There is MUCH more in the Bible about our need to be humble before God and other people – way too much to go into each passage of scripture. Humility is obviously a major problem for us because there are so many passages of scripture exhorting us to be humble and explaining the results of either being humble or not.
Toward God: 1 Chronicles 7:14 “then, if my people, who bear my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land.”
1 Peter 5:6 “Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,…”
Other people: 1 Peter 5:5 “… Further, all of you should clothe yourselves in humility toward one another, because God opposes the arrogant, but to the humble he gives grace.
We are also cautioned against false humility in Colossians 2:18, which would be logical since truth is the standard of real Christianity, and false humility would be…untruthful.
We, as Christians, are aware that whatever knowledge we have, or wisdom, or anything else comes from God. It is a gift to us, whom He loves so dearly. We realize this and we know all the right words to say giving God the glory for His gifts. The problem is our demeanor. It often tells a different story than our words.
And here we go again with “self-examination”…human nature being what it is, we see ourselves differently than others do and much differently than God sees us. We resist seeing the negative in ourselves so passionately that we refuse to admit what is really there. We will deny it. So honest evaluation of ourselves is usually not very objective, therefore not really honest if left up to our human nature. And to try to pull the wool over God’s eyes as far as our humility – well, that’s downright laughable.
Modern civilization is heavily influenced by the ancient Greek culture, which abhorred the quality of humility in distinct contrast to Biblical teaching in both Old and New Testaments. Thus, the flesh wars against the spirit.
Another quote from the book mentioned before concerning Elisha and his cry of "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" says this: “It is when we stand back in humility and in almost despair, and cry out in our desolateness "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" that we begin our work in the right spirit, and only then.
In this whole ministry of righteousness and redemption there is no place for self-sufficiency. Apostle Paul said: "Our sufficiency is of God." The great inquiry "Who is sufficient for these things?" keeps down human ambition and vanity, and prepares the heart for the utterance of prevailing prayer. The question which was thus propounded by Elisha is full of suggestion to ourselves. When we come to read the Bible we should not inquire so much where inspiration is, but where is wisdom which can be applied to our own circumstances and be made unto us as the very staff of life.” (Bible Characters, Moody, Dwight Lyman; Talmage, T. De Witt; Parker, Joseph; Gillette, C. B.)
After digging into the question of why so often the prayers of professing Christians seem to go unanswered and then looking at these two great prophets for lessons on effective prayer as James steered me to, I have come to a conclusion. The message that stands out much more plainly to me from Elijah immediate is obedience, and from Elisha I have learned to temper boldness with humility.
James 4:6 But the grace he gives is greater, which is why it says, "God opposes the arrogant, but to the humble he gives grace."
James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Matthew 18:4 So the greatest in the Kingdom is who ever makes himself as humble as this child.
Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the High, Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy: "I live in the high and holy place but also with the broken and humble, in order to revive the spirit of the humble and revive the hearts of the broken ones.
Toward God: 1 Chronicles 7:14 “then, if my people, who bear my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land.”
1 Peter 5:6 “Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,…”
Other people: 1 Peter 5:5 “… Further, all of you should clothe yourselves in humility toward one another, because God opposes the arrogant, but to the humble he gives grace.
We are also cautioned against false humility in Colossians 2:18, which would be logical since truth is the standard of real Christianity, and false humility would be…untruthful.
We, as Christians, are aware that whatever knowledge we have, or wisdom, or anything else comes from God. It is a gift to us, whom He loves so dearly. We realize this and we know all the right words to say giving God the glory for His gifts. The problem is our demeanor. It often tells a different story than our words.
And here we go again with “self-examination”…human nature being what it is, we see ourselves differently than others do and much differently than God sees us. We resist seeing the negative in ourselves so passionately that we refuse to admit what is really there. We will deny it. So honest evaluation of ourselves is usually not very objective, therefore not really honest if left up to our human nature. And to try to pull the wool over God’s eyes as far as our humility – well, that’s downright laughable.
Modern civilization is heavily influenced by the ancient Greek culture, which abhorred the quality of humility in distinct contrast to Biblical teaching in both Old and New Testaments. Thus, the flesh wars against the spirit.
Another quote from the book mentioned before concerning Elisha and his cry of "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" says this: “It is when we stand back in humility and in almost despair, and cry out in our desolateness "Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" that we begin our work in the right spirit, and only then.
In this whole ministry of righteousness and redemption there is no place for self-sufficiency. Apostle Paul said: "Our sufficiency is of God." The great inquiry "Who is sufficient for these things?" keeps down human ambition and vanity, and prepares the heart for the utterance of prevailing prayer. The question which was thus propounded by Elisha is full of suggestion to ourselves. When we come to read the Bible we should not inquire so much where inspiration is, but where is wisdom which can be applied to our own circumstances and be made unto us as the very staff of life.” (Bible Characters, Moody, Dwight Lyman; Talmage, T. De Witt; Parker, Joseph; Gillette, C. B.)
After digging into the question of why so often the prayers of professing Christians seem to go unanswered and then looking at these two great prophets for lessons on effective prayer as James steered me to, I have come to a conclusion. The message that stands out much more plainly to me from Elijah immediate is obedience, and from Elisha I have learned to temper boldness with humility.
James 4:6 But the grace he gives is greater, which is why it says, "God opposes the arrogant, but to the humble he gives grace."
James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Matthew 18:4 So the greatest in the Kingdom is who ever makes himself as humble as this child.
Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the High, Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy: "I live in the high and holy place but also with the broken and humble, in order to revive the spirit of the humble and revive the hearts of the broken ones.