The Dangers of Self-Exaltation
Study Text: Galatians 6:3 - 4
Introduction:
- Self-exaltation naturally follows self-deception. We deceive ourselves into thinking we are greater than we really are.
- This usually leads to some misbehaviours and manifestations of prideful attitudes towards others.
- Exaltation is a good thing. People work hard to occupy exalted seats or positions. Many pray to God to crown their efforts with success in this regard. God is interested in your exaltation but He is against self-exaltation. 1 Peter 5:6
- What is wrong with this type of exaltation is that it is by self: trying to elevate one’s status, position, importance, and so on, by self and it does not receive the approval of God.
- Those who exalt themselves set themselves against God. Self-exaltation starts with self-deception. Someone deceives himself that he is the best or is better than the rest.
- A self-exalted person deceives himself to believe that a certain seat, position or honour is for him because there is nobody as brilliant or as qualified as he is.
- We have the example of Harman, who believes that the only person the king would have thought to honour was himself, and he succeeded in putting himself to shame and disgrace. Esther 6: 6 - 10
- We shall be discussing the topic under three subheadings:
1. The Sin of Self-Exaltation
2. The Signs of Self-Exaltation
3. The Steps to Overcome Self-Exaltation
1. The Sin of Self-Exaltation
- The Word of God is full of warnings against pride and self exaltation. The Lord condemns such an attitude, for it is one of the worst kinds of evil. James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5
- Self-Exaltation is birthed in the heart of man and if not cut out, it grows and spreads throughout the person's mind, heart and soul, leaving that person in a very difficult place in life.
- It was Self-Exaltation that led Lucifer to become Satan. He was perfect in beauty, covered with priceless gems. He was the anointed cherub, who exalted himself and wanted to be like God.
- Iniquity was found in him. His heart was lifted up, full of pride and self and God punished him, placing him in an eternal damnation Ezekiel 28:11-19.
- Self-Exaltation continues doing the same thing today. It creates an illusion that we are something "great". It leads us to depend on ourselves rather than God.
- We are intelligent beings, God created us as such, however our intelligence is to glorify God. Once we use anything we are or have for self glory or self-exaltation, we are setting ourselves up for a great disappointment and destruction.
- God cannot use a prideful person. To be used by God, one must humble himself and fully understand that it is He in us, the hope of glory and not we, ourselves.
- Nothing we do deserves praise, for everything we do, we do because of His grace and favour. Self exaltation is dangerous, and we should take caution not to fall into that sin.
- We are who we are by the grace of God and we would be able to do nothing if it had not been Christ in us. God wants to take all the glory alone over everything in our lives. Isaiah 42:8
2. The Signs of Self-Exaltation
- When a person seeks the praise and glory of men, he positions himself for an eventual fall. All of his words and actions will be crafted in a way that pleases the ears and eyes of men.
- The following are some of the signs of Self-Exaltation, they are signs that indicate you may be seeking your own glory more than God’s glory:
1. Giving Priority to Performance over Impact
- When you are more concerned with your performance in what you do than the impact of what you do in the life of others, that brings glory to God.
2. Bittered when not Recognized
- When you are bittered and take offense when others do not recognize your importance, worth or mention your efforts.
- We must never get discouraged and give up because we are not getting the recognition we think you deserve.
3. Announcing and Emphasizing your Achievement and Commitment
- When you always want to let people know about your achievement, the sacrifices you are making and how committed you are in a place or on a thing. Matthew 6:16
4. Comparing with others with a Heart of Competition
- When you always compare yourself or what you have with others, or you have a hidden sense of competition with those around you doing similar things.
5. Using the Power of Exaggeration
- When you have to exaggerate things with you or about you to make it more presentable or acceptable in order to receive the praise of men.
6. Wishing you have Others' successes and they have your Failures.
- When you always wish that you should be the only one succeeding and others should be failing. You can not truly congratulate others for their successes, because you wish they belong to you.
7. Lack of Readiness to Receive Discipline and Accept Correction
- When you seek for and enjoy the praises of men, but not willing to submit to true disciplines and godly corrections.
3. The Steps to Overcome Self-Exaltation
- Here are three simple steps that will release you from the grip of the sin of Self-Exaltation:
1. Discover and Name the Sin: Self-Exaltation
- Before God, and in your own conscience, discover and call your sin exactly what it is. Cease all explanations and excuses.
- Just get on your knees and confess that this thing is absolutely opposed to God’s character, that it is hurting others and destroying you. Isaiah 55:7
- Confessing the truth of the matter is vitally necessary. Doing so awakens a deeper sensitivity and places your heart in an honest position before God and before yourself. Leviticus 5:5
- Confess the sin for exactly what it is, without reserve and without any kind of justification. Stop hiding, Stop lying, Stop explaining, Simply tell the truth.
2. Decide and Act Against the Sin: Self-Exaltation
- There lies within you a God-given power to choose. It is a power Satan himself, and all his demons, cannot make a man or woman sin when the will has decided not to.
- The movement of the will away from sin and toward God is called true repentance. It basically means a deliberate change of mind and direction, turning away from sin and turning unto God.
- The moment you decide against sin and begin to act in a new moral course, your mind actually begins to take on a new shape.
3. Desire and Receive Power Over the Sin: Self-Exaltation
- No matter how honestly you confess your sin, and no matter how firmly you decide against your sin, your willpower does not posses the quality and kind of power you need to overcome.
- You are in desperate need of a power outside of and above yourself to be liberated from the hold of Self-Exaltation.
- Quite simply, the power you need is the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the power that moves us to cease living for ourselves and to begin living for Him. The power alone, is sufficient to break the strength of sin. Acts 1:8
- God’s power is the vital energizing factor in the victorious Christian life. No other power will do, because no other power can do. Ephesians 3:19-21
Conclusion:
- While a person should strive to do his best in all things, his fundamental motivation should be to please God, not to seek the praises of men.
- The person who seeks the glory of men will receive his immediate reward. But the person who seeks to do his best, who seeks to serve God will be lifted up by God.
