The necessity of a humble heart has never been more apparent in our land. In order for our land to heal, we must first humble ourselves before the Lord (2 Chr 7:14). In order to humble ourselves, we must remove pride.

Someone asked me to write an article about pride.

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“I can do that.” I thought. “I have studied humility several times, this should be easy.”

That afternoon, I began to study pride. At first, I didn’t find much that I hadn’t already found when studying humility. That is, until I came upon an online article on pride. This article listed signs of pride in several different areas.

I decided to print it off and study it. This list of signs of pride was thirty-six pages long. Yes, THIRTY-SIX PRINTED PAGES LONG!

I began to read later that night. Oh, my word! This information was not for an article, it was for me, personally. Perhaps for you too.

I want to share one thing this author said with you. He wrote…

“God had been resisting me. It was like his palm was firmly planted on my forehead as I walked through life and it was really uncomfortable. And it was constant. He doesn’t body slam the proud, he just resists them.”

James 4:6 states, Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

The word resist is defined in the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary as “to stand against. To oppose. To strive against. To defeat. To frustrate. To disappoint.”

After reading this short part of that article, I stopped. It was enlightening. It was illuminating. And it was convicting.

I had to ask myself, “In what areas of my life could God be resisting me?” I knew it was there, I just had to find out exactly where it was.

I began to read his thirty-six pages of signs of pride. I found myself in many of them.

That night I asked the Holy Spirit to point out and illuminate every single area of pride in my life. I asked Him to alert me when I spoke things that were rooted in pride. I asked Him to expose pride to me and cause me to see it. I wanted rid of it. All of it. I do not want God resisting me in any area.

God was faithful to answer my prayer. He is daily showing me areas in my heart that still harbor pride. As He does, I repent and move on. The Bible says we speak what is in our hearts. I have only to listen to my own words to see the pride that hides there.

1 John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I have great hope in that word.

I know as I confess the sin of pride, God is faithful and just to forgive me. But He doesn’t stop there, He completes this word by cleansing me from all unrighteousness.

Thank God for the blood of Jesus!

I remember, not too long ago, someone wrote to me about their marriage. They wanted prayer. God spoke to me that day and said pride was ruining their marriage. Pride in both of them.

Over the years I have seen lives ruined by pride. Marriages ruined. Businesses destroyed. Lives crushed…all because of pride. We all have it. If you think you are free of all pride, you are fooling yourself.

God resists the proud. He opposes them. Fights against them.   He frustrates and disappoints those who choose to continually walk in pride. Knowing that, is pride worth it? I say, no, a thousand times, no.

I have decided to wage war on pride in my own life. It’s not easy. It’s not fun. It pops up daily. But daily, I repent and put it under the blood. Knowing a little more unrighteousness has been removed from me. As the Scripture says, I will not be satisfied until I awake in HIS likeness. Until then, I continue to pray and apply His Word to my life.

How about you? If you want rid of all pride, pray with me.

God, today I acknowledge I have pride in my heart, in my life. I repent of all pride. Today, I wage war on pride, and I ask You to expose it. I ask You to show me all areas of pride in my life. I do not want You to oppose me or resist me. I want to walk as one with You, fully pleasing You. I thank You for cleansing me today of all unrighteousness, in Jesus name.

Kim Potter is the founder of A New Thing Ministries, which sends a daily teaching to over 10,000 people all around the world. Her articles have appeared on The Elijah List, Charisma, Spirit Fuel and iBelieve.com. Kim’s message is one of hope. She speaks to the heart of those who have grown discouraged and disappointed by the circumstances of life and imparts the desire and ability to stand against all odds and see victory. For additional information, go to anewthingministries.com.