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Over the past few weeks, I have been dealing with someone who likes to gloat. For those who don’t know what gloating is, let’s go to Mr. Webster’s dictionary for a short definition.
Gloating:
“to look at or think about someone with great or excessive, often smug or malicious, satisfaction.”
It means that you get pleasure from seeing someone in what you believe to be a bad situation, and it comes from having a haughty, or prideful, spirit.
We all have our moments of pride but if you continue to entertain the haughtiness it becomes a stronghold in our lives. At this point, you may be asking, “what is a haughty spirit?”
A haughty spirit is:
A haughty spirit does not understand the workings of God, nor God’s people. A haughty spirit is linked to rebellion and running from God. Another name for a haughty spirit is “leviathan”, or “python”, and it seeks out the workings of God, and God’s people, to try to bring condemnation and judgment upon them. It is a form of unbelief.
Strong’s Greek Concordance #1361 :
to soar – be lofty – exalt, be haughty, be higher, lift up, mount up, be proud, raise up to great height, upward
An example of this is found in Isaiah 14: 13-14
You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”
A gloating, haughty, prideful spirit opposes God and everything He wants to accomplish. Over this past few weeks, this demonic spirit has been attacking me through another person. This person watches my YouTube videos, reads my blog, etc…and then sends me email that is condemning, judgmental, and….full of gloating.
I even debated about writing this blog post, but the Lord began putting into my path others who were being attacked by this spirit working through another person.
So I have been asking God what to do about this…and here is what He has shown me.
1. Love – Love covers a multitude of sin. (1 Peter 4:8)
People with this spirit don’t know what real love is, and it can be a challenge to walk in love with a person being controlled by a demonic spirit of haughtiness…but it is a necessary ingredient to overcoming this spirit.
2. Stay Focused on God
Don’t take your eyes off God and what He wants you to do. A person with a haughty spirit does not like to see people walking with God, and doing what He has called them to do. This spirit will do anything it can to bring condemnation to the person it is attacking, with the intent of destroying God’s work. So it is extremely important you we keep our focus on God through His word, prayer, fasting, and worship.
3. Refuse To Give This Spirit A Place
When you are near, or in contact, with a person controlled by a haughty spirit…refuse to give that spirit room to operate! It will do everything possible to get a reaction from you, but refuse it! Ephesians 4:27 says “neither give place to the devil”. Don’t give in to accusations. Stand your ground, and remember that the person may not even be aware of what they are doing. So it is important to walk in love while standing your ground against this spirit.
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