July 06, 2020
Pride is the root of all sin. It is the sin that causes us to exalt ourselves over others and over God Himself and it is the antithesis of unselfish love. God repeatedly reminds us that He resists the proud. We see this pride in full color in the life of Haman in the book of Esther and the predictable outcomes of an arrogant life.
1. PRIDE ALWAYS LEADS YOU TO BRAG
Pride gets no joy unless one is recognized by others. Pride makes you always want others to know all of your accomplishments.
Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had promoted him above the princes and servants of the king. Haman also said, “Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. (Esther 5:11-12)
2. PRIDE IS NEVER SATISFIED
A proud man always wants more recognition for he always seeks to be at the center.
“Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” (Esther 5:13)
3. PRIDE LEADS YOU TO DO REALLY FOOLISH THINGS
Pride makes a man stupid because he has God (the source of wisdom) opposing him. A proud man forsakes all reasoning and makes ridiculous decisions. Haman wanted to eliminate people who wouldn’t worship him.
Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet.” And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made. (Esther 5:14)
4. PRIDE MAKES YOU WANT TO ERADICATE EVERYTHING THAT BOTHERS YOU AND KEEPS YOU FROM BEING EXALTED--EVERY PERSON, THING, CIRCUMSTANCE.
Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace in order to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. (Esther 5:14)
5. PRIDE MAKES YOU ASSUME EVERYONE IS INTERESTED IN YOU
So Haman came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” (Esther 6:6)
6. PRIDE ALWAYS BACKFIRES
How could your life possibly be successful if you are opposed by God?
Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my people as my request; for we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated. Now if we had only been sold as slaves, men and women, I would have remained silent, for the trouble would not be commensurate with the annoyance to the king.” Then King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who would presume to do thus?” Esther said, “A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!” Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen. (Esther 7:1-6
7. PRIDE WILL KILL YOU
You may not be hanging on the end of a noose like Haman, but pride will always lead to deadly results.
So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai Esther 7:9-10
It would be wise to check your heart to see if this Haman-spirit is residing there. Deal with it quickly by humble confession and deep repentance. It may save you from the gallows.
Father, show me the groundwork of my heart. Where has the foot of pride entered my life? Show me the pervasive invasion of this primary sin. Help me to humble myself under the mighty hand of God. Give me an overwhelming gratitude knowing that anything good that has happened in my life has come by Your hand.
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