we all have times where we know we’re supposed to do something, but it doesn’t seem fair: to forgive that person that did you wrong, be kind to a neighbor that’s not treating you right, volunteer at the hospital even though nobody is saying thank-you. everything on the inside will say, “I’m not forgiving them; it was their fault, they need to ask me for forgiveness. I’m not working on that small project, serving in the nursery, I’m more qualified than that.” but if you’re going to reach your highest potential, you have to humble yourself, and do things you may not understand. we see this in the scripture with Peter:
Luke 5:4-5 (AMPC)
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon (Peter), Put out into the deep [water], and lower your nets for a haul.
5 And Simon (Peter) answered, Master, we toiled all night [exhaustingly] and caught nothing [in our nets].
4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon (Peter), Put out into the deep [water], and lower your nets for a haul.
5 And Simon (Peter) answered, Master, we toiled all night [exhaustingly] and caught nothing [in our nets].
Peter could’ve said, “Jesus, I love you, but you’re a teacher; you need to stick with your profession. I’m a fisherman; I have years of training.” he could’ve let pride talk him out of it. instead, he humbled himself:
Luke 5:5-6 (AMPC)
5 … But on the ground of Your word, I will lower the nets [again]. 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish; and as their nets were [at the point of] breaking
5 … But on the ground of Your word, I will lower the nets [again]. 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish; and as their nets were [at the point of] breaking
his promotion was in his humility. when you swallow your pride, and say, “this may not make sense, but I’m going to do what God’s asking me to do: humble myself and be good to this person that did me wrong, be my best at work even though nobody’s giving me credit,” when you walk in humility, you will see a great haul of fish. like Peter, your promotion, healing, breakthrough, is in your humility. the scripture says:
Philippians 2:8 (NKJV)
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
it doesn’t say he was obedient because he was so strong-willed, righteous, always did the right thing. even Jesus had to humble himself. it takes humility to walk in obedience. without humility, Jesus could have thought, “I’m the Son of God; I don’t have to put up with these insults. I’m not going to the cross.” it was his humility that kept him from retaliating against the people that did him wrong. his humility is why he could hang on a cross, and say:
Luke 23:34 (KJV)
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
there are times God asks us to do things that seem hard; your flesh will rise up, and tell you all the reasons why you should put the boat away and not go back out, tell them off and not bite your tongue. this is when you have to do like Jesus; humble yourself so you can become obedient, put your pride down, and say, “no, I’m not going to be offended because they left me out, be too proud to ask for forgiveness, say I’m sorry, admit that I was wrong.” when we don’t have humility, we think we’re always right; we’ll be stubborn, hard to get along with. our relationships will be much better if we’ll humble ourselves and let somebody else be right; honor them by letting them have their way.
pride causes us to make lame excuses, be stubborn, only see things our way. there may be things that you don’t feel like are right, you don’t think you should have to do them; one way you can honor God is by honoring the people in your life. “I shouldn’t have to clean up the mess they made, sit in this section where the ushers asked me to sit”; God is saying, “will you do it for Me? clean the mess up for Me? overlook the offense for Me?” do it unto God. when you honor God, He will always honor you.
I wonder how much better our relationships would be if we’d start walking in humility, honoring the other person, letting them have their way, not always having to be right. relationships would be saved if we would start walking in humility, honoring God by honoring the other person. the healing for your relationship is in your humility; it’s when you humble yourself and do your part to get along. “when he starts treating me better, then I’ll treat him better”; you have to make the first move. your humility can start the healing. when they see you taking the high road, not being stubborn, offended, having to have your way, that’s when things will begin to change. the scripture says:
Song of Solomon 2:15(ESV)
15 Catch the foxes for us,
the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards
15 Catch the foxes for us,
the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards
before long, these little things are tearing families apart. I’m asking you to swallow your pride and start walking in humility. what can you do to get along better with people, strengthen your relationships? not what can somebody else do, you can’t make them change, but if you’ll change, start treating them with respect, doing what you can to honor them, being kind, serving them, those seeds you’re sowing, they’ll come back to you. just as little foxes can spoil the vine, little acts of kindness can make a big difference, help hold things together. how much better would our relationships be if we put down our pride, not have to be right all the time, not keeping score, “if you do this, I’m going to do that,“ trying to one-up each other? instead, what if we spent that same energy honoring each other, believing the best, overlooking offenses? the healing is in your humility, not in having your way, getting even, holding a grudge.
promotion is in your humility. when you make the decision to humble yourself, forgive, let go of the wrongs, that’s when the favor comes on your life. pride keeps us from rising higher. when you walk in humility, you can be the bigger person, forgive people, show them mercy, start the healing. when you humble yourself, that’s what gives you the power to become obedient. but as long as we allow pride in, we make excuses: “it’s not right, they hurt me, it was their fault.” that all may be true, but holding onto it is not going to make it better. if you’ll let it go and move forward, God will make it up to you; you’ll see His favor in new ways.
in 2 Kings 5:
2 Kings 5:1-2 (NIV)
1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.
1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.
I can imagine everyone didn’t know that he had leprosy; he would keep his armor on, try to hide it from people. but this young lady lived in his house:
2 Kings 5:3 (NIV)
3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
Naaman could’ve thought, “who are you to tell me what to do? I’m a captain, I answer to the king, and now you, a slave, are telling me to go back to the nation I just defeated and ask them for help? I don’t think so.” Naaman could have been offended, dismissed it, but:
2 Kings 5:4-5 (NIV)
4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left
4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left
think of the humility this took. he had to take the advice from a maid, and be willing to go to another country, and it meant he needed help. if he’d have been too proud, he would have stayed at home.
sometimes, your answer won’t come from people that look like you, come from your same culture, that you’re used to. you’re going to have to do like Naaman, get out of your comfort zone, be willing to listen to somebody that’s under you, doesn’t have the training, experience. the key is to treat everyone with respect, value every person’s opinion. if Naaman would’ve dismissed his maid, he would have missed his miracle. don’t judge the people God put in your life by the outside, titles, position, wealth, deciding who’s important, who you’re going to listen to; God uses everyone.
2 Kings 5:7-11 (NIV)
7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy?… 8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message:… Have the man come to me… 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”
11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy
7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy?… 8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message:… Have the man come to me… 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”
11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy
Naaman was used to dealing with heads of nations; he gave advice to the king of Syria. I’m sure he thought, “does Elisha know who I am, how far I’ve traveled?” look at all these times Naaman had to put down his pride; a young maid told him what to do, the king couldn’t help him, Elisha was too busy, now he has to wash in a dirty river. (NB: Jesus, the perfect example of Christian humility, went of his own volition to be baptized in that same river, which is dirty even in the current day.) these were tests.
on the way to your miracle, there will be plenty of opportunities to let pride talk you out of it. it may not happen the way you think, through the people you think. stay open; don’t put God in a box, writing people off because they don’t look like you, live in your neighborhood, attend your church. God likes to do unusual things.
Naaman almost talked himself out of it. he’d done well up to this point, but:
2 Kings 5:12-13 (NIV)
12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.
13 Naaman’s servants went to him…
12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.
13 Naaman’s servants went to him…
not a peer, prophet, king, but another underling, somebody he normally wouldn’t pay attention to:
2 Kings 5:13-14 (NIV)
13 … and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
13 … and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
imagine the humility, washing in your enemy’s dirty river again and again. God was showing us, the healing was in the humility.
when you humble yourself, and do what God’s asking you to do, even when it doesn’t make sense: forgive the person that did you wrong, be kind to the coworker that betrayed you, take advice from someone that’s not in your normal circles. as you pass these tests, things will begin to change; the blessing is in the obedience.
the way to be obedient is to walk in humility, because without humility, we’ll make excuses; “I’m not going to listen to the maid, what does she know? I’m not going to do this simple thing: wash in a river, serve in the children’s ministry.” no, do what God is asking you to do. don’t overanalyze it, reason it out, just do it. “I’ve been doing it for a long time, but nothing is changing”; you’re right where Naaman was. the first six times, nothing happened, but that didn’t mean something was wrong. you’re right on schedule. the good news is, you’re about to come up from your seventh dip, where suddenly healing comes, you’re promoted, you see that breakthrough. keep doing the right thing; you’re close to your seventh time.
1 Peter 5:6 (KJV)
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time
when you walk in humility, there is a due time God has already established where He will catapult you ahead, thrust you to the next level. when you come up out of your seventh dip, when it’s your due time, all the forces of darkness cannot stop you; when God is ready to exalt you, you will be exalted. God knows what He’s doing, how to get you to the next level, but it may not be the way, with the people, or on the timetable you thought. but if you’ll keep walking in humility, being obedient, you will come into your due time, where God does more than you can ask or think.
in the story of the prodigal son:
Luke 15:13-24 (NIV)
13 … the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country… 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating… 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father
13 … the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country… 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating… 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father
then he thought, “what am I talking about? I can’t go back and let people see me like this; I’ll look like a fool. I can’t admit that I made a mistake.” pride rose up, and tried to keep him from going back home, but he humbled himself; he was willing to admit, “I’ve made a mistake, I’ve done wrong.” he put his pride down:
Luke 15:18-24 (NIV)
18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him… 22 “But the father said to his servants… 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’
18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him… 22 “But the father said to his servants… 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’
are you letting pride keep you out of the Father’s house, worried about what people will think, your image? we’ve all blown it, made mistakes, gotten off course; don’t let pride hold you back. the new beginning is in your humility. when you say, “God, I admit I’ve done wrong, I’m not where I should be, but I’m ready to come back home,” God will receive you with open arms. that is the first step to getting out of the hog pen. you don’t have to be perfect. God is not looking at your performance; He’s looking at your heart. “I don’t have it all together”; none of us do. it’s in our weaknesses that God’s power shows up the greatest:
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)
9 … my power is made perfect in weakness.”
9 … my power is made perfect in weakness.”
when you come to God with humility and ask for help, He’ll not only receive you, but He’ll put a ring on your finger, signifying your authority, give you a royal robe, signifying His favor, celebrate you, and take you further than you’ve ever imagined.
the new beginning, promotion, healing, is in your humility. I’m asking us to put our pride down, and start doing what God is asking you to do: maybe He’s asking you to forgive, treat people better, take a step of faith. don’t talk yourself out of it. it may not seem fair, you may not understand it, but if you’ll put your pride down and do it anyway, you are setting yourself up for a due time. because you’re humbling yourself, God is about to exalt you; you’re going to come up out of your 7th dip, where suddenly healing comes, promotion, vindication, freedom, abundance, the fullness of your destiny.
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