Old Treasures on Tuesdays!
This one is from three years ago…
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10, NKJV)
My thirteen-year-old son David is quickly growing into a young man. His voice is getting lower, his shoulders broader. A year ago, he passed me up in height (which in his mind was one of the most long-awaited, exciting moments of his young existence). And he detests pictures of himself as a younger boy or baby. He’s passionately enthusiastic in his pursuit of discovering manhood, and eager to leave behind all traces of anything less.
This makes me wonder what it felt like for God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, whose presence fills the entire universe… to move in the reverse direction, becoming a helpless baby. To transition from the place where His eyes blaze like fire, lighting rods shoot forth from His fists, and the mountains tremble like wax before Him… to being an adorable infant whose cheeks all the aunties and cousins wanted to pinch.
This is the opposite direction from the development David is experiencing – and a change incalculably more dramatic. God’s mighty hands had created humans. Now their hands were changing His diaper.
I nearly stop breathing for a moment, trying to wrap my mind around the immeasurable amount of humility required for Jesus to submit Himself to such a reversal of His uncontested, unapproachable position at the right hand of God the Father!
His humility perplexed the devil. The devil doesn’t understand humility. He decided long ago that he wanted to take God’s place and receive the adoration of all creatures. When arrogance entered his heart, it corrupted his entire being. He has no space inside of himself that could possibly begin to fathom humility.
Humility is the secret wisdom of God. Paul references this in 1 Corinthians: “But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God…” (1 Cor. 2:7a, ESV). This wisdom from Him is secret and hidden from the devil because the enemy has no frame of reference for it. It completely confuses him.
From the very beginning of His incarnation, Jesus had His foe mystified. The devil couldn’t even find baby Jesus. Working through Herod, he tried hard to uncover his whereabouts. He utterly failed.
The same passage goes on to explain, “None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (v. 8) Jesus’ ultimate act of humility was to offer Himself as the sacrifice for our sins. This, too, absolutely confounded the evil one.
Jesus’ laying down His life was written prophetically into Scriptures centuries before He came to earth. The devil knows what the Bible says better than many Christians do. No matter. Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself was not on his radar, regardless. Again, this is because he simply cannot comprehend humility. He cannot anticipate it, he cannot plan for it, and he cannot conquer it.
Humility keeps you spiritually safe. This is what Holy Spirit means when He says, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3, NKJV). Every time you die to your pride for the cause of Christ, the humility that is born in you keeps you hidden from the devil. Just like the enemy couldn’t find baby Jesus, spiritually speaking, he can’t find you either. You are shielded from his sight and from his strategies.
Look at the connection here: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:6-7, NKJV). Do you see that? God has given us a very specific, entirely effective way to resist the devil: through humility.
Humility vanquishes the devil. Every time. Are you ready? Let’s humble ourselves today in the mighty presence of our triumphant Lord Jesus!
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How is Holy Spirit speaking to your heart about humility today?
Feeding On Jesus 
Love this post so much. YES!!! Humility confounds the devil. “Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.” is the verse your audio post had me sitting with afresh, as God’s had the number 7 recurring over and over- His completion and perfection for us. And Psalm 116 is so precious to me – so I went back to verse 7 😊. And lo and behold: guess what “dealt bountifully with” also means: “weaned” and “recompensed”. I had to laugh. It’s what He keeps returning to me as an instruction to me: “look for my recompense, Anna, it’s all around you. Open your eyes to see Me. I am all around you. Open your arms to Me.”
That rest is found in humility, isn’t it? Every time He leads me back to that place – of returning to my rest in Him – I am always so in awe of how simple and yet how freeing that step of humbling ourselves is.
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Amen and amen! It really is the freedom of humility, the freedom of knowing He is huge and we are little, that He is managing everything and we don’t have to, that brings rest to our souls, real rest. Selah 🙂
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I have read two amazing books on Humility…..”HUMBLED” by David Mathis and “HUMILITY True Greatness” by C.J. Mahaney. Both small little books with big ideas and oh so much wisdom. I recommend them……have you read?
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Thank you so much for the recommendations, Maxine! I had not heard of either. I’m always on the lookout for spiritually enriching reads, so I’m glad to know of these two 🙂
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They are so so good!
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Awesome!
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What a great perspective – that when we’re humble the devil can’t find us. 😀 ! I always wondered why the enemy didn’t know the Plan – Jesus told His disciples. But they didn’t hear or understand, so I guess Satan didn’t either. Humility is baffling.
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It really is baffling to those who do not seek to think the way Jesus does! I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on this, thank you Annie. 🙂 (Slow reply again because things have continued to be nonstop here!) Sending you much love tonight.
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Thank you! A very perceptive post. Humility is knowing without Christ we are nothing but never a grovelling what a worthless person I am. With Him we are an overcomer. Devil beware! Our Saviour is LORD GOD ALMIGHTY and we are His Children blood bought.
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Amen and AMEN! You are welcome Faye. I know the Father is so proud of you!
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A beautiful post on what it means to be humble. Thank you.
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Thank you so much too, Scott! Rich blessings 🙂
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The New Zealand men’s football team played their final qualifying match for the world cup two mornings ago against Costa Rica. We’ve only managed to qualify twice for the tournament previously, and sadly, this time were not quite able to make it a third. I, like a number of other fans, feel hard done by with the manner of this loss. I lament what could have been with the New Zealand players as they did their best. And I congratulate Costa Rica on qualifying even though my thoughts are conflicted with the officiating of the game.
God reminds me that in any sporting event both teams are trying to win. It is ok to support the teams we support, but we must acknowledge the hard work all teams put in ton prepare for the games.
Thank you for sharing this and helping me to remember there is joy even in lament. ❤️
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We are right there with you on those feelings, since Peru lost to Australia and thus once again did not make it in. Grateful for our Father’s encouragement in the ups and downs of our emotions from day to day!
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