Integrity- People of God

Humility is total dependence on God. Recognizing and acknowledging that everything owes its life, being and entire survival to God the Creator and Sustainer of all that is and all that will ever be. True humility confesses it owes everything to God. It presents itself as an empty vessel for God to dwell and manifest Himself, His power and His goodness. When we humble ourselves we live a life under authority, understanding that every moment God is maintaining our lives by the perpetual operation of His Mighty power. We show the glory of God in the earth when we live with God as the ever-present and ever-knowing God working on our behalf. Even with it appears all is lost and there is no hope. The root of our humility and virtue is grounded in our entire dependence on God as our creator, sustainer, provider and protector.

Mankind was created in the image of God. God revealed Himself by His Spirit in and through mankind, His created beings. God created the world and the universe for mankind to be partakers of His abundant life and to be His glory in the earth. We were created to display the love of God, the power of God and the wisdom of God by our constant communion, and continued communication with God. Mankind’s lifeline, purpose and very existence rest on an intimacy and relationship with God who is ever-present. Our perfect union with God as Creator rests with our universal dependence on God as the only true and living God.

John 17:3-4 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. NIV

Pride is the loss of humility and pride is the root of every sin. In the beginning Satan pride was used to persuade Adam and Eve to listen to a lie rather than the truth of God. The desire to be as God is the source of pride, it is self-exaltation. The desire to lift up one’s self above ones created purpose leads to disobedience to God and an adoration of self. Even at the cost of denying God and destroying others. That is what happened in The Garden when sin entered the world. A life of humility is living under authority to God who created us, but when that is gone a life of pride and sin begins.

Jesus came as a man to bring us back into the right relationship with God and to give us a spirit of humility, which is total dependence on God as our Creator, our Source and our Sustainer. Just as Pride began in heaven with Satan declaring he would be exalted above God, Jesus the Son of God showed His humility in heaven by accepting the call to become a man. This humility Jesus displayed in heaven and He also performed on earth. Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient unto death on the cross and leaving us an example of humility dying to self.

Humility is of great value to God because it recognizes God as the ultimate power as Creator
of all that exists. God wants to reveal Himself to His creation through a life that totally trusts Him with their life, their existence and even their death. True humility understands it owes everything to God, this present life and life through all eternity. Knowing God’s love for us allows us to humble ourselves before Him. We know God wants to make us partakers of His goodness and His abundant life. It is by faith in the completed work of Jesus whom God sent to save us from pride and self-importance that we can live a life of humility through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Salvation is a gift from God. He imparts to us the Holy Spirit to transforms our lives for us to live humbly and in communion with God through the life and death of Jesus. It is Jesus’ disposition of humility that is rooted and grounded into every true believer in Christ. God in His redeeming work and love for all mankind allowed Jesus to take our place and pay our debt so that we may fulfill our created destiny which is to reflect the image of God. Jesus as a man lived a life of humility, under authority and His humility is our salvation. The salvation provide through Jesus should be reflected as humility in us.

The original state of mankind and their relationship to God was one of humility, complete dependence and total trust in God. So is the stamp, the hallmark and signature of a life saved by God is that of prevailing humility and love toward others. Humility is the root that gives us the right attitude to trust God and allow God to do all in our lives. Knowing whatever state we are in, we can trust God with the outcome. Because we know God is working all these hard and unpleasant things together for our good, His glory and our created purpose. He is working for us to reflect the good that is in the image of Jesus, not to feel good, look good and not even to be happy but to be transformed into an image that looks like God.

Romans 8:28-29 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters NIV

Humility is not something we bring to God but a state of mind; it is simply a sense of self nothingness, in and of ourselves, but capable of doing all things by the power of the Almighty God Who loves us. When we as created beings consent to align our will to God’s and to be one with Him, in His purpose, affections and pursuits we become a vessel for His glory. And the continued work of God, His truth and love will manifest itself through us to a lost world.

Humility is simply acknowledging God as creator and us as His creation. Yielding to God His place as the Most High God allows Him freedom to be everything in us and for us. This lost and dying world will see the light of His glory in a life lived out in us daily.