by Nancy Leigh Demoss
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart,O God, thou wilt not despise. PS 51:17 (KJV)
PROUD PEOPLE
Focus on the failures of others
A critical, fault-finding spirit, look at everyone else’s faults with a microscope, but their own with a telescope
Self-righteous look down on others
Independent, self-sufficient spirit
Have to prove that they are right
Claim rights; have a demanding spirit
Self-protective of their time, their rights,and their reputation
Desire to be served
Desire to be a success
Have a drive to be recognized and appreciated
Wounded when others are promoted and they are overlooked
Have a subconscious feeling “This ministry/church is privileged to have me and my gifts”, think of what they do for God
Feel Confident in how much they know
Self-conscious
Keep others at arms’ length
Quick to blame others
Unapproachable or defensive when criticized
Concerned with being respectable, with what others think; work to protect their own image and reputation
Find it difficult to share their spiritual needs with others
Want to be sure that no one finds out when they have sinned; their instinct is to cover up
Have a hard time saying, “I was wrong: will you please forgive me?”
Tend to deal in generalities when confessing sin
Concerned about the consequences of their sin
Remorseful over their sin, sorry that they got found out or caught
Wait for others to come and ask forgiveness when there is a misunderstanding or conflict in a relationship
Compare themselves with others and feel worthy of honor
Blind to their true heart condition
Don’t think they have anything to repent of
Don’t think they need revival, but are sure that every one else does
BROKEN PEOPLE
Overwhelmed with a sensed of their own spiritual need
Compassionate; can forgive much because they know how much they have been forgiven
Esteem all others better then themselves
Have a dependent spirit; recognize their need for others
Willing to yield the right to be right
Yield their rights; have a meek spirit
Self-denying
Motivated to serve others
Motivated to be faithful and to make others a success
Desire to promote others
Have a sense of their own unworthiness; thrilled that God would use them all
Eager for others to get the credit; rejoice when others are lifted up
Heart attitude is “I don’t deserve to have a part in any ministry”, know that they have nothing to offer God except the life of Jesus flowing through their broken lives
Humbled by how very much they have to learn
Not concerned with self at all
Willing to risk getting close to others and to take risks of loving intimately
Accept personal responsibility and can see where they are wrong in a situation
Receive criticism with a humble open spirit.
Concerned with being real; what matters to them is not what others think but what God knows; are willing to die to their own reputation.
Willing to be open minded and transparent with others as God directs
Once broken, don’t care who knows or who finds out; are willing to be exposed because they have nothing to loss
Quick to admit failure and to seek forgiveness when necessary
Able to acknowledge specifics when confessing their sin
Grieved over the cause, the root of their sin
Truly, genuinely repentant over their sin, evidenced in the fact that they forsake sin
Take the initiative to be reconciled when there is misunderstanding or conflict in relationships; they race to the cross; they see if they can get there first, no matter how wrong the other might have been
Compare themselves to the holiness of God and feel a desperate need for his mercy
Walk in the light
Realize they have need of a continual heart attitude of repentance
Continually sense their need for a fresh encounter with God and for a fresh filling of his Holy Spirit
Source:Nancy Leigh DeMoss, with “Revive Our Hearts”, an outreach of Life Action Ministries, Box 31, Buchanan, MI 491007 Ph: 866-842-8381
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