THE DANGER OF MINISTRY PRIDE

A continuing journey through the book of II Kings has certainly illumined Karen and I to a blue print for effective and impacting ministry leadership.  However as we know all too well their are the proverbial pitfalls and such was evident in II Kings 20 with then King of Judah Hezekiah.  Here then are some points to ponder:  

Hezekiah faced – and failed under – a temptation common to many, especially those in ministry – the temptation of success. Many men who stand strong against the temptations of failure and weakness fail under the temptations of success and strength. Think about the extent of Hezekiah’s success:

·       He was godly
·       He was victorious
·       He was healed
·       He had experienced a miracle
·       He had been promised a long life
·       He had connection to a great prophet
·       He had seen a remarkable sign
·       He was wealthy
·       He was famous
·       He was praised and honored
·       He was honored by God

 Nevertheless, he sinned greatly after this great gift of fifteen more years of life and the deliverance of Jerusalem. We might say that Hezekiah sinned in at least five ways:

·       Pride, in that he was proud of the honors the Babylonians brought.
·       Ingratitude, in that he took honor to himself that really belonged to God.
·       Abusing the gifts given to him, where he took the gifts and favors to his own honor and gratification of his lusts (2 Chronicles 32:25-26).
·       Carnal confidence, in that he trusted in the league he had made with the King of Babylon.
·       Missing opportunity, in that he had a great opportunity to testify to the Babylonian envoys about the greatness of God and the Lord’s blessing on Judah. Instead, he glorified himself..