(This is the lesson I created for tomorrow's World Changers & Giant Slayers class as a follow up to our lesson about pride last week. My fellow servant Hans will be teaching tomorrow)
Definition of Humility - 1. In ethics, freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one's own worth. In theology, humility consists in lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God, self-abasement, penitence for sin, and submission to the divine will. Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary
“Humility is the choice to be modest, to serve, to elevate others above one’s self; it is a grace from God. Humility is not low self-esteem, inferiority, passivity, or some other self-denigrating condition; it is a choice.” Charles Simpson
Definition of Contrition – Penitence; deep sorrow for sin; grief of heart for having offended an infinitely holy and benevolent God. Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary
The Blessings/Rewards for Humility
1. Invites God’s reviving work in our lives. Isaiah 57:15 “For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.”
2. It catches God’s attention and leads Him to use us. Isaiah 66:2 “For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.”
3. It enables us to receive God’s wisdom. Prov. 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.”
4. God leads and teaches the humble. Psalm 25:9 “He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.”
5. Riches, honor and life are given to the humble. Proverbs 22:4 “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches, honor and life.”
6. Christ will exalt the humble. Luke 14:11 “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
7. God gives grace only to the humble. James 4:6 “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” See also I Peter 5:5
The Path to Humility
1. Learn from Jesus; Follow His example and lead. Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Philippians 2:5-8 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
2. Recognize that God and others are responsible for the achievements in your life. I Corinthians 4:7 “For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"
3. Stand on the promise that humility is ours in Christ. II Peter 1:3 “seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness,..”
4. Ask God to show you how to be more humble. John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
An Example of Humility
Luke 18:9-14 9 “And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself; ‘God, I than You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Quotes about Humility
“The humble person is not one who thinks meanly of himself, he simply does not think of himself at all.” Andrew Murray
“For the Christian, humility is absolutely indispensable. Without it there can be no self-knowledge, no repentance, no faith and no salvation.” A.W. Tozer
“A humble person is not one who thinks little of himself, hangs his head and says, “I’m nothing.” Rather, he is one who depends wholly on the Lord for everything, in every circumstance.” David Wilkerson
“Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil’s reach as humility.” Jonathan Edwards
“Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” Saint Augustine
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