1. Humility
All NKJV unless otherwise specified
Some descriptions of the word humility from the Strongs concordance shows that it means to: bring down low; bring into
subjection; of low degree, lowly, humbleness of mind, abase.
Luke 5v32
32
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
 On first reflection we might find the above statement confusing – Jesus not calling the righteous but the sinner. One
could mistakenly assume from the above that there are those who are righteous and can then save themselves, and
those who are sinners whom Jesus can save. We need to explore other scriptures to give this some light……
Romans 3v10,12,23
10
As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; 12
They have all turned aside; They have together become
unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” 23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
 Now we see the clarification – God says that none are righteous and all have sinned.
 So what then is meant by Luke 5v32 above?
 Luke 5v32 refers to those who are righteous in their own eyes (self righteous).
 These are the proud – who believe that they either are in no need of a savior, or believe they can save themselves, or
believe that they are ‘good people’ and won’t go to hell. Yet the Bible states in Romans 10v12 that there is no one
who does good……
Romans 3 v26-27
26
to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
 We are justified by faith in Christ Jesus. Not by works. He does the justifying, not us. We cannot earn this. It is by
God’s grace that we even believed. By His grace we have been saved. A free gift from God. It could not be earned, or
worked for. God looked down from heaven upon you (before you even knew Him) and had compassion on you. You
are where you are today because of GOD.
 So where is your boasting? Your identity is nothing without Christ.
Romans 12v3
3
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
 We must all realize that God has a specific purpose for every member in the body of Christ. How can the eye say to
the ear “I have no need for you”? It first would need a mouth, and then a tongue, and then the lungs to breathe air, and
then the heart to pump blood to the muscles to open the lung, etc, before it could even speak.
 Yet we have in the body of Christ Christians running around with the Messiah syndrome – “look at me’, ‘come to
me’, ‘I will build my kingdom’
 Each member of the body of Christ is integrally linked to others and is in need of the others for true fellowship,
growth, edification, learning, etc. And the Bible states clearly that Jesus Christ is the Head of the church.
 Strife and division is caused when personal “SELF” agendas arise. This is not unity. The fruit is competition, strife
and envy, which are demonic forces and break down unity and hamper the growth of the body of Christ.
 Only by humbling yourself, submitting to God (yielding to the Holy Spirit), will you be positioned for God to begin
using you in His way. This can be seen in James 4v6 below…..
James 4v6
6
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Proverbs 18v12
12
Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.
Proverbs 29v23
23
A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

2. Matthew 23v12
12
“And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
 The above scripture contains two distinct conditions:
o 1. If you exalt yourself, then God will humble you. Don’t confuse this “humble” with humility. When God
humbles you, it is a very painful experience.
o 2. If you humble yourself, then God will exalt you. When you become nothing in your own eyes and God
becomes everything to you, then God does the exalting. We can see the response of John the Baptist in John
3v30 30
“He must increase, but I must decrease.
James 4v10
10
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
1 Peter 5 v5-7
5
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed
with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 6
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty
hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7
casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
 Many times Satan lays up traps for Christians in the area of serving the Lord. Out of zeal, Christians sometimes run
ahead of the Lord instead of carefully and patiently waiting upon the Lord.
 In their “busyness” of serving the Lord they look to early promotion in the Kingdom of God. But the above scripture
in verse 7 shows that the timing in all in God’s control. There is a season of preparation needed for all Christians
(even Paul took many years of preparation before being released into ministry).
 It is pride that causes many young Christians in particular to seek early promotion.
 God cares for you, and has a purpose for you. Yield to His leading. Be prepared so that when He calls, you are ready
to step into His perfect will for your life.
 The other key point in the above verse concerns being submissive to one another. We are called to serve others in
love. Pride has no place in this environment. Jesus lay down His own life for us. There was no selfishness about this,
and we are to be imitators of Christ.
 Any attitude/motive which attempts to elevate you above that of your peers (or anyone else) in any way is not of God,
and is not of a humble spirit. Jesus is the head. We are all part of the body. God is not a respecter of persons such that
one person is more important than another. If you want to be great, then serve. Read Mark 9 v33-35.
Matthew 18v1-4
1
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2
Then Jesus called a little
child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3
and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little
children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4
“Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
 There is a purity in little children which is lost in adulthood. Jesus is saying that we are to return to this purity and
simplicity, and have the attitude of a little child. Remain teachable.
1 Corinthians 8 v1(b)-3
We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2
And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he
knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3
But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
 Another trap that Satan lays up for Christians is when they think they have ‘arrived’ and now ‘know it all’. The Bible
warns against this in 1 Corinthians 10v12 12
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
 Knowledge puffs up – it strokes the ego (pride). Christians then begin thinking that they are now validated by their
knowledge, that they carry authority because of their knowledge. The moment they think this, they are already in
transgression. Competition, envy, strife (the usual culprits) are usually the fruit of this.
 The response in every and all situations is love. Love is not self seeking 1 Corinthians 13v4 4
Love suffers long and is
kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
2 Chronicles 7v14
14
“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked
ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.