Stronghold Part 8 – The Stronghold of Pride

This list is NOT exhaustive, so you may encounter a stronghold or symptoms that aren’t listed.

You can recognize that a stronghold exists when any of the symptoms produced by that spirit are HABITUALLY PRESENT.

PRIDE
Ungrateful
Self-righteous
Self-centered
Insensitive
Materialistic
Seeks Positions
Stubborn
Mocking
Vain
Spiritual Adultery
Impatient

• Defining “pride”

A. Root meanings

1. Heb. and Gk. word roots: “high, lifted up, rise, lofty, exalted” (Look Below)
2. Pride involves self-exaltation, haughtiness, conceit, presumption
3. “Thinking more highly of oneself than one ought” (Rom. 12:3)

4. Dictionary  definition:  Pride is an excessively high opinion of oneself.  Conceit is too high an opinion of  one’s abilities, worth, or personality;  vanity.  An arrogant person is  overly convinced  of  one’s own  importance;  overbearingly proud; haughty.

When  we look at how the Bible  uses the word pride we see that pride is substituting our own authority, our plan, our greatness, our human goodness in place of God’s.  The proud person  looks at himself differently than God looks at him.
B. Pride and sinfulness
1. Is pride the root or essence of all sin?
2. Pride is self-orientation, contrary to character of God
3. Every person has developed patterns of pride (S.E.L.F.)

•   Pride is mental attitude sin.  It is listed in Prov 6.16-19 (be  high,  be  exalted,  rise ) as one of the  seven worst sins (Prov 8.13;  30.13;  Ps 131.1; Mark 7.20- 23; 1 Tim 3.6).

C. Negative senses of “pride”

1. Negative – high opinion of oneself; egocentricity
Rom. 12:16 – “haughty in mind”
Phil. 2:3,4 – “selfishness, empty conceit…personal interests”

• Pride is a part of ungodliness (2 Tim 3.2).

D. Direct and indirect “pride”
1. Asserted pride
a. Based on conceit
b. self-commendation, self-exaltation
2. Inverted pride
a. Based on insecurities and perceived inadequacies
b. self-condemnation, self-effacing; “poor me”

• Pride  is the opposite  of  humility (Prov 11.2; 29.23; Dan 4.37; James 4.6; 1 Pet 5.5-6).

Representative references to “pride”

• A. Hebrew words in Old Testament

1. geah, gaavah – “proud, haughty”
Prov. 8:13 – “pride, arrogance and the evil way”
Prov. 29:23 – “a man’s pride will bring him low”
2. zed, zadon – “pride, presumption”
Prov. 11:2 – “when pride comes, then comes dishonor”
Prov. 13:10 – “through presumption comes nothing but strife”

• Greek words in New Testament

1. hyperephania – “to appear above, high”
Mk. 7:22 – “pride…proceeds from within and defiles a man”
Rom. 1:30 – “insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil…”
James 4:6 – “God is opposed to proud, but gives grace to humble”
I Pet. 5:5 – “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to humble”
2. kauchema, kauchaomai – “to boast”
Rom. 11:20 – “do not be conceited, but fear God”
I Cor. 1:31 – “let him who boasts, boast in the Lord” (II Cor. 10:17)
Gal. 6:14 – “should not boast, except in cross of our Lord…”
Eph. 2:9 – “…that no one should boast”
3. alazon, alazoneia – “to boast”
Rom. 1:30 – “insolent, arrogant, boastful…”
II Tim. 3:2 – “boastful, arrogant, revilers…”
I Jn. 2:16 – “the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father…”
4. doxa – “to glory”
Jn. 5:44 – “glory from one another,… do not seek glory of God”

• Various forms of “pride”

A. Self-admiration – “Look at me!”
1. Natural – MY abilities, talents, assets
2. Spiritual – MY spiritual gifts, MY ministry
B. Self-aggrandizement – “Don’t I look good/great?”
1. Natural – MY looks, MY importance
2. Spiritual – MY position in the church
C. Self-attention – “Listen to me!”
1. Natural – MY understanding and viewpoint
2. Spiritual – MY Biblical and theological knowledge
D. Self-justification – “I am right!”
1. Natural – MY way is the right way
2. Spiritual – our doctrine and polity is right
E. Self-sufficiency – “I can do it!”
1. Natural – MY abilities, MY leadership
2. Spiritual – our programs will make it happen
F. Self-aspiration – “Let me win!”
1. Natural – competitive spirit; one-up-manship
2. Spiritual – our statistics will prove us successful
G. Self-seeking – “Give me mine!”
1. Natural – MY rights; what I deserve
2. Spiritual – our political rights and physical edifice
H. Self-exaltation – “Praise me!”
1. Natural – MY credit, glory, commendation
2. Spiritual – our procedures and success

 

• Where does pride come from ?

Satan introduced sin (and pride) into God’s  perfect creation.  Satan thought that he  was good  enough to challenge God’s authority and  rule. He  was showing pride (Is 14.12-14 and 1  Tim  3.6),  After  Adam and Eve sinned (fall  of mankind) each person’s sinful nature became a source of  pride. Pride  is an inner problem  that  tempts man’s  volition  like and overpowering desire  (Mark 7.20-23;  Gal  5.19-22  where  “things  like  these” include pride; Jms 1.14). The sinful nature uses power, fame, possessions,  and other details of life to stimulate people  to become proud (Lev 26.19;  2 Chron  32;  1 John 2.16).

Results of “pride”
A. Contention – Prov. 13:10 – “through presumption comes strife” (Prov. 28:25)
B. Dishonor – Prov. 11:2 – “when pride comes, then comes dishonor”
C. Not right with God – Hab. 2:4 – “proud one, soul not right within him…”
D. Denies God – Ps. 10:3,4 – “in haughtiness does not seek Him…”
E. Fall, bring low
Prov. 16:18 – “pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before
stumbling” (Prov. 18:12)
Prov. 29:23 – “a man’s pride will bring him low”
Isa. 2:11 – “the loftiness of man will be humbled” (Jere. 13:15-17)

• Opposite of “pride”

Humility – recognizing and accepting our rightful place of subordination to
and dependency upon God
Rom. 12:16 – 16Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Phil. 2:3 – 3Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
James 4:6 – 6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (Note: Humble meaning in the Greek – 5011 tapeinós (an adjective) – properly, low; (figuratively) inner lowliness describing the person who depends on the Lord rather than self. Big difference than what we always thought “Be Humble” meant.
Boast in the Lord
Jere. 9:23,24 – 23Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
I Cor. 1:30,31 – 30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
II Cor. 10:17, 18 – 17But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

Related articles

• Stronghold Part 5 – The Stronghold of Jealousy/Envy (alookintomymind.wordpress.com)