We all have pride. Humility is not natural, it must be intentional, it is a choice to make

Humility is a Blessings

• Wisdom: Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom
• Honour: Proverbs 29:23 A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor
• Protection: Psalms 31:23 Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves (to guard, watch, watch over, keep) the faithful, and fully repays the proud person.
• Cares: Psalms 138:6 Though the Lord is on high, yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar.

1) True Humility is about Astute Assessment – The Jebusites

Astute assessment is to measure oneself accurately

• It is not to inflate oneself to such high and lofty attitude that pride is glaringly evident;
• nor to lower oneself to pathetic state which some mistaken that as being humble – both are pride

Too much humility can become pride

• It is sin – Proverbs 21:4 A haughty look, a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked are sin
• It is evil and it defies – Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
• It is opposed by God – 1 Peter 5:5-8 & James 4:6-8: God opposes the proud

2 Samuel 5:6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,” thinking, “David cannot come in here.”

This is the first battle David engaged in as king of Israel – The battle at Jerusalem

• Jebusites are descendants from Noah, his son Ham and Ham’s third son Canaan
• “Jebusite” means “thresher”, an agricultural activity of beating the grain out of the husk
• Jebusite spirits, being “threshers”, are spirits that tread or “stomp” on other people
• The Jebusites were proud – they tend to put down others and make them feel small
• They ridiculed and insulted David, saying even the blind and the lame can defeat David’s army
• They overly estimated themselves thinking that they are impenetrable because of their location.

We must have astute assessment of ourselves and not to have the pride of the Jebusites.

How a humble person deals with failure?

• Accept responsibility (instead of blaming others or denying)
• Remain and persevere through (instead of calling it quit)
• Learn from the mistakes and grow from it (instead of deceiving themselves)

How a humble person deals with success?

• Receive complements with joy (instead of brushing off as “luck” or undermine the success)
• Accredit those who has a part of the success (instead of taking all the credits)
• Thankful for the success (instead of keep talking about it, even if they “bring” God in the picture)

Humility is not natural, it must be intentional

 

2) True Humility is about Abolishing the Stronghold

2 Samuel 5:7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David, Jerusalem).

• The Jebusites were proud to think that their position is formidable and impenetrable
• Stronghold of Zion – ancient fortress with defensive walls, surrounded by steep hills and valleys
• These strongholds in our lives can become nets that trap us, snares that make us proud
• A proud person has many impenetrable strongholds that keeps them from having breakthroughs

Background of Jerusalem:

• Judges 1:21 But the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; so the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
• 1 Samuel 17:54 And David took the head of the Philistine (Goliath) and brought it to Jerusalem (18 miles or 29Km), but he put his armour in his tent

Why would David bring the head of Goliath to Jerusalem where the Jebusites dwelt?

• In his time, it is common for victors to decapitate their foe and display it for all to see their victories.
• The Jebusites have always been taunting Israel, ridiculing them and when Goliath taunted Israel, it reminded David of the Jebusites. 22 years later, David went and conquered Jerusalem.
• There is a prophetic significant in this – David brought the head of Goliath to Jerusalem and left it outside of the walls of the Jebusites – that was where Jesus will be crucified in His time.
• Satan thought he has won when Jesus was crucified, but it is at the cross that ultimate victory is won
• The victory of Jesus is won not by force, but humble submission unto death at the cross

3) True Humility is about Achieving Courageously

 Samuel 5:8 Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft (KJV gutter) and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and captain. Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”

As Jerusalem is surrounded by valleys, they get their water from Gihon Spring through a Gutter

• The water level in the gutter was ten inches deep, leaving only but four inches of breathing space
• David’s men struggled to get into Jebusites location by crawling through filthy gutter and scaling high perpendicular slopes for hours– even they did not succeed, they were daring enough to try

A truly humble person dares to dream big

• David, a young man who was many times smaller and younger, fought Goliath
• Elisha, a disciple of Elijah, asked for double portion of anointing
• Joshua, a youth, led the people into the promise land
• Caleb an old man asked for the mountain
• Nehemiah, a cup bearer, built the wall of Jerusalem

A heart of humility is a heart that pleases God. Humility is not natural, it must be intentional

Let’s strive to be a Presence driven Church by having a heart of humility, a heart that pleases God

2 Chronicles 7:14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.