Messages for August 2016: Our Month of Dreams and Visions
Message for Wednesday the 10th of August 2016
Theme: Understanding Dream and Visions in relation to God’s plan – Joel 2:28; Jer.29:11; Acts 2:16-17; Acts 10; Matthew 1:18-25; Lk.1; Jn.5:39; Matt.4:10 & Rev.19:10
Topic: Understanding Pride as an enemy of visions and dreams Pt.1
Introduction: This month, God is set to help us fulfill our destinies by giving us visions and dreams that would both give us a compass for our lives and guide us through our entire destiny journey.
However, there is one chief enemy of our souls that could not only hinder but truncate the entire destiny of a person and that enemy is called pride. Contrary to what many think, pride is not a spirit. It is an attitude. This was the attitude that caused Lucifer to crash. The oldest evil spirit we know of is Satan and therefore pride which was demonstrated before the fall of Lucifer could not have been an evil spirit. See Isa.14:12-15 and Ez.28:11-17.
Pride is a common factor as it can tilt in the negative or in the positive direction depending on the use to which it is put. When pride is adversely used, it could be very devastating. For our purpose, however, we shall be looking at pride negatively used.
What Pride is:
Pride is defined by “The New Lexicon Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language as an excessive self-esteem or a behavior that shows excessive self-esteem.
Pride is an attitude; it is a predisposition by the proud to respond negatively to people born out of an over bloated view of one’s self. This definition however is too restrictive as it concentrates on negative pride.
When we view pride as self-esteem, it would convey a broader definition of the word. Normal self-esteem is healthy. It is the type Jesus was referring to when He told us to love our neighbours as ourselves. So we are expected to love ourselves. This is a balanced self-esteem. See Mk.12:31; Gal.5:14 and Jas.2:8.
Another word used for pride is ego. Ego means feeling of self-esteem and personal worth. It is being conscious of your own identity. This is balanced when it does not refer to an inflated feeling of pride in one’s superiority to others. It is the latter case we are concerned with for our purpose.
An objective view of Pride:
Pride is an unjustifiable feeling of self-importance. Why I say this feeling is unjustifiable is that no matter what fuels the pride, we must understand that there is nothing we have and there is nowhere we have attained to that was not a product of God’s mercy. So there is really no need for this feeling. See the example of Haman’s fall in the book of Esther; Lk.14:8-11 and Lk.20:46.
Secondly, pride is a mindset that seeks to exalt personal interest over and above the general good and this explains why proud people are the most selfish people. Proud people cannot obey the number one law of discipleship which is self-denial to exalt the will of God. Luk.9:23-24 and Phi.2:5-11.
Thirdly, pride is an inclination to act in a manner that always tries to promote self over and above others with a view to setting one’s beliefs and life style as the standard instead of Christ. This makes them very unproductive because they cannot make sacrifices. Jn.12:24 and 15:5.
Fourthly, a proud person will always respond negatively to situations to the extent that people would always want to avoid them if they can help it. See Jn.12:24 and Mk.10:35-45.
Fifth, Proud people compare themselves with others making themselves look better than others. The bible says such comparison is not wise. See 2Cor.10:12 and Lk.18:10-14.
Sixth, proud people cannot make it in leadership until they overcome the pride. Mar.9:35; 10:44.
However it is expressed, pride is a problem that demands quick solution before it destroys its victim. We will stop so far today. More would be said on this next week. Meanwhile, the beginning of victory over pride is the new birth experience because pride is a nature inherited from the devil by fallen man. Therefore, he has no power over it until he makes a decision to embrace eternal life in Christ Jesus that grants us access to the life of Christ which is marked with humility.
You may be reading this now and desire this new life; you can embrace it right away by saying the following prayer out loud and you will be saved:
Heavenly Father,
Have mercy on me a sinner. Today, I believe that Jesus died for me and you raised Him from the dead for my Justification. I therefore declare that Jesus Christ is my Saviour and Lord and from today, I renounce the fatherhood of Satan and embrace Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord. Thank you for this father in Jesus’ name! Amen.
Congratulations! For more information and resources that would help you grow in this new life, please visit our website at www.kingdomheirsministries.org and our blogs at www.flourishinggirl.blogspot.com and follow us on twitter at alero_nanna and on face book on www.facebook.com/flourishinggirl www.facebook.com/khmii2015; www.facebook.com/thewellbeingcenter. Or www.facebook.com/kingdomjointheirsfamily email: jointheirsfamily@gmail.com.
Remain on top of your challenges in Jesus’ name!
Message for Wednesday the 10th of August 2016
Theme: Understanding Dream and Visions in relation to God’s plan – Joel 2:28; Jer.29:11; Acts 2:16-17; Acts 10; Matthew 1:18-25; Lk.1; Jn.5:39; Matt.4:10 & Rev.19:10
Topic: Understanding Pride as an enemy of visions and dreams Pt.1
Introduction: This month, God is set to help us fulfill our destinies by giving us visions and dreams that would both give us a compass for our lives and guide us through our entire destiny journey.
However, there is one chief enemy of our souls that could not only hinder but truncate the entire destiny of a person and that enemy is called pride. Contrary to what many think, pride is not a spirit. It is an attitude. This was the attitude that caused Lucifer to crash. The oldest evil spirit we know of is Satan and therefore pride which was demonstrated before the fall of Lucifer could not have been an evil spirit. See Isa.14:12-15 and Ez.28:11-17.
Pride is a common factor as it can tilt in the negative or in the positive direction depending on the use to which it is put. When pride is adversely used, it could be very devastating. For our purpose, however, we shall be looking at pride negatively used.
What Pride is:
Pride is defined by “The New Lexicon Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language as an excessive self-esteem or a behavior that shows excessive self-esteem.
Pride is an attitude; it is a predisposition by the proud to respond negatively to people born out of an over bloated view of one’s self. This definition however is too restrictive as it concentrates on negative pride.
When we view pride as self-esteem, it would convey a broader definition of the word. Normal self-esteem is healthy. It is the type Jesus was referring to when He told us to love our neighbours as ourselves. So we are expected to love ourselves. This is a balanced self-esteem. See Mk.12:31; Gal.5:14 and Jas.2:8.
Another word used for pride is ego. Ego means feeling of self-esteem and personal worth. It is being conscious of your own identity. This is balanced when it does not refer to an inflated feeling of pride in one’s superiority to others. It is the latter case we are concerned with for our purpose.
An objective view of Pride:
Pride is an unjustifiable feeling of self-importance. Why I say this feeling is unjustifiable is that no matter what fuels the pride, we must understand that there is nothing we have and there is nowhere we have attained to that was not a product of God’s mercy. So there is really no need for this feeling. See the example of Haman’s fall in the book of Esther; Lk.14:8-11 and Lk.20:46.
Secondly, pride is a mindset that seeks to exalt personal interest over and above the general good and this explains why proud people are the most selfish people. Proud people cannot obey the number one law of discipleship which is self-denial to exalt the will of God. Luk.9:23-24 and Phi.2:5-11.
Thirdly, pride is an inclination to act in a manner that always tries to promote self over and above others with a view to setting one’s beliefs and life style as the standard instead of Christ. This makes them very unproductive because they cannot make sacrifices. Jn.12:24 and 15:5.
Fourthly, a proud person will always respond negatively to situations to the extent that people would always want to avoid them if they can help it. See Jn.12:24 and Mk.10:35-45.
Fifth, Proud people compare themselves with others making themselves look better than others. The bible says such comparison is not wise. See 2Cor.10:12 and Lk.18:10-14.
Sixth, proud people cannot make it in leadership until they overcome the pride. Mar.9:35; 10:44.
However it is expressed, pride is a problem that demands quick solution before it destroys its victim. We will stop so far today. More would be said on this next week. Meanwhile, the beginning of victory over pride is the new birth experience because pride is a nature inherited from the devil by fallen man. Therefore, he has no power over it until he makes a decision to embrace eternal life in Christ Jesus that grants us access to the life of Christ which is marked with humility.
You may be reading this now and desire this new life; you can embrace it right away by saying the following prayer out loud and you will be saved:
Heavenly Father,
Have mercy on me a sinner. Today, I believe that Jesus died for me and you raised Him from the dead for my Justification. I therefore declare that Jesus Christ is my Saviour and Lord and from today, I renounce the fatherhood of Satan and embrace Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord. Thank you for this father in Jesus’ name! Amen.
Congratulations! For more information and resources that would help you grow in this new life, please visit our website at www.kingdomheirsministries.org and our blogs at www.flourishinggirl.blogspot.com and follow us on twitter at alero_nanna and on face book on www.facebook.com/flourishinggirl www.facebook.com/khmii2015; www.facebook.com/thewellbeingcenter. Or www.facebook.com/kingdomjointheirsfamily email: jointheirsfamily@gmail.com.
Remain on top of your challenges in Jesus’ name!
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