Are You Promoting Yourself?
Scripture: Isaiah 66:1-2Devotional Series: The Fruit of Humility
Teaching: The Fruit Of Humility pt. 1 (WED 2021-04-07) by Pastor Star R Scott
In Isaiah 66:1, God reveals his majesty, “The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool…” “I’ve created everything that exists. It was all made by Me and for Me.” Amen? In the midst of Him revealing His majesty, He says in verse 2, “For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” He says all of this is mine, and I want to give it to you. I want you to experience this power. I want you to be able to cast out devils and heal the sick, but you’re spending time arguing among yourselves who the greatest is. I can’t work these things in your midst. We’re praying, and we’re seeking power, and we’re looking and believing God to draw souls into this place and to give us an anointing as we’re out in the highways and byways, compelling them to come. Beloved, the whole question is this: What’s the source? Is it the meekness, the humility, that love of Christ that constrains us, that’s working? Let’s make sure that it’s not obligatory. Let’s make sure that it’s not a place of showing our spirituality, creating some kind of a self-righteousness. Everything we have, we’ve received of the Lord. All things by Him and for Him, the Scripture says. The prophet speaking here says that this is the man that qualifies for fellowship with God, that qualifies for receiving revelation from God, and that will know the anointing of God: he that is of a poor and contrite heart and that trembles at My Word, that obeys My Word, and that keeps My commandments. What does this Word say about these things that we can quote so easily? The reality is the greatest among us is the one that obtains that servanthood ministry, the role of caring for others, of bearing another’s burden, of being touched with one another’s infirmities. The reason we go through trials and temptations is to taste of God’s grace. Somewhere you’re going to get to use that and apply it to others and comfort them with the same comfort wherewith you’ve been comforted.
James reveals then, the conflict that’s among them because of their own worldly appetites, their desire to be friends with the world. If you become a friend of the world, it will teach you one thing: promote yourself. Dog eat dog, right? Win at all costs. Going to get my piece of the pie. Moving up. Self-promotion, self-promotion! James goes on and makes this comment. Now, think about this. We’ve seen it in Matthew, “Come and learn of Me. I’m meek and lowly.” “To whom will I show Myself mighty and powerful? To him that’s of a broken and contrite spirit and that trembles at My Word. That’s who I’ll reveal Myself powerful in.” “Why could we not cast them out? We were just having a little conversation about who the greatest among us was. Well, right now, you’re not showing that any of you are great. You’re being defeated by the powers of darkness.” James says in Chapter 4:6, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil…” Isn’t that an interesting thing in the context here? “Resist the devil.” Well, what is the devil doing? He’s doing the same thing he was doing with Jesus. He’s throwing all this bait at you, trying to get you to promote yourself, to save your own neck. “Jump off the pinnacle, and His angels will come and swoop you up, and then everybody will know you’re Messiah, and everything will just go great, praise God!” What’s being whispered in your ear on a daily basis promotes independence, self-will and self-exaltation. Has God said? Has God said?
James reveals then, the conflict that’s among them because of their own worldly appetites, their desire to be friends with the world. If you become a friend of the world, it will teach you one thing: promote yourself. Dog eat dog, right? Win at all costs. Going to get my piece of the pie. Moving up. Self-promotion, self-promotion! James goes on and makes this comment. Now, think about this. We’ve seen it in Matthew, “Come and learn of Me. I’m meek and lowly.” “To whom will I show Myself mighty and powerful? To him that’s of a broken and contrite spirit and that trembles at My Word. That’s who I’ll reveal Myself powerful in.” “Why could we not cast them out? We were just having a little conversation about who the greatest among us was. Well, right now, you’re not showing that any of you are great. You’re being defeated by the powers of darkness.” James says in Chapter 4:6, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil…” Isn’t that an interesting thing in the context here? “Resist the devil.” Well, what is the devil doing? He’s doing the same thing he was doing with Jesus. He’s throwing all this bait at you, trying to get you to promote yourself, to save your own neck. “Jump off the pinnacle, and His angels will come and swoop you up, and then everybody will know you’re Messiah, and everything will just go great, praise God!” What’s being whispered in your ear on a daily basis promotes independence, self-will and self-exaltation. Has God said? Has God said?