A Sermon Delivered on Wednesday evening, November 11th, 2020, by
Evangelist PAUL ACQUAH, Live on MZ Radio London, UK
No one enjoys being around a person who boasts of himself. Bragging about your own ability and wealth
is a turn off in anyone’s book. So, the question is, can a Christian boast? Can a Christian be proud of
anything? The answer is yes, for all boasting is not sinful. The Bible does encourage us to be boasters.
Boast in the Lord. You see, boasting in the Lord is on the one hand quite the opposite of boasting in oneself.
Instead of drawing attention to ourselves, we draw our attention to Christ. So, what do we take pride in? Is it our possessions, intellectual gifts, relational abilities, or artistic attractions? Do you ever boast about
God’s grace and work in your life? Is God blessing you in ways that ought to be shared with others for their encouragement and up building? Then boast in the Lord today, He is worthy of our boasting.
The message I want to convey to you today, is about the best way or the positive or right way to boast. You may ask, is there a positive way to boast.? How could boasting be something positive? Friend let me tell you that boasting is good if we boast about the right thing. So, what are the things that we shouldn’t boast about and what should we boast about? For those of us who know God, there is a reason for celebration.
The Bible uses the word rejoice, which in the original language is translated to boast.
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:1-2).
Normally for the believer in Christ, boasting is a sign of pride, where the sinner boasts of his independence of God. But there is a positive boasting, not in self but in God. We’ve been prompted by God to boast about something – He doesn’t want us to boast of our achievements or the things that we have or have done. He simply wants us to boast about knowing Him personally and how He operates in the lives of humanity. So, the Bible says in Jer. 9:23-24 that:
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, 24 but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.
“Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord” ( 1 Cor. 1:31).
But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord” (2 Cor. 10:17).
Go ahead and boast about knowing God! It’s good to boast in God. It’s not pride at all. The only way
boasting is not good is when the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches. There is a holy boasting: live for God and know God intimately. You shouldn’t be
ashamed of making the character of God known to the world. Don’t forget to mention the love of God when you have the opportunity.
Just because it might be seen as boastful, don’t refrain from sharing your faith in God and sharing His
goodness. Don’t refrain from declaring your new identity in Him and how He has created you for success.
You limit yourself so as not to offend or outshine others, but the Bible clearly says that the believer is the
light of this world. See yourself as God sees you. Otherwise, you are not living to achieve God’s purpose for your life. This might lead to self-sabotage, downplaying who you are, playing small or even limiting
the character and attributes of God.
The passages found in Jer. 9:23-24, 1 Cor. 1:31 & 2 Cor. 10:17 are powerful passages of scripture. If we
will sit down and be honest and objectively analyse ourselves, we will find out how much of our lives is
boasting in the fact that we know God, or know Him in an intimate way. You see, the scripture says,
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, 24 but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD. “Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord” (1 Cor 1:31).
But “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord” (2 Cor 10:17).
These verses of scripture are talking about here in this life. They are not talking about when we stand before God and get a revelation about what’s right and wrong. These are telling us what’s important. They say don’t let people boast in their wisdom or in their own knowledge that they have accumulated. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
I’m repeating these scriptures to let you know that boasting in the Lord is not pride at all. It’s a
commandment from God. People always want others to know what they have achieved. We are not saying that you shouldn’t tell people what you have attained or achieved, but the emphasis must not be on your accomplishment. If you know God, that’s the most distinguishing characteristics in your life. We are not talking about just knowing who God is, or just having somebody told you and you know that He exists, but having an intimate walking relationship with God.
Currently, people are talking about our footballers, boxers, tennis player, athletes and all the different sports men and women. They say they are the greatest, they are successful, they talk about their might, their ability, their skills – in other words, they boast in their achievements. These are people that are known for what they have done in the physical natural realm.
When we stand before God, He is not going to be impressed by anybody’s achievements that are of no
eternal value. All these things that people are boasting about and putting emphasis on, and even go to the extent of putting their photos on the covers of magazines and on TV screens and talking about their
accomplishments are not of eternal value. When we stand before God, those things will be so trivial, they
are going to be so unimportant. What’s important is knowing God, knowing how He operates and knowing His will for your life.
If you know God almighty, that’s the greatest complement or asset that you can ever possess. That’s
greater than winning the Olympics, it’s greater than winning a trophy, and greater than achieving a series
of degrees. You can have as many degrees as you want. He said, “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, 24 but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.
“Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord” (1 Cor 1:31).
But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord” (2 Cor 10:17).
These sayings show how far removed we are from the proper value system from God’s word. This is
because if you’re to look around, who is our society glorying, exalting, glorifying, and esteeming? Who are those people? They are talking about the rich, professional athletes, celebrities, and those who are boasting that they are better than other people. Don’t let the internet, the media, or celebrities shape how you think or feel. Don’t let them take the place that belongs to God. What’s shaping your thinking?
Are the people who have all the degrees in education after their name shaping your thinking? We are doing the exact opposite to what God spoke through His prophet and spoke through the apostle Paul in the book of Corinthians. We are boasting of our wisdom, we are boasting of our might, we are boasting of our powers and abilities, we are boasting of our riches. We are putting those people on the forefront; those are the people that people look up to today and admire and glorify. We tend to develop a new way of thinking from the influence of these people.
We have actors today who do nothing of any value, except just entertaining, and most of it is not godly type of entertainment. They preach fiction as though they are facts, promoting demonic values and they live and have no good morals and yet we honour these people. We are not against individuals, but we have glorified people because they are on the TV screen and we make them as if they are so special so everyone wants to be like them. That is just so misplaced, Bible says,
let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,”
declares the LORD.
Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” But, “Let the one who boasts boast
in the Lord.”
There are some of you who don’t have all of the riches and all that is good in the sight of the world. You
may not have fame or money, but you are useful to God. You haven’t won the Olympics. You haven’t
accomplished some of the things that people see as important. You don’t drive the best car, you don’t live in the best house and all of these kinds of things, and so often you feel insignificant and ask yourself what good is my life?
But if you know God, if you have been born again, if you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, if the Holy
spirit has revealed Himself to you through the word of God, and if you understand the things of God, if you understand that God loves you and He is not dealing with you based on your performance but He is
extending His grace and mercy towards you, you have the treasure that is more than all the athletes, the
actors, the rich , and the wise people of this world. You have something that is going to last for eternity,
plus it could give you a quality of life here in this life that people who don’t know and understand God can
never experience. Say Halleluiah to that.
Friend, you are living a successful life. Don’t look at the dictionary definition of success which says that in this world success is about bigger is better, but that’s not the case with God. If you are living for God, you are a successful person. So, take note of that and just live according to what God is telling you from His Word and what He is saying about you. Now to those listening to me or reading this, if you don’t know God, then there is nothing worth boasting about. But if you will, you may receive Him right now and He is going to forgive you of all your sins and make your life a success. You may pray this prayer after me, saying every word from your heart.
Dear Lord, I recognise that I am a sinner and need to be saved.
I understand that Jesus died in my place and suffered the judgment of all of my sins.
I believe that Jesus rose from the dead and He is at the right hand of the father.
Lord Jesus, I surrender my Life to you.
Come and Live in my heart and be my Lord and saviour.
Thank You for saving me. AMEN!