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1 Peter 5:5-9 (KJV) Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. 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. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

When I was a little boy running around outside playing and rolling in the grass with my friends I dreaded the thunder storms. When the skies got dark and the clouds rolled in I and my friends would chant:

Rain, rain, go away,
Come again some other day!

If a storm came in Momma would make us come into the house and lay on our twin beds “so the lightening won’t get you”. At least, that’s what Momma said. I today believe it was because Momma knew if we came inside to play we would wreck the house! So I and my brother chanted, “Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Again Some Other Day!” over and over hoping the rain would stay away and we could keep on playing.

As an adult I now know that it is God Who “sends the rain in due season, and causes the ground to yield its crops and the trees their fruit” (Leviticus 26:4). God causes the “sun to shine on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). The rains come for our blessing just as the sunny days come for our blessing. Our God is a God Who loves, and who blesses those who love Him.

The more I learn of God, the more I want to draw near to God.

Don’t you? I particularly want to be near God not just on the mountaintops of life, but also in the valleys. No one knows what tomorrow may bring. The weatherman can give a good guess as to whether it will be rainy or sunny, but only God knows if tomorrow that day will be happy and bright or gloomy and overcast. Solomon – the wisest man who ever lived – said …

Ecclesiastes 7:14 (KJV) In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

Proverbs 27:1 (KJV) Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

We all need to be near God.
We need Him not just on the happy days,
But in the sad.

To Be Near To God We Must Not Be Prideful

1 Peter 5:5 (KJV) Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. 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.

The phrase “God resisteth the proud” should cause every one of us a thrill of fear, to pause and consider. The word translated “resisteth” is the Greek ἀντιτάσσω antitassō which means “to stand in opposition to, to range in battle against”. Pride causes God to be at war with us. God does not condone pride. Pride is to make yourself above God.

Pride is what the Chief Archangel Lucifer did one day in Heaven. God made Lucifer – his name means “A bearer of light” or “morning star”– and put him in charge of the other angels. The Bible tells us that one day Lucifer, looking at himself, became inflated with pride. The Bible says that “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). In arrogance Lucifer stood against God, and with a five “I will” revolt said:

Isaiah 14:13-14 (KJV) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: [14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

With these five “I wills” Lucifer stood against his Creator. The Lord told him “you are fallen from Heaven – you are cut down to the ground! You shall be brought down to the grave, and cast into the pit of hell.” Lucifer became a devil, and this devil became an accuser of the brethren and chief tempter that we call Satan. We see in our text that this fallen angel is no longer an angel of God, but he is a hungry lion. The Apostle warns us …

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV) .. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

When the devil comes he comes as a beautiful creature. He came to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden tempting, enticing. He came to Eve as a serpent, hissing, roaring, getting her attention. Ezekiel tells us that it was Lucifer in that Garden:

Ezekiel 28:13-15 (KJV) THOU HAST BEEN IN EDEN THE GARDEN OF GOD; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. [14] Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. [15] Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

It was pride that the devil appealed to. “Has God really said you shall not eat of every tree in the Garden?” The devil implies that God is witholding the best from Adam and Eve. How dare God forbid even one thing to you, dear Eve. Then Eve departs from the Word of God. “God has said we may eat of every tree, but we are neither to touch nor eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden or we will die!” God never told our foreparents they could not touch the tree. He just asked that they trust Him and not eat that which was forbidden. But then the devil says, “You shall not surely die. God has told you a lie” is his implication. “When you eat of this tree you will become like God, like the Triune God! God wishes to keep the best from you.” With those words Eve eats, and gives to her husband with her, and he eats (the full text is in Genesis 3:1-7). And with this:

Romans 5:12 (KJV) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 5:19 (KJV) For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners …

Satan like a roaring lion sought out Adam and Eve, and enticing them, devoured them. What made our foreparents vulnerable to the devil’s attack? Pride. Pride, terrible pride. Putting myself first above all others.

• It was PRIDE that caused Adam to eat the forbidden, locking us out of Eden.
• It was PRIDE that led Cain to kill Abel, receiving a mark that would plague him the rest of his life. (Genesis 4:1-16)
• It was PRIDE that led Joseph’s brothers to sell him into slavery. (Genesis 37:18-36)
• It was PRIDE that led Pharaoh to kill all the male babies born among the Israelites. (Genesis 1:15-22)
• It was PRIDE that led King David to take another man’s wife, then murder the husband. (2 Samuel 11-12)
• It was PRIDE that kept Israel as well as Moses from the Promised Land. (Deuteronomy 32:52)
• It was PRIDE that cost Samson his strength and ultimately his life. (Judges 16)
• It was PRIDE that caused Herod to kill all the children two years old and younger in Bethlehem. (Matthew 2:16ff)
• It was PRIDE that cost the lives of Ananias and Sapphira. (Acts 5:1-11)

Peter himself – the Holy Spirit inspired writer of this beautiful text – told Jesus “Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison, and to death”. Jesus told Peter that “the cock shall not crow this day before thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest Me” (Luke 22:34). Jesus told Peter – arrogant Peter –

Luke 22:31-32 (KJV) …. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: [32] But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and WHEN THOU ART CONVERTED, strengthen thy brethren.

Peter had to be broken and his pride laid aside before Christ could draw near to him. So Peter speaks from experience when he tells us that the way to draw near to God is to:

1 Peter 5:5 … all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

We who wish to be close to God are to be “clothed with humility”. That is an interesting phrase. To be “clothed” is to cover yourself so that others do not see your nakedness. If you are “clothed with humility” then that is what people will see when they look at you.

We are to submit to one another. The wife is to submit to the husband (Ephesians 5:21-23), but the husband is also to submit to the wife. The child – the younger – is to submit to the elder, knowing that the elder has more experience and knowledge for living. In the Church we submit to God and submit to one another in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ. He commanded us, saying:

Matthew 20:25-28 (KJV)… Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. [26] But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; [27] And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: [28] Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Our Jesus set the standard for “being clothed with humility”. See Him Who made Heaven and earth laying there in a manger.

“Away in a manger, no crib for a bed;
the little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky look down where He lay;
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay!

Our Lord Jesus entered this life in a humble estate. He was raised in a humble town by humble parents. He lived His life without bank account or home. Our Jesus …

Philippians 2:8-9 (KJV)… being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:

The way to power with God is the Way of Jesus. As we live our lives let us always be “looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). The prideful need not expect a blessing from the Master!

I heard a story once wherein a great King decided to parole one prisoner because of the holidays. Going into the prison he interviewed inmate after inmate. Every inmate he talked to had the same story. “I’m innocent. I don’t deserve to be here, dear King. Let me go!”. Finally the King interviewed one man who was different. “Why are you in this cell young man” the King asked. The man with tears running down his face replied: “Dear King, I am ashamed to say I deserve to be where I am. I broke your law, and knew I was breaking your law when I did it. If I die in this place then I deserve it. I am not worthy of parole!” The King turned to the guard. “Release this man immediately. He doesn’t need to be locked away with all these other good fellows!”

To be blessed of God you must humble yourself. You humble yourself before the surgeon, allowing him to operate on you. You humble yourself before the police officer. Oh Beloved, you must humble yourselves before God. Only in humility can God bless you. Only in humility can God save you!

To Be Near To God We Must Not Be Worryful

1 Peter 5:6-7 (KJV) Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Worry is the first cousin to Pride.

When we worry – and we all worry at times – at heart we are saying that we do not trust the faithfulness of God. Hasn’t God said that we are His? Has He not shed His dear Son’s Blood for us? Doesn’t God promise …

Hebrews 7:25 (KJV) {Jesus} is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

We are to cast our every cares upon our God. To throw that weight upon our Lord and Savior. Our Lord Jesus told us how unproductive worry is. He declared:

Matthew 6:27-33 (KJV) Which of you by taking thought {worrying} can add one cubit {even one inch} unto his stature? [28] And why take ye thought {worry} for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: [29] And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30] Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? [31] Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? [32] (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. [33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Worry keeps us from stepping out on faith. Worry is non-productive. Rather than worry, which does nothing, pray. In fact, pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Do the right thing. Let all that you do be done for the glory of God. God tells us:

Psalms 37:3 (KJV) Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

You cannot draw near to God while you are worrying. If you are worried do as He says. Cast yourself into His arms. Confess your fear. Tell Him your heart. Draw near to Him in faith.

Psalms 73:28 (KJV) But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

Psalms 115:11 (KJV) Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

Psalms 118:8 (KJV) It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

The devil like a roaring lion roams about seeking whom he may devour. If he cannot rob you of your blessing from God by feeding your PRIDE, he will rob you of your JOY in Christ by making you worry. Author Max Lucado wrote in his book Come Thirsty:

“Worry is an option, not an assignment. God can lead you into a worry-free world. Be quick to pray. Focus less on the problems ahead and more on the victories behind. Do your part and God will do his. He will guard your heart with his peace…a peace that passes understanding.”

When I was growing up I never worried that we would have dinner on the table. I knew my daddy loved me and worked hard to make a living for us. I trusted him. Our Heavenly Father is more powerful than anyone anywhere. When He promises to look after us, then he will keep His promise. Jesus tells us:

John 16:33 (KJV) These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

If you are a saved believer in Christ then you were purchased by the Blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:19). You belong to God now. You are of countless worth to the Savior, and are cherished by the Father. Cast all your worries on Him, for He cares for YOU! Remember the ancient words:

Romans 8:28 (KJV) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

God left you on this earth for a purpose. Dear believer, He did not save you to destroy you. Our God is faithful! If you do not know Christ as your Lord and Savior I beg you – REPENT, and turn to Him today. Receive Christ as He is – both Lord and Savior. Trust Him. Do not fear God, but fear hell if you will not trust Him. Call upon the Name of the Lord believing, and you shall be saved!