So how do you stop being self-centered? How do you come to a place of humility, when your motive is no longer to serve your own self-interest but rather to exalt and magnify God and His kingdom? Jesus, of course, is our primary example of humility.

To close the door to the deception of pride, nothing slams that door as completely as pride's opposite—humility.

If you can learn to truly humble yourself, pride won't stand a chance. True Bible humility is a recognition that without God you are nothing but that with God, you can do absolutely anything—and give Him all the glory for it. Biblical humility eliminates the "me, myself and I" orientation in your life. In other words, it removes selfishness as a motivation for the things you do.

Selfishness is really, in this context, almost a synonym for pride, in that dealing with pride requires you to remove self as a motivation for what you do. This is called dying to self. It is a putting to death of the tendency of your flesh to motivate you to serve your own interests.

This is what constitutes genuine Bible humility. Once you have taken self out of the picture, you can really be excited about where your life is going, because then it is God who is orchestrating your life rather than you.

The wonderful truth about humility is that it is the key to walking in God's increase and blessings. If you humble yourself (you have to do this; don't ask God to do it for you) under God's mighty hand, you enable Him to exalt you, lift you up and honor you before men.

Then when you are in this exalted position, you give God the glory instead of taking the credit yourself. God's kingdom receives greater visibility and increase as a result of your light shining in the darkness of this world.

So how do you stop being self-centered? How do you come to a place of humility, when your motive is no longer to serve your own self-interest but rather to exalt and magnify God and His kingdom? Jesus, of course, is our primary example of humility.

What mind did Jesus have?

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.
(Phil. 2:6-9)

The natural question to ask at this point is, "How do I serve?" Certainly there are things you can and should do as an individual to serve. However, the most basic and most effective way to serve is to make your resources available to the part of the Body of Christ to which God has called you - your local church.

God designed the local church to reach the lost and help believers grow into the image of Jesus. The church enables your supply of time, finances and prayer to produce the most fruit for the kingdom of God.

Another way to serve is in your family. Serving in your church may be the most effective way of reaching large numbers of people for Christ, but serving your family will reveal more about your understanding of this principle.

Serving those who are closest to you and who know you the best can be more difficult because you are with them a lot more than anybody else is. If Jesus can wash the feet of His disciples, then surely you can wash the feet of your spouse or your children. You can even wash the feet of someone you dislike!

Do it by faith and say, "Lord, I want to be able to serve from my heart. I want the very last remaining bit of pride removed from my life." You will see a miracle happen as the yoke of pride is supernaturally broken off of your life.

Don't allow the "demon" of self to rule you any longer. To close the door to pride once and for all, deal with discontent, become a thankful person and purpose in your heart to be a servant to others.

Source: Doorways to Deception by Mac Hammond.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers