Leading The Way - Week of October 9, Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef

Leading The Way - Week of October 9

October 09, 2023

October 9, 2023

Deal with Your Pride

By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

Sin comes in many shapes and sizes, but deep down, every sin sprouts from the same seed: pride. Beneath every moral failure is a desire for me, my, mine. No one is immune from this brokenness. Even people who have witnessed miraculous signs and experienced God’s intervention in their lives still succumb to the lure of pride. This is Paul’s warning to the Corinthians—and us. He points us back to the people of Israel, whom God rescued out of Egypt. Although they witnessed God’s power firsthand, they yielded to temptation over and over again. As a result, most of them died in the wilderness—never to step foot in the Promised Land.

The surest way to fall into temptation and sin is to place our confidence in ourselves. That’s what the Israelites did. They even believed they were somehow entitled to the good gifts God had given them. As believers, we must learn from their mistakes and deal with our own pride and entitlement by confessing them, repenting of them, and placing them at the feet of Jesus. Only when we give our pride to Christ can we fully trust God. Only when we set our eyes on Christ, can we have victory over temptation.

Pride makes us trust in ourselves so that we feel invincible. But the Truth is we are fallible, so we need to heed Paul’s warning when we are feeling puffed up: ‘[I]f you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for putting my hope in myself—for thinking of myself more highly than I ought. I know You are my gracious Savior. You are my sustainer and the author of my faith. I praise You, Lord. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did” (1 Corinthians 10:6).

Learn more in Dr. Michael Youssef’s sermon Healthy Living in a Sick World, Part 13: LISTEN NOW | WATCH NOW

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About Leading The Way

Along with partners committed to changing the world, Dr. Michael Youssef is leading the way for people living in spiritual darkness to discover the light of Christ. By passionately proclaiming uncompromising Truth through print, web, television, and radio, this international team of experts is uniquely providing hope that is revolutionizing lives at home — and around the world.

What began as a small local radio ministry in 1988 has grown into an international ministry reaching millions for Christ — including a vast audience in the Muslim world seeking Truth in closed countries. Leading The Way's television and radio programs are broadcast in more than 28 languages to audiences across six continents. Leading The Way also produces DVDs, CDs, books, a monthly devotional magazine, solar-powered Navigators, and daily e-devotionals to spread the light of Christ. In 2009, the ministry launched its own 24/7 satellite TV channel, reaching the Muslim world with Gospel programming in English, Arabic, French, and Indonesian. Leading The Way utilizes field teams to evangelize and disciple viewers in closed countries and help persecuted Christians on the ground.

Dr. Youssef and the Leading The Way staff are committed to sharing the Gospel with the lost and equipping believers to grow into a deeper walk with Christ. Learn how you can partner with this unique ministry today.

About Dr. Michael Youssef

Michael Youssef, Ph.D., is the Founder and President of Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef, a worldwide ministry that leads the way for people living in spiritual darkness to discover the light of Christ through the creative use of media and field ministry teams. His weekly television programs and daily radio programs are broadcast more than 13,000 times per week in multiple languages throughout the world. He is also the founding pastor of The Church of The Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Youssef was born in Egypt and lived in Lebanon and Australia before coming to the United States. In 1984, he fulfilled a childhood dream of becoming an American citizen. Dr. Youssef holds degrees from Moore College in Sydney, Australia; Fuller Theological Seminary in California; and a Ph.D. in social anthropology from Emory University. He has authored more than 50 books, including popular titles Saving Christianity?, Hope for This Present Crisis, Life-Changing Prayers, and Never Give Up. He and his wife reside in Atlanta and have four grown children and 11 grandchildren.