The Bible has much to say concerning the subject of pride. In Job, the Word says Leviathan, the sea serpent, is the king of all the sons of pride. Lucifer was the anointed cherub in heaven. He was clothed with every precious stone. Yet pride was found in his heart. As a result, he was cast out of heaven and became God’s enemy, and our adversary. Throughout the Bible we see the destructive effects of pride. King Uzziah, a man that did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and sought the Lord in the days of the prophet, Zechariah, fell because of pride. Despite all his military conquests and technological advancements, Uzziah was smote with leprosy as a result of disobedience and pride (2 Chronicles 26:16). According to the writer in Proverbs, there are seven things the Lord hates. The first one listed is a proud look. God absolutely hates pride. That’s because a prideful heart is opposite to God’s original intension for mankind. We were created to be in Him, and dependent on Him, so we can receive everything we need from Him. He has always wanted us to be inseparably connected to His heart and will. A person who’s heart is full of pride seeks to be independent from God, believing he can take care of his own interests, and make decisions based on his own desires. In truth, pride is rooted in a deep mistrust of God’s good nature and His faithfulness to always look out for our best. In the Garden of Eden, the serpent fed Adam and Eve a lie, leading them to believe that God was holding something back from them. Nothing could be more incorrect concerning the nature of God. His intention is for us to be one with Him, so that we will never be without! Everything belongs to Him and He will not hold back any good thing from those who love and trust Him (Psalms 84:1). Mistrust of God’s trustworthy nature is from the devil and is in the spirit of this fallen world (1 John 2:16). Be sure to guard your heart from pride by continuously renewing your mind to the true character of God and delighting in your fellowship with His Holy Spirit. Then, you will not fall prey to pride’s deceptive trap, and you will escape its destructive effects.