The Ballestero Blog

 Don’t Take Your Ego Trip To Church!

A Bible Study

Take your ego trip on a motorcycle ride, on your boat or in your new luxury sedan. Take it hunting, fishing, or even take it on a softball field with the boys. Just don’t take your ego to church.

When you arrive at church, check your ego at the door. Man’s ego has no place in the work of God. God purpose is never fulfilled by an exercise of man’s self-importance. That applies to us all… preachers, musicians, singers, board members and saints.

To say we don’t have an ego would be to lie. Granted, we all know of some that have grown out of proportion. We all have an ego. Its size, or lack there of, determines our usefulness in God’s Kingdom.

Some Signs That You Have An Ego Problem.

• Concerned with the approval of others.
• Cannot live in the moment, you are always planning for the next level.
• Constantly comparing yourself to others.
• Ego needs to always right.
• Blame others
• Know everything about everything
• Never have a problem, only solutions
• Refuse to ask for help.
• Have a constant need for more.
• Always knows what wrong with everyone else.
• Always judgmental of others.
• Never willing to say I’m sorry.

An Ego Makes Us Believe We Are The Center Of The Universe.

Paul Warned Church Members Against Having An Ego.

• Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

God Is Attracted To Humility. God Blesses The Humble.

• 2 Chron. 7: 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Ego And Pride Seem To Be The Building Blocks Of Disaster.

1. Lucifer

• Ego got him kicked out of Heaven.

2. Saul.

• Never had a problem when he was ‘little in his own sight.’ When ego raised it’s head, things changed. It caused Saul to rule for nearly 40 years without God talking to him.
• 1 Sam 15: 17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
• Saul’s ego couldn’t stand the songs sung about David. His jealous rage was driven by his ego.

3. Nebuchadnezzar

• His ego was so big it attracted God’s attention.
• Dan 4: 33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.

4. Herod

• Wouldn’t give God the glory.
• Acts 12: 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

5. Nabal

• Nabal was always right in his own mind. He was so right, that no one could reason with him. That is what got him killed.
• 1 Sam 25:17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him. 

6. John The Baptist

• John the Baptist is honored for saying, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
• He understood that his ministry was to be in submission to His Ministry.
• The promotion of flesh is not welcomed in the Spirit world.

7. David

• David had confidence, but it was God-based. “I come to you in the name of the Lord.”
• There was no ego trip involved when he fought Goliath, only a job that needed doing.
• It is not a sin to be confident in your calling and in your God. But, be careful about being confident in your flesh.
• David, the anointed future King of Israel, waited for the right time. He kept his ego under submission. He even hid in a cave.
• David may have been the best worshipper in Israel, but it wasn’t an ego trip for him.
• He may have been the best fighter in Israel, but he was modest about it.

The Self-Righteous

• Eccl 7: 16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
• Evidently it is possible for some to be so holy, it becomes a problem. Their ego got wrapped up with their righteouness.
• The Pharisee spirit is still alive today.
• Positions such as Trustee or Deacon have caused many egos to rise.
• Preachers, singers and musicians and saints on an Ego Trip in God’s Kingdom, will never arrive at their desired destination in Him.
• Too many young ministers jump the gun. Their ego won’t let them sit under their pastor’s ministry any longer.
• Some times, the ego will tell you to ‘go’ when you are not yet ready to ‘go.’
• Ego interferes with obedience and submission.
• Ego hinders revival.

God Gives Grace To Those That Discard Their Ego To Please Him.

• 1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
• James 4: 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Are You On A Spiritual Journey Or Ego Trip?

Don’t Take Your ‘Ego Trip’ To Church!