The Root of Sin Is Pride (Telugu)

Then we have an obligation to turn away from all sin. Anyone who takes the name of the Lord must stay away from all sin. And it says there that that is the seal which is upon God's firm foundation.

Now it's such a clear word, but it's really surprising that so many Christians have not followed it. And as I said earlier, we're not just to deal with the little fruits of sin, but deal with the root of sin. In our earlier session, I was talking about anger, or lusting with our eyes, or telling lies.

We can say these are all fruits. So, even if you get rid of those fruits, you still don't finish with sin. See what John the Baptist said in Matthew chapter 3. He came as a forerunner for Jesus Christ.

And he told us what Jesus was going to do. He said, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. How was he going to take away the sin? Of course, he was going to die on the cross.

But what was he going to do in our lives? Externally, he died for us on the cross. But inwardly, what would Jesus do in our lives? And John the Baptist described it like this. In Matthew 3 verse 10.

The axe is laid at the root of the tree. In the Old Testament, God's people Israel were told not to do certain things in the Ten Commandments. In the Old Testament, God's people Israel were told not to do certain things in the Ten Commandments.

God gave them a pair of scissors and said, cut off this bad fruit, this bad fruit, this bad fruit. God gave them a pair of scissors and said, cut off this bad fruit, this bad fruit, this bad fruit. The tree did not have any bad fruit, so the scissors were used to cut off the bad fruit.

But the tree did not become good, because the fruits that came later were bad fruits. And many Christians are like that. Something bad comes out, they like to cut it off.

But again it comes out. It's like a sickness that keeps on coming out and sores in our body. It goes in one place, it comes in another place.

It goes in one place, it comes in another place. The doctor says, kill the root of the disease. If you write ointment here and there, it will work permanently.

The disease is inside you. You take this antibiotic three times a day for five days and it will kill the root. Then you take it and it goes.

So Jesus came like that, to deal with the root of sin. The root is what is underneath the tree, which cannot be seen. Your anger can be seen.

Even when you lust with your eyes, if other people look at you, they can see it. These are all external sins. But like the root of a tree, which is invisible, there is something from which all this comes up.

You need to identify that and put the ax to the root there. That is what Jesus meant by, take up your cross every day. Take up the cross deals with the root of sin.

So, if we want to understand the root of sin, we have to see where sin began. We have to see where sin began in this universe. In this universe, the root of sin was not with Adam.

It was much earlier than Adam. First of all, sin came among the angels. That is where sin began.

If you try to understand where it began, then you can deal with it. A doctor will ask you, when did this problem begin? Did something happen at that time for it to begin? That is why we try to understand the root of the disease. When we talk about sin, there are so many sins in the world.

You need to ask, where did it begin? Maybe you already know about it, but it is good to remember again. It is described in two places in scripture. One is in Isaiah 14.

The fall of the head of the angels. The other is in Ezekiel 28. There, when we see the root of sin, we can see it in ourselves and deal with it.

It is very simple, but most Christians have not dealt with it. That is the reason why they keep on falling. It is like if you don't deal with the root of the disease, again and again the sickness will come on your body.

In Isaiah 14 verse 12, we read about the fall of Satan. How have you fallen from heaven? From the star of the morning. He was the head of the angels, and he fell.

What is the reason? See this. He did not say anything with his mouth. You said in your heart.

That is the first thing we learn. That sin does not begin with the eyes or the tongue. You shut your eyes, you don't stop sinning.

Even if you blind both your eyes, you can still keep lusting in your thoughts. It is in the heart. Sin begins in the heart.

Jesus said, out of the heart proceeds all types of sin. That is the first thing we need to understand. If you want to turn away from sin, you have to deal with it inside.

If you deal with only on the outside, you will be just a Pharisee. A self-righteous man. A righteous Pharisee.

But here we read about how sin came. It started in the heart. And what did he think in his heart? He did not plan to kill anybody.

He was not planning adultery. He was not planning to tell a lie. Or steal something.

These common sins, is not the way sin originated. Sin originated when this angel had a selfish ambition in his heart. When he wanted to go above other people, and become bigger than what God made him, and to have a higher position than what God gave him.

That is how sin came. And sin began in the heart. And we can find that in our heart.

When we are not satisfied with what God has given us, we want something more. We want a higher position. Look at the number of churches where people are fighting to become elders and pastors and bishops.

To rule over others. That is exactly where sin began thousands of years ago. When somebody said, I will ascend.

I will raise my throne. This is the origin of sin. When you want to go up and be seen by others as bigger and better than other people.

When you want to get a name for yourself and make other people smaller than you. You find it in the world where a businessman wants to become the biggest business and crush other businesses. That is the spirit of Satan.

There is nothing wrong in doing business. But when you want to crush other businesses and get on top of them, that is the spirit of Satan. You see it in politics.

Where people want to go on top and push other people down. They give money to get votes to get on top of people. It is the same spirit.

I will ascend. I will ascend. You find it in the church also.

The spirit of Satan in the church. Where people want to show that I am better than somebody else. It can be a musician who wants to show.

I am such a good singer, such a good musician. I want you all to appreciate me. It can be a preacher who wants to impress you with his preaching.

Jesus has given me the gift of preaching not to impress people but to help them. Everybody who has the gift of preaching must remember that. Everyone who seeks for the gift of preaching must ask with this reason.

Lord, I am not asking you to give me a gift for honor. I am asking you to give me a gift so I can help people. I am not asking you to give me a gift for honor.

I am asking you to give me the gift of preaching Satan comes in everywhere with his spirit. Take for example doctors and medicine. In a country like India with so many poor people and so many sick people.

One would think that at least Christian doctors would want to serve the poor people. But no. Even the Christian doctors are like the heathen doctors.

They are practicing their medicine to make money. They are practicing their medicine to make money. To become richer and bigger to become more famous doctors and to get money from poor people who earn 10% of what they earn.

Is that Christianity? But they call themselves Christian doctors. It is all a deception. They are motivated by the devil who wants to ascend wants to make a name.

They don't realize that God has given them an ability to serve others. That is why most preachers also don't have an anointing from God these days. Because their aim is not to help people.

Jesus was anointed to do good. He never healed for money. He never preached for money.

Everything he did was to do good to others. It is the opposite of the spirit of Satan. Satan wanted to ascend He was a created angel.

He said, I want to ascend and become like God. See verse 14 I will make myself like the most high. It is very important to understand this.

This is the root of sin where you want to go up above other people and you want to be like God. On the opposite of that we see in Jesus Christ He was already like God. He was equal with the father.

But he didn't hold on to that. He did not want to ascend. He wanted to descend.

That is the root of holiness. You have to see these two things. The two spirits operating in the world.

Lucifer started one spirit by wanting to go up and up. For example when you speak evil about somebody else in your house suppose some brother or sister has come to your house and then you speak evil about that other person. What are you actually saying? You are saying that person is so bad.

But I am not like that. You don't say it like that, but that is what you mean. Oh, he is like that.

But I am not like that. I am so good. That is what you are saying.

Which spirit is that? You think that is the spirit of Christ? It is 100% the spirit of the devil. But there are Christians who are speaking like that. The voice of the devil is coming out of their mouth.

Just stopping it in the mouth does not help. You have to hit the root in your heart. See Ezekiel 28.

See if you understand the root of sin you will deal with it. Then like I said in the morning, in the afternoon, you can become a vessel useful for God. Ezekiel 28.

The Lord says to this angel. Verse 12. You were the seal of perfection full of wisdom perfect in beauty.

He was perfect. He was full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. God made him like that.

But he became proud of the gifts God gave him. It is very dangerous to be proud of what God has given us. You know, if God has given you a good looking face and you feel proud my face is not ugly like somebody else.

You feel so proud your face is so fair and not dark like somebody else. Do you know what spirit that is? It is the spirit of the devil. There is nothing wrong in having a good face.

But when you compare yourself with others, that's wrong. There is nothing wrong with being a good singer. But when you compare yourself with somebody else, that's the spirit of the devil.

There is nothing wrong with being a good preacher. But when you think that you are better than others, that's dangerous. But this temptation to compare ourselves with others is all the time with us and to become proud.

I am so wise. I am so beautiful. I know the Bible.

Maybe God has given you a good memory. To have a good memory is not a spiritual thing. There are so many people who have got good memory who are not Christians.

Who can remember so many things. They read books bigger than the Bible and they know the whole thing. So, supposing you find a preacher who can quote this verse, that verse, the other verse, so many, any verse he can quote in the Bible.

Is he spiritual? No. He just got a good memory. There are people who can quote the Quran.

Muslim people can quote the Quran like that. They have got a good memory. There are people who study science and mathematics who have got a good memory.

But if a person thinks I can quote the Bible here and there I am so spiritual. And he tries to impress people by quoting this verse and that verse and the other verse. Not to help people.

But to impress them. And they can quote so many verses in prayer as if God does not know those verses. We don't see the spirit inside us.

Trying to impress people by our prayer and preaching you have to be very careful that this spirit is rooted out from us. So the Lord told this angel One day, verse 17, your heart was lifted up because of your beauty and you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. And therefore I cast you down.

That is the law of God. Learn this law. Anybody who tries to go up God will push him down.

But anybody who tries to go down God will push him up. It's a very simple law. This angel tried to go up and up and God pushed him right down.

But Jesus He wanted to go down, down, down down, down, down. And it says the father exalted him and gave him a name which is above every name. So what do we learn from the history of Satan and Jesus Christ? That if you try to go up God will push you down.

If you try to go down God will lift you up. This is written also in 1 Peter chapter 5 1 Peter chapter 5 You see the root, this is where sin began. All sin began with Satan.

And it did not start with murder or adultery or stealing. It started with pride. Pride.

That's where all sin originated. Where I want to exalt myself over others. And in Jesus we see true holiness.

What is the root of holiness? It's going down and humbling yourself. So in 1 Peter 5 we read these words. Verse 5 last part.

God is opposed to the proud but he gives grace to the humble. We can say God is the enemy of all proud people. And he is the supporter of all who are humble.

This is a law that you cannot change. It's like the law of gravity. You cannot change it.

If you go jump off the roof you'll come down. Whoever you are, believer, unbeliever it's a law. Here's another law.

God fights against proud people. That means he is pushing such people back. The devil is the first example.

Proud God pushed him right down. And that's why Satan can never go up. Because God is the enemy of the proud.

So if you got any type of pride in you any type of pride maybe you are proud that you are a good cook, you can make good food. No. There's nothing wrong in being a good cook.

That's a good thing. But if you become proud of it then God becomes your enemy. It's like I said, there's nothing wrong in having a good looking face.

But if you become proud of it God becomes your enemy. Bible knowledge is a very good thing. But you become proud God pushes you down.

Maybe you can serve the Lord wonderfully. That's a wonderful thing. But you become proud of it God becomes your enemy.

Or you compare your church with some other church. My church is so good. Not like that one there.

It may be true. But God becomes your enemy. You see how you can do something good and God becomes your enemy? Supposing you pray for somebody who is sick and he is healed.

You become proud of it and you testify about it everywhere. Not for the glory of God but for your glory. God becomes your enemy from that time.

Have you seen how nowadays people heal the sick? Compare it with how Jesus healed. Jesus would heal a blind man. Secretly he would go and do it.

I am so happy your eyes are open. Don't tell anybody. Just go.

That's how Jesus healed the sick. How do people heal the sick today? They don't open any blind eyes. Somebody who could walk a little bit only now he can walk a little better.

Come here. Give a testimony. So that everybody can know what a great healer I am.

God is the enemy of such people. God is the enemy of such people. I am also against such people.

I don't want to be friends with somebody who God is an enemy of. I don't want to be friends Don't mingle with proud people. You will become like them.

Make your friends with humble people. Because those are the people who are like Jesus Christ. You mingle with them a little bit you will also get that spirit.

There are many believers who are very good, very holy. But I cannot mingle with them. You say you can't mingle with those holy people? No.

Because they are so proud of their holiness. Some sister says I am holy. I don't wear any jewels.

I wear simple dress. Not like those sisters who wear jewels. You know that God is the enemy of such sisters? Because they are proud.

They look down on others. I am not like them. That is how Satan said I am better than all those people.

Dear brothers and sisters Some holy people God is the biggest enemy of such people. Because they are not really holy. Just an external thing.

You remember Jesus told a story of a pharisee and a republican praying. You read in Luke chapter 18. To whom did Jesus tell this story? You must read to whom Jesus told the story.

Luke 18 verse 9 He told this parable to certain people who trusted in themselves they are very holy but look down on others with contempt. He told this parable to certain people who trusted in themselves they are very holy but look down on others with contempt. You are living a clean life.

But then you look down on others with contempt. Look at the stylish way they dress. And look at the simple way I dress.

God is your enemy, brother, sister. Because you are proud. And that other person who is dressing stylishly may be very humble in their heart.

I am not a very spiritual person. I have so many weaknesses. And God is the friend of that person.

That's why many such people who are proud, they don't make any progress in their life. After being a believer for 50 years my spiritual sense of smell has become quite good. You know, we have a physical sense of smell by which we can pick up a bad smell quickly.

And spiritually also we should have a sense of smell. I find that by speaking 5 minutes to somebody I can pick up that there is some pride. Sometimes in one minute they may be very holy people.

They may be doing so many things for the Lord. But you can sense that they are proud. So I say goodbye to them and go.

I have no interest in fellowshipping with such people. Because God has got no interest in fellowshipping with such people. If God has got no interest why should I have any interest? God is looking for humble people.

If you are a humble person even if you have many weaknesses God will be your friend. But if you think you are a very good person and you are proud of it God will be your enemy. And that's why you find you wonder, Lord, why so many years I am still getting defeated by this sin? Is there some sin you have prayed and prayed and prayed Lord, I want to get rid of it.

Some anger, some bitterness some bad habit and you are trying and trying to get rid of it. You can't get rid of it. Why? Because God is fighting against you all the time.

God is not supporting you. Because you are so proud of your holiness and your religious activities. I am not saying you should be sinners.

In order to be humble you don't have to sin. No. The humblest man that walked on the earth was Jesus who never sinned.

So you can be absolutely holy like Jesus and absolutely humble. What I am saying is holiness, true holiness comes from the root of humility. If your holiness does not come from a root of humility it is a false holiness.

You are full of sin. Even though outwardly you look so holy and you speak in such a pious way then you are a Pharisee and Jesus could have no fellowship with Pharisees and he can't have any fellowship with you. And I can't have any fellowship either.

So here is the root of sin. We read further in 1 Peter 5 God is opposed to the proud but he gives grace to the humble. We can put it like this.

If you are humble God will get behind you and push you forward. But if you are proud God will get in front of you and push you back. Now which do you want? You want God to come in front and push you back or God to get behind you and push you forward.

That's the meaning of this verse. Imagine if you are really humble God will keep on pushing you every year you become more and more spiritual. You become more and more gracious.

You become less and less critical of other people. See proud people are very critical of others. Something is wrong with this person.

Something is wrong with that person. Something is wrong with the other person. Something is wrong with that sister.

Something is wrong with that brother. Something is wrong with that elder. Then who is good? Just me.

That's the devil. 100% the devil. But that holy person doesn't realize it.

The Pharisees were like that. They are like that. They even found fault with Jesus.

He is casting out demons but that is by the power of the devil. Then who is doing it right? The Pharisees said we are doing it right. There are so many Pharisees among Christians today.

And that is the biggest sin. Because you read in the Gospels Jesus never told a murderer or an adulterer you are going to hell. Think of that poor woman who was caught in adultery.

Jesus was so compassionate and said I don't condemn you. I forgive you. Please don't do this again.

Don't sin anymore. Then in Samaria he met a woman who was divorced five times. And now she is sleeping with a man who is not even her husband.

But Jesus was so compassionate to her. He didn't say you are going to hell you wicked woman. No he told her how to worship God.

And her whole life was changed. But when Jesus saw these religious people said father I pray so many times a day I fast I give money Jesus said you fellows will go to hell. Why? Why should they go to hell for giving 10% of their income? Why should they go to hell after praying three times a day? Why should they go to hell for fasting twice every week? They were doing missionary work in other countries.

With all that Jesus said you will go to hell because of your pride. I see in the gospels Jesus condemned these so called holy people who were always critical of others. They had always something to find fault with others.

They couldn't think of anything good to say about others. I say this in love dear brothers and sisters if you have that spirit you better cleanse yourself before Jesus comes. Otherwise you may be left behind with all your attending meetings.

Not because you are committing so many external sins you are not. But if Jesus were to make a list of sins murder and adultery may come six or seven number one will be pride. Worldliness may be eight or nine.

So you look at somebody and say ah worldly person that person is sinner number eight. You are sinner number one because you are proud. You don't understand that.

You think that person is the biggest sinner. You see how deceptive sin is. So if you name the name of Christ you must have the spirit of Christ who went down and not the spirit of Satan who wants to accuse, accuse, accuse.

All this comes because unconsciously you are comparing yourself with others. And you cannot appreciate anything good in other people. I remember in some meetings I have appreciated Mother Teresa.

Not for her doctrine. Her doctrine is catholic doctrine. I don't agree with that.

But I see when she was alive she had a great compassion for the poor people in India. People were thrown out on the roadsides. You have nobody to care for them.

Little babies with AIDS. I say Lord what am I doing for them? I am not doing anything for the people on the streets. I am not doing anything for these babies with AIDS.

I am just going around preaching. That is also necessary. But this is another ministry of the body of Christ what she is doing.

I appreciate it. I appreciate it very highly. Because she is doing something I cannot do.

But some people criticize me. Brother how can you approve that Roman Catholic person? I say I am not saying her doctrine is right. But her doctrine is wrong.

I say yes. But if your doctrine is better than hers then you should be doing more than hers. But if your doctrine is better than hers then you should be doing more than hers.

When a person who approves a wrong doctrine is doing such a good thing then a person who approves a right doctrine should do ten times better than her. She does not criticize you. But you criticize her.

She does something in us like that. It is the Pharisee. Lord I thank you.

I am not like that person. That is what Jesus said in Luke 18. The Pharisee said Lord I thank you that I am not like this.

Verse 7-11 18-11 I thank you that I am not like other people. I am not doing all these sins. And I am not like this person here.

This comparing themselves with others that is what makes God hate us. It is a root of sin. And when we say we want to depart from sin first sin you need to depart from is this comparing yourself with others.

Isaiah 65 The Lord says there are certain type of people who inwardly have this attitude. They look at other believers. Maybe somebody is very worldly in their dress.

Somebody has got some wrong doctrine. And so they say Isaiah 65 verse 5 This is what they say. You keep yourself.

Don't come near me. Because I am holier than you. They don't say it with their lips.

But in their heart. I don't have any fellowship with you. Because you are sinful worldly.

You are a worldly brother. You are a worldly sister. I am holy.

I am holier than you. God says shall I tell you what I think of such people? They are like smoke in my nose. They are like smoke in my nose.

Now you know supposing you are driving a scooter behind one of these trucks. Haven't you seen these trucks which are always putting smoke. I have sometimes driven a scooter behind them.

You know what I do? I press the brake. I want to be far away from that truck. Because that smoke is coming into my nose.

And the Lord says these people who say I am holier than you they are like this truck putting smoke. God says I want to stay far away from such people. You be careful.

Because if you have that attitude towards anybody God will stay far away from you. He will say you are like a smoke in my nose. But in your own mind you think you are so holy, so close to God.

Then why do you fall into sin? If you were so close to God if God was giving you grace you would not be lusting with your eyes. You would not be watching internet pornography. And you would never lose your temper and get angry.

Every time you lust every time you get angry say to yourself God has not given me grace. That is why I fell now. Why has God not given me grace? Because he sees I am a proud person.

Because God always gives grace to the humble. But you may have given everybody an impression that you are such a humble person. But this is all outside.

God looks at your heart. You are not humble. You are always critical of others.

You always look down on others. You do not have anything good to say about anybody. And even if somebody says something good you tear that person down.

God says I will never give you grace. You will keep on lusting after women. You will keep on losing your temper.

You will go to many number of conferences and it will not change. Have you ever thought of this? Lord, I have come to so many meetings. I have heard so many messages on victory over sin.

But I am still defeated by sin. Why is it? Today I will tell you. Please listen to me.

The Bible says that if you come under the grace of God Romans 6.14 Listen to this. If you come under the grace of God if God gives you grace not one single sin will be able to overcome you. In our own strength we cannot conquer any sin.

But if God's grace comes over you His grace is mightier than the biggest temptation in the world. Romans 6.14 says if you come under grace sin can never overcome you. I am not ashamed to say this because it is the word of God that if God's grace is over my life I will never lose my temper even for a single moment in 50 years.

I will not lose my temper even once in 50 years. I will never lust after a woman even for a second in 50 years. I will never love money even this much in 50 years.

I will never become bitter against anybody even for a second. I will confess my failure immediately. I will be ready to apologize to anybody in the world.

God's grace is over me. I will never be jealous of anybody in the world. I will have zero bitterness in my heart.

I will never live a self-centered life. I live a life to serve others. If God's grace is over me If God's grace is not over me I may have so much Bible knowledge maybe I can preach maybe so many people think I am a very spiritual person but in my private life I will sin in thoughts in words in deeds I will have bad moods I will get discouraged I will get angry All these things are proof God's grace is not over me.

But you won't say that You say today I was a bit tired That's why I sinned Today I had too much pressure in my office That's why I sinned Those are all silly excuses Here is the truth You did not get grace from God It's not because you were too tired or too much pressure in the office Jesus had more pressure than any of us but he never sinned No When God's grace is not there I sin The next question is Why didn't I get God's grace Because he gives his grace only to the humble Even though the whole world thought you were humble God did not think you were humble Even though the whole world thought you were humble God did not think you were humble You are glorying in the fact that everyone thinks you are a very humble brother or a very humble sister God says I don't think so And here is the

proof I don't give you grace when you are tempted and you fall but you don't recognize it but you don't recognize it Not only you don't get grace to overcome sin You don't even get grace to recognize that is because of your pride Even if you didn't get grace to overcome sin At least if you had the grace to recognize that is because of my pride At least if you had the grace to recognize that is because of my pride At least if you had the grace to recognize But you don't even have grace for that You blame your wife You blame the brother there Or the neighbor or the boss Instead of saying I am proud Instead of God is opposing me Lord have mercy on me Lord have mercy on me The fault is not with my wife or my neighbor or my boss Even if I am surrounded by the most wicked people in the world

Even if your wife is like the devil himself Or your husband is like the devil You cannot sin If God's grace is over you It is impossible If that can happen then God's word is not true Dear brothers and sisters You know what is the mark of a good doctor He diagnoses your disease perfectly He says You have all these symptoms but this is the root cause So today the Holy Spirit like a good doctor is diagnosing the cause of your failure Why are you not becoming more Christ like and more humble every year You may be a good person but you were a good person 20 years ago too You haven't grown You haven't become more humble, more gracious more Christ like Because like the devil you glory in your reputation If you have been in a church for a number of years you have built up a reputation But people

think you are very spiritual That is a spiritual sister She is always fasting and praying That is a very spiritual elder because he preaches every Sunday You have got a reputation and you live in that reputation and you don't grow We need to humble ourselves We must stop comparing ourselves with others and start comparing ourselves with Jesus You start from today and say Lord from today onwards I will not be critical of other people I may disagree with them I may disagree with their methods in which they do God's work I may disagree with the doctrine of the Roman Catholics I may disagree with the way some television evangelists do their work and I will say I disagree with that but I am not going to despise them I am not going to say I am better than them I am not even going to think like

that in my heart I am going to say I disagree with them I don't think Jesus will do it like that but I am not going to compare myself with them otherwise I will be like the Pharisees Oh Lord I thank Thee I am not like them I need to compare myself with Jesus and say Oh God I am not like you at all How many areas I am not like you I want to weep and pray and say Lord make me more like you That's what we should be doing Then we have dealt with the root of sin in our life and by next year this time you would have grown spiritually So you understood the reason why there is not much spiritual growth in your life Let's pray So let's bow our heads before God for a moment Pray a simple prayer Prayer of David Search me Oh God Try me Know my thoughts Show me if there is anything in my life that is

making you sad Help me to cleanse myself Help me to compare myself only with Jesus Every day Help me to stop criticizing all the people around me and all the other brothers and sisters in the church Thank you father Thank you father in Jesus name Then we have an obligation to turn away from all sins Anyone who takes the name of Jesus