(Clip) God Is The Enemy Of The Proud
Zac Poonen teaches that pride is a fundamental barrier to spiritual growth because God opposes the proud without partiality.
This sermon delves into the destructive nature of pride, emphasizing how it hinders believers from growing spiritually despite hearing powerful messages. The speaker highlights that pride lurks in the hearts of many, hindering their progress and causing disobedience to God's commandments. The message stresses that God opposes the proud, regardless of their status or usefulness, drawing a parallel to the unyielding nature of gravity. It challenges believers to humbly submit to God's word without picking and choosing which commandments to follow based on personal preferences.
Full Transcript
Pride is so close to us and I'm absolutely convinced that the reason why many believers, even in CFC, have not grown as much as they should have by now, after all the wonderful messages they've heard, brothers and sisters, there's only one reason. Deep down in their heart, they are proud of something. I don't know what it is.
You know. Many years ago, I understood one thing, that God is the enemy of the proud and there's no partiality with God. It's like the law of gravity.
If you jump off the roof, the law of gravity doesn't first check up whether you're a believer or whether you speak in tongues. It just pulls you down. God resists the proud.
It doesn't matter who you are. You can be the most useful person on earth. God will resist you.
Pride is what makes us disobey God's commandments. Pride is what makes us look at some verses in the Bible and say, oh, that's not one of the major commandments. Boy, you must be a very important person to dissect God's word and decide which are things that you should take seriously and which are things you don't have to take seriously.
Do you see the pride there? Almighty God has given his word and you decide what is important and what is not important? I see the smallest little commandment, which may be written in half a verse. I want to obey it.
Sermon Outline
-
I
- Pride hinders believers' spiritual growth
- Many remain proud without realizing it
- Pride is close to the heart and often hidden
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II
- God is the enemy of the proud
- God resists the proud without partiality
- This principle is as certain as the law of gravity
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III
- Pride causes disobedience to God's commandments
- Believers sometimes pick and choose which commands to obey
- True humility obeys even the smallest commands
Key Quotes
“God is the enemy of the proud and there's no partiality with God.” — Zac Poonen
“God resists the proud. It doesn't matter who you are.” — Zac Poonen
“Pride is what makes us disobey God's commandments.” — Zac Poonen
Application Points
- Examine your heart for hidden pride that may be hindering your spiritual growth.
- Submit fully to God's commandments, obeying even the smallest instructions with humility.
- Recognize that God opposes pride regardless of your status or achievements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does pride hinder spiritual growth?
Because God resists the proud, pride creates a barrier that prevents believers from fully obeying and growing in their faith.
How does God treat the proud?
God opposes the proud without partiality, resisting them regardless of their status or usefulness.
Can believers pick and choose which commandments to obey?
No, pride often leads believers to selectively obey God's word, but true obedience requires humility to follow all commands.
What is a practical sign of pride in a believer?
Deciding which parts of God's word are important and which are not, based on personal judgment, reveals pride.