Humility

Topic: Humility

Text: 1Peter 5:5 " Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble."

Cross Reference Text: If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:1‭-‬11 KJV

Humility is the quality possessed by an individual to be able to keep one's importance modestly. _It can also be expressed as a state of lowliness of mind as stated in the scripture above_
I understand at some point in life we must have come across the word humility or even sat under the ministration centered on humility. I pray the Lord will speak to every heart through this word in Jesus name.
As we have been given the meaning of humility I want us to look at the importance of humility and why a Christian should possess such attribute. To start with, quietness shouldn't be mistaken for humility neither should pretense or eye service be mistaken for humility. These days we live in, we can easily be carried away by the side people show to us rather than their true identity and we are often judging the book by it's cover. From the main text it's clear that the will of God for us all is to submit ourselves to each other in humble service, that is as much as a worker is dedicated to the employer the employer shouldn't take liberty and maltreat such and also regardless of how over-qualified an employee is, the qualifications are worthless if such employee isn't humble.

The Main text highlighted both old and young to be submissive to each other so it’s a two way thing not just one way.  The fear of the Lord instills humility in the heart of a believer (Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom and before honour is humility)
We have a role model that is so humble and that is our Lord Jesus Christ. A song we are mostly familiar with describes  the humility of Christ and it goes thus  "He came from heaven to earth to show the way, from the earth to the cross my debt you paid, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky. Lord I lift your name on High".
The Humility of our saviour from how he left his throne in heaven just for the salvation of the world, He was born through man in the lowest key. Many of us this day even make trip out of our country to a more developed country to give birth if God permits because we want more for our child(ren). Please don’t mistake the statement to pride but it's just a way to compare how our Lord did not choose the most expensive way to come to this word, He came through the commoner.
A saying goes thus that the empty vessel makes the loudest noise, many of us Christians in this age we blow our trumpet before it's due to sound, we are in haste to get to the top but we forget that the way down is actually the way up. Humble yourself and you will receive divine elevation. You may be wondering how the fear of God results in humility, it's who you adore that you fear not in a negative way but in a way you are careful not to bring stain to the name of the person.

Importance of Humility:
• It is the will of God for us as believers
Luke 14: 12b " He that humbleth himself shall be exalted",
John 3: 30 " He must increase but I must decrease", Colossians 3:12 " put on then as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. From the references we can see that God's will for us is to be humble so that we can attain the height He wants to take us to.

• It brings out the glory of God through us for the world to see
Proverbs 22:4 " By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honour and life" you don't get honoured by filling your body with pride because it leads to destruction.

• Humility allows the beauty of God in us to be seen and felt by a lost soul, it's very difficult to share the gospel through pride, through pride you can easily be condemning the soul you ought to win to Christ because you feel you know it all and can dish out who is fit for heaven or not. LET US BE MINDFUL OF LITTLE FOXES IN US THAT HINDERS OUR MANDATE TO PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL TO THE LOST.

• Humility gives us platform to fulfill destiny say for example you are a talented minstrel and you know when you minister miracle happens and just because of that you allow it to get to your head gradually you will lose the savor because with God you are a vessel for His use and whatever you do is unto him not anyone else. This doesn't necessarily apply to talents used within the church any where you are enabled to use your talent be humble with it so that the platform placed for you can actually lead to destiny fulfillment for you.

Why a Christian needs to be humble

• You are an ambassador for Christ
2 Corinthians 5:20a " Now then we are ambassadors for Christ"

Proverbs 13: 17  "a wicked ambassador falleth into mischief; but a faithful ambassador is health"_as an ambassador for Christ we are to promote the views of Jesus. We are to love what He loves and do away with what He hates.

• It is an act of worship to God; many of the people who had received something from God, have been prophet of old and are sitting with Him in heaven know let go of whom they are.

Matthew 16:24 " then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me",
John 12:26 "If any man serve me, let him follow me and where I am, there shall also my servant be; if any an serve me him will my father honour"
It's quite impossible to follow someone except you are determined to have a true relationship with the person and honour the person. Taking the woman with the issue of blood for example she worshipped Christ in a humble state. How did she touch the helm of His garment, she wasn't a midget she must have stooped to the lowest preferably prostrated in other to touch the helm of His garment in order to get whole she forgot herself so that Christ can feel her and she got a result she had wasted money on for 12 years. A situation that robbed her off her name till tomorrow  she isn't identified by her real name but  her condition but humility that led to worshipping the most high changed her story.

• It's a way to showcase the new creature in you 2 Corinthians 5:17 " therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new"_you cannot show you are a new creature if you fail to let go of your old self. There is an iota of pride in every human being, we all carry it in our gene so no one is perfect except through Christ in us.

The newness of Christ in you will quicken your spirit to make less importance of yourself at all time you will have full understanding of who you really her. Your image is not what determines who you are, the things carried inside of you and how it is used is what actually tells people who you are.

My prayer is God will grant us all the enablement to be humble and allow His fear to rule in our being.

I pray that in any ways that we have unknowingly allow the pride of self to ruin the plans of God mercy will speak for us in Jesus name.

I pray that that which the Lord expect of us we shall do and what He doesn’t want us to do the grace not to do it may He give us in Jesus name.

I pray that in anyways we struggle with pride the Holy Spirit will help us to get over it and be who God wants us to be through Humility in Christ in Jesus name

I pray that after attaining the height He purpose for us in life we will not seek the crown from man but instead wait for the glory of the latter which is in Heaven for us in Jesus name

Let us pray
Ask for mercy of God and thank God for the word in season

Ask God to fill you over again less of you and more of Him in You

Ask God to open your eyes to the benefit in humility and grace to adhere to it

Pray that in anyway the enemy of your soul is using pride to stand as hindrance over your life God should give you victory over pride and the enemy in Jesus name

Ask for grace to remember when you are stepping out of humility into pride and retrace your step back in Jesus name

Thank God for this platform which he has been using to feed and fill our spirit man

Thank God for answered prayers