BEWARE OF SUBTLE PRIDE

BEWARE OF SUBTLE PRIDE

Text: 1 Corinthians 3:5-8
Memory text:
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” ‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

It’s often said, “He who claims power to himself, denies it to God.” This was what Moses did when he overstretched his relationship with God as if he and God had been doing it in the past or would do the miracle of bringing water out from the rock. He acted as if he and God shared equal responsibility and that God could not do it without him. His lapse into contempt for the people led him into a lapse of subtle pride.
Let’s consider again what he said to the people. “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?”” ‭‭(Num‬ ‭20‬:‭10‬).
Moses equated himself with God, with the use of the pronoun “we”. How he forgot that he was only an instrument in God’s hand and not the doer or performer of the miracle! He claimed credit for what he didn’t do. God is jealous of His glory and won’t spare anyone who attempts to steal or share it (Isa‬ ‭42‬:‭8‬).
Even though he struck the rock in disobedience, a great stream of water and not splashes of water still gushed out of the rock. “…and a great stream of water gushed out, and all the people and animals drank.” (Num 20:11 GNT). This would have made Moses feel vindicated, as the great miracle seemed to have validated his disobedience and pride. This is the danger and deception of success!
Most often, we think our success in life and ministry is due to our faith, labour, or zeal. God, out of His grace and eternal purpose, gives us results, which are way way beyond our efforts (Eph 3:20).
Knowing this, Paul was always careful to give credit to God for all things. He warned that, if anyone should boast, it must be in the Lord (1 Cor 1:31). Also, in 2 Corinthians 3:5, he wasn’t ashamed to talk about their inability and incompetence outside Christ. None of us have the right or anything in us that allows us to claim that we have done anything on our own, but God gives us what it takes to do all we do.
In Romans 15:18 (NLT), he said, “Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me…”. And in 1 Corinthians 3:5-7, he reminded those who were boasting about whether they followed Paul or Apollos and that the credit should go to neither both but God who gives increase to our labour.
Friends, don’t fall into the same trap of pride and of sharing God’s glory. God has never spared nor will ever spare anyone who takes His credit. May you not be another regrettable lesson like Moses, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer points
1. Father, deliver me from the temptation of stealing Your glory in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, let not my life be a lesson of regrets to others that will hear or read about me but a generational blessing in Jesus’ name.

Today’s declarations
1. I am not ashamed to say that my success is not a result of my faith, labour, zeal, or anything but purely of grace.
2. I have no right or anything in me that will allow me to claim that I have done anything of my own.

Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng