⏱ 11 min read

• Today, we share with you a few lessons from Jesus’ interaction with Pontius Pilate and expand on similar trends that will be a blessing to us. Let’s dig in:

Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.
Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”
Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” (John 19:8-11)

• Pontius Pilate mistakenly told Jesus that he had the power to crucify Him and the power to release Him. It seemed so in the natural, but it was not so at all.
• Jesus rightly pointed out to him that he would have no power unless God had given it to him.
• In other words, Pilate actually had no power! Jesus was saying, “Stop the paapaa; you could not even do one thing unless God willed it.”

There are many like Pontious Pilate today. Dear friend, watch out for people who make overconfident declarations about who they are and what they can do.

• All the abilities that you and I have are God-given talents and abilities. We must be very careful to acknowledge this reality.
• Any declaration that leaves out or forgets the divine factor is an overconfident declaration of pride.

Some years ago, a leader of a ministry (in a country that begins with one of the letters of the alphabet) made some outstanding statements. He said, "All that you did when I was on vacation was child's play; as I have come, I am going to show you all how to run the ministry proper; we're now coming to do the real thing!" 
In other words, "I am the one who knows how to run this ministry; all that the others did is useless; I will show you real ministry as I have come." 

That was indeed an overconfident declaration. Dear friend, remember the Scriptures: God is the only one who can show us how to do the “real” ministry! (John 15:5, 1 Corinthians 3:6).

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
"I planted, Apollos watered but God gave the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:6).

The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and THE TONGUE THAT SPEAKETH PROUD THINGS: (Psalms 12:3)

• What does it mean to have a tongue that speaks proud things? It means to have a mouth that is arrogant, rude and full of pride.
• There are remarks that are made by proud people that we must notice and most importantly avoid! Pride is revealed when people speak!
• When you hear certain comments you must ask yourself: what have I just heard? What kind of statement have I just heard?

The statement made by Pilate was an overconfident declaration and it is one of the signs of proud speech. I’ll leave you with some other signs: (2) Comments that forget the grace of God:

• Watch out for people who speak as though they accomplish all that they do without God’s grace.
• Dear friend, do not describe God’s gifts to you, and opportunities given to you as though they were your own achievements.

One day at a meeting, people were being urged to go out on visitation. A lady stood up and encouraged everyone to fulfil the great commission. 
Suddenly, a brother blurted out from the back, “You don’t have a husband or a child that is why you are urging us to go out on evangelism.”

• That was an unfortunate comment by someone who had a spouse and a child.
• “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7)
• This brother forgot that it takes the grace of God to get married. It also takes the grace of God to have a child.

(3) Statements that REJECT and REFUSE INSTRUCTIONS. “Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, “WE WILL NOT COME.” (Numbers 16:12)

• Watch out for people who abruptly reject and refuse instructions. Moses encountered proud people who told him flatly, “We will not come.”
• These people did not end up well because pride comes before a fall. They were soon swallowed up by the ground. Such is the fate of those who lift themselves up haughtily.

During the COVID time, a certain leader X was undertaking a project with their choir. They were utilising the internet to learn songs, make personal recordings and send them for review and correction.
One of the members seemed to be irritated by this request. She said “I will not do any recording. Doesn't Leader X have anything to do with his life that he is worrying us with recordings?

I remember there was a time we chose new competent leaders in our ministry and they were to lead and instruct the others as to what to do, when to report, etc. However, it did not go down well with everyone. One person said, “I cannot be dealing with these new leaders. I am not a small girl and I have been here before they came! Why should a small girl be calling me, asking me questions, and instructing me?”

• Do these sound familiar? Indeed, they sound just like Korah and his friends (Dathan and Abiram) in the Book of Numbers.
• They sound just like Dathan and Abiram who said they would not go for the meeting and Moses cannot instruct them.
• Dear friend, let’s watch out or pride can make our end like that of Korah and his friends!

(4) CORRECTION UPWARDS: Pointing out the errors of leaders. In Matthew 16, Peter tried to correct Jesus Christ. Peter tried to guide Jesus Christ in His ministry. Imagine that!

From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

THEN PETER TOOK HIM, AND BEGAN TO REBUKE HIM, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 
But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. (Matthew 16:21-23)

• Watch out for people who correct their leaders and tell them what to do. This is what Peter tried to do when he told Jesus not to die on the cross.
• Can you imagine what would have happened to us if Jesus had listened to Peter’s uninformed counsel? We would all have been sitting in darkness waiting to go to hell.
• A sheep is not supposed to direct the shepherd. It is the shepherd who directs the sheep.

Peter became overconfident because of his appointment as the head of the church. He began to rebuke the king of kings and the Lord of Lords and to tell Him what to do.

• Watch out for people who are so big that they know what the leader must do and how he must do it.
• [Eg. I know of a pastor who after delivering a sermon, had a church member who went to him to correct his preaching].

Once upon a time, leader Y spoke to a young lady (who he had personally helped get good employment) but had at the time ghosted their ministry for a long while and just resurfaced with no information or explanations. 

Leader Y inquired about it and also asked that she communicates to the 'family' (ministry) the next time she is faced with difficulties that prevent her from being around. The lady smiled and followed the conversation. They even spoke about the health challenge she was facing and leader Y offered some counsel amd gave her money for a health test to help out.

The next day she texted a long message to leader Y (paraphrased): "People have their reasons for choosing a hermit life. She then asked Leader Y not to assume when she is not around but he should rather call (when she ghosts) and find out what is wrong with her. She also described an incident and told Leader Y that he did not act like 'family' acts. Lastly, she added that she did not like the tone Leader Y used because it dismissed her feelings and emotions."

• This lady who was seemingly humble when she was not employed; never had a problem with her leader’s tone and actions.
• She was now listing errors in this same leader (who got her employed) and his leadership abilities and showing him how to lead or the right way to go about his leadership.

Watch out for people who are behaving just like Peter did. Because of their appointments and minimal spiritual or physical gains, they think they are something that they are not.

• What happened to Peter when he rebuked his teacher/master/Saviour? He fell so low! God revealed to him that he was actually nothing!
• Let’s end with a last one which is a bit similar to this: (5) ILLEGITIMATE REBUKES OF AUTHORITIES (Numbers 16:3-4)

They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. WHY THEN DO YOU EXALT YOURSELVES ABOVE THE ASSEMBLY OF THE LORD?"

Watch out for people who rebuke spiritual authorities. It is a dangerous practice and a sign of loftiness, haughtiness, arrogance and pride. The sons of Korah rose up and rebuked Moses. They accused him of being puffed up. Imagine that!

• Imagine telling Moses that he feels too big! Then they rebuked him for having too much power in the camp of Israel (This is the Moses that God considered the most humble in Numbers 12)
• They also pointed out to him that he was not the only holy or special person in Israel.
• In their presentation, they made it clear that other people in the congregation were holy. To be holy means to be special. Imagine that!

There are always people who are ready and willing to rebuke spiritual authorities. There are people (eg politicians) who lift up themselves and speak disparagingly about God’s servants.

• There are members (even pastors) who rise up and point out the faults of the experienced spiritual fathers of the day.
• Watch out for people who can fearlessly rebuke those who have laid great foundations of things being enjoyed today (be it the church, business, ministry, family, etc.)
• Let’s end here for today. I believe this is a good time to pray about what we’ve learnt about the proud speech, how to diagnose it and how to avoid falling into it.

Remember, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Heyy… you’re blessed and highly favoured and dearly loved!