Submissive

Submissiveness


Submissiveness to our loving heavenly Father, who has saved us by His lovingkindness. Not talking about it or writing about it, but doing it.

This is one of the toughest stumbling blocks, one of those that continually get in the way of progress along the Way of the pilgrim to the Celestial City.
Ask me, I know.

It's an attitude of mind, of the heart, something that needs to be done or is already being done as a result of our faith.
It is one of the engines powering a heart pleasing to God, our heavenly Father.
The other is contriteness.

Submissive : willing or ready to submit; yielding.
Submit : to yield; to subordinate.
Submissiveness is a daily, hourly, conscious act of submitting to our loving Higher Authority.

Humbleness : being modest, of lowly opinion of oneself, being unpretentious.

Contriteness : remorse; deep sorrow for past sin and resolve (determination) to avoid future sin.
Contrite : with the spirit broken by a sense of sin; wholly penitent.

Brokenness: A combination of the above, allowing our God to mould us into a tool that He can use.
An ongoing willing act that cannot become habit because of our sin nature, that we each carry through to our attitude to others in the world; something that we aspire to at all times.

This was the cause of Eve's sin, not so - lack of submissiveness, to Adam and God.
Look where it has landed mankind.

Pause, muse on this a while: what has caused wars and violence in this world? Not only now, but since records have been kept.
Pride.
We'll deal with this later in more detail, but what is pride? Building one's egos up not so? It is nothing more than self-ishness.

What is the great commandment again?: And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.; (Mark 12:29-31)

Give up your self worth and fully worship God.
Give up your self worth and treat your neighbour as your-self. As well as you treat yourself.
Pride is therefore the opposite of what Christianity stands for.
Pride opposes God. Ha ha.

It's actually the other way round.

Lord Jesus Christ opposes pride.
This means that God is the enemy of prideful people!!
What is the opposite of pride? Submissiveness.
This means that if you or I are prideful we shall not be residents of the New Jerusalem one day.
How do we submit?
By happily wearing the yoke that Jesus Christ has ready for each of us.

God shall resist us, shall turn away from us unless we have a heart pleasing to Him.
This has nothing to do with being reborn of the Spirit; it has to do with the walk of the converted.
Do we love Him unreservedly?


Do the words of this hymn fit in with your lifestyle or my lifestyle?

I Surrender All

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live

All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me Jesus, take me now

I surrender all I surrender all
All to thee my blessed Saviour
I surrender all

All to Jesus I surrender
Make me Saviour wholly Thine
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit
Truly know that Thou art mine

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live


If we were to take note of the personal lives of most people in Christian ministry today, we would find pride to a great or greater extent. The way that Satan has managed to structure church organisation into full-time ministers on the one hand and the laity, who look and listen, on the other is one of the greatest causes of this problem. The distinction between those who do the work and those who "go to church" allows pride to develop in most of the doers because of this setting apart process. This usually causes the church or denomination to be caught in the prison of tradition and the Holy Spirit flies out of the window, allowing a beguiling spirit to enter and take over without anyone in the church being aware that this has happened, even denying that it has happened.: And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.; (Revelation 3:14-18)

If we submit; we surrender or give up our "rights" - to God who made us.
We shall only be able to do this if we believe that God is who He says He is. And we love Him with our whole heart.

Listen to the following; read it out aloud:: Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.; (Mark 9:23)
What does "all things" mean to you?
: And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.; (Mark 10:27); And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.; (Mark 11:22-24)

Do you believe what the Bible says about the wanderings of the children of Israel in the desert under the leadership of Moses?
Why did it take them forty years to travel a couple of hundred kilometres?
They could not believe because of the great "I". They could not submit their wills to their Creator, even though they saw His power of protection over them every day.

All of us suffer from this sin which causes resentment of having to do something for our neighbour while in the middle of watching our favourite TV program, and it is something that we have to overcome, no matter how difficult.
We can't just pray it away.
However, we can ask our Lord for a lifeline as a temporary measure, but we must each learn to overcome this continual disobedience to our loving Master.
You see, if we are willing to give even a drink of water to the least one of those around us, we do it unto Him.

First comes brokenness, we choose this:: Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.; (Psalms 119:68-72)

Then God blesses His servants:: Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments. They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word. I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight. Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts. Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.; (Psalms 119:73-80)

Jesus Christ continues to teach us from His word:: But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.; (Mark 10:42-45); So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.; (John 13:12-16)
We are not submitting to "the gentiles", but to our Master, as an example to them, which they shall perceive by our quiet and unafraid spirits.

Our brokenness also results in the blessing of God upon our families.: For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.; (1 Corinthians 7:14)


Extracts from a very useful free booklet¹:

My reason for sharing on this subject, which I believe is close to the heart of God, is for us as the Body of Christ to understand the most crucial, fundamental element in the Christian life - brokenness.
As the Body of Christ, we are called to be a people who live together, strive together, pray together, suffer together, agonise together and - if need be - die together, for the sake of proclaiming His merciful salvation to a lost and dying world.
How do we daily, in each situation and throughout every season of our lives, reflect Him? That is the question at hand.
One of the major works of the Lord in our lives, as we seek to do His will and manifest His image, is the work of brokenness.

In the book of Isaiah, we see a glimpse into God's heart for the broken:: For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.; (Isaiah 66:2)

But we have a problem.
By nature, we all are the opposite of the one whom He esteems. We are all unbroken. We are as solid as the hardest substance you can find - unbending, self-centred, self-ambitious and never wanting to give in. We are part of a world in which we are told, either directly or indirectly, "Fight for your rights! Be your own person! What matters is success, ability, personality, position, being important and first class in everything." This is ingrained in us.

Do you compare yourself to others and feel deserving of honor? Are you driven to be recognised and strive to do things - even spiritually - to find appreciation from others? Are you easily wounded when others are promoted and you are overlooked?
Because of unbrokenness, we can find it very difficult to share our real spiritual need with others. Do you make certain that no one finds out about your sin?
Unbrokenness can often make us blind to our own true heart condition, thinking we have no need of repentance. Do you have a hard time saying, "I was wrong. Would you forgive Me?"
God is looking for humble people, not able people. He resides with the lowly of heart.
In fact, this is exactly what God says:: For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.; (Isaiah 57:15)
Take a moment and ask the Lord to show you areas of your life that remain unbroken. Are you willing to humble yourself and surrender these areas so that He may do His work in your heart?

Unbrokenness is a fearful thing. It is the spirit of Satan, whose nature is incurable pride that can forever resist God. God's greatest problem is not our sin (for He dealt with that on the cross), but the hardness and unbrokenness of our hearts. That is God's greatest problem, the root of all our troubles.

Scripture tells us, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." (James 4:6)
This is a strong verse.
You could make anyone your enemy and still somehow survive somewhere. But you don't want to make God your enemy. We do this by having a prideful heart.
If for some reason I got angry with you, you could punch me back. But if God becomes angry with you and resists you, you would have no chance. We bring disaster upon ourselves when we walk in pride, and ultimately we cut ourselves off from His grace.
The only way to receive His grace and favor is to be broken and humble before Him. And this is something Scripture says we are responsible for. The Bible never says God will humble us.
We must humble ourselves (see James 4:10). We must choose to walk the road of brokenness. We are told to put on the garment of humility.
This brokenness is not just an outer garment. It is not just externally looking very humble and pious, like the Pharisees did. The attitude of our hearts must be humble.
But how can we understand the condition of our heart, to know whether it is humble and broken or stiff and unbending? Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" who can know it?"
Yet this passage continues with saying, "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind" (v.10). When the Lord, in His mercy and grace, reveals to us the pride, stubbornness and unwillingness in our hearts, we must be willing to say, "Lord, that's the area You are showing me. I humble myself and I repent." But if we refuse to do that, we make God our enemy. He will oppose us. Grace can no longer be given.

Our refusal to bend and break and be humbled causes us to be God's enemy. Yet we can also have another enemy throughout this process of brokenness - ourselves. We are often our greatest enemy in seeing the work of the cross reign in our lives.
Watchman Nee said this:: Anyone who serves God will discover sooner or later that the great hindrance he has in the Lord's work is not others, but himself. He will discover that his outward man (soul) is not in harmony with his inward man (spirit). Both tend to go toward two opposite directions from each other. He will also sense the inability of his outward man to submit to the inner control. . . . Thus he is rendered incapable of obeying God's highest commands.
You see, Scripture speaks of an inner battle that takes place in all of us. It even goes as far as to call it a war, one that rages between our inner man and our outward man. Consider what Paul wrote in Romans 7:22 - "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind. . . (emphasis added).
There is a clear distinction between our inner man and our outward man. There is a battle, which can have only one winner. If our outward man can be broken and crushed, the inward man can shine through and the beauty of Christ within seen.
Please understand. "The inward man cannot come forth, because he is resisted and blocked by an exhausted outward man. That is why we have repeatedly suggested that this outward man must be broken."

Sometimes we may not even see how much we need to be broken. Depending on the culture we grew up in, some can - without realising it - have an unbroken, prideful attitude ingrained in them. We may have been taught from birth to let no one intrude in our lives. We raise our children, and from the day they are born they have their own rooms, their own toys, their own everything. And using each other's things without first asking permission is not allowed.
How careful we are to protect our personal lives. We are brothers and sisters in Christ until you cross that fine line and enter my private life. And if you are brave enough to do that, the quick reply you'll hear is, "Hey, listen. I love you and respect you, but this is none of your business." Whether we see it or not, this is unbrokenness.
This is not how it should be. In the family of God there is no veil. There are no barriers, no shields, nothing. We have been crucified with Christ, and things like age and looks and material possessions no longer matter. In the kingdom there is no pushing to get first place; there is no standing up for our rights. In the kingdom, up is down and down is up, and the servant is greatest of all.

I was 16 when the Lord first called me to serve Him. Now I an much older. In this journey, over the years I have met, lived with, taught and served so many whose lives have been destroyed by pride. They simply were not willing to give in. God did not come down and take away their lives, as happened in the Old Testament. Instead, because of their continual resistance, they were "shelved" - put aside from God's work - while less able, younger but broken people went on with God.

We miss God's greatest blessing when we harden our hearts. We become our greatest enemy when we allow our outward man to remain intact and never broken. Proverbs 29:1 warns us, "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."
Again and again and again He reminds us, "Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." (Heb 4:7)

Once a friend of mine called from overseas, dealing with a situation in which he was trying to work things out with his own planning and scheming, not realising God was trying to break him.
Troubled by a situation in which he was being taken advantage of, my friend, according to the law, could rightfully press charges and bring justice to his situation.
When I heard him leaning toward this route, my response was one of shock. " I am surprised that you would even think those thoughts!" I said. "Your safety is not in any of these things. It is in the Lord. Why must you fight for your rights? The Bible says when the Levites rights were taken away, their properties were taken away, their houses were taken away, and their lands were taken away, they gave it up gladly and never went after it. That is the way you should be following."
This is a modern-day example of how we can delay the Lord's work of brokenness in our lives by our own planning and scheming. Thank God my friend saw this to be the correct response and used this situation as an opportunity to walk in humility and let the Lord be his defender.
In each of our lives, the Lord brings us Labans and difficult circumstances - either financial setbacks, failures, sickness, and so on - to break us. Through these things, God is continually trying to break us - not to destroy us, but to bless us. Only after the cross comes the resurrection. Only after the cross comes glory.

The work of brokenness is a beautiful thing. It causes our lives to become the sweet fragrance before God that it was intended to be. But we can also delay the work of brokenness by not realising that God is the one working behind the difficult scenes of our lives.
When God brings pressure from circumstances, people or whatever else, many live in total darkness, not recognising that God is at work. We blame our circumstances, people, our past and everything around us. We are blind to the fact that God is allowing these things.
This was the case with Jonah. He was a clever individual. He ran from God, refusing to preach to the people who were killing his countrymen. Yet when the storm came that tossed him into the belly of the fish, he began to realise God's hand in his circumstances. Sitting in the belly of the fish, Jonah acknowledged that God was playing a major role in his situation - "For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me; all Your billows and Your waves passed over me." (Jonah 2:3, emphasis added.)
What about you and the struggles and problems you face? I think it would be good to stop blaming circumstances and people and say, "Lord, You are allowing this for a purpose." All things work together for good so we may become like Jesus (see Romans 8:28-29). When we truly believe this we can rest, knowing that God is the One orchestrating the events of our lives. It is His plan, and we learn to bend our neck and receive his yoke.
This causes us to become less frustrated with circumstances and people and everything else. When we look up and recognise that He is behind it all, His grace and peace enter our lives.
With all the decision making in my life, I often have to pause, look up and remember God is the One working behind the scenes. I say to myself, "He is able to work all things out for good. I just need to submit to Him and His ways. I can rest."
Another way we can delay the work of brokenness in our lives is by our self-love.
We may know that God is working in the difficult circumstances but still want our own way. Self-love always delays the process of brokenness.
There are many reasons why we may want our own way, even after recognising what God may be trying to work into us. You may say, "I have been hurt before and I learned my lesson. I need to protect myself. I'm not going to open my heart to anyone."
Maybe you're like Jonah, saying, "I am not going to preach to a Nineveh. I am not going to return to a place where they beat me up and profaned Your name."
Or maybe you are more like the prodigal son's brother, saying, "I am not going to accept my Father's love and forgiveness and celebrate with that prodigal brother who is undeserving. I am not going to keep loving and praying and hurting for my church when they don't appreciate me."
You can say and do all these things. You can put yourself first and love and protect yourself. And you will remain intact and horribly unbroken.
What situations in your life is God trying to use to help break you? Are you aware of the work He is doing within you and in your daily circumstances? Are you willing to let go and allow Him to have His perfect way in your life?

If there is one verse in the entire Bible that speaks volumes of what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit or to experience the fullness of the Lord and have His rivers of living water flow out of us unhindered, it is:
: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.; (Galatians 2:20)

It's a familiar verse to many of us. But please, take a moment to pause and think about what it is saying.
This "I", this "me" who is so important, has ". . . been crucified, its no longer I who live . . ."
Someone once said, "There is a cross and there is a throne in all our lives. If 'I' is on the throne, then Christ is on the cross. If Christ is on the throne, then 'I' is on the cross".
The measure in which we will allow the cross to operate in our lives, to bring death to our own selfish ambitions, our ways, our rights, our reputation, our interests, in the same measure only will Christ manifest His life through us.
Jesus talked about this in John 12:24-25, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal".

But oh how you and I try so hard, even in Christian service, to preserve our own lives, even when Jesus clearly said that if we hold on to our lives we would lose them. We will remain as we are. Fifty years we can live and study the Bible and become an expert, and still, we will not see Him.

In one of Jesus' first sermons He told the crowd that had gathered, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God". (Matthew 5:8)
But what does it mean to be pure in heart?
A pure heart has no soulish life in it, no selfish ambition for itself because that "I" has been crucified. With the pure heart, there is no hindrance from Christ within coming forth because there is no contamination from the self-life.

In Matthew 11:29-30, we read one of the most beautiful Scripture portions ever recorded. It is the invitation of Christ - "Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light."
When Jesus said, "Take my yoke upon you. . ." we must realise that only a broken animal will bend its neck and take the yoke.
For example, I grew up in a place where my people are rice farmers, and we didn't have machinery then or now to plow the fields. You know how we do it? We use two buffaloes.
I remember as a small boy, looking at the fields where they would be used to plow. Year after year, hundreds of times, I saw the same scene - the buffaloes standing there, not making a single noise. They would never run away. They just stood there. And right there in the field beside them would be a skinny, little man with hardly any clothes on and a tiny stick in his hand. The buffalo would bend its neck as the yoke was brought - there was no fight, no resistance, no squabble, nothing. The buffalo simply yielded its rights.
But then, if you were to look closely, you would see two or three deep scars on the rear of the buffalo. Those scars were made at the time the animal was broken, when it was trained. These buffaloes are strong-willed creatures. With their massive and strong horns, they are capable of killing a man with a single toss of the head. But now they are different. They are broken.
Every servant of God must go through a similar process. Paul speaks of bearing on his body, "the marks of the Lord Jesus" (see Galatians 6:17). Christ was broken on the cross. The whiplashes on His back, the thorn piercing on His head, the nail holes in His hands and feet are His brand marks. They speak forever of the humility He chose to walk in on this earth.
Again, we must hear the invitation of Christ - "Come, yield your rights, let go of your own will and take My yoke. It is easy. It is light. Come, learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly, and you will find rest for your soul."

We, too must choose to be broken:: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.; (Philippians 2:5-8)

Someone can be filled with the Holy Spirit, baptised in the Holy Spirit, stand on his head or whatever, yet still turn around and be as carnal, hard and devilish in his attitude and actions toward others.
Why? Because being gentle, soft and Christlike never comes through the gifts of the Holy Spirit or by being filled with the Holy Spirit. It comes only through the cross and our choice to embrace brokenness, just as Jesus did. Jesus said, "This is my body which is broken for you" (1 Corinthians11:24). He chose brokenness. He chose to embrace the cross. He didn't say to Peter or John, "This my body. Take it and break it." He didn't say, "This is my body that the Father broke into pieces for you." No. He is the One who humbled Himself and allowed Himself to be broken.
I want to offer this humble suggestion: Do not look for some external, supernatural event to change you or the situations of your life. Let the Lord show you the corruption in your own heart and be willing to go the cross by humbling yourself. Be willing to be broken again and again and again and again. This is the only way to have life. As long as you hold on to it, you will lose it. But once you choose to be broken, you will experience the life of Christ in all its fullness.

Every time you are discouraged, every time you want to give up, every time you are in conflict with someone, every time there is no peace in your heart, you are troubled and distressed, there is restlessness and all those things, you must understand - the Lord is trying to bring you to the place of brokenness. We become frustrated and upset over our circumstances because we have yet to truly experience what it means to just give up, to become like Christ, like a worm, and totally give up our rights. The cross of Christ continues to work, but you are resisting it.
The way of peace, the way to have a strive-less life out of which rivers of living water flow, only comes through our being broken.

When we come to the place at which we experience this brokenness, we begin to change within, in our character. The climate of our heart changes and we start to daily to walk in repentance. There's no more defending ourselves and the things we've done. There is no more shifting blame and saying, "It's my nerves, the circumstances. You don't know what I have to live with! I only reacted. It's my weakness. It's my DNA from my great-grandfather." None of these things is left. We simply say, like the prodigal son, "I have done wrong; I have sinned."

When we live a life of brokenness, not only do we become a blessing to many, but we live victorious over the Enemy. Scripture tells us that Jesus overcame him who had power over death through His death on the cross (see Hebrews 2:14).
It was not when Christ performed miracles and walked on water and raised Lazarus from the dead and fed the five thousand that He defeated Satan. It was when He suffered. It was His brokenness and giving up His life that brought victory.
It is through our choosing brokenness that we also find victory over the Enemy - victory over the one who creates the anger, the jealousy, the discouragement, the bitterness and strife, the fighting for our rights and all the other stuff we struggle with. We find victory through simply letting go and, like Jesus, giving up our lives.
When we live a life pleasing to Jesus and broken before Him, He is able to remake the failures in our lives. He, the Master Potter, is able to take the broken vessel and remake it into the precious one. He is the One who has promised that He would not destroy the bruised reed (see Matthew 12:20).
All this causes us to become a blessing to others, filled with the same meekness of Christ. Through brokenness, we become just like Him - approachable, highly sensitive to others' needs, hurt and pain, and genuinely caring for them.
Just think about it. There was no one afraid to come to Jesus. Everyone from the tax collectors to the prostitutes felt welcomed and safe around Him. There was a love in Him unsurpassed by any before, because He, the Bread of Life, allowed Himself to be broken. His brokenness became our blessing.


The opposite of submissiveness is pride. Pride in oneself, pride in one's way of life, pride in one's civilisation over that of another, pride in one's achievements, successes in the world of finance, etc.
Evidence of pride in our lives, of looking down on others less fortunate in the ways of the world, and some of the words that convey the same meaning is:
Arrogance, oomph, one-upmanship, perverseness, contention, condemnation, main-man,


From the little book "Living For Jesus ":

: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.; (1 John 2:15-16); Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.; (1 Timothy 3:6-7); Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.; (Proverbs 16:18)
Pride is not of the Father but generates from the father of lies, the devil.
It has been the cause of the fall of men and of angels. It destroys the best in man here and the best for him hereafter.
It lifts him up only in his own eyes for a little while and then brings him low. "Then cometh shame" (Prov. 11:2) for the one who has placed himself in opposition and enmity to his best friend, God.
"God resisteth the proud" (Jas. 4:6) and they shall suffer condemnation because their pride leads them to be "lovers of self rather than lovers of God" (2 Tim. 3:2, 5).
"Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth do I hate" is the word of revelation from our God (Prov. 8:13).
We should give ear to this word or we will find ourselves classed with those out of whose hearts proceed "fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetings, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, and evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness" (Mark 7:21, 22).
"Pride goeth before destruction." O precious soul, examine yourself this very day, to determine whether this deadly germ of destruction dwells within. If its presence is detected, hasten to the Great Physician, that you may be healed through repentance and prayer, ere you fall into the condemnation of the devil.
: O Lord, help us to be alert to the consequences of sin, especially the sin of pride. Help us to see ourselves as Thou seest us, that we may hate our sins and turn from them before it is everlastingly too late.


A file pulled down from the Internet:


A secret spirit of pride or an exalted feeling in view of your success or position-because of your good training or appearance because of your natural gifts or abilities- an important independent spirit? Prov. 16:18, 20:6; Rom. 12:3; James 4:6-8.

Love of human praise; a secret fondness to be noticed; love of supremacy, drawing attention to self in conversation; a swelling out of self when you have had a special open door in speaking or praying? Jn. 5:44, 12:42-43; I Cor. 13:4.

The stirrings of anger or impatience which, worst of all, you call nervousness or holy indignation; a touchy, sensitive spirit; a disposition to resent and retaliate when disapproved of or contradicted; a desire to throw sharp, heated remarks at another? Psalms 37:8; Eccl. 7:9; Luke 21:19; James 1:19: Rom. 5:3.

Self-will; a stubborn unteachable spirit; an arguing, talkative spirit; harsh, sarcastic expressions; an unyielding, headstrong disposition; a driving, commanding spirit; a disposition to criticise and pick flaws when set aside and unnoticed; a peevish fretful spirit; a disposition that loves to be coaxed and humoured? Deut. 1:43; Mal. 2:2; James 3:17; II Peter 2:10.

Carnal fear; a man-fearing spirit; a shrinking from reproach and duty; reasoning around your cross; a shrinking from doing your whole duty to those of wealth or position; a fearfulness that someone will offend and drive some prominent person away; a compromising spirit? I Sam. 15:24; Prov. 29:25; Gal. 2:12; I John 4:18.

A jealous disposition; a secret envy in your heart; an unpleasant sensation in view of the great prosperity and success of others; a disposition to speak of the faults and failings rather that the gifts and virtues of those more talented and appreciated than yourself? Gen. 26:12-16; I Sam. 18:8-9; Prov. 6:34,14:30; Mt. 21:15; Rom. 12:9-10.

A dishonest and deceitful disposition; the evading and covering of the truth; the covering up of your real faults; leaving a better impression of yourself than is strictly true; false humility; exaggeration straining the truth? Ps. 15:2-3; Isa. 29:13; Jer. 17:9; Mt. 23:28; Lk. 22:48; Acts 5:2-3; I Tim. 4:2.

Unbelief; a spirit of discouragement in times of pressure and opposition; lack of quietness and confidence in God; lack of faith and trust in God; a disposition to worry and complain in the midst of pain, poverty, or at the dispensations of divine Providence; an over anxious feeling whether everything will come out all right? Is. 7:9; Lk. 12:28-30; I Cor. 2:14; II Cor. 5:6; Heb. 11:6; I Pet.S:7,

Formality and deadness; lack of compassion and concern for lost souls; dryness and indifference; lack of power with God? Mt. 15:14; II Tim. 3:5; Rev. 2:4, 3:1.

Selfishness; love of ease; love of money; love of your own time? Lk. 12:19-21; I Tim. 6:10-11; Amos 6:1-6.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me..." Psalms 139:23-24


Here are some passages of Scripture to meditate on:
: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.; (Psalms 1:1-3); *A Psalm of David.* LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.; (Psalms 15:1-2); Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.; (Hosea 10:12); But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.; (Acts 10:35); But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.; (1 Corinthians 9:27); But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.; (2 Corinthians 4:7-11); And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.; (2 Corinthians 5:15-17); I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.; (Galatians 2:20)
Thank you Lord Jesus.: For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.; (Philippians 1:21-22); If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.; (Colossians 3:1-3); And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.; (Colossians 3:17); And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;; (2 Timothy 2:24-25); For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.; (Titus 2:11-14); Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.; 1 Peter 4:1-6); Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.; (1 John 2:15-17)

We could go on and on, but I for one have got the message. (I hope and have faith that I can succeed.)

The beauty of Jesus Christ my Lord must shine through me; He must increase, but I must decrease(John 3:30).
: I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.; (Psalms 119:113-115)


¹ The Beauty of Christ Through Brokenness. Published by Gospel for Asia. www.gfa.org