MULTIPLYING DISCIPLES AROUND THE WORLD

Day 3 – Humility – The Heart of Discipleship

Picture the most powerful person you know – a CEO, a world leader, someone with unlimited resources and authority. Now imagine that person choosing to live as a homeless servant, washing the feet of strangers, and ultimately dying a criminal’s death to help people who had rejected them.

Impossible? That’s exactly what Jesus did. Philippians 2:6-8 tells us that Jesus, “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant… he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Here’s the life-transforming truth I want you to understand today: Humility is not just a nice character trait – it’s the essential pathway to spiritual growth and the very essence of becoming like Christ. Without humility, you cannot grow. Without humility, you cannot experience God’s grace. Without humility, you will never become who God created you to be.

Today we’re addressing perhaps the most difficult subject in discipleship. It’s almost impossible to discuss humility without contradicting yourself – if you claim to have it, you probably don’t understand it. Yet humility is absolutely essential for spiritual growth.

I’ve witnessed this tragic pattern repeatedly: people come to know Jesus, they’re on fire for the Lord, God begins to use them, but as He uses them, pride creeps in and they fall. Why? Because God isn’t looking for superstars – He’s looking for men and women who will become like Christ, and to become like Christ requires humility.

James 4:6 reveals a fundamental spiritual law: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Think about this: if we become like Christ by grace, if we’re saved by grace and grow in grace, then where do we find grace? Through humility. This isn’t optional – it’s the pathway to transformation.

Here’s the revolutionary truth from Philippians 2:3-8: humility is both the means to becoming like Christ AND the essence of who Christ is. Jesus – the God who created the universe, who spoke worlds into existence – humbled Himself by becoming human. The Creator became creation. The King became a servant. The sinless One became sin for us.

If we’re going to become like Jesus, we must embrace the same humility. That’s not just part of discipleship – that IS discipleship.

But how do we actually develop humility? Scripture shows us there are two ways:

First, you can humble yourself. First Peter 5:6 commands us: “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, and he will exalt you in due time.” Humility is a choice you make every day. You wake up and say, “God, I’m not like Jesus, but I want to be more like Jesus. I need you. I need to learn from you.”

Remember, a learner is someone who doesn’t know everything – someone who says, “God, I need you.” This is what prayer really is – casting yourself upon Him in absolute dependence.

Second, God can humble you. Sometimes God brings circumstances into our lives to humble us. Moses learned this lesson. He went from being the son of Pharaoh’s daughter to a poor shepherd in the desert. In that wilderness, God humbled him, and when Moses returned to Egypt, he went not in human power but in the power of God.

Hebrews 12:2 tells us to be “looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Humility never compares itself to other people – it only grows when our eyes are fixed on Jesus. Too often we look around saying, “I may not be what I ought to be, but I’m not as bad as that person.” But our standard isn’t other people – it’s Christ Himself.

The practical application is clear: humility affects every area of your life. When you see others experiencing victory, don’t compete – rejoice with them! Romans 12:15 says to “rejoice with those who rejoice.” Thank God for their success. We’re not empire builders; we’re kingdom seekers, and kingdom seekers have humility of heart.

Second Chronicles 7:14 reveals that revival begins with humility: “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray…” The first step toward spiritual breakthrough isn’t more knowledge or better programs – it’s humbling ourselves before God.

This means acknowledging that there’s nothing good in any of us apart from God’s grace. The only reason we are what we are is by the grace of God.

Here’s the choice that will determine your spiritual future: Will you humble yourself, or will you wait for God to humble you through circumstances?

I strongly recommend the first option. Start each day with this prayer: “God, I can’t, but You can. God, I need You.” Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop trying to live the Christian life in your own strength. Stop building your own kingdom instead of seeking God’s kingdom.

Matthew 23:12 gives us Jesus’ promise: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” This isn’t just a future promise – it’s a present reality. As you humble yourself today under God’s mighty hand, His grace will flow into your life and transform you more and more into the image of Jesus.

The pathway to greatness in God’s kingdom isn’t climbing up – it’s bowing down. Choose humility today, and discover the grace that will revolutionize your life.