No More Room for Pride

Time is short. The powers of darkness and the people who serve them are watching us. We can no longer allow Pride to rule us. Only surrender to Love will win this fight.

And He asked me to share with you this story:

One time, there weren’t enough microphones for our worship team, so the leader asked her teen daughter (who was also singing with us) to hand the microphone to me and go without.

Sensing she might feel hurt, I mentioned how good she is at clapping, and how I have no rhythm. Lame, I know, but it was all I could think of at the moment and church was about to start. 

A few moments later, I noticed she was gone. I assumed it was because her leg had been hurting. But after church, her father marched up to me and yelled that I’m mean, and should have given the mike to his daughter.

You can imagine what I was thinking…. “Well, talk to your wife. She’s the one in charge. I was just following orders!”

But whether or not I was right didn’t matter. That hurt teen did. So, I swallowed those words instead of saying them, and asked him what time they’d be home so I could apologize to her.

God hadn’t set me free from fear yet, so the thought of seeing that Doberman of a dad again was the last thing I wanted to do. In my experience, proud angry people just get all the prouder and angrier when I apologize.

So, I laid down my need for people to be nice to me, and asked the Lord, “When You look at her, what do You see?”

“She’s My precious one. She does the things no one else will do for Me….”

By the time He finished, I felt so humbled to know her that when I walked into their home, I went straight to her chair, knelt at her feet, apologized, and then spoke over her all the beautiful things the Lord had said. All of us were in tears. 

And then I felt Him whisper, “Now, I have something to say to the father.” 

I thought, “Sure, I’ll give him a piece of Your mind!”

But when I opened my mouth, something else poured out: “The Lord says, ‘I saw what happened when you were little, … and now you have become the defender of the little ones….”

God was pleased with him! What??!!

I never would have anticipated that turn of events! We’ve been friends now with that family more than 15 years, and have prayed each other through some hard times. But the most amazing thing God did was in my heart. 

O Lord, when pride comes shouting at our door to let him in, empower us to tune him out — to listen to that hurting person in front of us and to You instead. Don’t let us miss the miracle You placed us in that circumstance for. Our pride matters not. It is a tool of darkness in this already darkened world. But Love can change everything in a moment that counts for all eternity. 1 Corinthians 13.

If Satan wants us, I pray he will find us at Your feet, Jesus, laying down all our opinions and ideas, and asking You for Yours: “Lord, when You look at her, what do You see?”

Become a vessel God uses to shine His light in the darkness. Invite others to join the Prayer Wall.

For a free guide to knowing God’s voice, and for resources for all ages on removing the barriers to oneness with Him, visit MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.

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