“Let This Mind Be In You Which Was Also In Christ Jesus….”
Humility is the character quality that allows us to be all Christ wants us to be. We cannot come to God without it. We cannot love God supremely without it. We cannot be an effective witness for Christ without it. We cannot love and serve others without it. We cannot have godly relationships with others without it. We cannot resolve conflict without it. We cannot deal with the sin of others without it. We cannot resist sin without it.

In order to live out and be who God intends for us to be, we must embrace and live out humility.

Ephesians 4:1-3 - 1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
“lowliness” – tapeinophrosynē = humility tapeinos = low, based (not rising far from the ground) phren = mind, understanding
Phil 2:3 - Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
Col 3:12 - Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
1 Peter 5:5 - 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.”

The Enemy of Humility: Pride
Prov 16:5 - Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; though they join forces, none will go unpunished.

Where do we first see the sin of pride in creation? Ezekiel 28:17, Isaiah 14:12-14

Pride is the epidemic vice. It is everywhere and manifests itself in many ways. As much as we hate to admit it, we all have pride. The question is not, “Do I have it?” but, “Where is it?” and “How much of it do I have?” We all have a tendency to think too much about ourselves and too much of ourselves.
Amy Carmichael – “Those who think too much of themselves don’t think enough.”
Charles Swindoll – “The world’s smallest package is a man wrapped up in himself.”
Andrew Murray – “Pride is the root of every sin and evil”
Thomas Watson – “Pride is a spiritual drunkenness; it flies up like wine into the brain and intoxicates it. It is idolatry; a proud man is a self-worshiper.”

Proverbs 26:12 – “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

How does pride manifest itself in the Bible? In the pride of….
Position – Matthew 23:5-7 (Pharisees)– But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’
Ability & Achievement –2 Chronicles 26:15-16 (King Uzziah)- And 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. 16 But 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.
Wealth – 1 Timothy 6:17 - Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. (Prov 18:23; 28:11; James 2:1-4)
Possessions – Matthew 6:19-23 - “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The lamp of the body is the