Humility
Humility accepts God's destiny.
2 Chronicles 26:15And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong. 16But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.
Earthly success/acceptance is often much more dangerous than weakness/rejection. In weakness, I make God my strength. As He answers with strength on my behalf, it is easy to begin to presume I am " God's anointed" and begin to take license and liberty that is outside of His direction. Success often is actually testing my loyalty to God Himself.
Jesus paid that I could be loyal to God and His value system. The heart of David is to value anointing in others, that at the right time God will raise me up forever. I don't want to sell my forever for a temporary satisfaction...a bowl of stew.
Genesis 25:30And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. 31But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” 32And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” 33Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
David, the man after God's heart, went to extreme lengths to value the anointing...any trace of it...lingering on Saul. This made anointing valuable in David's life. If I disregard another's anointing, mine will be disregarded as well.
1 Samuel 24:5Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6And he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.” 7So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way. 8David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down.
The humility of Jesus taking the low place wasn't done in self denial, it was done in accepting the greatness the Father placed before Him. It isn't humility to deny the greatness God made you for, it is arrogance to think I could push it down and be humble without help. It is also arrogance to grab onto what only God can give me.
Humility is a narrow road of vision empowered by the Holy Spirit...love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, goodness, gentleness, self control...without laying aside vision. For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross by the Spirit.
Philippians 2: 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
Jesus' humility was led by NOT thinking His destiny was too great for Him. Humility accepts God's destiny. He didn't consider it robbery to be equal with God.
2 Chronicles 26:15And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong. 16But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.
Earthly success/acceptance is often much more dangerous than weakness/rejection. In weakness, I make God my strength. As He answers with strength on my behalf, it is easy to begin to presume I am " God's anointed" and begin to take license and liberty that is outside of His direction. Success often is actually testing my loyalty to God Himself.
Jesus paid that I could be loyal to God and His value system. The heart of David is to value anointing in others, that at the right time God will raise me up forever. I don't want to sell my forever for a temporary satisfaction...a bowl of stew.
Genesis 25:30And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. 31But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” 32And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” 33Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
David, the man after God's heart, went to extreme lengths to value the anointing...any trace of it...lingering on Saul. This made anointing valuable in David's life. If I disregard another's anointing, mine will be disregarded as well.
1 Samuel 24:5Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6And he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.” 7So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way. 8David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down.
The humility of Jesus taking the low place wasn't done in self denial, it was done in accepting the greatness the Father placed before Him. It isn't humility to deny the greatness God made you for, it is arrogance to think I could push it down and be humble without help. It is also arrogance to grab onto what only God can give me.
Humility is a narrow road of vision empowered by the Holy Spirit...love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, goodness, gentleness, self control...without laying aside vision. For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross by the Spirit.
Philippians 2: 5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
Jesus' humility was led by NOT thinking His destiny was too great for Him. Humility accepts God's destiny. He didn't consider it robbery to be equal with God.
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