Life Principle #8--Fight every battle on your knees and you win everytime.

Whenever I read the 30 Life Principles by Charles Stanley, immediately my eyes are drawn to # 8. All the principles come together as being equally important, but for me, the eighth one is like a revolving door. If I'm not careful to exit out the other side of this door, I might find myself spinning out of control.

It's all about what God hates the most. Pride. Pride is essentially self-worship. There is nothing in this world that we could accomplish on our own if not for God sustaining and enabling us. Pride keeps many people spiritually bankrupt. It is God's promise that He opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

A good example of self-worship gone bad is the story of six of the wealthiest men back in 1923. They were Charles Schwab, president of the largest independent steel company at the time. He lived on borrowed money the last five years of his life and died penniless. Richard Whitney, president of the New York Stock Exchange. He served time in Sing-Sing prison at the end of his life. Albert Fall, a member of the president's cabinet. He was pardoned from prison at the end of his life so he could go home to die. Jesse Livermore, the greatest bear on Wall Street. He committed suicide. Ivan Krueger, head of the world's greatest monopoly at the time. He also committed suicide. Leon Frasier, president of the Bank of International Settlement. He, too, committed suicide.

If any fight seems worth fighting for, try stripping the pride away first and if there is anything left after that, then do like Joshua did. The Battle of Jericho was a perfect example of fighting a battle on your knees. God spoke to Joshua telling him to march around the city once every day for six days with the seven priests carrying ram's horns in front of the ark. The walls of the city collapsed on the seventh day, and the Israelites were able to charge straight into the city. The city was completely destroyed. Only Rahab (yes the prostitute) and her family were spared, because she had hid the two spies sent by Joshua.

There are so many people's lives that are reflective of how humbleness is exalted. Christ could have been born in castle, but God chose a stable. He could have ridden into town clothed with fine linen and carried by servants, but he dressed simple with sandals and bridled a donkey.

He gave the best Christmas present over 2000 years ago. Eternal life -- a totally free gift. Sadly most people don't accept the gift because of pride. To think they may need a savior is perhaps too humiliating.Fighting a battle on your knees is probably the most humbling experience of all. In a worldly way, you are admitting defeat. But when God speaks, He speaks.

The Lord is a warrior, Exodus 15:3