The Fruits Of Pride!
I feel like it’s very important that we spend just a little bit of time discussing something that has the power to (and very often does) ruin everything. It is the essential issue that must be dealt with if we want any hope of freedom. It is the mortar holding all bondage together and most of the time we don’t even know it’s there. I’m talking about Pride. Pride is the foundation of the home our enemy builds in us. It holds everything evil and ungodly up. If the enemy wants to enslave us he must first lay the foundation of Pride. Therefore, if we want the house the enemy has built to crumple we must first strip away the foundation of Pride and replace it with a foundation of Humility. The house of the enemy cannot stand on Humility.
Pride is so dangerous because of this:
The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, "Who can bring me down to the ground?'
Obadiah 1:3 (NIV)
Pride is the only spirit mentioned in the Bible that has the ability to deceive our hearts. Pride will blind us to our own captivity making us believe that we are free when we are really in bondage. That is why someone else’s honest assessment of us is valuable. Many times self-evaluation is hard because there are things we can’t see.
Below I have listed some of the “fruits of Pride” for you to take a look at. Please take the time to check the ones that apply to you. When you are through the list I encourage you to repent and ask God to forgive you for the Pride in your heart. After that tell that spirit of Pride to leave you in the name of Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with humility and to open your eyes to see the truth! I believe this is essential before you move on. The journey to transformation and freedom begins with humility.
1. I tend to be self-sufficient in the way I live my life. I don't live with a constant awareness that my every breath is dependent upon the will of God. I tend to think I have enough strength, ability, and wisdom to live and manage my life. My practice of the spiritual disciplines is inconsistent and superficial. I don't like to ask others for help. (See 2 Cor. 3:5)
2. I am often anxious about my life and the future. I tend not to trust God and rarely experience His abiding and transcendent peace in my soul. I have a hard time sleeping at night because of fearful thoughts and burdens I carry.
3. I am overly self-conscious. I tend to replay in my mind how I did, what I said, how I am coming across to others, etc. I am very concerned about what people think of me. I think about these things constantly.
4. I fear man more than God. I am afraid of others and make decisions about what I will say or do based upon this fear. I am afraid to take a stand for things that are right. I am concerned with how people will react to me or perceive my actions or words. I don't often think about God's opinion in a matter and rarely think there could be consequences for disobeying him. I primarily seek the approval of man and not of God.
5. I often feel insecure. I don't want to try new things or step out into uncomfortable situations because I'm afraid I'll fail or look foolish. I am easily embarrassed.
6. I regularly compare myself to others. I am performance oriented. I feel that I have greater worth if I do well.
7. I am self-critical. I tend to be a perfectionist. I can't stand for little things to be wrong because they reflect poorly on me. I have a hard time putting my mistakes behind me.
8. I desire to receive credit and recognition for what I do. I like people to see what I do and let me know that they noticed. I feel hurt or offended when they don't. I am overly concerned about my reputation and hate being misunderstood.
9. I want people to be impressed with me. I like to make my accomplishments known.
10. I tend to be deceptive about myself. I find myself lying to preserve my reputation. I find myself hiding the truth about myself, especially about sins, weaknesses, etc. I don't want people to know who I really am.
11. I am selfishly ambitious. I really want to get ahead. I like having a position or title. I far prefer leading to following.
12. I am overly competitive. I always want to win or come out on top and it bothers me when I don't.
13. I like to be the center of attention and will say or do things to draw attention to myself.
14. I like to talk, especially about myself or persons or things I am involved with. I want people to know what I am doing or thinking. I would rather speak than listen.
15. I am self-serving. When asked to do something, I find myself asking, "How will doing this help me, or will I be inconvenienced?"
16. I am not very excited about seeing or making others successful. I tend to feel envious, jealous, or critical towards those who are doing well or being honored.
17. I feel special or superior because of what I have or do.
18. I think highly of myself. In relation to others I typically see myself as more mature and more gifted. In most situations, I have more to offer than others even though I may not say so. I don't consider myself average or ordinary.
19. I tend to give myself credit for who I am and what I accomplish. I only occasionally think about or recognize that all that I am or have comes from God.
20. I tend to be self-righteous. I can think that I really have something to offer God. I would never say so, but I think God did well to save me. I seldom think about or recognize my utter depravity and helplessness apart from God.
21. I feel deserving. I think I deserve what I have. In fact, I think I ought to have more, considering how well I have lived or in light of all I have done.
22. I often feel ungrateful. I tend to grumble about what I have or my lot in life.
23. I find myself wallowing in self-pity. I am consumed with how I am treated by God and others. I tend to feel mistreated or misunderstood. I seldom recognize or sympathize with what's going on with others around me because I feel that I have it worse than they do.
24. I can be jealous or envious of other's abilities, possessions, positions, or accomplishments. Want to be what others are or want to have what others have. Pride makes us envious of what others have, think we should have it, or deserve it. I find it hard to rejoice with others when they are blessed by God.
25. I am pretty insensitive to others. I feel that some people just aren't worth caring about.
26. I have a know-it-all attitude. I am impressed by my own knowledge. I feel like there isn't much I can learn from other people, especially those less mature than me.
27. I have a hard time listening to ordinary people. I listen better to those I respect or people I am wanting to leave with a good impression. I don't honestly listen when someone else is speaking because I am usually planning what I am going to say next.
28. I like to reveal my own mind. I have an answer for practically every situation. I feel compelled to balance everyone else out.
29. I interrupt people regularly. I don't let people finish what they are saying.
30. I feel compelled to stop people when they start to share something with me I already know.
31. I find it hard to admit it when I don't know something. When someone asks me something I don't know, I will make up an answer rather than admit I don't know.
32. I listen to teaching with other people in mind. I constantly think of those folks who need to hear this teaching and wish they were here.
33. I'm not very open to input. I don't pursue correction for my own life. I tend to be unteachable and slow to repent when corrected. I don't really see correction as a positive thing. I am offended when people probe the motivations of my heart or seek to adjust me.
34. I have a hard time admitting that I am wrong. I find myself covering up or excusing my sins. It is hard for me to confess my sins to others or to ask for forgiveness.
35. I resent people who attempt to correct me. I don't respond with gratefulness and sincere appreciation for their input. Instead I am tempted to accuse them and dwell on their faults. I get bitter and withdraw.
36. I am easily angered and offended. I don't like being crossed or disagreed with. I find myself thinking, "I can't believe they did that to me." I often feel wronged.
37. I have "personality conflicts" with others. I have a hard time getting along with certain kinds of people.
38. I lack respect for other people. I don't think very highly of most people. I have a hard time encouraging and honoring others unless they really do something great.
39. I am a slanderer. I find myself either giving or receiving evil reports about others. Often times the things I say or hear are true about other people. I am not concerned about the effect of slander on me because of my maturity level. I think I can handle it. I only share with others the things I really think they need to know. I don't tell all.
40. I am divisive. I tend to resist or resent authority. I don't like other people to give me orders or directions.
41. I like to demean or put others down. At times, people need to be adjusted and put in their place. This includes leaders. Other people need to be humble and have a "sober" assessment of themselves.
42. I tend to be critical of others. I find myself feeling or talking negatively about people. I subtlely feel better about myself when I see how bad someone else is.
43. I am self-willed and stubborn. I have a hard time cooperating with others. I really prefer my own way and often insist on getting it.
44. I am independent and uncommitted. I don't really see why I need other people. I can easily separate myself from others. I don't get much out of the small group meetings.
45. I am unaccountable. I don't ask others to hold me responsible to follow through on my commitments. I don't really need accountability for my words and actions.
46. I am unsubmissive. I don't like being under the authority of another person. I don't see submission as a good and necessary provision from God for my life. I have a hard time supporting and serving those over me. I don't "look up" to people and I like to be in charge. Other people may need leaders, but I don't. It is important that my voice is heard.
47. I really appreciate somebody taking the time to put this paper together. It will really be a big help to my friends and family. However, I don't really need this because I think I'm pretty humble already.
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