If such people will receive spiritual enlightenment from the Lord they will realize that there is an internal mechanism in their lives which triggers off and activates failure each time they make spirited effort towards fulfilling their destinies or achieving their goals in life.
THE REASON
It is unfortunate that man is his own worst enemy. A lot of people have built their lives on the platform of failure. After being responsible for the scoring goals against himself, man goes ahead to point accusing fingers at neighbours, acquaintances and friends. The greatest tragedy of the modern man is digging his own grave. There is not much God can do to rescue you when you are the architect of your own misfortune and the enemy of the fulfilment of your destiny.
The toughest war to fight is the civil war. The greatest enemy to deal with is the enemy within. You Can conquer any power but the power with in is a hard nut to crack. The devil has studied man and discovered that as long as he can station a destructive termite within man, he can muster external forces to complement and conclude the process of destiny destruction and its total burial.
THE SATANIC EXPRESSWAY
It is easier to deal with known enemies or problems that are identified as prominent and dangerous than to deal with seemingly insignificant hidden problems. One problem that has led to the destruction of glorious destinies is pride. The moment pride is allowed to rear up its ugly head, the victim has collected a certificate of all-round failure. In this chapter you will discover that the highway of pride is the highway of failure. Nobody can allow pride and experience the fulfilment of destiny. Pride is the shortcut to failure.
This message is from the heart of the Lord. You will discover that the Bible has prophecies that are good and ones that are bad. One of the bad prophecies in the scriptures is “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” It is left for you to decide that although the love of many shall wax cold yours will be on exception.
This chapter can otherwise be entitled “THE GREATEST RECIPE FOR FAILURE.” This message will unfold reasons why there are unanswered prayers. It may be why the enemy is stubbornly resisting you.
Four Scriptures can be referred to as the most striking in respect of this massage. These passages are carefully picked and they are profound.
The first Scripture is Proverbs 16:18 which says:
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Who is the forerunner of destruction? Pride. What is the forerunner of a fall? Haughty and proud spirit. Those words are carefully selected. I want you to specifically note the way the Bible expresses the peril of pride. If you are looking for a disgraceful fall, just become proud. If you do not want any of these things, pride must be completely erased from your life.
THE VULTURE OF PRIDE
A little boy was told by his mother: “Sit down.” The boy Said: “Mummy I must stand up:” Mummy said again: “Sit down.” The boy replied again: “Mummy, I must stand up.” Mummy said: “If you don’t sit down, I will beat you up.” Then the boy sat down and said : “Although I am sitting down, I am standing up inside of me.” So, it is possible for somebody to look gentle and quiet but inside of him he is a vulture of pride.
When you study Church history and the lives of several men of God whom God used in several ages to move mountains and to bring His will to pass, you will discover that one of the characteristics common to all of them without any exception is humility.
God uses humble people. If you are walking in the way of destruction and you are praying, God will never answer. If there is pride in your heart you are already a raw material for destruction. If you are proud, you are heading towards a fall. Many of us are
like the small boy described above. We are “sitting down” truly but inside us we are standing up. How can you ask for God’s assistance when you are harboring pride in your heart?
In Proverbs 11:2 the Bible declares:
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
Pride is the forerunner of shame. Do you want shame? Allow pride to reign. Do you want God to elevate you? Be humble.
The Bible says:
James 4:6: But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
THE RESISTENCE
How can you pray when God is fighting you? God resists the proud. If a proud person is trying to man forward there are unseen hands of God trying to push him back for God resists the proud. “Father, I am not supposed to be at the end of the queue, I am supposed to be in front,” says a proud man yet God will push him back the more because of pride.
The Bible states clearly: “. . .God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
You see, God Himself bows for the humble. Only the humble understand God. The more you know God, the deeper you go in Him and the more humble you become. Those who have the knowledge of God understand what is meant when the Bible says: “Vanity upon vanity all is vanity.” Everything will vanish one day. It is going to be “dust to dust, ashes to ashes”. The body will go back to dust and the spirit will go back to God. All the materials which a man is gathering together and all the lofty heights where man has placed himself, all these will come to an end one day.
THE EGO
Prayer warriors and deliverance ministers must be humble. When any prayer warrior begins to ask for God’s hand in action against all surmountable situations, he will become humble.
The Bible attacks spiritual pride in Luke18:14:
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Do you want to be exalted? Then be humble.
What then is the credential for all-round failure? It is pride. If you pronounce the word prI-de you will discover “I” is very pronounced and conspicuous. “I” is another word for “ME”.
VAULTING PRIDE
What is pride? Pride is rating self too high, or over-evaluating self. When someone starts to feel that he is more talented than all others or that he comes from a family that is better than the others, or that he has bagged his degree from a more reputable university and hence he is superior, that is pride.
Self will say: “I am the best man in town. My father was the Pioneer Anglican priest in this town before you were born.” God will look at such a person and ask: “What is that you received which were not given to you?” Is God not the originator of those talents you are bragging about? Self may also say: “Oh! I am the most beautiful I have good shape. What a lucky person I am?” God resists and wages war against the proud.
Pride is evil. It originates from the pit of hell. It is inordinate self-esteem. It is elevation of self. Being full of self is pride. Pride goes before a fall. It goes before shame. It goes before destruction. It is the greatest credential for all-round failure.
What is pride? It is being full of self. Anyone full of self will be brought down. That is the blunt truth.
THE AFFRONT
I was in an examination hall during my secondary school when one old man brought his child for the same examination. But they were five minutes late because of “traffic hold up’. The man met the invigilator and explained the situation that warranted their coming late and begged on behalf of the child, the invigilator turned deaf hears.
The man pleaded further as that examination had not actually started. The invigilator said to the man: “Who do you think you
are? You can’t enter. I don’t care who you are and where you are coming from. As long as I am here I am the governor in charge now.” But this invigilator, who was screaming and insisted that he would not allow the son of the man to come in, had a giant law book in his hand.
The man said: “One last thing to say, I had not wanted to say it, but I think it is necessary for me to say it because of the way
you are talking. Look at that book in your hand.” The invigilator quickly added: “So and So wrote it.” This man now said: “With
due respect, sir, I am the author of that book.” The invigilator said: “You are …?” He said, yes. Then the invigilator started
pleading: “I am sorry, sir … Don’t be offended, sir. The fact that the young man was an inviailator made him proud.
WHAT IS PRIDE?
It is self-exaltation.
It is imagined superiority over others.
It is having excessive high opinion over is self.
It is over-satisfaction with an achievement.
The first sin in this universe is not Adam disobedience to God, but pride. Pride is the darling sin of the devil. It is mankind’s greatest sin.
It is the fear of competition and hatred for any rival or competitor.
It is big headedness.
It is self-glorification.
In 1991, I was in California. In 1992, I was in London. In 1993, I was in Switzerland. In 1994 I was in Australia.” All these are Signs of pride. Who is interested in that kind of history?
Pride is unreasonable over-confidence. Paul said: We have no confidence in the flesh.” He said: If any man thinketh that he stands let him take heed lest he falls.”
Pride is deciding to stay lost instead of asking for direction.
It is looking down on things and people.
When someone starts saying: “I don’t talk to ordinary folks like you. I don’t talk to those who are struggling like you. Where were you when I was having my degree in England?” All these are evidence of pride. Those who are full of pride will always boast or brag.
Many years ago, at the University of Lagos, there was a course organized for principals of secondary schools who had been long in the profession. A lecturer decided to fail one old man who came for that course. Without any reason he failed the old man. The old man begged: “Please, my son, I don’t know what I have done, please…” The lecturer insisted on failing him and he left the place in disgrace. The young lecturer thought that it was the end of the matter.
When another government came into power, the old man was elevated to head a vital position. This lecturer was looking for a job in a place headed by the old man. When this lecturer faced the interview panel, he was totally amazed that he met this old man as the head of the panel. The old man said: “Can you see, young man? In the past I was at your mercy, now you are at my mercy. Did you ever thought you will end up here?” That was how the lecturer met his waterloo.
• Pride is the sin of angels in heaven.
That is why if there is an element of hatred in anyone, God will fight the person with perfect hatred.
It is feeling that you are too big for God to be used.
“When they don’t see me again, they will know. They don’t appreciate me. I will leave the place and go somewhere else.” My friend, that is the greatest mistake you are making. Nobody is indispensable. Anybody can leave the church. The only person that is indispensable, who should not leave the church, is Jesus. God can replace anybody, anytime, anywhere.
It is finding it difficult to say, “I don’t know.” Instead of some people to say, “I don’t know,” they will go into serious error.
It is feeling too big to apologise or feeling too big to make peace.
It is one of the major sins of the last days. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 says: “This know also, that in the lost days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,”
Pride is the pet sin of the last days.
Proud people dominate our society. There are very proud politicians, very proud chief executives and very proud business people. Proud attitudes are not helping them. God hates the sin of pride with perfect hatred. I am afraid, God may be the one resisting some people and they are thinking it is witchcraft.
Proud people never admit any weakness. Whereas, if you cry out: “I have a weakness, please help,” someone will come around and offer a solution. But when you cover your weaknesses and live in hypocrisy you will suffer. The first step for anyone who wants to fulfill his destiny is to recognise his or her weakness and deal with it.
Pride is to hold on to your right: “I am the head of this place I have the right to talk to anybody anytime and anyhow.” That is pride.
Pride en tails seeking vindication at all costs.
Pride seeks to retaliate. Someone offends you and you declare: “No problem.” But you kept the offence in the subconscious realm. At the slightest opportunity you start talking in a retaliatory mood. That is pride. You may begin to insinuate certain things and go ahead to insult the concerned individual. That is pride.
It is seeking recognition and praise for yourself.
It is pride when you want to live “a show glass life,” when you just want people to see you. Any sort of showmanship is mark of pride.
The Bible screams loud and clear: “Seeketh thou anything great for thyself, seek them not. You must seek the Lord”.
It is seeking for revenge when offended.
It is failure to ask for advice when you are in trouble. Pride will say, “I am Mr. Know it all.” But God will answer you in a simple way: “You are nothing.”
A lot of people go to the house fellowship and look down on the house fellowship leader. “If not because of my problem, how can I submit myself to this little boy?” Why should anyone call a house fellowship leader a small boy? Such people say: “Immediately I receive what brought me here I will never come to this place again.” That is the language of pride. The person who helped Naaman is a small girl from Israel. She was a small girl not a woman. She was a girl taken captive to Syria. She said: “My father, I see that you are a leper. If you can go to a prophet in Samaria, you shall be healed.” Naaman tried it and he was healed.
His healing was through obedience to what the girl said. If he had shouted her down without yielding to her voice, he would have died in his sickness.
It is to continually compare yourself with others.
I had a friend several years ago. His wife gave birth to a baby that was supposed to be an occasion for joy. When I went to greet him he was looking very sad. He was downcast. I asked him: “Friend, why are you looking sad? Why are you not rejoicing?” He said: “Rejoice for what? The naming ceremony is seven days away but I have not a dime. I have to cook rice. I must kill something like goat or chicken. People must eat. “To compound the problem, my wife is telling me that it is either I borrow money or steal. I must get money for the naming ceremony. Rice, meat and drinks must be available by all means. So, rejoice for what?”
The woman even said to her husband, “If you don’t bring the money I will dump the child and run away.” The couple had a lot of respect for me. So, I called them, sat them down and I said: “Madam, do you know the people who are coming for the naming ceremony are Christians, church people: and they are coming to name the child and not to eat?” Then I gave her a certain amount of money to buy chin-chin (flower products) and biscuits for people that will come for the ceremony. She looked at me and said: “You are a wicked man. When certain neighbours did their own naming ceremony, it was done in a big and grand way. Why should ours be different?” I said, “Madam, if you borrow money to slaughter goats definitely the people will eat and even ask for some extra that will last them for weeks in their respective houses, but when they leave won’t you feed your baby?” A lot of people are simply proud.
Failure to know and own up your personal sins.
It is seeing the fault of others but not your own.
If you put a proud person in charge of a spiritual organization, very soon the population will go down. Put a proud person in charge of prayer meetings after sometime, people will stop coming.
It is feeling sad when not honoured.
It is finding it difficult to accept criticism. Some people cannot bear the slightest criticism. But constructive criticism is health.
THE PERIL OF PRIDE
Why do you refuse to be criticized? Why should anyone who corrects you become an enemy? Those who accept criticism kindly and use it to amend their ways will surely reach the top. When I was in England, a research was conducted on the first class materials that had passed out of the universities in England. Their lifestyles were analysed and it was discovered that all of
them were “yes people.” People who did not argue, who took their lecturers’ words hook, line and sinker.
When you see students that argue with lecturers: “This is not right. That is what I read in textbooks,” most of them do not get to the top. When you accept to be taught, you grow. When you become unteachable you remain at the bottom.
Pride is very horrible. One unfortunate thing about pride is that it is not easily recognized or perceived because it is hidden deep in the heart. Spiritual pride is even worse. You hear some people saying, ‘God is using me.’ Is it you that will tell us that God is using you? Why can’t you allow others to praise you and not your own mouth? I can preach, I can sing, I can teach, I am a deliverance minister – all these are language of pride.
ITS EFFECT ON MARRIAGE
Pride has destroyed many marriages arid even many churches. The husband is not ready to apologise when he is wrong. He believes that women are to be seen and not to be heard and that they are not qualified to talk. The woman, on the other hand, believes that the man should not talk to her anyhow. If the man talks of the parents of the woman, she will attempt to break his head Pride.
A woman took the guitar box of her husband and smashed it on the husband’s head. The husband too took the most expensive and valuable thing the woman brought inside the house a giant television set in the sitting room, and smashed it on the floor. Both of them had master degrees from the same university. Pride has destroyed several families.
When someone is being insulted and he keeps quiet, that person is a dangerously wise person, because it is God that will fight for him.
Why do you think God destroyed the tower of Babel? Because its foundation was laid on nothing short of pride. God had to come down to destroy it.
Pride is the oldest sin in the universe. Satan said. “I will arise, I will put my own throne for above that of God.” That was how the problem of the universe started.
THE VICIOUS CYCLE
Pride will open doors to other sins. Greed is pride in disguise. It is self saying, “I do not have enough.” A woman who died in America sometime ago had over 500 pairs of shoes and over 2.000 dresses. Pride. Greed! But the mystery of it all is that she was buried only with one dress and the rest were shared out.
Envy is also pride in disguise. Self has not received its due honour. Anger is also pride in disguise: “They have offended me.” Who are you not to be offended? What have they said to you that they did not say to Jesus?
CHRIST’S HUMILITY
There is a new film in the market now called the Passion of Christ. Since the beginning of films in the world no film has beaten its record.
PASSION OF CHRIST has beaten the record of the popular film called TITANIC. Millions of people have watched it. This is the first film in the world where the viewers-white, black, Christians and non-Christians-have cried like babies without being beaten but because of the power of the graphic details of the sufferings of Christ.
A pastor who watched it said that at a point he had to close his eyes; when they were depicting the 39 stripes given to the Lord Jesus Christ. Sharp and cutting objects like a razor blade were embedded in the horse whip which was used to beat him. This horse whip would enter deeply into his skin and they dragged it so that the body tore and the blood oozed out with excruciating pain. What has been done to you that was not done to Jesus?
LUCIFER’S SIN
Somebody calls you idiot, foolish or a mad person and you are offended? I was personally called different names before but none of the names made me angry. How do people generally manifest anger? Someone may say: “They have offended the whole me. Don’t they know who am I?” I ask, who are you? Pride is the greatest sin. It Is the forerunner of other sins. It is the sin of Lucifer.
In an examination in one Bible college the students were asked what would be their sermon topic if they were asked to preach against only one thing in their life. Several students mentioned several kinds of things. They got the answer wrong. Then the lecturers gave them the answer as PRIDE. If pride is dealt with other things will fall into shape.
Psalm 10:4: The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Humility is the key to healing. The Bible says, “If my people who are called by my name Shall humble themselves … then I will heal their land.” Humility is the pre-requite to healing.
Psalm 10:4 clearly shows us what is called a proud countenance. There is a connection between pride and the countenance. Pride manifests itself in a look of a self-importance, a smile of self-satisfaction, the looking down on others and announcement of whom you are. You may not speak out pride but your conduct may portray it pride conveys an air of importance.
Proverbs 6:16-17: These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
All the seven deadly sins the Lord hates are mentioned here and the first of them is a PROUD look. That is, the person says nothing but the SILENT LOOK ON HIS FACE SPEAKS loud. The face speaks more words than any orator can speak. It cumulates in looks of despising others. Other sister sins mentioned in verses 17 to 19 are “a lying tongue, hands that Shed innocent blood, heart that deviseth wicked imagination, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”
Another manifestation of pride is found in Psalm 12:3 which says: “The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:”
PROUD SPEECH
The Bible speaks of proud words. That is, saying things to boost one’s importance. For example saying, “I have a brother who went shopping with a helicopter. I did my baby’s birthday at Nicon Hilton hotel last week. I bought this bangle (or $10,000 and this shoe for $5.000. If you are putting on inferior materials do not sit very close to me. Don’t dent my image.” These are proud statements.
The Bible says: “They are in closed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly” (Psalm 17:10).
That is they have a proud manner. The way they speak betray the pride of their hearts.
The Bible declares: “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his
ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase” (Daniel 4:37).
THE PROUD WALK
Here, the Bible highlights the plight of those who walk in pride. This is a serious problem for God hates those who walk in pride. Pride cannot be hidden. It is visible in the way people walk. The Bible throws much light on this in Isaiah 3:16-24.
Isaiah 3:16-24: Moreover the Lord saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet: Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their secret parts. In that day the Lord will toke away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, The chains and the bracelets, and the mufflers. The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, The rings, and nose jewels, The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails. And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.
Several years ago in Israel there was a generation of proud girls, cat-walk was the order of the day, swinging here and there was a symbol of psychedelic show. They brought trouble upon themselves and upon the whole nation.
All these proud walks did not start today. It happened many years ago in Israel. All the slow, calculated steps with bangles on the leg and walking as if the ladies are stepping upon eggs that could crack, all the wrapping and arrangement of the legs so as to seduce people are called proud walks. All attempts towards walking on tip toes and twisting the waist stylishly are marks of a pride.
Do you know that men also manifest pride in the way they walk? Some men are like sissies, their steps are feminine. They are guilty of the things described in the third chapter of the book of Isaiah.
Remember the proud is an evil trumpeter. He is an oppressor of some sorts. He is a self destroyer. If you love yourself, you must quit the company of the proud.
WHAT SHALL WE DO?
Recognise that humility is the Christian’s most beautiful clothing.
Know that God hates pride with perfect hatred. Proverbs 8:13 says,” The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”
Ask God to reveal unto you every trait of pride in your life. Maybe the pride of talent, of colour, of educational status, of race or family background, of spiritual achievement, of how many years you have spent in the faith, or of how many days you can fast. Tell God to reveal to you the particular form of pride that resides in you.
Are you manifesting spiritual pride? You just feel that anywhere you are, you must be the head of that place. Or do you say:
“Nobody has the right to tell me how I ought to live my life?” That is pride.
THE SPIRIT OF ERROR
There was a pastor whom God was using mightily. The work of God grew in his hands. One day he woke up and all of a sudden decided to chase away his wife who was 58 years old. What was the offence of this woman? He said: “The woman is no longer fashionable. She is too old, and dresses in a terrible manner. She cannot speak proper English.” So, he wanted a modern woman. Yes! The devil dispatched to him one woman from the pit of hell. The woman dealt with him thoroughly, brought him down and finished his ministry. That man of God is late now and the woman had married another person. Pride of achievement in a ministry was the man’s undoing.
Some people portray themselves as if they were the Holy Spirit themselves. They say: “I thank God for my life. God is using me mightily. I started this place, I started the other place. In my ministry this is what God has done.” In your church? Is it God’s church or yours? Repent of pride today.
Ask the Lord to break you down. “Break me down and remould me,” should be your prayer. Pride cannot take you far. Develop a servant’s heart towords others. Be humble.
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