What Will Harboring Pride In Our Hearts Do To Us?

Obadiah is the shortest book of the Bible. It is titled “The Vision of Obadiah” as it prophesies the judgment to fall on the nation of Edom. The Edomites were descendants of Esau which made them related to the children of Israel (Genesis 25:19-27:45). Because of Edom’s defiance of God, their pride, and how they treated Judah, disaster would come unto them.

Edom was the southern neighbor of Judah, and its capital was Petra, which was a city cut into the cliff of solid rock. It was considered impenetrable due to the only way in was through a narrow canyon. The Edomites were proud of how secure they felt in their city, their self-sufficiency, their wealth, their allies, and their wisdom, but this would cause them to be brought down. They only fooled themselves.

Those that have a favorable opinion of themselves are adept to think that others appreciate them as well; but they will be mistaken. God can make low those that have amplified and lifted themselves up. What Edom says in the pride of his heart, talks with their very own certainty quality, and a hatred of God's decisions, as though the intensity of the Almighty could not overwhelm them (Jeremiah 49:15-16).

The pride of heart is the disposition of an existence that announces its capacity to live without God. Pride is and will destroy Christians which will make them of no use for the service of God. They are all in it for the show. Remember the Pharisee and the Publican. The Pharisee was showing off, “Look at what I am not, look at what I do, and look at what I have” (Luke 18:11). Satan was proud and it was his downfall (Isaiah 14:13-15). Nebuchadnezzar was proud and look at what happened to him (Daniel 4:30-32).

The Bible declares the route to self-destruction is pride (Proverbs 16:18). The judgment on Edom was to bring about justice. To anyone that believes “Who shall bring me down?” God replies, “I will.” Just like the way the nation of Edom and the city of Petra fell, people with pride in their hearts will fall. Humility is more secure than pride.

In the book of Proverbs, there are six things that the Lord cannot stand, and seven things are an abomination; a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running about to cause mischief, a false witness that speaks lies, and he that sews discord among the believers (Proverbs 6:16-19). What is the first one? Pride!

Pride is against God and will bring about judgment. Satan’s sin was that of pride, and it was his downfall, just like Babylon’s. Israel tragically was too proud to even think about relying upon God, and we are defenseless against that equivalent mistake. (Isaiah 14:12-15).

Many Christians have pride in their race, pride of face (social standing), and pride of grace (proud of being saved). Salvation should not make us proud. It is a free gift offered to everyone and it is freely given to those who are humble.

The more an individual regards and fears God, the more the person cannot stand evil. Love for God and love for wrongdoing cannot coincide. Holding onto secret sins implies that we are enduring evil inside ourselves. We really need to make a total separation from transgression and submit ourselves totally to God (Proverbs 8:13). Pride brings about shame, not wisdom (Proverbs 11:2). Pride is the inward voice that murmurs, "My way is the best way." It is opposing the leadership of God and thinking that we can live without his assistance. Whenever we end up wanting to do anything on our own and peering down on others, pride is pulling us. It is when we take out pride and let God be able to assist us, will we then turn into all that he implied for us to be (Proverbs 16:5).

Proud individuals make little assessment of their shortcomings and do not expect to encounter any staggering blocks. They believe that they are immune to the frailties of everyday citizens. In this perspective, they are effectively entangled. Incidentally, proud individuals infrequently understand that pride is their concern, in spite of the fact that everybody around them is very much aware of it. We ought to ask a trustworthy person to find out if smugness has dazed us to any noticeable signs. The person might assist us with keeping away from a fall (Proverbs 16:18).

When we try to run our lives, we put ourselves in the place of God. How many of us try to run our lives without God, as if we do not need Him? That is pride, which is sin, and it is fatal. We are not to let pride control us. We must recognize when pride tries to set in and push it back out the door. We must pray to God to help us defend against any proudness of heart.