Listen to the whispers of Jesus. Do I have “spiritual ears”? Are my ears inclined to listen and respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit? Spiritual sensitivity is learnt through obedience to the voice of God. It is “…the little foxes that spoil the vines,” Song of Solomon 2:15. I may judge a prompting of the Holy Ghost to walk in truth over a small matter as insignificant, but if the Lord is requiring it of me, when ignored it becomes “a little fox to spoil the vine” of the life of Christ in me. Why would I want to ignore the promptings? The answer is because I do not want to dismantle my image either to myself or before men. I want to hide in my pride. The pride of man is always self seeking, always wanting to hang on to one’s rights, stubbornly wanting its own way, self righteously justifying its actions. I need to see how God views pride. It can never be hidden from Him. “Abomination” is a very strong word. Scripture declares, “Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord, Proverbs 16:5.

I am never more wrong than when I am upholding my rights. The requirement of the fullness of Christ in me demands I humble myself before the counter that God directs me to and surrender my right to myself, and my reputation before God and men. Philippians 2:7-8, speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ, knowing who He was, declares that He, “….made Himself of no reputation……humbled Himself and became obedient……” The amazing truth is that when I humble myself and surrender to the Lord, this act of humility triggers the release of the supernatural, redemptive power of God Almighty. I dismantle my reputation and the Indwelling Christ in me releases His resurrection life to be what He intended me to be, and to do what He has called me to do. Christ in me, the hope of glory!

If I refuse the Holy Spirit’s promptings, I stay where I am and stagnate resulting in no change. But if I respond and act on the truth He has revealed to me and embrace it, I move on in God.

The Lord does not require me to put others right. He requires me to get right before Him. I may falsely believe I have no pride, but pride wears many masks! It may preach from the pulpit, sing in the choir, glory in its own achievements in any area. I must acknowledge and recognise that Christ is the enabling power and grace of all that I am, do and have. I stand in His strength alone. When I look at others and begin to judge them, it is an evidence of my pride. My pride finds expression in my judgement of others. I must recognise that if I am not doing what others are wrongly doing, it is because I am being kept from it by God’s grace. It is very easy to quote, “There but for the grace of God, go I”, but do I believe it? If I do not believe it, I will prove it! The more excellent way is to acknowledge the power of God’s keeping grace on my life.

Romans 2:1 declares God’s view of our judgement of our fellow men: “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whosoever you are that judges, for wherein you judge another, YOU CONDEMN YOURSELF, for you that judge, do the same things.” There are no grey areas here. This is one of God’s laws. When I judge others I am sowing the seed of condemning myself, digging a grave to fall in. I need to quickly humble myself and repent of my judgement. If God lifted His hand of keeping grace from me, I could be capable of any sin. We are all recipients of our Heavenly Father’s mercy and grace. His unconditional love has clothed me with a robe of righteousness. It is the righteousness of Christ, paid for with His life blood. Any self-righteousness on my part is nothing but a “filthy rag” in God’s eyes. Why does God have such an abhorrence of it?….because it is rooted in the mask of pride which separates us from Him. “…..Be clothed with humility, for God RESISTS the proud and gives grace to the humble,” 1 Peter 5:5. The desire of God’s heart is to have an intimate relationship with Him. He made us for His good pleasure to fellowship with Him, to enjoy life under His guiding hand, to be in health and blessing and be a vessel of honour for His divine purposes to extend His kingdom here on earth. God hates pride because it leads us away from Him and elevates ourselves to the place that His beloved Son should be operating in. Jesus Christ should have pre-eminence in all things in our lives, (Colossians 1:18).

Our Heavenly Father has called us, set His love upon us and given us a commission to fulfill that is greater than any kings’ or politicians’: to live our lives to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Do my thoughts, my deeds, my actions, my speech, the motives of my heart, bring glory to my Heavenly Father? Selah. It is the little foxes that spoil the vine.