NOVEMBER 2015: MONTH OF NOTABLE MIRACLE

Month of Notable Miracles

 Acts 4:13-20

Praise the Name of The Lord Jesus Christ. I am confident that it is well with you and that you have continued to see the faithfulness of God in every area of your life. He continues to greatly surprise us with His goodness. All in all, we are well and are grateful for your friendship and your prayers.

God has placed in my heart that this month shall be a Month of Notable Miracles.

 

Two verses to ponder on are:-

 

1.       Is anything too hard for the Lord?  Genesis 18:14

2.       I Am the Lord thy God, Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27

 

Meditate on these three responses:-

1.       …I know that You can do all things…  Job 42: 1-2

2.       For nothing is impossible with God  Luke 1:37

3.       With man, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible  Matthew 19:26

Dear friend, this month, get ready for that which men said is impossible to be eliminated in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen. 

We serve a miracle working God, He still does miracles and He specializes in that which the surgeons of this world have given up on. He is on time for that which men have declared impossible and given up on. I do not know your specific situation but God sees everything. Get ready for a surprise in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

How does one define a miracle?

A miracle is an event which the forces of nature—including the natural powers of man—cannot of themselves produce, and which must, therefore, be referred to a supernatural agency.

A miracle is a divine operation that transcends what is normally perceived as natural law; it cannot be explained upon any natural basis.

A Miracle is defined as an effect or an extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause. This month, get ready for those who wrote you off to gasp at the wonders that God will write through you in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen. Get ready for uncommon happenings, impossible things being made possible. You will be left declaring like the Psalmist “This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes”

I define miracle as God's supernatural intervention in the affairs of men.

The miracles recorded in the Bible fall into several categories. The following examples are illustrative, though certainly not exhaustive:

First, there are supernatural acts of creation. Certain creation activities were accomplished by the word of God (Hebrews 11:3); he merely spoke, and it was done (Psalm 33:9). Obviously, this type of divine action is not being duplicated today since the creation process of the material universe was concluded at the end of the initial week of earth’s history (Genesis 2:1-2).

Second, there were miracles which involved a temporary and localized suspension of laws regulating nature. Jesus calmed a ferocious storm on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:23-27), and, on another occasion, he walked upon the waters of the lake (John 6:16-21).

Third, there were signs which involved the healing of man’s physical body. The blind were made to see (John 9:1-7), and the lame to walk (Acts 3:1-10).

Fourth, there were signs demonstrating divine power over death. Lazarus, dead four days, was raised (John 11:43-44), and, of course, the resurrection of Christ is the very foundation of the Christian system (1 Corinthians 15:16-19).

Fifth, some of the wonders of the New Testament age had to do with the expulsion of demons that had entered into human bodies (Matthew 12:22ff). This was evidence of the fact that the Savior’s power was superior to that of Satan.

Sixth, the exhibition of divine authority was seen in the manipulation of certain material things. Christ turned water into wine (John 2:1-11), and multiplied a lad’s loaves and fishes, so that thousands were fed (John 6:1-14).

Seventh, miraculous power was demonstrated in both the plant and animal kingdoms. Balaam’s donkey spoke with a man’s voice (Numbers 22:28), and the Lord Jesus, in an object lesson relative to the impending destruction of Jerusalem, destroyed a fig tree with but a word from his mouth (Matthew 21:19). 

Acts 4:13-20.

Peter and john were unlearned but spoke with boldness. The people realized that a notable miracle was performed.

They warned them not to speak in the name of Jesus but rather the news spread further.

Eleventh Hour miracles for the eleventh month.

1. Jesus turned water to wine at the eleventh hour when their wine was exhausted.

2. Shedrach and friends were delivered at the eleventh hour.

3. Peter was delivered from prison from the hand of Herod at the eleventh hour.

4. The widow at Zarephath received a miracle of provision at the eleventh  hour.

The enemy may have put some road blocks your way in a given area of your life; this month, expect a miracle. This month’s miracles will begin to unfold in your life like you have never experienced before because the Lord Himself will arise on your behalf. In this season, God will showcase you. God will lift you up. God will preserve you, God will cause His face to shine on you and He will grant you uncommon peace. Get ready, the miracles are in motion.

In this season of unfolding of miracles, every curse over your life will be erased and rendered powerless in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.  Every power or principality contending with your increase, prosperity or enlargement, God Himself will bring shame to their works. Job said of God, “He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success” (Job 5:12)

Friend, may God daily load you with uncommon miracles that will cause this month to be memorable all the days of your life in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

Have a miraculous month.

 

ITS YOUR TURN TO LAUGH

IT’S YOUR TURN TO LAUGH

Text: John 20: 11-16

God ask me to tell someone that your season of laughter has begun. After today, those who laughed at you will laugh with you.

You might have been weeping before, but now it is your turn to laugh.

It doesn't matter how things may look now, when God says yes, no man can say no. It is now your turn. Life is turn by turn. Today is marking a special turn around in someone's life.

According to our major text, Mary was weeping and hopeless, but Jesus came into the scene saying: I’m the one you are looking for, why are you weeping. 

This year, in the name of Jesus you will see what you are looking for!

Are you looking for a baby? You will dance.

Are you looking for job? You will come here with your appointment letter.

Are you looking for husband? You will do thanksgiving here.

Are you looking for a wife, not just a lady? Not all ladies are wife material, this year you will find a wife.

Are you looking for a way?, this year God will make a way and you will see it.

Are you looking for admission into higher institution, you will get your admission letter.

Are you looking for business opportunity, you will get that opportunity.

Are you looking for breakthrough, you will get a breakthrough.

It’s not strange to cry / weep , but it is strange when your tears are not wiped. 

Why are you weeping?

Today God will address some issues in your life that made you weep in the past. It is now your own turn to laugh. It is your turn for a divine turnaround.

*  Haggai wept in Gen. 21: 16 because her child was dying of thirst in the wilderness. Forsaken and forgotten child was dying as a result of her personal mistakes. 

Your child may be your business, health, work, marriage, career, education,  etc.

In verses 17 – 19 The Lord (not the Pastor / Uncle) opened her eyes. 

Now it’s your turn to SEE your way. 

My God will open your eyes and you will see new things and your tears will be wiped off

* In  Gen 27:38 Esau cried because he lost his birthright through carelessness and covetousness.But thank God:though no one will pray to be like Esau, he still became wealthy and powerful in his own right (Chapter 36)

* In 1Sam 1:9-10 Hannah wept because she was barren.

* Why are you weeping? Is your life barren? Were you barren in the year past? I’m here as the Priest of the Most High God, go home, your prayers are answered. God who answered Hannah is around.

* In 2 Sam 15:30 King David broke the law of royalty and wept because his throne is being stolen.

Is somebody about to displace you, Push you out of your position, push you out of your husband’s place, God wiped away the tears of David. The supernatural collided with natural; bush began to fight a living man! And at the end he was victorious.

 2 Sam.18:9-10. That which is carrying your enemy around and giving him fake confidence will disappoint him!

 *  2Kings 8: 10 -12 The servant of God wept because of a bad revelation of coming suffering. What bad dream are you having. God can overthrow it.

* In 2Kings 20:1-3  Hezekiah wept sore because he was about to die.  Is premature death looming?. Do you have a disease that kills? God who added 15years to Hezekiah; he will add 51years to your own.

* According to Ps. 137:1.  Israel wept because they were in bondage. They remembered the days of old when thing were working well.  Why are you weeping?  Did you remember the good old days, when things were working, when you did eat and have surplus? God will turn back your captivity. I see a divine turnaround.

* Neh. 5:1-5. The people wept because of debt.  In verse 12  of the same chapter their debt was cancelled!

* In Rev.5:3-4 John wept because the book of fulfillment of prophecy could not be opened. 

Are you weeping because your book of success appears closed? 

Are you weeping because you have no one to assist you? Now, weep not. Jesus has prevailed. It’s not the time to weep; it’s your turn to laugh!

Rev. 21:1-4 Last year is your first heaven on earth. This  is your New Jerusalem – no weeping / crying / no more pain.

Former thing are gone.

It’s time to laugh! And all that hear will laugh with you. 

ILL.  A lady (39years ) had this story.  She attended a birthday party at 15 and was distributing cake. A man took 1,2,3. and when he was challenged, he became angry and  said you will marry me or no one will.  By39,  she was still single! After a while God turned the table and she laughed!

In the name of Jesus you will laugh.

PRAYER POINTS

1.  Every enchantment, assigned for my downfall, be destroyed, in the name of Jesus Christ.

2.  By the blood of Jesus Christ, I nullify the effects and operation of evil forces around my house,

in the name of Jesus Christ.

3. I destroy every form of evil progress and unfulfilled dreams, in the name of Jesus Christ.

4.  Birds of darkness, assigned to trouble my star, die, in the name of Jesus Christ.

5. I destroy every form of limitation in my life, in the name of Jesus Christ.

6.  Any satanic threat, to my existence, be wiped out, in the name of Jesus Christ.

7.  Sudden destruction, you will not be my lot, in the name of Jesus Christ.

8. Any personality, carrying the seed of wickedness against me, be exposed and disgraced, in the name of Jesus Christ.

9.  The enemy that came while I slept, be disgraced, in the name of Jesus Christ.

10. I destroy every ladder of failure at the edge of breakthroughs in the name of Jesus Christ.

11. Any powers, assigned to make me take foolish risks, die, in the name of Jesus Christ.

12. Miracles, that surpass explanations, manifest in my life now, in the name of Jesus Christ.

13. Every power holding tight to my instrument of advancement, release it, die, in the name of Jesus Christ.

14. I recover one-hundred-fold, all my wasted years, in the name of Jesus Christ.

15. As from now on, people from all nations shall compete to favour me, in the name of Jesus Christ.

16. Do something new in my life, O Lord that will make people to celebrate me, in the name of Jesus Christ.

17. I shall sing my song and dance my dance this year, in the name of Jesus Christ.

18. Father, give me a new beginning, in the name of Jesus Christ.

19. My father, make this year to be my year of jubilee, open doors, unusual testimonies, and rejoicing, in the name of Jesus Christ.

20.  Every curse of stagnation, I break you in the name of Jesus Christ.

21. O God, arise and fill my mouth with laughter, in the name of Jesus Christ.

22. O God, arise and let my shame expire, in the name of Jesus Christ.

23. O God, arise and let my shame expire, in the name of Jesus Christ.

24. O God, arise and turn my captors to my captives, in the name of Jesus Christ.

25. O God, arise today, and let my situation change, in the name of Jesus Christ.

26. O God, my Father, burst forth in my life with signs and wonders, in the name of Jesus Christ.

27. Resources of heaven arise by fire; promote me, in the name of Jesus Christ.

28. My father, arise and let the root of hardship in my life die, in the name of Jesus Christ.

29. My portion and blessings shall not be given to another, in the name of Jesus Christ.

31. Today, I position myself by fire, for divine intervention, in the name of Jesus Christ

32. Lord, get all my stubborn pursuers occupied with unprofitable assignments, in the name of Jesus Christ.

33. In Jesus Christ’ mighty name, I fire back every arrow, spiritual bullets and satanic missiles fired at me.

34. O Lord, reveal the secrets and expose all my enemies disguising as my friends in Jesus Christ’s 

name.

JESUS CARES!

JESUS CARES!

1 Peter 5:7

Comparing Translations:

Casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you. Holman Christian Standard Bible. HCSB

casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you. World English Bible.  WEB

Putting all your troubles on him, for he takes care of you. Bible in Basic English. BBE

casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you. ASV

INTRODUCTION

 I come this day to tell someone that The Lord is about to visit your case.

Whatever is your problem, we have a God that is touched by our infirmities.

God will do something about that situation if you will permit Him today.

Jesus truly cares!

Peter wrote this epistle to believers who were experiencing hard times and were scattered abroad because of persecution. He assured them that no matter their condition, Jesus still cares for them.

Peter wrote to them out of experience. It was not just a head knowledge but out of what he learnt from a close relationship with Christ.

DEFINITION

What is care?  The Merriam Webster dictionary defines care as

: things that are done to keep someone healthy, safe, etc.

: things that are done to keep something in good condition.

: to feel interest in something : to be interested in or concerned about something.

: to feel affection for someone.

: to want to dosomething or to besomething.

I.  JESUS CARES FOR THE SICK. Matthew 8:14-15.

Jesus raised up Peter's mother-in-law from her sick bed.

Peter had a wife and the mother-in-law was sick but after Jesus ministered to her, the women rose up and the sickness came to an end.

Are you sick this hour, Jesus cares!

Trust him for your healing. He went about doing good healing those who were sick.

II. JESUS CARES FOR THE FRUSTRATED. Luke 5:2-7

Peter tried and caught nothing all through the night and out of frustration he was washing his net to go home when Jesus met him. Jesus asked to let down his net and he caught so many fishes that his net began to break.

Are you frustrated?  Are you tormented by situations of life? Jesus cares!

III. JESUS CARES FOR THOSE WHO ARE SINKING.  Matthew 14:28-31

Peter saw Jesus walking on the sea and ask Jesus to permit him to join him. After a while, he began to sink. He called on Jesus and Jesus raised him up.

Is your marriage sinking?

Is your business sinking?

Is your academic life sinking?

Is your relationship sinking?

Is your finances sinking?

Whatever is sinking in your life, Jesus cares!

IV.  JESUS CARES FOR THE HOPELESS. Mark 5:37-42.

Peter was among the 3 disciples that went into the house of Jairus with Jesus to raise his daughter back to life. He was an eye witness of how Jesus restored hope to the hopeless.

IV.   JESUS CARES FOR THE BACKSLIDERS John 21.

Peter denied Christ and went back to his fishing business. Jesus met him and restored him back.

Have you fallen from grace, Jesus will restore you today. 

CONCLUSION

Peter was telling believers that from experience, I know that Jesus cares. I am a witness. That same Jesus will meet you today at the point of your needs, he did it for Peter, he did it for those close to Peter, he will do it for you. Jesus still cares!

UNCOMMON GRACE

Text: Genesis 30:25-27

Introduction: 

Uncommon means usual, something that takes you out of the ordinary. Uncommon means exceptional. Uncommon means in excess of what is normal. It means peculiar.

Grace is unmerited favour. Getting what you do not really deserve. God showing you kindness. Laboring little and reaping much. Other words for grace are: kindness, favour, mercy etc.

Uncommon grace, means unusual grace, extraordinary grace, abnormal grace, atypical grace,  especial grace, exceeding grace, exceptional grace, peculiar grace, rare grace, unique grace.

Jacob served Laban for 14 years for his wives. He was in servitude for 14 years until his breakthrough came.

I don't know if you have been in that situation for a long time.

Elizabeth was barren for a purpose. There is a purpose to your situation. God allowed Jacob to go through this situation so that he can amass wealth for the setting up of the nation of Israel.

After 14 years Laban came to acknowledge the uncommon grace that was upon the life of Jacob.

Now, how do you explain the employee becoming richer than the employer if that is not uncommon and unusual? 

How you explain someone whose wages have been reviewed downwards 10 times now shooting up to become a major shareholder in just a  year if that is not exceptional.

After the 14th year certain things happened to Jacob.

1. His taskmaster came to negotiate with him. Gen. 30:27-30.  This month, all those who despised you and glossed over you, will come to negotiate with you. He recognized that Jacob carried uncommon grace.

This year, those who insulted you will come back and kneel before you.

Jacob was not the only person living with Laban. He had grown up children and even other slaves. But grace singled out Jacob.

Your hands will be so blessed that even your enemy will come begging for you.

2. Jacob now dictated the terms. Gen 30:31-33.

He fixed his salary. He was handed a blank cheque.

This month you will dictate the terms. You will determine what you want. Life will not throw you anything and anyhow but you will determine what you get out of life in every situation.

3. Jacob received divine revelation. Gen 31:11-12.

This very month, God will open your eyes.

You will receive angelic intervention in your affairs.

Jacob was working in the same place for 14 years without much result. After the revelation, his bondage was over.

Jacob was still in the same occupation, the same town, the same employer and the same country. He did not change his location.

What you need is revelation. Revelation gives you insight into what to do, revelation provides a way of escape. The widow that met Elisha had oil, when she got the revelation, her situation changed.

One prayer point you need to pray: Lord open my eyes.

This month will be a season of discovery for you. Inventions are just discoveries. They have been here all along.

One single revelation cancelled 14 years of misery for Jacob. One single revelation is enough.

4. There was wealth transfer. Gen. 31:7-9

Get ready for wealth transfer. Isaiah 60:5; Isaiah 60:11; Isaiah 61:6; 66:12.

ILL. 1. God gave the Israelites wealth transfer when they were living Egypt.

(2) God made wise men to come from the East to give generously to Jesus.

The transfer was for Jacob to have a seed for the beginning of a new nation.

5. The enemy got weaker and Jacob got stronger. Gen 30:41-42.

This month you will begin to grow stronger and stronger. They wanted to chase you out but they will flee before your face now,

The strength of your enemy will diminish. They underestimated you but they will soon regret.

6. God will fight for you. Gen. 31:20-24.

Laban caught up with Jacob on Mount Gilead.  God will fight for you this year.

Before you have been fighting for yourself but it is time to hold your peace because God will fight for you.

Laban pursued Jacob with the intention to do him harm, but God had other plans.

God will fight for you when you are awake. He will fight for you when you sleep. He will fight for you when ou know it and when you don't even know it.

When God fights for a man, He makes his enemies come to sign a peace treaty with him.

God is called Jehovah, the Man of War. He is called The Lord of Hosts. He has never lost any battle before and will never lose any battle. When he fights for you, victory is sure.

SEVERAL WAYS GOD FIGHTS FOR YOU

(I)  He can trouble your enemy. Exodus 14:24-25

May God trouble your enemies and overthrow your stubborn pursuer this year. God will give your enemies flat tyre and empty their fuel tanks.

(II) God can send His angel to fight your enemy. 2 Sam 5:24.

ILL. he used an angel of death in Exodus to kill the first born of the Egyptians to make pharaoh set the Israelites free.

(III) He will cause your enemy to hear a terrifying noise. 2 Kings 7:5-7

The Syrians fled when the lepers approach them.

Every enemy of your progress will hear a terrifying noise and leave you alone this year.

(IV) He can cause your enemies to have a terrifying dream, judges 7:13-14.

(V) God can cause your enemies to destroy each other, 2 Chronicles 20:23-24.

Those who hate you will cancel themselves out. Your enemies will make mistakes that will lead to your victory,

Laban caught up with Jacob on Mount Gilead. Gilead means hill of testimonies. After battle, you have testimonies.

3 THINGS JACOB DID TO GET UNCOMMON GRACE.

Gen 31:12-13.

Lets look at the vow: Gen. 28:20-21.

A. THE LORD SHALL BE MY GOD.

A personal relationship with The Lord. Some of us have to re-dedicate ourselves to God. You cannot be living in sin and expect grace to abound.  How is your commitment to God and the things of God? Do you serve Him with all our heart or do so when it is only convenient for you.

Do you serve God because of the blessings or do you love Him?   Commit a righteous walk with God from today.

B. THE STONE WHICH I HAVE SET FOR A PILLAR SHALL BE GOD'S HOUSE.

Before that incident, he treated the stone in a very shabby manner. To him it was an ordinary stone. But when he slept God opened his eyes.  Many of us treat church shabbily, whatever you don't value can never add value to your life. Don't let anything keep you away from God's house.

How can you stay away from God's house for more than 2 weeks consecutively? Having personal devotion is not the same as coming to church.  There is a corporate anointing that is present when we gather together.

C. OF ALL THAT THOU SHALL GIVE ME, I SHALL GIVE THE TENTH UNTO THEE

He connected to uncommon grace through giving.

He did something unusual in those days. This is the second time tithe would be mentioned in scriptures. Th first time was when Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek.

When you give an uncommon offering, you will receive an uncommon miracle. To get uncommon grace, practice uncommon giving.h 

PRAYER POINTS

1. All I have struggled to get, Oh Lord, give me with ease this month.

2. I must sit on my throne of celebration in Jesus name.

3. O God of Joseph, give me my Manasseh - that I forget all my toils.

4. O God of Joseph, give me my Ephraim - that I will testify that God cause me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

5. What stopped my father will not stop me.

6. I shall not stop where my father stopped in the name of Jesus.

7. Every barrier to my miracle, scatter in the name of Jesus.

8. Psalm 9:6 Father destroy the foundation of wickedness permanently in my life.

9. In 2014, let my hands be so blessed that the whole world will come looking for my services.

10. Lord open my eyes this year. Grant me revelation and the spirit of wisdom to give an answer to every question that comes my way.

11. Father fight for me this year. Every case the enemy may want to reopen in my life, close it permanently.

12. I receive the spirit of uncommon grace. Let your grace distinguish me this year.

 This session is titled: Power For Restoration

1.     Lord, open doors of opportunity to me through this prayer, in the name of Jesus.

2.      I recover all the ground that I had lost to the enemy, in Jesus’ name

3.      I command all doors of good things, closed against me by the enemy to be opened, in the name of Jesus.

4.      I reject the spirit of impossibility, I claim open doors, in the name of Jesus.

5.      I decree restoration seven fold in . . . areas of my life, in the name of Jesus.

6.      I posses the power to pursue, overtake and recover my goods from spiritual Egyptians, in Jesus name.

8.   Lord, make my life a miracle and be glorified in every area of it, in the name of Jesus.

9.   Let all hidden potentials and gifts that will make me great, stolen from me, be restored 21 fold, in Jesus name.

DEALING WITH PRIDE

 

INTRODUCTION:

The writer of Proverbs tells us that “God hates the proud look” and that

“There is more hope for a fool than a man who is wise in his own conceit.”

 

Think about it, “Do you want God to look at you and see something He hates.” No! Well, He hates a proud look. A proud look is the facial expression that proceeds from a proud heart.

 

Think about it, “Do you want God to look at your life and see something that will cause Him to resist you?” No! Well, the Word of God says, God resist the proud!

The problem with PRIDE is its middle letter. It is the self-centered life. It is the “Big Me” and “Little You” type of thinking. So in this message I want to make you hate the thing that God hates. The way I am going to attempt to do that is by reminding you of what Pride will cause in your life:

 

 

1. Pride will cause you to miss God and find trouble.

Proverbs “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

 

ILLUS—One of the more recent technological developments has been the Global Satellite Positioning device, or GPS. You can look on a map and then see where you are in relation to where you are going. If you don’t know where you are going, you can just check it as you move and see the direction you are headed and then you can know where you are going.

 

Similarly, you can look into your life and if you see Pride, the Bible tells you that you can know where you are headed—toward destruction and a fall.

 

2. Pride will cause you to see the faults of others but not your own.

Luke 18: 10  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  11  "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, `God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  12  `I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  13  "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise [his] eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, `God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  14  "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

QUESTION--In the above story, who got attention? Both of them did. One got man’s attention. The other got God’s attention.

 

Even the world is turned off by a boastful arrogant individual who thinks they are better than everybody else.

 

There is a principle in the above story. The man who makes himself tall will in the end be made small.

 

3. Pride will cause you to have a faulty view of God and self--this is what   happened to the devil.

 

1 Timothy 3:6  not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the [same] condemnation as the devil.

 

ILLUS--In other words, PRIDE blinds us to who we really are. Therefore we become too self-important and begin thinking the earth actually rotates around us. Remind you of someone else? Reminds me of what happened to Lucifer who fell from Heaven. Yep, he got to looking at himself and comparing how much more beautiful he was than the other angels, and then the next thing you know, he thinks he should be God. What happened? He fell. What awaits him? Eternal destruction.

 

Pride will cause you to follow the wrong set of footprints dear friend!

 

4. Pride will cause God to resist you.

1 Peter 5:5  Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to [your] elders. Yes, all of [you] be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for  "God resists the proud,  But gives grace to the humble."  6  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,  7  casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

 

Illus—In a football game we often see a running back put out a stiff arm to keep a defender from tackling him. To me, this is the picture I see in the above verse. God stiff arms the person who has pride. In other words, whatever God is carrying, you can’t get to it if there is pride in the way.

 

5. Pride will cause you NOT to submit to God and NOT resist the Devil.

James 4: 6  But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:  "God resists the proud,  But gives grace to the humble."  7  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  

 

NO SUBMISSION TO GOD

-Pride is a prayer killer.

Prayers from a proud heart go no further than our own ears which is why the proud person prays anyway, to hear himself.

 

NO RESISTANCE TO THE DEVIL

 

Illus—There is a terrible flu season going on this year. People are being encouraged to have their flu shots in order to create resistance to the flu virus going around. People take the vaccinations because they don’t want the flu to attack them if it comes near them.

 

 

If there were no other reason to avoid PRIDE it would be enough to know that PRIDE will take away your resistance to the Devil. You do not have the power to overcome and defeat the Devil with PRIDE in your heart. PRIDE I self-reliance and you can’t defeat the Devil without relying on the power of Jesus Christ.

 

CONCLUSION—I am calling on this church to be filled with hatred! Yes, hatred! May God help us to hate PRIDE when we see in our lives.

 

God hates pride, therefore we should hate pride.

 

Proverbs 6:16  These six [things] the Lord hates,  Yes, seven [are] an abomination to Him:  17  A proud look,