There is no greater pride than a man thinking he is wiser than God!
Introduction to Chapter 27:
PRIDE WAS AT THE CORE OF LUCIFER’S PERVERSION. Pride is arrogant, haughty, and has a “know it all” attitude. Pride, which is always rooted in a corrupt sense of self, boosts its false sense of self by finding fault and criticism of others, thereby exalting self. Therefore, pride always goes before destruction, the destruction of self and others. Iniquity (lawlessness) is the organic logic of pride. When anyone diminishes, devalues, or disagrees with God’s Word he or she is expressing their pride. Their attempts to twist or even deny God’s Word as a means of self-vindication is the expression of iniquity in their heart. Even unbelief is a subtle expression of pride. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging what one does not understand; this is the way of humility. It surrenders its opinion to the Word of God even before it understands, and then seeks God for understanding. But the moment an individual says. “I don’t believe that,” or “that’s not how I see it” or “I have a better way,” they are in the same arrogance of Lucifer. The only difference is he saw the heavenly realm and still exalted his opinion over God’s. Lucifer is the ultimate fool.
Spiritual Guide
(The Spiritual Guide section of each chapter should be reviewed after reading the corresponding chapter.)
How does one prepare for the future I have described? As Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). It seems that the Church looks at everything Jesus said about the end and continues to think that a natural solution can be found. The natural mind cannot process an end as the Bible describes it. But if we attempt to find a solution to the problem with the same mindset that got us into the problem, we will only make the problem worse.
It is time we, as individuals, return to a life filled with, empowered by and dependent on the Holy Spirit. I am extremely evangelistic and have devoted much of my life to winning the lost; so, I understand the need to be seeker-sensitive. But that can translate into simply compromising to attract a larger crowd or it can translate into becoming a “more relevant” church. Much of the Church has become such an ingrown subculture it is nearly impossible for an uninitiated person to walk in the doors and make sense of what they see, hear and experience.
In our attempt to be seeker-sensitive we became so compromised that we had nothing to offer the crowds we attracted. “The Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power” (1 Corinthians 4:20, NIV). My friend, Leon Fontaine, has coined the phrase “Spirit Contemporary,” emphasizing the fact that we must be contemporary in order to reach our generation, but we must still operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We must minister as the Lord Jesus modeled. We have nothing to offer this world if we exclude the Holy Spirit as the power by which we live this life and overcome the powers of darkness.
“Greater is he that lives in you than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). It is by the One who lives in us that we overcome the world. We cannot face the times ahead devoid of the leadership, power, strength, grace and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Making this connection cannot be taught. It can only be learned in the heart of a believer who is submitted to the Lordship of Jesus and lives a life of openness and sensitivity to the voice of God speaking in their heart. This is our only viable key to preparation for the future: walk with God now!
All the gifts of the Holy Spirit will be essential tools as we seek to take the Gospel of the Kingdom to the World, usher in the return of the Lord Jesus, and overcome the strategies of the Great Harlot and the antichrist! As we yield to Him more we will find ourselves walking where those of great faith walked in the past. We will be the ones who demonstrate the life and power of God to a dark and dying world! We will show them what they needed to have seen all along. We will be spirit contemporary, in touch with their needs and in touch with the power of God!