TITLE:  DON’T LET PRIDE RUIN YOUR LIFE

TITLE:  DON’T LET PRIDE RUIN YOUR LIFE

SCRIPTURE:

“The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.  13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.  Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.  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.”  (Ezekiel 28:11—15 NIV)

OBSERVATION:

            Many laments were taken against the king of Tyre.  The king of Tyre started off on a righteous path and had many great things going for him. In the earlier lament, he was referred to as a guardian cherub, the anointed cherub who covered and was on the holy mountain of God. His initial righteousness was quite impressive.  He was the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect beauty.  He was in Eden, the garden of God.

            Every precious stone adorned him.  John listed out the kinds of stones that adorned the king of Tyre.  His settings and mounting were made of gold and prepared on the day he was created.  He was anointed and ordained as a guardian cherub.  He was on God’s holy mountain and walked among the fiery stones.  He was blameless from the day he was created.

            The lament was against the king of Tyre, who started off good but became rich and prosperous, and his pride was lifted up. His fall from grace due to pride is a cautionary tale for all of us. 

            However, the reference to the king of Tyre revealed a much more sinister character than just the king.  It reveals how Satan’s works manifest through those who follow him.  The king of Tyre was doing well, and everything was going well for him UNTIL WICKEDNESS WAS FOUND IN HIM. 

            The wickedness that was found in the king of Tyre was what was in Satan, meaning PRIDE.  Pride is subtle.  Pride exalts itself above all.  Pride destroys anything good.  Many times, people start well until they become rich, and they start to forget God.  Spiritual forces are working to undermine God’s presence in our lives.  Anything that is not of God is pride.  God resists the proud. 

            Spiritual warfare in our lives is a stark reality. Even though this is a lament against the king of Tyre, it reveals who is actually behind the attitude of pride that now possesses him.  Believers must always be aware of how Satan works against us in our relationship with God.  Either we manifest in our lives the spirit of God, or the spirit of Satan.  God created every one of us, but we are not all his children.s that they are of their father, the devil.  It is obvious that though we were all created in the image of God, we are not all children of his.  Pride is not for the child of God. 

APPLICATION:

            I learned today the dangers of pride in a believer’s life.  Pride resists God, and so God resists those who are prideful.  I am aware of my inability to stand against the spirit of pride without the help of God.  I will continue to resist the temptation to be prideful and elevate myself above others.  I want to be a child of God who chooses humility above pride. 

PRAYER:

            Father, thank you for reminding me of the danger of a prideful heart.  Please help me be someone who always resists pride and lives life humbly before you.  Teach me your humility.  Continue to reveal areas of my life that I must repent of and make things right with you.  I ask that your Holy Spirit continue to speak to me and help me be humble before you daily.  I need you, Jesus.  Amen!