Pride is like a castle or fortress. We are convinced that what we have on the inside is so much better than what others have on the outside; so we bar the gates, and build up the walls, so that nothing external can get in - not even the grace of God. I am great. I am strong. I am self-sufficient. I am, I am, I am…

God said, "I AM THAT I AM." (Ex. 3:14) No greater boast could be made, than to declare that he is who and what he is: the eternal God (Deut. 33:27), the true Light (John 1:9), the Spirit of truth and holiness (John 15:26; Luke 11:13), the Creator of heaven and earth (Isa. 37:16). And yet, God, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto (1 Tim. 6:16), separate from sinners and higher than the heavens (Heb. 7:26), did not build up his walls and bar his gates. He did not isolate himself from man who needed him; but humbled himself, taking upon him the form of a servant in order to save us (Phil. 2:7-8). Jesus Christ left his castle, his palace, in humility, by the grace of God, to knock on the door of our fortress, our heart (Rev. 3:20); and only humility will open the door to let him in, and the grace of God with him.

Pride is abominable to God (Prov. 6:16-17), because it says ME instead of GOD. God resisteth the proud (Jas. 4:6). Pride may keep God’s grace from entering into the fortress to save a person, but it will not keep God from destroying the fortress of one who will not humble himself before God (Isa. 25:11-12). Those that walk in pride he is able to abase (Dan. 4:37); only those who walk humbly can walk with God (Mic. 6:8)

Humility prepares the heart for repentance (Prov. 22:4; 1 Kings 21:27-29). Only the humble soul can receive Jesus, the bearer of God’s grace (John 1:17), allowing his mighty hand to be for us (grace) rather than against us (resisting the proud). By his grace, he will exalt us in due time, as he exalted Christ. "Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:" (1 Pet. 5:5-6)

Our "fortress", as I've been calling it, is more than just our pride. It is our hope. It is our refuge. It is our righteousness; or, if we are honest, our lack thereof. It represents us at our personal best; which may seem like it's worth something, until we consider the scripture that says, "verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity" (Psalm 39:5); and, "we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags" (Isa. 64:6). What we consider our high point, our pride, our self-righteousness, ultimately our sin, is actually our low point. And it is Christ, the valiant hero, who deigns to come down to where we are and rescue us from this low point: "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." (Psalm 40:2)

What we have established as our proud fortress is in reality a prison. Christ came into this prison, where we were appointed to death, to loose us from our low point through his death, and raise us up with him to his high point. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Cor. 5:21)

"For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;" (Psalm 102:19-20)

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Rom. 6:4)

"Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you." (2 Cor. 4:14)

"And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Eph. 2:6)

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." (Rev. 3:21)

It is not God's will for man to be stripped naked, helpless and defenseless; but to realize that his covering, his refuge, and his boasting must be in God - not in himself...

"And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." (Gen. 3:7)

"Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." (Gen. 3:21)

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him." (Psalm 28:7)

"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." (Psalm 18:2)

"My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad." (Psalm 34:2)

"In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah." (Psalm 44:8)

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Pride gets us thinking that we are strong in our fortress, that we don't need God. We must be made weak (admitting our weakness) through humility, because God is glorified by choosing the weak things to display his grace and strength in.

"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Cor. 1:26-31)