11-24-23

Breaking The Power Of Pride – A  Word Study

Definitions:

1. Rebellion – noun – “6. Revolt against or defiance of authority in general; resistance to a higher power or to an obligatory mandate; open disobedience or insubordination; determination not to submit) (definition 6 – The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition).

• In the Greek the meaning of rebellion is:
  • to not be submissive;
  • to be disobedient (unruly),
  • unwilling to come under Christ’s Lordship;
  • refusing to “fall in line with” (fit in with) God’s plan;
  • uncooperative, with a defiant attitude towards duly-appointed authority;
  • uncontrollable;
  • anti-authoritarian (rebellious).

(list compiled from HELPS Word-studies and 506 Strong’s Concordance – anupotaktos: not subject to rule, unruly)

2. Disobedience – noun – “1. Refusal or failure to obey. 2. The fact of being disobedient; lack of obedience; neglect or refusal to obey; violation of a command, injunction, or prohibition; the omission of that which is commanded to be done, or the doing of that which is forbidden; disregard of duty prescribed by authority.”

• In the Greek, disobedience means:
  • someone not persuaded, 
  • refusal to be convinced by God’s voice.
    • man’s decision to reject God’s offers of faith
    • refusal to be persuaded in their heart concerning obeying His will (Word).
  • Usage: willful unbelief, obstinacy, disobedience.
  • it is the word from which “apathy” is derived which means “without emotion”

(list compiled from Helps Word-studies and 543 Strong’s Concordance – apeitheia: disobedience)

• Another Greek word translated as disobedience is parakoe
  • 3876 Strong’s Concordance – parakoé: a hearing amiss, by implication disobedience, imperfect hearing.
    • properly, a hearing amiss (Plato).
    • (unwillingness to hear i. e.) disobedience
• So, rebellion and disobedience are synonymous, each with a slightly different emphasis:
  • rebellion, rebellious = unwillingness to submit
  • disobedience, disobedient = an unwillingness to hear or willful unbelief.

3. My definition as understood through this study and the voice of the Holy Spirit is:

• Sin is an action that stems from a heart of disobedience and rebellion
• Pride defined is: considering myself higher than others and others lower or less capable than me
• Pride is at the root of sin and consists of two parts:
  • First, an unwillingness to hear, which is willful unbelief (disobedience)
  • Second, an unwillingness to submit to God’s authority and plan (rebellion)
  • These lead to the action of sin
    • James 1:14-15 NIV1984 – “14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire [pride], he is dragged away and enticed [temptation]. 15 Then, after desire has conceived [willful unbelief of the consequences], it gives birth to sin [unwillingness to submit]; and sin, when it is full-grown [action], gives birth to death [eternal separation from God].”
• The progression is: thoughts of pride → temptation → willful unbelief → unwillingness to submit → sin (action) → death
• Proverbs 16:18 NIV1984 – “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
• James 4:6b NIV1984 – “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Breaking the Power of Pride

How then is the power of pride broken?  Several scriptures come to mind:

• 1. Walking in Obedience to the Word of God
  • Knowing The Word (Redemptive)
    • John 14:6 NIV1984 -Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”
    • John 1:14 NIV1984 – “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
    • Acts 4:12 NIV1984 – Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
  • Memorizing the word (Preemptive):
    • Psalm 119:11 NIV1984 – “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin  against you.”
  • Living out the word (Constructive) – building a growing relationship with God (Serving)
    • Mark 12:29-31 NIV1984 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’   There is no commandment greater than these.”
    • Matthew 7:12 NIV1984 – “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
  • Lining up with the word (Restorative)
    • Matthew 4:17 NIV1984 – “From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 
    • 1 John 1:9 NIV1984 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
    • Proverbs 24:16 NIV1984 – “…for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.”
• 2. Walking in Humility with the Word of God
  • Romans 12:3 NIV1984 – “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”
    • This is having a correct understanding of who I am in Christ. I am a son of God – heir of God, and co-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).
• 3. Walking in Meekness from the Word of God
  • Matthew 5:5 NIV1984 – “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
    • “In a world dominated by the powerful and strong, no one wants to be seen as weak or easily taken advantage of. Our culture is quick to use the label “meek” for people who seem submissive or unassuming, but God paints a different picture of meekness—one that’s strong yet gentle, unselfish, and kind” (Charles Stanley April 12, 2020 Devotion)
  • Philippians 2:3-11 NIV1984 – “3  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,  but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  4  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  5  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:   
    • 6   Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 
    • 7  but made himself nothing,  taking the very nature  of a servant,  being made in human likeness.  
    • 8  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!  
    • 9  Therefore God exalted him  to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,  
    • 10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,  in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  
    • 11  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,  to the glory of God the Father.
• 4. Walking in Love by the Word of God
  • Ephesians 5:21 NIV1984 – Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
  • Mark 12:29-31 NIV1984 – “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  30  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’   31  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’   There is no commandment greater than these.”
  • Isaiah 53 – THE SUFFERING SERVANT – Isaiah 52:13-15; Isaiah 53:1-12
• 5. Walking in Perseverance Because of the Word of God
  • James 1:2-4 NIV1984 – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  3  because you know that the testing of your faith  develops perseverance.  4  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
  • James 1:12 NIV1984 – “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
  • Matthew 5:10-12 NIV1984 – 10  Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  11  “Blessed are you when people insult you,  persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  12  Rejoice and be glad,  because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”