Its boasting about the good you will do, or have done
-that brings pride/destruction and defeat.
Want to go down fast?
Want to frustrate your life?
Think, or say to yourself, "I will do _________ (add something good, that you will do).
Or conversley, say or swear or affirm that you will NOT ever do that _______ (you fill in the blank) again!"
The elder son in the prodigal son, who said "I've never left Fathers side, alwaysbeen right here with Dad", that is bitter talk and a defeated life. (no love, no joy).
Its a boast in the ability to keep or do the law -
which is an impossiblity!
The rich young ruler who says: "all these things I've done since my youth". He stumbles on the law, and it makes him defeated, no victory, no joy as it exposes him to his coveting ways and not the loving sharing way of Life that GOD created.
Peter himself boasted that he would fight for JESUS and ends up attacking the assistant high priest ear, and getting reprimanded by JESUS. The rebuke by JESUS to Peter reminds us all that we don't boast in our own ability to handle the situation - that is pride, and JESUS reminds Peter, that to live like that will bring a short lived, destruction life.
JESUS said "Put the sword down, don't you know that if you live by the sword you will die by the sword".
If you live with man's answer to the problem, you will end up being consumed by what you try to fix. The method you use to try to solve the problem will now become your problem. Peter's sword, (what he is using to solve the fight/problem) would later on become his problem if he doesn't resist in man's best answer, and relies on the SON (JESUS our LORD) and live by faith (what he can't see) instead!
Peter had to re-learn the lesson, when Peter boasted that he would die for JESUS and never forsake JESUS. JESUS shakes Peter's world, when HE tells him that "before the rooster crows, you will deny ME 3 times". Peter ended up, getting into huge arguements and even called curses upon himself, trying to deny the fact that he (Peter) didn't even know JESUS. In effect Peter was saying "I've never met the man, don't know at all what you are talking about".
Peter was using his words to defend himself, and it was words of a little girl who questioned Peter's accent, being that similar to someone who would be from the area, and a follower of JESUS.
We also have the story of the poor sinner who prayed in the temple, but the rich church going pharisee also boasted in his ability to tithe, and fast and do what was right all the time, distancing himself from the poor sinner's that didn't know GOD.
JESUS warned that it was the poor, lowly sinner that got his prayers answered not the other way around!
Absalom, one of King David's sons, was a very handsome young man. The Bible states it like this:
In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. 26 Whenever he cut the hair of his head—he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard. 2 Samuel 14:25-26
Note: His hair weiged 5 lbs.
Later, we find Absalom uses his 'looks, charm and charisma' to begin to 'take over' his fathers throne. Now remember David was King, and David learned that the throne belonged to the LORD, that he was just GOD'S man and not no self-made man.
Absalom thinks different, he wants to reign.
He is confident in his own glory.
The time finally comes, he comes to the place where his popularity explodes, and he is the talk of the town. He thinks to himself, that he can't fail and now is in greater popularity than my own father David. If you remember David was and still is, the star of Israel and Israels greatest king (next to JESUS of course).
But Absalom, starts to gain numbers, and through a series of events, takes over his Dad Davids throne and castle and even sleeps with his fathers servants, and boasts about it by doing it on the roof of the castle, so that everyone knows.
Do you think his charm, good looks and ego (about self) had gone too far?
Absalom even erected a statue of himself, as he said it was because he had no children. See 2 Samuel 18:18
David is forced out of the castle with a few of his closest friends and leaders.
Absalom initiates civil war and is out to kill his father.
David, realizes that if GOD (who originally gave David the throne) doesn't want David to have it anymore, then that is GOD'S decision. Like JESUS later, will we find the words of Philippians when it says : "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:5-7
Basically the Kings, didn't assume their Kingship, but would willing take a lower place, until GOD would lift them back up! For David's reaction see 2 Samuel 15
Remember it was this David earlier in his life that was annointed king by Samuel the powerful prophet of GOD. But even then, David waited as Saul, the present king, would be disposed of by GOD. This king Saul, Israel's first king, was bent on David's destruction and tried many times to kill him. David could have killed Saul but wouldn't stating that it was GOD'S throne and plan that would prevail and not man's and certainly not his own.
Absalom does die in battle, trying to kill his own father king David, but he dies by catching his own hair in a tree, and basically dies by his own hair, the same hair and charm that he had put his confidence in, trapped him, ensnared him in the end.
You are trapped by the words of your mouth. You are ensnared with the words of your mouth. Proverbs 6:2
Its best to simply belief and recohnize that you can't, and only JESUS can through you. Own up to your weakness, so that GODS strength can be revealed.
