God has promised His grace, His look, His presence, along with a personal revival of spirit to those who are humble. How would this blessing of humility look? Peter gives us a ground for testing whether we are humble and guides us in humility.
1 Peter 5:5–7 (ESV) — 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Please notice how Peter begins this section by calling for the younger to submit to the elders. In the first four verses of 1Peter 5, Peter has outlined the responsibility of the elders to care for the flock, so it makes sense that he follows that with the admonition to submit to the elders. What does this imply? It implies that being a member of a church body is an act of humility as a person submits to the leadership of the body, he/she is submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ. When a person refuses to be part of a local church, then they are denying this form of humility. By the way, Jesus used this term, “younger” in reference to one who is lessor in aspect to authority.
Luke 22:24–26 (ESV) — 24 A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.
The first test of humility is whether a person who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ is a member of a local church but also lives in submission to the elders of that local body of believers.
Hebrews 13:17 (ESV) — 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
The second test of humility is the discipline of humbling ourselves before God.
1 Peter 5:6 (ESV) — 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
We need help in this area, which God provides graciously because if we are humble, He promises to exalt us. How does He help?
2 Corinthians 12:7–10 (ESV) — 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Please notice how Paul describes how God kept him humble or as he said, “from being conceited. He allowed him to experience the torment of a thorn in the flesh. God calls on us to humble ourselves but even the apostle Paul needed help in the matter so it should go without saying that we do as well. What happens as a result of being humbled before God?
Isaiah 66:1–2 (ESV) — 1 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? 2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
Isaiah 57:15 (ESV) — 15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
God looks to us, dwells with us, and revives us. Notice that is only for the humble and that is the exaltation from being humble – God’s look, presence, and revival.
The third test which is most telling is the matter of prayer.
1 Peter 5:7 (ESV) — 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Of course, that verse is actually a phrase that is part of the verse 6 so together we read:
1 Peter 5:6–7 (ESV) — 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
If you aren’t praying you aren’t humble because of you are seeking to humble yourself before God, then you will pray but if you aren’t humble then you won’t pray. What does. That tell us about a lack of prayer? It’s a result of pride in thinking you can handle life on your own. On the other than, when God allows us to be humbled and we cry to God in desperation, we find it to be just as He promised.
Psalm 102:17 (ESV) — 17 he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer.
Romans 8:26 (ESV) — 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Romans 8:15–16 (ESV) — 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
God is so gracious that He provides help as we pray, even a prompting to pray to add even more power to the situation of prayer as a true test of humility, whenever we turn away from praying we are quenching and denying the work of the Holy Spirit, and even more so, we are turning our back on the intercessory work of the Lord Jesus Christ and the glorious promise of mercy and help from God, the Father.
Hebrews 4:14–16 (ESV) — 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Next time you forsake time in prayer think about what you are denying yourself as you allow your pride to push away the blessings of God.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker
