Humility: The Pathway to Spiritual Victory
Summary
In our journey of faith, we are reminded of the importance of humility as a pathway to victory. As we prepare for our Easter service, reflecting on the life of Christ and its impact on our lives, we are called to examine ourselves and seek ways to serve God better. This season is not just about celebrating the resurrection but also about personal restoration and growth. We are encouraged to write down areas in our lives that need improvement, allowing God to work in us and through us.
The scripture from James 5:4 reminds us of God's justice and the importance of walking humbly before Him. Pride is a significant barrier to spiritual growth and revival. It blinds us and leads to self-destruction, while humility opens the way to God's blessings. We are reminded that God has no throwaways; every believer is valuable and has a purpose in His kingdom. By humbling ourselves, we allow God to mold us and use us for His glory.
The story of the two men, one building a tower of pride and the other digging a foundation of humility, illustrates the truth that the way up is down. Building on a foundation of humility leads to spiritual elevation and victory. As we walk humbly before God, we become usable vessels for His work, and His grace empowers us to overcome obstacles.
Pride hinders the move of God, while humility ensures that we remain spiritually aligned with His will. As we prepare for a mighty move of God this Easter, we must focus on humility, allowing God to use us in whatever capacity He sees fit. We are reminded that victory is not about how high we can get but how low we can go before God.
In this season, let us pray for humility, seek God's guidance, and remain obedient to His call. As we do so, we will see God move mightily in our lives and our church, bringing revival and transformation.
Key Takeaways:
- Humility is essential for spiritual growth and revival. Pride blinds us and leads to self-destruction, while humility opens the way to God's blessings and allows us to be used by Him. [15:40]
- God values every believer and has a purpose for each one. By humbling ourselves, we allow God to mold us and use us for His glory, recognizing that we are nothing without Him. [21:12]
- The story of the two men illustrates that building on a foundation of humility leads to spiritual elevation and victory. The way up is down, and by focusing on humility, we align ourselves with God's will. [24:56]
- Pride hinders the move of God, while humility ensures that we remain spiritually aligned with His will. As we prepare for a mighty move of God, we must focus on humility and obedience. [35:21]
- Victory is not about how high we can get but how low we can go before God. By walking humbly, we become usable vessels for His work, and His grace empowers us to overcome obstacles. [40:03]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Involvement in God's Work
[03:00] - Easter and Restoration Services
[05:00] - Supporting a Bereaved Brother
[07:00] - Walking Humbly Before God
[10:00] - The Dangers of Pride
[12:00] - Building a Foundation of Humility
[15:00] - The Story of Two Men
[18:00] - The Call to Humility
[21:00] - Pride and Spiritual Roadblocks
[24:00] - Revival and Obedience
[27:00] - The Importance of Humility in Ministry
[30:00] - Personal Testimonies of Transformation
[33:00] - The Consequences of Pride
[36:00] - Closing Prayer and Encouragement
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. James 5:4 - "Behold, the hire of the laborer who has reaped down their fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth."
2. Micah 6:8 - "He has showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
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Observation Questions:
1. What does James 5:4 reveal about God's awareness of injustice and His response to it? How does this relate to the theme of humility in the sermon? [15:40]
2. In the sermon, what was the significance of the story about the two men, one building a tower of pride and the other digging a foundation of humility? [24:56]
3. How does the pastor describe the impact of pride on spiritual growth and revival? What are some specific examples he gives? [21:12]
4. According to the sermon, what role does humility play in preparing for a mighty move of God, especially during the Easter season? [35:21]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the passage from Micah 6:8 connect with the sermon’s emphasis on humility as a pathway to spiritual victory? What does it mean to "walk humbly with thy God"? [21:12]
2. The sermon mentions that "God has no throwaways." How does this statement challenge common perceptions of self-worth and purpose in the context of faith? [21:12]
3. In what ways does pride create spiritual roadblocks, according to the sermon? How can believers identify and overcome these obstacles? [35:21]
4. The pastor shared a story about a man who returned to his old ways after experiencing a miracle. What does this story illustrate about the dangers of pride and the importance of humility? [30:36]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where pride might be hindering your spiritual growth? How can you begin to address these areas with humility? [21:12]
2. The sermon encourages writing down areas in our lives that need improvement. What specific areas do you feel called to work on, and how can you invite God into that process? [15:40]
3. How can you actively practice humility in your daily interactions, especially in situations where you might be tempted to assert your own importance or achievements? [24:56]
4. The pastor emphasized the importance of being usable vessels for God's work. What steps can you take to ensure you remain open and available for God’s purposes? [35:21]
5. Consider a time when pride led to a negative outcome in your life. What did you learn from that experience, and how can it inform your future actions? [30:36]
6. How can you support others in your community to walk humbly and avoid the pitfalls of pride? What role can you play in fostering a culture of humility within your church or small group? [40:03]
7. As we prepare for Easter, what specific actions can you take to focus on personal restoration and growth, aligning with the sermon’s call to humility and obedience? [35:21]
Devotional
Day 1: Humility as a Pathway to Spiritual Growth
Humility is essential for spiritual growth and revival. It is the key that unlocks the door to God's blessings and allows believers to be used by Him. Pride, on the other hand, blinds individuals and leads to self-destruction. By embracing humility, believers open themselves to God's transformative work in their lives. This involves recognizing one's limitations and the need for God's guidance and strength. As believers prepare for a season of spiritual renewal, they are encouraged to seek humility, allowing God to mold them into vessels for His glory. [15:40]
"For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" (Isaiah 57:15, ESV)
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where pride has taken root. How can you actively choose humility in this area today?
Day 2: Recognizing Our Value and Purpose in God's Kingdom
God values every believer and has a purpose for each one. By humbling themselves, believers allow God to shape them and use them for His glory. It is important to recognize that without God, they are nothing, and it is through His grace that they find their true worth and purpose. This understanding leads to a life of service and dedication to God's kingdom, where each believer plays a vital role. Embracing humility allows individuals to see themselves as God sees them, valuable and with a divine purpose. [21:12]
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt insignificant. How can you remind yourself of your value and purpose in God's kingdom today?
Day 3: Building on a Foundation of Humility
The story of the two men, one building a tower of pride and the other digging a foundation of humility, illustrates that the way up is down. Building on a foundation of humility leads to spiritual elevation and victory. By focusing on humility, believers align themselves with God's will and become open to His guidance and blessings. This foundation allows them to withstand life's challenges and grow in their faith. As believers strive to build their lives on humility, they become more attuned to God's voice and direction. [24:56]
"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock." (Matthew 7:24, ESV)
Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you need to dig deeper into humility. What practical steps can you take to build a stronger foundation in this area?
Day 4: The Hindrance of Pride and the Power of Humility
Pride hinders the move of God, while humility ensures that believers remain spiritually aligned with His will. As believers prepare for a mighty move of God, they must focus on humility and obedience. Pride creates spiritual roadblocks, preventing individuals from experiencing the fullness of God's presence and power. By choosing humility, believers open themselves to God's transformative work and become vessels for His purposes. This alignment with God's will leads to personal and communal revival. [35:21]
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent situation where pride may have hindered your spiritual growth. How can you choose humility and align yourself with God's will in similar situations?
Day 5: Victory Through Humility
Victory is not about how high one can get but how low one can go before God. By walking humbly, believers become usable vessels for His work, and His grace empowers them to overcome obstacles. This perspective shifts the focus from personal achievements to a life of service and surrender to God's will. As believers embrace humility, they experience true victory, not in worldly terms, but in spiritual growth and alignment with God's purposes. This victory is marked by a deep sense of peace and fulfillment in serving God and others. [40:03]
"But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" (James 4:6, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a challenge you are currently facing. How can embracing humility lead to victory in this situation?
Quotes
"Looking at our lives and say, God, how can we serve you better? You gave your all on the cross. Now, God, what do I need to work on? And so we're going to have little cards for everybody to write down what they need to work on to draw closer to God. So thank God for all that God is doing. I'm looking forward to all that God has in store for us. Pray for next Saturday. It's going to be a very busy time." [00:12:40] (23 seconds)
"God is showing us here, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth. And the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabioth. We serve a just God. We serve a God that knows who's doing what. And what I want to look at this evening is that when the proud begin to oppress and walking in their pride, he knows that also." [00:15:04] (26 seconds)
"And it shows us here. He has showed thee, O man, what is good. And what the Lord does require thee, but to do justly. And to love mercy, and to walk humbly before thy God. You know, when we begin to really look at what stops revival, what hinders us from our spiritual growth, as the Reverend was talking about, a lot of times it's because of pride that God can't do what he wants to get done in our lives." [00:16:30] (29 seconds)
"As we go get ready for a mighty move of God this Easter, one of the things we have to begin to focus on is walking humbly before God. Somewhere along the line, people begin to be told by the devil all kind of lies. And we've got to have our spirituality to say, God, I'm walking humbly for you. Here I am, use me, God. Whatever capacity I'm usable, God, just use me, God." [00:21:15] (23 seconds)
"Victory is about how low we can go before God. It's one thing to walk up to the throne of God boldly, but it's another to walk up in pride and say, I deserve a blessing. I am this and I'm that. Sometimes people come to church and they become unusable because pride gets in the way. As soon as God starts putting things in the life, he takes away junk. He takes away sin. He takes away temptation. He begins to work in the life." [00:22:56] (25 seconds)
"And I'm going to walk in the grace of God. I'm not walking in my power. I'm walking in his power. And the more we begin to do that, we cover more ground. We're able to do more for God because we realize that it's by his grace. And we walk around in our own strength. God limits what we can do. God limits. The possibilities. When we choose the humility, you see God begins to send his spirit to guide us around every pitfall." [00:24:53] (29 seconds)
"Because when you leave God, what happens? You leave his blessings. You leave his peace. You leave his strength. Everything is ever done. And so we have a requirement this season. There is danger when you start walking around in pride, when you allow the world to convince you of other things. We need to walk and say, God, help me." [00:34:47] (19 seconds)
"The reason why we walk in humility is because pride hinders the move of God. I know God's moving. I'm looking forward to Easter service. I'm looking forward to all we've got going on. But right in the middle of all that, I said, as we started this whole promotion, I said, what can I do to help you all to stay humble before God?" [00:35:43] (22 seconds)
"God doesn't call me to be the pastor of the church down the road, around the corner, and around this area. There's about six churches right here. God has only called me to be the pastor of one church, not the other five. And so they may have an Easter egg hunt. They may have an Easter bunny, Easter basket. I don't even care. But I know I'm not promoting the Easter bunny. I'm promoting Jesus Christ and him crucified. And we're going to talk about the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. We're not going to be having Easter eggs. We're not going to have bunnies. All that. I want to have a good time, yes, but I don't want to compromise. I'm going to go down the wrong path. I want people to know we're saved by the blood." [00:38:55] (40 seconds)
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