Hello.
I am the demon named Pride. I am very, very old.
I am one of the most powerful demons in the hierarchy.
My dwelling place is the hearts of humans.
One of my chief methods of operation is to inflict blindness and deafness on all who will host me.
I remove compassion. I destroy consciences and convince millions of highly religious people that they are serving God while they have no clue who they are really serving. LOL!
You can always tell when I am present because those who will have me are highly defensive at the slightest suggestion that they have done anything wrong. Moi? The very idea!
I am particularly good at helping my hosts see the sins of others. In some cases, I can even convince these religious types to keep files on other people that document their shortcomings and failings. ROFL!
One of the great abilities I have is to infect entire families, generation after generation. Consider me the smallpox of spiritual influences. I can spread very quickly. Just one host in every bunch. That’s my motto.
Once I have rendered my hosts blind and deaf, no entreaties of any kind by a True Believer can reach them. True Believers, or TB’s as I call them, are a real pain in the behind. They come around with their humble little pinched faces, the crocodile tears just running down their cheeks, imploring my hosts to see the truth. As if!
When given enough latitude, I make sure that no host who ever welcomes me can possibly see the light. Once I spread, it’s over. The best part is, they don’t know it and remain convinced they are doing everything right.
I think I am more powerful than their so-called “God”, because I can run freely through the halls of their homes, religious buildings and media empires. I can set things up for a church split in a matter of days. Divorce, extended family bust-ups, random schisms, brawls, hatred, betrayal—they are my speciality! If enough hosts welcome me in any one locale, I can do anything. Watch as their Deity is rendered powerless. I only need one host in the bunch to get started.
I despise TB’s. True Believers are the primary obstacle to my work. Groveling, sniveling, self-effacing wimps are the number one thing I battle. You can see them sobbing into their hankies, talking about “re-con-cil-i-ation” and using the J word. I can’t even bring myself to type that name. He is my ultimate enemy. Disgusting. I almost finished him once. So close. The best I can do now is get J’s followers to give me a home so I can make their claims about an all-powerful God look silly.
The sight of people hugging and begging forgiveness is repellent. I can’t live around such gushing sentimentality. It’s like spiritual Raid. So I work especially on TB’s, because they don’t have to stay that way. If I can get a corner, nay, just a tiny spot in their hearts, who knows? There may come a day when they will fully welcome me as host. Then I will quickly go about my work of blinding and deafening them so that they never see the damage they cause. They will see themselves as martyrs, athletes of God, brilliant in their holiness and perfections, beyond fault in all situations. LOL! What fun!
I’m on the lookout today for some new hosts. I have already spotted a few who look particularly vulnerable. Off to work.
“At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
~ Matthew 18:1-4
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble . . . Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”
~ James 4:6, 10
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” ~ James 4:7
For more Scripture verses on pride, click here.
14 comments
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February 22, 2012 at 17:11
dibart89
Poetic and insightful!
February 22, 2012 at 17:22
raynasybelle
Reblogged this on The Black Hole Of The Internet and commented:
All of us need to be careful about pride. That was the original sin. It still remains on of the more subtle setbacks in our lives.
February 22, 2012 at 19:01
Kris
What a powerful post today Ing. Such a discription of what we see all
around us today. ME has got a hold on everything and it’s out-of-control.
I hope more people are reading this as it speaks volumes…Kris
February 22, 2012 at 19:37
Ingrid Schlueter
Some might argue, well, pride is not an actual demon. It’s a sinful tendency in all of our hearts after the fall of man in Paradise. I refer to it as a demon because satan is the father of all lies, all pride and everything evil, and when mankind listened to the father of pride and lies in the Garden of Eden, he embraced the spirit of deception and the world of spiritual darkness.
Anyone who has encountered pride’s blindness in someone will understand the spiritual component. When someone’s outlook is upside down from reality, when all entreating voices are shut out, it is demonic. You can literally sense the darkness. I also want to add that the darkness of these kinds of deceived people will spread to anyone who is unwilling to identify it for what it is. I liken it to encountering toxic waste. There is a reason that hazmat workers wear suits for protection. Pride is a powerful toxin and it can and often does contaminate all it comes in contact with. Only those with the hazmat suit of truth and faith can withstand the poisonous effects. Pride is a vicious and pernicious sin that destroys in the spirit of its father, Apollyon. (The name given to satan in the Bible. It means “Destroyer.”)
We all can give way to Pride. Only by an honest assessment of our sinful condition and recourse to the only cure for sin can we find the protection we need from the deception in our hearts.
February 23, 2012 at 14:07
Francis MacDonald
Thank you Ingrid for this item, there could hardly be anything more relevant for us to be reminded of as Christians.
“Pride” could easily be one of the main characters in C.S. Lewis’ Screw Tape Letters and in reality is he not the leader of the enemies of God as personified by Satan?
I am going to print this out and put and put it on my wall, for as time goes on I am increasingly aware of how quickly pride rises up in my own heart. Thank the Lord that He convicts us of this root of all sin and draws us back to Himself in repentance.
February 23, 2012 at 15:17
Ingrid Schlueter
Francis, thanks for the comment. The moment we think, no, that’s not me, I don’t struggle with that one, we may very well have this in our hearts. Pride’s a funny thing, it takes on a lot of different guises. Sometimes it even poses as humility. Jeremiah 1:17 states so clearly how deceitful our hearts can be. The important thing for us all is to turn from any known pride and to pray that any hidden pride would be exposed. There’s a superb book out called Gospel-powered Humility by William Farley. He tells of a car trip with his wife where he was meditating deeply on a Scripture passage–he felt God was trying to show him something in his life.
Just then his wife started talking about a movie she liked and the details of the plot. Irritated, he lashed out at her and rebuked her for her shallowness. God showed him immediately that his problem was spelled P-R-I-D-E.
Only God has the cure for what’s in our hearts. I need it daily.
February 23, 2012 at 16:59
carolynb
Well put Ingrid. My husband and I thought the same as Francis, this sounds similar to Screw Tape (from what we recall of the excerpts we read).
Amen that pride disguises itself as false humility – self deprecation often is pride incognito.
February 23, 2012 at 17:03
Ingrid Schlueter
Screwtape Letters is brilliant. I thought’d I’d give it a try with my own hand. Pride is the foundational sin behind every other.The true original sin in the heavenlies.
February 23, 2012 at 17:35
carolynb
Pride = foundational sin, yes, the “I will’s” from Isa 14 make that apparent.
The ultimate pride man engages in: defiantly standing on his own thoughts/opinions/beliefs and not basing any of the above on the perfect, infallible word of God, rightly divided.
February 24, 2012 at 21:56
Carol
Humility by Andrew Murray is a good book on the topic, as well.
February 25, 2012 at 02:37
Michael
Often times Pride will masquerade as a True Believer. Pride will give these self-effacing speeches so people will let their guard down, and then Pride can really be effective.
February 25, 2012 at 02:43
Ingrid Schlueter
Excellent point, Michael. Wow. Very true.
February 25, 2012 at 14:08
Donna
I have known someone for years who founded a charitable organization and talks a great game. But you would never want to be his wife, children, employees, or anyone else who is vulnerable to him. HIs off-the-charts narcissism makes him incapable of caring for anyone else, and their only worth to him is in how they reflect on him. I’ve seen him do terrible damage to people. Meanwhile, he apparently is blissfully unaware (or uncaring) about the difference between what he professes to be and actually is. He writes articles and books about the power of love and compassion, but is neither loving nor compassionate.
February 26, 2012 at 20:18
Chuck Bosio
My memory verse: 2 Tim. 2:24-26 “And the Lord’s bondservant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” Did Paul really write this? Wow. Follow the progression – not quarreling, but kind, which will result in you being wronged, but you are patient and gentle – so that the one who is captive, snared and does not know the truth may come to his senses. Amazing.