Public Enemy Number One – A Fasting Devotional

From: Carol Hubing

Just before New Year's Day  I heard in my spirit,  'pride is public enemy number one.'  Public enemy number one?  Although I had heard of that phrase sometime over the course of my life and had some idea to which it was related, I did a little 'internet research' to gain a bit more understanding of what the Lord was asking of me, and possibly to us as a Church in this critical hour of history. Lo and behold the term public enemy number one was a term used most widely in the 1930's to describe 'individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society' (Wikipedia).  Perhaps the most well-known of these gangsters was John Dillinger, who earned this title as a dangerous killer and robber in the Midwest during the Great Depression. He was known for his 'graceful movements and narrow escapes' from the police.  Dillinger and his gang netted around $500,000, which would roughly equate to 7 million dollars today!

As I pondered these thoughts and listened to the Holy Spirit, I felt He was highlighting that pride itself was a stealthy, notorious killer and robber.  Like Dilinger of the 1930's, it too is elusive. Pride masks itself well and gracefully 'escapes' our heart's attention, becoming one of the Enemy's (who's very 'job description' is to kill, steal and destroy) most deceptively effective ways of gaining access into our hearts. However, pride isn't simply content to just 'lay low,' but rather it seeks to ultimately thwart God's Kingdom purposes within our own lives and within the Church. Pride's endgame is distance from God ('God opposes the proud...'), disgrace with one another ('When pride comes, then comes disgrace...' Prov. 11:2), and ultimately destruction ('Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.' Prov. 16:18).  What the carnal person (or Church!)  is so reluctant to release in order to save themself, will in the end be the very thing that annihilates them (Matt. 10:39). And, unexposed pride becomes  the 'perfect' soil for more sin and flesh to grow like control, jealousy, fear, impatience and even hatred. Basilea Schlink warns, 'Our hidden pride is like hidden poison, which threatens our spiritual life with death and will ruin everything in our lives.'

How do we flush out this poison? So how do we capture this villain? Well like most Kingdom truths, we partner with the Holy Spirit. When we create time and space to sit with Jesus regularly, beholding His beauty,  conviction (God's kindness which leads us to repentance)  happens with ease throughout the day. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify and expose the pride in your heart when it tries to rear its ugly head. From personal experience, here are few ways it hints that it's found a comfy corner somewhere in our hearts:

• Do you find yourself in (even little) arguments often? ('Where there is strife, there is pride…' Prov. 13:3)
• Do you rely on your own strength and 'push off' prayer? Prayerlessness says 'I got this. I can do this on my own.'
• Does something within resist correction, criticism or a different opinion?
• Are you concerned about what people think of you and need to protect an 'image'?
• Are you more concerned with getting out what you have to say instead of listening to others?
• Are you bothered that you are not recognized or affirmed for your gifts/talents or kind gestures?
• Do you wallow in self-pity and feel sorry for yourself when things don't go your way?
• Do you stubbornly insist on doing things 'your way' and on your timetable?
• Do you have a difficult time admitting you are wrong or asking others for forgiveness?
• Is it difficult for you to extend gentleness, patience and grace with family members (or other drivers!)?

Pride needs to be pursued with vigilance and exposed with honesty in order to minimize its damage to God's People. As soon as you are made aware, repent.  If you wronged others because of pride, humbly ask for forgiveness.  It's  that simple.  The sting your flesh feels in the process is necessary to uproot it. The freedom and joy that comes in return is well worth it!  Today, will you ask the Lord today to search your heart and yield to the Holy Spirit when He exposes pride in your thoughts, attitudes, speech, actions, etc. ? Will you along with me,  treat pride as public enemy number one in your heart? In this hour which the Church's power is desperately required, may we not be found as those God opposes, but rather a People to whom He gives much needed grace.