Landmines, Traps and Snares - The Destructive Power of Pride
Pastor Sandy Banks
Landmine – is ammunition (bomb) usually hidden underground and is designed to explode with minimum pressure just by contact with a person. It is deliberately designed to wound, kill, or incapacitate. A concealed explosive device that’s designed to explode by the presence, proximity, or contact of a moving object (i.e., a person, animal or vehicle).
Trap – is something by which one is caught or stopped unawares; a position or situation from which it is difficult or impossible to escape; a device that holds by springing shut suddenly.
Snare - is something by which one is entangled, involved in difficulties or impede; something deceptively attractive. A device often consisting of a noose for entangling prey.
Proverbs 18:12
I. Introduction: We have all been touched by pride, whether we were walking in it or people that we have had to deal with were in the throes of it. Pride is one of the most destructive forces that you as a believer can be entangled in. The devil continually puts landmines, traps and snares in our pathway to hinder and short circuit our relationship with God. Dealing with an individual steeped in pride is a continuing challenge because of their arogance; they think they already “know it all”. As Christians, we are called to walk humbly before God and man.
II. Lesson
A. Pride, the Original Sin – 1Timothy 3:6
a. Ezekiel 28:13-15
i. Lucifer was the anointed cherub
ii. Iniquity was found in him.
b. Isaiah 14:12-15
i. The devil had the spirit of “I”
ii. Do you have the spirit of “I”
c. Revelation 12:7-9
i. Because of his pride the devil lost his position with God
B. The Meaning of Pride
a. Pride is an overly high opinion of oneself. An overly high opinion of one’s appearance or accomplishment. It also refers to exalting yourself; tooting your own horn; being arrogant, disdainful of others; high-minded. Synonym of pride is conceit, which is an overdeveloped opinion of one’s abilities, personality, or worth.
i. Boast is the practice of pretending to be something that a person is not. Created by high-mindedness. Thinking one knows when they don’t, thinking we are something we are not. Produces bragging or boastful words.
b. Pride is becoming more and more prevalent in our society as well as in the Church.
i. In the Church – Position and Titles
1. Deacon, Deaconess
2. Pastor, Senior Pastor
3. Pastor’s Assistant
ii. In Society – Position and Titles
1. Elected Officials
2. CEO’s
3. CFO’s
c. Examples of pride in Scripture
i. Matthew 23:1-3 - The Pharisees did things to be seen and receive praise of men.
ii. Luke 22:24-27 – The Disciples argued who was the greatest among them.
1. Just prior to this foolishness they had just shared the Lord’s Supper with Jesus
2. Jesus had just opened up His heart to them telling them He was going to be betrayed.
iii. Daniel 4:30 - Nebuchadnezzar’s pride
1. God gives Nebuchadnezzar a dream and visions to warn him about his enemies.
2. God through the dreams wanted him to know that He was the one that had given him dominion over all the known earth at that time.
3. Daniel warns Nebuchadnezzar to humble himself before God and to show mercy to the poor.
4. In verse 30 Nebuchadnezzar is lifted up even higher in pride.
5. In verse 31-33, the dream and vision that God had given to Nebuchadnezzar regarding him going insane for 7 years and living like an animal in the field, comes to pass because Nebuchadnezzar refused to humbled himself.
6. In verse 34-37, after 7 years, Nebuchadnezzar understanding returns and he begins to praise and magnify the God of Heaven.
C. A Closer Look at Pride
a. Pride is one of the main access/doors the devil uses to get into the hearts of Christians to hinder there relationship with God and to hinder them from accomplishing the purposes of God for their lives.
b. Pride is sometimes more difficult to discern than any other sin because, by nature, pride is a person having too high a opinion of himself. Are we surprised, then, that a person who has too high of an opinion of himself is unaware of it?
c. Pride comes in many forms and is in most cases secretive in nature, therefore making it difficult to see. Examples of secret thoughts:
i. I don’t know why she got that position, I’m better than she is.
ii. How did that preacher get on TBN, I preach better than him.
iii. I don’t know why she wants to marry him, I’ve got more to offer her then he does.
d. People that are full of pride think the opinion they have of themselves is justified and therefore, not too high.
i. As a result, there is no other matter in which the heart is more deceitful and unsearchable. The very nature of it is to work self-confidence and drive away any suspicion of evil respecting itself.
1. Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked.
e. People that are full of pride feel that they don’t need instruction or teaching because they already “know it all”. Seeing that they already know it all, they are sometimes offended when instructions are offered.
f. People that are full of pride take great notice of those who are in opposition to them or who have spoken injurious things about them and are more than likely to speak often about them with an air of bitterness or contempt.
g. Pride is most definitely a sin and is by nature rebellion. (Proverbs 21:4)
h. Another pattern of people full of pride is to behave in ways that make them the focus of others.
i. It is natural for a person under the influence of pride to take all the respect that is paid to them. In fact, they’ve actually come to expect such treatment and to form an unfavorable opinion of those who do not give them what they feel they deserve.
D. The results of pride:
a. Proverbs 11:2 - Pride brings shame
b. Proverbs 16:18 - Pride proceeds destruction
c. James 4:6 - God resists the proud
d. 1Peter 5:5 – God opposes, frustrates, and defeats the proud.
i. Rebellious, independent and self-sufficient boasters (braggers) will be humbled.
E. The Fruit of Pride.
a. Galatians 6:2-3 – Thinking you are far too important to endure the faults of others.
i. Cause impatience
1. Clerk to slow and people in line at grocery store not moving fast enough. “I can do this job with my eyes closed, so what’s the problem!” (attitude)
2. People making mistakes that “I know I wouldn’t make”.
ii. Pride and a lack of patience causes complaining.
1. Luke 15:1-2 (AMP) – Pharisees and Scribes
2. Luke 19:1-8 (AMP) - Zacchaeus
b. Ephesians 4:26 – Easily angered - When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.
i. Indignation – Something that offends one’s pride or sense of dignity.
ii. Dignity – The respect and honor associated with an important position or person.
iii. Indignation is an attitude that says I am far too good to have to put up with this “crap”.
F. Prides causes you to be judgmental.
a. Matthew 7:1-6 – Pride opens a door for the devil – it produces a harvest of judgment because of the seeds that you have sown.
b. Isaiah 58:9 – Pride adversely affects answers to our prayer.
c. Romans 2:1 – People who are walking in pride judge and condemn others for the thing that they do but have no problem in excusing themselves for doing the same thing.
G. Strife is always associated with pride
a. A proud person wants things done his way
b. Without the willingness to give in for other’s sake, there is strife
c. Proverbs 13:10 - Pride brings contention
d. Proverbs 28:25 - Pride stirs up strife
H. Humility is at the opposite end of the spectrum and is the answer to pride.
Pride will absolutely destroy you. It is one of the most deadly things that the devil has unleashed into the body of Christ. We must absolutely examine and judge our hearts to ensure that we are not walking in pride but in humility.