Pride

 

PART 1 - FREE WILL & OBEDIENCE

 

     We can make someone say they love us.  We can make someone do things that simulate they love us.  We can’t make someone feel genuine love for us.  God loves us and He wants us to love Him.  But love is a choice; therefore, He wants us to choose to love him.  If he made us into robots and controlled our free will, we wouldn’t be able to genuinely love Him.  This may be part of the reason He doesn’t ever take away our free will...even if we reject Him.

 

     How do we know if we love God?  It isn’t with lip service...no siree.  It’s with action!  We must be obedient to the Word/Jesus.

 

John 14:15, 21

If you love Me, keep My commandments...The one having My commandments and keeping them, that one is the one loving Me; and the one loving Me shall be loved by My Father, and I shall love him and will reveal Myself to him.

 

PART 2 - SOURCE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

 

     Basing our righteousness on our own standards is the definition of self-righteousness.  Our ways are not God’s ways.  We must learn His Word and submit to it.  We must also submit our will to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

 

     A person full of pride who wants to overcome this stronghold must often tell themself that they alone are NOT righteous.  

 

Ecclesiastes 7:20

For there is not a just one on the earth who does good, and does not sin. 

 

     We must fall under grace to be seen as righteous in God’s eyes.  This will only happen through obedience to the Word and being led by the Holy Spirit.      

 

Galatians 5:18

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

 

PART 3 - ORIGINAL SIN

 

     The first sin occurred when Lucifer chose to stop submitting his will to God’s will.  Lucifer wanted to be on the same level as God.     

 

Isaiah 14:12-14

Oh shining star, son of the dawn, how you have fallen from the heavens; you weakening on the nations, you are cut down to the ground.  For you have said in your heart, I will go up to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit in the mount of meeting, in the sides of the north.  I will go up over the heights of the clouds; I will be likened to the Most High.  

 

     What made Lucifer want to be equal to God?  

 

Ezekiel 28:12-15,17

...You seal the measure, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.  You have been in Eden the garden of God.  Every precious stone was your covering; the ruby, the topaz, and the carbuncle, the emerald, the sapphire, and the diamond, the jacinth, the agate, and the amethyst, and gold; the workmanship of your tambourines and of your flutes in you.  In the day you were created, they were prepared.  You were the anointed cherub that covers, and I had put you in the holy heights of God, where you were.  You walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.  You were without blemish in your ways from the day you were created...Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor…

 

     Lucifer thought his wisdom, beauty, and splendor should equate him with God.  Lucifer became prideful and no longer wanted to submit his will to God’s will.  

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PART 4 - THE POWER OF PRIDE

 

     Pride does the same thing to us that it did to Lucifer (Satan).  It makes us feel as though our way is “good enough.”  As a result, we limit our obedience to the Word/Jesus.  We don’t pay attention to the Holy Spirit.  Our spiritual growth gets stunted.  A prideful person doesn’t seek the deeper things of God.  They don’t learn to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is why pride is a particularly difficult stronghold to overcome.   

 

     As an example, let’s compare a pedophile to a prideful person.  A pedophile has urges to sexually assault children.  Even though he knows pedophilia is bad, demons overpower him and he gives in to the urge.  Afterwards, he knows he did something terrible and truly repents for it.  Through genuine repentance he can be forgiven by God and still go to heaven.  A pedophile with a repentant heart can have these demons cast out.  He’ll then be no more of a pedophile than you or I.  

 

     On the other hand, a proud person is blind to their sins or at least downplay their sins.  They see themselves as good enough, according to their own standards.  They don’t develop a humble, repentant heart.  This is why they don’t strive hard to submit to the Word/Jesus.  This is why they don’t submit their will to the will of the Holy Spirit.  This is why their spiritual growth is stunted.  This is why they don’t seek deliverance.  This is why if they do go through deliverance the pride demons are so darn hard to get out.  Deliverance requires a humble, repentant heart...and so does salvation!  Forget about becoming a disciple without a humble, repentant heart.  

 

Proverbs 16:18-19

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.  Better is lowness of spirit with the humble ones that to divide the spoil with the proud ones.   

 

     Pride isn’t something to mess with.  We must not tolerate it within ourselves.  There is a demon of pride called Leviathan.  This demon is so fierce and impressive that a whole chapter in Job is dedicated to his description.

 

Job 41

Can you draw out the leviathan with a hook, or hold down his tongue with a cord?  Can you put a reed rope into his nose, or pierce his jaw with a thorn?  Will he multiply supplications to you: or will he speak soft words to you?  Will he cut a covenant with you; will you take him for a slave forever?  Will you play with him as with a bird; or will you tie him up for your maidens?  Shall your partners bargain over him; shall they divide him among the merchants?  Can you fill his skin with barbs, or his head with fishing spears?  Put your palm on him; remember the battle; you will not do it again!  Behold, his hope has been made false; will one not be cast down at the sight of him?  None is so fierce as to dare to stir him up; and who is able to stand before Me?  Who has gone before Me that I should repay?  All under the heavens, it is to Me!  I will not keep silent as to his limbs, or the matter of his powers, or the grace of his frame.  Who can take off the face of his covering; who can enter within his double bridle?  Who can pry open the doors of his face?  Terror is round about his teeth.  The rows of shields are his pride, shut up with a tight seal; each one is close to another that no air can come between them; they are joined to one another; they clasp each other, and they cannot be separated.  His sneezing flash forth light, and his eyes are as the eyelids of the dawn.  Out of his mouth go burning torches; sparks of fire fly out.  Smoke goes out of his nostrils like a pot breathed out and reeds.  His breath kindles coals and the flame goes out from his mouth.  Strength abides in his neck and before him leaps dismay.  The hanging parts of flesh cleave together firmly on him; he cannot be moved.  His heart is firm as a stone, even firm as a piece of a lower millstone.  The mighty ones are afraid from his arising; from the crashing they miss the way.  The sword overtakes him, but will not hold firm, the spear, the dart, or the javelin.  He counts iron as straw, bronze as rotten wood.  A son of a bow cannot make him flee; slingstones are turned to stubble by him; clubs are counted as stubble; he laughs at the shaking of a javelin.  Points of potsherds are under him; he spreads sharp marks on the mire.  He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment; he makes a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be grayheaded.  There is nothing like him on earth, one made without fear.  He beholds all high things; he is king over all the sons of pride.      

 

     We must attack our pride with tenacity.  If we don’t, we are preparing the way for our own destruction.  This is sooo hard to get the prideful to see.

 

PART 5 - THE “GOSPEL” REALLY IS THE “GOOD NEWS”

 

     There are some glimpses into the end times regarding Leviathan.  In the bible, Leviathan is usually related to water.

 

Isaiah 27:1

In that day Jehovah will call to account the sea monster, the darting serpent, with His great and fierce and strong sword; and the fleeing serpent, on the sea monster, the crooked serpent; and He shall slay the monster that is in the sea.

 

Psalm 74:13-14

You broke the sea by Your strength; You burst the heads of sea-monsters on the waters.  You crushed the heads of leviathan; You gave him to be food for the people of the wilderness.

 

     In the end times Leviathan will be slayed.  How is this possible?  There is one miracle that occurs in the New Testament that never occurred in the Old Testament...casting out of demons (deliverance)!  

 

     Leviathan, as well as all other demons, are scared of one person on this earth...the Holy Spirit!  Jesus gave us disciples power and authority over ALL demons if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us.  Disciples have the Holy Spirit and walk in His power. 

 

Luke 9:1

And having called together His twelve disciples, He gave them power and authority over all the demons, and to heal diseases.   

 

     We have the authority and power to cast all demons out.  When we do, those demons can’t retaliate against us!

 

Luke 10:19

Behold, I have given you the authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and on all the power of the hostile one, and nothing shall hurt you, not ever!

 

     The full gospel allows for a couple ways to overcome the stronghold of pride.  

     The first way is through willing deliverance.  A haughty (prideful) person may learn the Word and realize that this spirit may be influencing them.  Pride will fight against this knowledge, even though it is very obvious to everyone else!  This haughty person may have just enough humbleness and repentance that they seek deliverance.  Deliverance will often be a process, demons will be removed in layers.  Through a humble and repentant heart and repeated deliverance, a person can be cleansed of pride.  These demons can be cast out...even Leviathan!

     There is a second way.   This requires some Holy Ghost conviction prior to deliverance.  Disciples are intercessors.  If someone is under such an influence of pride that they can’t humble themselves and become repentant, a disciple can ask for conviction to be brought to that person.  The Holy Spirit has the power to overcome pride’s influence over the mind and bring conviction.  Of course, the prideful person will still have a choice.  The Holy Spirit may reveal the sin of pride to the person, but He won’t take away their free choice to act on that revelation.  If the prideful person chooses humbleness and repentance, deliverance will be available to destroy this powerful stronghold.       

 

Ephesians 5:14

...“Rise up, the one sleeping, and stand up out of the dead ones, and Christ will shine on you.”

 

PART 6 - ACTION PLAN

 

     It takes much patience to help someone taken over with pride.  A proud man won’t learn the Word in depth because he thinks his own standards are good enough for salvation.  He’ll pass this spiritual poison through his family and down generation to generation.  A proud woman will walk hand-in-hand with the Jezebel spirit and won’t submit herself to her husband.  A proud person isn’t open to learning from others.  Their spiritual growth is stunted.      

 

Here’s a list of demons who associate with pride.  If pride is in us, many of the following demons are too…

• Ultimate confidence in self rather than God, hubris, pride, Pride of Life, Crown of Pride, Foot of Pride, Rod of Pride, Great Pride, Arrogant Pride, Spiritual Pride, Little Pride, arrogance, haughtiness, self-righteousness, righteous indignation, ego, self-honor, self-importance, self-ambition, self-will, self-centeredness, self-deception, self-seduction, self-promotion, high vanity, opinion of oneself, narcissism, worldliness, financial prosperity, money, rebellion, competition, delight in one’s own achievements, false humility, selfishness, boastful, bragging, mocking, belittling, sadism, flattery, fame, glory, honor.   

• Stubbornness, stiffneckedness, disobedience, compromise, hard heartedness, cold heartedness, unteachable, refusing to learn, learning difficulties, difficulty reading, confusion, legalism, logic, mind idolatry, rationalization, False Peace, Piety, Prince Charming, intellect, secular philosophy, mind control, witchcraft. 

• Hindrance to: reading the bible, understanding the bible, developing relationship with Holy Spirit, submission to the Holy Spirit, free-flowing of the Holy Spirit, learning what it means to be led by the Holy Spirit, spiritual growth, worship, fellowship with other believers and disciples, atheism.  

• Control, domination, intimidation, disrespect, manipulation, anger, rage, hatred, ought, unforgiveness, bitterness, frustration, annoyance, criticalness, grudge holding, retribution, retaliation, revenge, justification, entitlement, entitled to hold anger/rage/hatred, entitled to hold grudge/unforgiveness/ought/bitterness, tantrum, brooding, personal attack, impatience, judgemental, lack of submission to the Word/Jesus, lack of submission to the Holy Spirit, lack of submission of the wife to the husband, lack of submission of the child to the parents, dishonoring parents, murmuring, disputing, quarreling, arguing, strife, questioning, irritability, intolerance.   

• Rejection, perfection, fear, fear of looking foolish, fear of commitment to God, fear of not being in control, fear of man, fear of disapproval, scorpion spirits, shame, alcohol, wine, strong drink, drugs, hindered sleep, mental instability, inability to love, inability to receive love, schizophrenia.

• Jezebel, Pleiades, Articus, Leviathan, dragon in the sea, piercing serpent, crooked serpent, Neptune, Poseidon, Dagon, Orion, Behemoth, Beelzebub.  

 

STEPS FOR DELIVERANCE -

1. Repent on behalf of our ancestors and forgive them for the above things.  Break all iniquity and generational curses.

2. Repent for our own involvement with the above things.  

3. Cast the above things out.

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