SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1412

“He Grew Proud”

In Jerusalem he (King Uzziah) made machines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and great stones. And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.

But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction.

For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. – 2 Chronicles 26:15-16

Success is a blessing to the one whose heart remains faithful to God. It is a curse to the one whose heart becomes prideful, self-sufficient, sinfully vainglorious, and turns away from God.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. – Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18

God’s Word underscores the truth of the destructive force of pridefulness. When we sow the seeds of pridefulness we will reap destruction at the hand of God for He is sovereign and will not be mocked.

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; – Proverbs 21:1; Daniel 2:21

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap; For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. – Galatians 6:7; Hosea 8:7

These truths are recorded for us in Biblical history with Kings Uzziah, Manasseh, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod Agrippa I, Belshazzar, and Saul.

In modern history we see how pride brought destruction to Napoleon Bonaparte and Richard Nixon as well as business leaders Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling of Enron and Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos.

If we are honest with ourselves before God, we will acknowledge that we all have to some degree, at one time or another, succumbed to the sin of pridefulness and failed to give God the glory for our achievements.

Fame – ‘…his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped…’ Fame in an unguarded heart can allow a stronghold of pridefulness to be established.

But the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful; Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. – Mark 4:19; Psalm 62:10

Success: ‘when he was strong, he grew proud’ An unguarded heart can become the breeding ground for the sin of pride to take root. Like a toxic mold, it grows and chokes the Truth of the Word of God in your heart and mind. You become intoxicated with fame and fortune and begin to believe the lie that your skill and success is your doing, and you no longer glorify the Lord with your life and work.

I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship…to work in every craft; So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. – Exodus 31:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:31

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5:5

Jesus gave us an example of how to deal with fame and success: He would not allow the people to make Him king by force.

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. – John 6:15

Given fame and divine power, He always sought to glorify the Father in all He did.

And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. – Mark 1:28

Jesus answered, “… I honor my Father, and …I do not seek my own glory; I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. – John 8:49-50; John 17:4

God Will Discipline You – He loves you enough to correct you. May your heart yield to His hand of correction and demolish the stronghold of pridefulness.

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son whom he receives; My son do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. .”- Hebrews 12:6; Proverbs 3:11-12

Restoration through Repentance – Both Kings, Manasseh and Nebuchadnezzar repented and were restored by God’s grace and love. May you acknowledge the Lord’s sovereignty and, in humility, repent of pridefulness and receive His forgiveness and restoration.

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. – James 4:10