OUR PRIDE CAN LEAD TO OUR DOWNFALL

PROCLAMATION

“But after Uzziah became so powerful, his pride led to his downfall.  He was unfaithful to The Lord his God …”  2 Chronicles 26:16 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

From the time that Amaziah king of Judah turned away from The Lord, some of the people conspired against him.  After he was defeated by Jehoash king of Israel he fled to Lachish, but the people sent men after him and killed him there. (2 Chronicles 25:27-28)  Then the people made Uzziah, the sixteen-year-old son of Amaziah, king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 26:1-3)  Uzziah did that which was right in the eyes of The Lord, and as long as he sought The Lord, God gave him success. (2 Chronicles 26:3-5)  He defeated his enemies in battle.  He built towers in Jerusalem and in the wilderness.  He fortified the cities.  He dug many cisterns and planted many vineyards.  He had a large well-trained army.  He even invented devices to hurl stones from the walls at any enemy that attacked him.  He was powerful and his fame spread far and wide. (2 Chronicles 26:6-15)  He became so powerful that his pride led him to be unfaithful to The Lord.  He went into a rage and was ready to fight the men of God in the temple, but The Lord God caused him to develop leprosy right there during his rage. (2 Chronicles 26:16-23)

APPLICATION

There are times when we get caught up in our accomplishments and we think that we are more than we actually are. (Romans 12:3)  We think that we are responsible for our success and become full of pride.  We seem to forget that all that we have, and all that we are, represent blessings from The Lord God. (James 1:17)  We should be thankful for every success that we have had and praise God for it. (Proverbs 3:6)  Without God we would be nothing.  It is because of Him that we live, move, and have our very being. (Acts 17:28)  We need to acknowledge Him for all that He does and for all that He allows us to do. (Proverbs 3:6)  Let us not let our pride get in the way of our praise.