The Sin God Hates Most - Pride

Good morning, church family! Today we’re going to talk about something that’s as sneaky as a cat in your lap, and just as dangerous as a lion in your living room—pride. It’s the kind of sin that doesn't just sneak up on us—it wears a crown, throws a parade, and demands we notice it. Pride is one of the most dangerous things because it puffs us up, makes us believe we’re better than others, and even makes us think we don’t need God.

Now, you might be thinking, “But Pastor Cris, pride is what helps me keep my head up! Pride is what makes me stand tall and walk confidently!” But here’s the truth: Pride is the thing that will knock you down faster than a boxing match with Mike Tyson.

And God, who loves us and wants the best for us, hates pride. Why? Because pride stands in direct opposition to what God is trying to do in our lives. The Bible says, in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Let’s break this down. If pride were a person, it would be the guy who always brags at the party, takes credit for things he didn’t do, and makes everyone feel small just so he can feel big. Pride is the thing that blocks God from working in your life because it’s all about “me, me, me.”

Pride Comes Before a Fall

We see the warning in Proverbs: Pride goes before destruction. It’s not just a catchy phrase. It’s a warning. God doesn’t want us to fall. He’s rooting for us, but He knows how dangerous pride is. The Bible tells us that Satan himself was cast down because of pride. In Isaiah 14:13-14, it says Satan said, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will make myself like the Most High.” And we all know how that ended—Satan got tossed out faster than a speeding bullet..

You know, when we think we’re too good for God, too good for other people, too good for humility—we’re headed for a fall. That’s not just personal destruction, but spiritual destruction. The thing about pride is, it makes us spiritually blind. It tells us, “You don’t need anyone. You’re good on your own.” It keeps us from seeing that we need God’s grace every day.

The Pride Parades and the Spotlight Culture

Let’s talk about modern pride for a second. Take the Pride Parades that are happening in the world today. Now, hear me clearly—I'm not talking about people or their stories. People are loved by God, no matter what, but let’s talk about pride itself. There’s a reason why it’s called Pride—because it’s about putting self at the center of everything, and making the whole world revolve around you.

I’ve seen people post on social media, “Pride is power! Pride is who I am!” Okay, but let’s get this straight—God says it’s not about us. The world may try to make it about us, but God says it's about Him. When we put ourselves first, we’re doing the exact opposite of what Jesus did. He humbled Himself, took on the form of a servant, and gave His life for us.

And then we get Black Lives Matter, which is a cause that we can all get behind—it’s about justice and equality. But here's where the pride sneaks in: When the focus is more on a movement, a label, or a cause than on Christ Himself, it’s like we’re getting distracted from the main goal: Jesus came to reconcile us to God. That’s our ultimate purpose! Not to elevate ourselves, but to lift Him up.

When we take something good and make it about ourselves, it becomes tainted by pride. Pride shifts our focus from serving God to serving our egos. And when we get too prideful, we miss the heart of God's love and grace.

Self Spotlighting: Satan's Favorite Thing

Now, let’s talk about self-spotlighting. You know, the Instagram posts, the TikTok dances, the endless selfies—“Look at me, look at me!” All of these things aren’t bad in themselves. But when we start to make our lives about “look at how amazing I am”, instead of, “look at how amazing God is”, we’re dangerously close to pride.

Remember, Satan’s main goal isn’t to make us hate God. He’s smarter than that. What he loves is when we get so caught up in our own importance, so obsessed with our image, so fixated on our success, that we forget about God’s glory.

Satan doesn’t need us to worship him directly. He just needs us to worship ourselves. When we make our plans, our goals, our identity the center of our life, we’re no different from the devil himself. Because that’s exactly what got him kicked out of heaven—he tried to make himself greater than God.

How to Overcome Pride: Be Humble, Like Jesus

So, how do we stop this cycle? Humility. The exact opposite of pride is humility, and the best example of humility is Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:5-8 says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

Jesus came to serve, not to be served. He didn’t come to shine the spotlight on Himself, but to shine the spotlight on God’s glory. And guess what? That’s the kind of life we’re called to live.

When we humble ourselves, God lifts us up. But when we exalt ourselves, God brings us down (and usually with a loud thud).

Why Pride is the Sin God Hates Most

Here’s the kicker: Pride is the root of all sin. When Satan fell, it wasn’t because he wanted to do something bad—it was because he wanted to be like God. He wanted to take God’s place. And in our pride, we do the same thing—we try to sit on the throne of our lives and say, “God, I’ve got this.”

But here's the good news: God offers forgiveness. The moment we humble ourselves before Him, the moment we say, “God, I’m sorry for letting pride take over,” He forgives us, cleanses us, and empowers us to live for Him, not ourselves.

“Speaking My Truth” – How It Goes Against God’s Truth

Alright, now let’s talk about something that’s become a buzzword in today’s world: “speaking my truth.” You’ve probably heard it—someone says, “Well, I’m just speaking my truth” when they share their opinions or feelings. But here’s the thing: “My truth” isn’t always the truth. In fact, it can be downright dangerous when we think our personal feelings or perspectives override God’s truth.

Let me break it down: God’s truth is unchanging, eternal, and absolute. It’s like gravity—you can argue with it, try to ignore it, or act like it doesn’t exist, but it’s still going to affect you. God’s truth is what’s laid out in His Word, and it’s not negotiable. The truth isn’t something we create based on our experiences, opinions, or emotions—it’s something God has already established.

When someone says, “I’m just speaking my truth,” what they really mean is, “I’m speaking what I want to be true, even if it goes against what God says.” And that’s where it gets tricky. You see, God doesn’t care about “your truth” or “my truth.” He cares about His truth. And when we start prioritizing our own “truths,” we’re saying that God’s truth doesn’t matter—and that’s not something God takes lightly.

In fact, in John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” That’s the truth right there—there’s no wiggle room. It’s not “my truth” or “your truth.” It’s His truth. And His truth has to be the foundation of how we live.

When we say “my truth” is more important than God’s truth, we’re essentially saying we get to make up the rules, and that’s just not the way it works.

Remember, God is the Creator—He made everything, including truth. We don’t get to redefine it based on our feelings or situations. Truth is fixed, and it’s rooted in God’s Word.

The Bottom Line: Humble Yourself, Align with God’s Truth

So, next time you hear someone say, “I’m just speaking my truth,” you can gently remind them: “What you really need is God’s truth.” We all need to humble ourselves and align our thoughts, feelings, and actions with the truth God has already established. His truth is the only one that lasts. It’s the one that sets us free, it’s the one that brings healing, and it’s the one that leads us into eternal life.

Let’s stop living based on the truth we’ve created for ourselves and start living according to God’s unchanging truth. And when we do that, we’ll find freedom—not just for ourselves, but for everyone we come in contact with.

Conclusion: Let’s Kick Pride to the Curb

So, church, let’s do this: Kick pride to the curb. Stop making it about us, our glory, our fame, and start making it about God. When you wake up in the morning, remind yourself: It’s not about me. It’s about Him.

And remember, pride doesn’t just wear a crown—it wears a mask, and it can fool you into thinking you’re better than everyone else. But God doesn’t want us to be fooled. He wants us to humble ourselves and let Him be the King of our lives.

Let’s pray:

Father God, we ask for forgiveness for the times we’ve been prideful and made life about ourselves. We repent for exalting our own glory over Yours. Help us to live humble lives, just like Jesus did. We know that when we humble ourselves, You will lift us up. Thank You for Your grace. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Let’s go out and live humbly this week, knowing that the highest honor comes from serving Him, not ourselves.