From "The Steps to Freedom in Christ-A step-by-step guide to help you by Neil T. Anderson at AMAZON.COM
STEP 5 PRIDE vs. HUMILITY
Pride kills. It says, "I don't need God's or anyone else's help. I can handle it by myself." Oh no, you can't! We absolutely need God, and we necessarily need each other. The apostle Paul wisely wrote, "[we] worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3. emphasis added). That is a good definition of humility: putting no confidence in the flesh, that is, in ourselves; but, rather, being "strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might" (Ephesians 6:10, emphasis added). Humility is confidence properly placed in God.
Proverbs 3:5-7 expresses a similar thought: "Trust in the lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the lord and turn away from evil." James 4:6-10 and 1 Peter 5:1-10 also warn us that serious spiritual problems will result when we are proud. Use the following prayer to express your commitment to living humbly before God:
Dear Heavenly Father,
You have said that pride goes before destruction and an arrogant spirit before stumbling. I confess that I have been thinking mainly of myself and not of others. I have not denied myself, picked up my cross daily, and followed You. As a result, I have given ground to the devil in my life. I have sinned by believing I could be happy and successful on my own. I confess that I have placed my will before Yours, and I have centered my life around myself instead of You.
I repent of my pride and selfishness and pray that all ground gained in my members by the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ would be canceled. I choose to rely on the Holy Spirit's power and guidance so I will do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit. With humility of mind, I will regard others as more important than myself and I choose to make You, Lord, the center of my life.
Please show me now all the specific ways in which I have lived my life in pride. Enable me through love to serve others and in honor to prefer others. I ask all of this in the gentle and humble name of Jesus, my Lord. Amen.
The Bible makes it clear that we have two main responsibilities toward those in authority over us: to pray for them and to submit to them (see Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1,2). To commit yourself to that godly lifestyle, pray the following prayer aloud from your heart:
Dear Heavenly Father,
You have said in the Bible that rebellion is the same thing as witchcraft and as bad as idolatry.3 I know I have not always been submissive, but instead I have rebelled in my heart against You and against those You have placed in authority over me. I pray that You would show me all the ways I have been rebellious. I choose now to adopt a submissive spirit and a servant's heart. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.
Being under authority is clearly an act of faith! By submitting, you are trusting God to work through His established lines of authority, even when they are harsh or unkind or tell you to do something you don't want to do. There may be times when those over you abuse their authority and break the laws that are ordained by God for the protection of innocent people. In those cases, you will need to seek help from a higher authority for your protection. The laws in your state may require that such abuse be reported to the police or other governmental agency. If there is continuing abuse (physical, mental emotional or sexual) where you live, you may need further counseling help to deal with that situation.
If authorities abuse their position by requiring you to break God's law or compromise your commitment to Him, then you need to obey God rather than man (see Acts 4:19,20). Be careful though. Don't assume that an authority is violating God's Word just because he or she tells you to do something you don't like. We all need to adopt a humble, submissive spirit to one another in the fear of Christ (see Ephesians 5:21). In addition, however, God has set up specific lines of authority to protect us and to give order to our daily lives.
STEP 6 BONDAGE vs. FREEDOM
Many times we feel trapped in a vicious cycle of sin-confess-sin-confess that never seems to end. We can become very discouraged and end up just giving up and giving in to the sins of our flesh. To find freedom we must follow James 4:7: "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." We submit to God by confession of sin and repentance (turning away from sin). We resist the devil by rejecting his lies. Instead, put on the full armor of God and walk in the truth (see Ephesians 6:10-20).
Sin that has become a habit often requires help from a trusted brother or sister in Christ. James 5:16 says, "Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." Sometimes the assurance of 1 John 1:9 is enough: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Remember, confession is not saying, "I'm sorry"; it is openly admitting, "I did it." Whether you need help from other people or just the accountability of walking in the light before God, pray the following prayer aloud:
Dear Heavenly Father,
You have told me to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lust. I confess that I have given in to fleshly lusts that wage war against my soul. I thank You that in Christ my sins are already forgiven, but I have broken Your holy law and given the devil a chance to wage war in my body. I come to You now to confess and renounce these sins of the flesh so that I might be cleansed and set free from the bondage of sin. Please reveal to my mind all the sins of the flesh I have committed and the ways I have grieved the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Holy name, amen.
The following list contains many sins of the flesh, but a prayerful examination of Mark 7:20-23; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:25-31 and other Scripture passages will help you to be even more thorough. Look over the list below and the Scriptures just listed and ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your mind the ones you need to confess. He may reveal others to you as well. For each one the Lord shows you, pray a prayer of confession from your heart.
STEP 5 PRIDE vs. HUMILITY
Pride kills. It says, "I don't need God's or anyone else's help. I can handle it by myself." Oh no, you can't! We absolutely need God, and we necessarily need each other. The apostle Paul wisely wrote, "[we] worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3. emphasis added). That is a good definition of humility: putting no confidence in the flesh, that is, in ourselves; but, rather, being "strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might" (Ephesians 6:10, emphasis added). Humility is confidence properly placed in God.
Proverbs 3:5-7 expresses a similar thought: "Trust in the lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the lord and turn away from evil." James 4:6-10 and 1 Peter 5:1-10 also warn us that serious spiritual problems will result when we are proud. Use the following prayer to express your commitment to living humbly before God:
Dear Heavenly Father,
You have said that pride goes before destruction and an arrogant spirit before stumbling. I confess that I have been thinking mainly of myself and not of others. I have not denied myself, picked up my cross daily, and followed You. As a result, I have given ground to the devil in my life. I have sinned by believing I could be happy and successful on my own. I confess that I have placed my will before Yours, and I have centered my life around myself instead of You.
I repent of my pride and selfishness and pray that all ground gained in my members by the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ would be canceled. I choose to rely on the Holy Spirit's power and guidance so I will do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit. With humility of mind, I will regard others as more important than myself and I choose to make You, Lord, the center of my life.
Please show me now all the specific ways in which I have lived my life in pride. Enable me through love to serve others and in honor to prefer others. I ask all of this in the gentle and humble name of Jesus, my Lord. Amen.
The Bible makes it clear that we have two main responsibilities toward those in authority over us: to pray for them and to submit to them (see Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1,2). To commit yourself to that godly lifestyle, pray the following prayer aloud from your heart:
Dear Heavenly Father,
You have said in the Bible that rebellion is the same thing as witchcraft and as bad as idolatry.3 I know I have not always been submissive, but instead I have rebelled in my heart against You and against those You have placed in authority over me. I pray that You would show me all the ways I have been rebellious. I choose now to adopt a submissive spirit and a servant's heart. In Jesus' precious name, Amen.
Being under authority is clearly an act of faith! By submitting, you are trusting God to work through His established lines of authority, even when they are harsh or unkind or tell you to do something you don't want to do. There may be times when those over you abuse their authority and break the laws that are ordained by God for the protection of innocent people. In those cases, you will need to seek help from a higher authority for your protection. The laws in your state may require that such abuse be reported to the police or other governmental agency. If there is continuing abuse (physical, mental emotional or sexual) where you live, you may need further counseling help to deal with that situation.
If authorities abuse their position by requiring you to break God's law or compromise your commitment to Him, then you need to obey God rather than man (see Acts 4:19,20). Be careful though. Don't assume that an authority is violating God's Word just because he or she tells you to do something you don't like. We all need to adopt a humble, submissive spirit to one another in the fear of Christ (see Ephesians 5:21). In addition, however, God has set up specific lines of authority to protect us and to give order to our daily lives.
STEP 6 BONDAGE vs. FREEDOM
Many times we feel trapped in a vicious cycle of sin-confess-sin-confess that never seems to end. We can become very discouraged and end up just giving up and giving in to the sins of our flesh. To find freedom we must follow James 4:7: "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." We submit to God by confession of sin and repentance (turning away from sin). We resist the devil by rejecting his lies. Instead, put on the full armor of God and walk in the truth (see Ephesians 6:10-20).
Sin that has become a habit often requires help from a trusted brother or sister in Christ. James 5:16 says, "Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." Sometimes the assurance of 1 John 1:9 is enough: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Remember, confession is not saying, "I'm sorry"; it is openly admitting, "I did it." Whether you need help from other people or just the accountability of walking in the light before God, pray the following prayer aloud:
Dear Heavenly Father,
You have told me to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lust. I confess that I have given in to fleshly lusts that wage war against my soul. I thank You that in Christ my sins are already forgiven, but I have broken Your holy law and given the devil a chance to wage war in my body. I come to You now to confess and renounce these sins of the flesh so that I might be cleansed and set free from the bondage of sin. Please reveal to my mind all the sins of the flesh I have committed and the ways I have grieved the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Holy name, amen.
The following list contains many sins of the flesh, but a prayerful examination of Mark 7:20-23; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:25-31 and other Scripture passages will help you to be even more thorough. Look over the list below and the Scriptures just listed and ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your mind the ones you need to confess. He may reveal others to you as well. For each one the Lord shows you, pray a prayer of confession from your heart.
Step 7 CURSES vs. BLESSING
The next step to freedom is to renounce the sins of your ancestors as well as any satanic assignments directed toward you or your ministry. In the Ten Commandments, God said:
You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments (Exodus 20:4-6).
The iniquities of one generation can adversely affect future generations unless the sins of the ancestors are confessed and renounced, and your spiritual heritage in Christ is claimed. You are not guilty for the sin of your ancestors, but because of their sin, you may be predisposed to certain strengths or weaknesses and influenced by the physical and spiritual atmosphere in which you were raised. These conditions can contribute to causing someone to struggle with a particular sin. Ask the Lord to show you specifically what sins are characteristic of your family by praying the following prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I ask You to reveal to my mind now all the sins of my ancestors that are being passed down through family lines. I want to be free from those influences and walk in my new identity as a child of God. In Jesus' name, amen.
As the Lord brings those areas of family sin to your mind, list them below. You will be specifically renouncing them later in this step. In order to walk free from the sins of your ancestors and any assignments targeted against you, read the following declaration and pray the following prayer aloud. Remember, you have all the authority and protection you need in Christ to take your stand against such activity.
MAINTAINING YOUR FREEDOM
Even after finding freedom in Christ by going through these seven steps, you may come under attack hours, days or even weeks later. But you don't have to yield to the world, the flesh or the devil. As you continue to walk in humble submission to God, you can resist the devil and he will flee from you (see James 4:7).
The devil is attracted to sin like flies are attracted to garbage. Get rid of the garbage, and the flies will depart for smellier places. In the same way, walk in the truth, confessing all sin and forgiving those who hurt you, and the devil will have no place in your life.
Realize that one victory does not mean the battles are over. Freedom must be maintained. After completing these steps to freedom, one happy lady asked, "Will I always be like this?" The answer is, she will maintain her freedom as long as she remains in a right relationship with God. Even if she slips and falls, she should know how to get right with God again. One victim of horrible atrocities shared this illustration:
It was like being forced to play a game with an ugly stranger in my own home. I kept losing and wanting to quit, but the ugly stranger wouldn't let me. Finally, I called the police (a higher authority), and they came and escorted the stranger out. He knocked on the door, trying to regain entry, but this time I recognized his voice and didn't let him in. What a beautiful picture of gaining and keeping your freedom in Christ! We call upon Jesus, the ultimate authority, and He escorts the enemy of our souls away from us.
How to Maintain your Freedom
Your freedom must be maintained. We cannot emphasize that enough. You have won a very important battle in an ongoing war. Freedom will continue to be yours as long as you keep choosing the truth and standing firm in the strength of the Lord. If you become aware of lies you have believed, renounce them and choose the truth. If new, painful memories surface, forgive those who hurt you. If the Lord shows you other areas of sin in your life, confess those promptly.
Points of Interest
1. Humility is confidence properly placed in God.
2. The Bible makes it clear that we have two main responsibilities toward those in authority over us: to pray for them and to submit to them.
3. The iniquities of one generation can adversely affect future generations unless the sins of the ancestors are confessed and renounced, and your spiritual heritage in Christ is claimed.
4. In the same way, walk in the truth, confessing all sin and forgiving those who hurt you, and the devil will have no place in your life.
5. Freedom will continue to be yours as long as you keep choosing the truth and standing firm in the strength of the Lord.
The next step to freedom is to renounce the sins of your ancestors as well as any satanic assignments directed toward you or your ministry. In the Ten Commandments, God said:
You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments (Exodus 20:4-6).
The iniquities of one generation can adversely affect future generations unless the sins of the ancestors are confessed and renounced, and your spiritual heritage in Christ is claimed. You are not guilty for the sin of your ancestors, but because of their sin, you may be predisposed to certain strengths or weaknesses and influenced by the physical and spiritual atmosphere in which you were raised. These conditions can contribute to causing someone to struggle with a particular sin. Ask the Lord to show you specifically what sins are characteristic of your family by praying the following prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I ask You to reveal to my mind now all the sins of my ancestors that are being passed down through family lines. I want to be free from those influences and walk in my new identity as a child of God. In Jesus' name, amen.
As the Lord brings those areas of family sin to your mind, list them below. You will be specifically renouncing them later in this step. In order to walk free from the sins of your ancestors and any assignments targeted against you, read the following declaration and pray the following prayer aloud. Remember, you have all the authority and protection you need in Christ to take your stand against such activity.
MAINTAINING YOUR FREEDOM
Even after finding freedom in Christ by going through these seven steps, you may come under attack hours, days or even weeks later. But you don't have to yield to the world, the flesh or the devil. As you continue to walk in humble submission to God, you can resist the devil and he will flee from you (see James 4:7).
The devil is attracted to sin like flies are attracted to garbage. Get rid of the garbage, and the flies will depart for smellier places. In the same way, walk in the truth, confessing all sin and forgiving those who hurt you, and the devil will have no place in your life.
Realize that one victory does not mean the battles are over. Freedom must be maintained. After completing these steps to freedom, one happy lady asked, "Will I always be like this?" The answer is, she will maintain her freedom as long as she remains in a right relationship with God. Even if she slips and falls, she should know how to get right with God again. One victim of horrible atrocities shared this illustration:
It was like being forced to play a game with an ugly stranger in my own home. I kept losing and wanting to quit, but the ugly stranger wouldn't let me. Finally, I called the police (a higher authority), and they came and escorted the stranger out. He knocked on the door, trying to regain entry, but this time I recognized his voice and didn't let him in. What a beautiful picture of gaining and keeping your freedom in Christ! We call upon Jesus, the ultimate authority, and He escorts the enemy of our souls away from us.
How to Maintain your Freedom
Your freedom must be maintained. We cannot emphasize that enough. You have won a very important battle in an ongoing war. Freedom will continue to be yours as long as you keep choosing the truth and standing firm in the strength of the Lord. If you become aware of lies you have believed, renounce them and choose the truth. If new, painful memories surface, forgive those who hurt you. If the Lord shows you other areas of sin in your life, confess those promptly.
Points of Interest
1. Humility is confidence properly placed in God.
2. The Bible makes it clear that we have two main responsibilities toward those in authority over us: to pray for them and to submit to them.
3. The iniquities of one generation can adversely affect future generations unless the sins of the ancestors are confessed and renounced, and your spiritual heritage in Christ is claimed.
4. In the same way, walk in the truth, confessing all sin and forgiving those who hurt you, and the devil will have no place in your life.
5. Freedom will continue to be yours as long as you keep choosing the truth and standing firm in the strength of the Lord.
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