WOW x100000. That’s how I would describe my quiet time with the Holy Spirit this morning. The kind of moment where, without noise or hype, God orchestrates a convergence of ideas and experiences that shake your foundations just enough to rebuild something truer.
The setup started the day before, in our bi-weekly staff meeting. My employer introduced the concept of entropy, the gradual drift into disorder. His concern was not physical disorganisation, but the inner decay that seeps in when success is not stewarded. Referencing Robin Sharma’s Titan’s Decline, he explained that great individuals or organisations often collapse under the weight of arrogance, entitlement, and an unwillingness to serve. Sharma’s lens is compelling: part psychological, part moral, part cautionary tale.
But for all its insight, Sharma’s work, like much of modern self-help, draws deeply from Christian ethics while ignoring the Christian God. Its engine is self-reliance. The problem? If we avoid the ultimate Witness- God Himself- then even our noblest efforts risk becoming monuments to self-glorification. In the economy of eternity, such success may amount to nothing. And in John 5, Jesus is clear: a resurrection is coming. Everyone will rise, but only God determines who enters eternal life.
Later that evening, I began John Bevere’s The Holy Spirit course at Rivers Church. He reminded us of something profound: the Holy Spirit is not a vague force but a Person, the divine Witness who reveals Christ and speaks truth through Scripture. His mission is not to spotlight us, but to transform us into Christ’s likeness. It’s all about God’s will, not our projections of it.
In a group discussion, someone asked, “Why do people ignore the Holy Spirit?” My reply came swiftly, almost reflexively:
“Blessings and self-reliance. Sometimes the blessings God gives lead us to trust the gift rather than the Giver. And self-reliance grows when we think we know more of God and Scripture than we actually do.”
Then came the real moment.
This morning, I opened John 5 again. And what poured out was the comprehensiveness of God’s testimony about Himself:
• John the Baptist, the human forerunner.
• The miraculous works of Jesus, the visible signs.
• The Father’s voice and will.
• The Scriptures, rich with messianic promise.
Each witness points outward from self, grounding identity in God’s truth, not human affirmation.
But the verse that hit me hardest was this:
“How can you believe, who receive honour from one another, and do not seek the honour that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44, ESV)
The question is more than rhetorical. It’s diagnostic.
We live in an age that rewards peer recognition and self-projection. Whether through social media, theological circles, or boardroom buzzwords, we are increasingly formed not by God’s witness, but by each other’s approval. In psychological terms, this behaviour can be framed as social narcissism, where self-worth becomes contingent on performance and perceived admiration.¹ Human beings are wired for relational feedback, but when that desire is dislocated from divine orientation, it becomes addictive, performative, and corrosive.²
Theologians like Angela Franks warn of spiritual narcissism, where even our piety becomes a stage for ego validation.³ This is what Jesus confronted: a religious class so obsessed with honour among themselves that they became blind to the incarnate Truth in front of them. “You search the Scriptures,” He told them, “because you think that in them you have eternal life… and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39). Their knowledge was vast, their honour undeniable, and yet they missed the Spirit’s whisper.
From a biblical standpoint, human wisdom that praises itself is not just misguided, it is foolishness before God.⁴ As Paul wrote, “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”⁵ The wisdom from above is peaceable, pure, and humble.⁶ The wisdom from below is boastful and filled with disorder.
So, if the Holy Spirit is the very Witness of Christ, dwelling in us to reveal truth and prepare us for resurrection, then why do we so often ignore Him, yet carefully curate our image before people who cannot save us?
Practical Application
Take inventory of your inner life. Where are you more invested in being seen by others than in being known by God? In your prayer life, your study, your work, your leadership, what’s your true motivation?
Ask yourself:
• When was the last time I sought God’s honour more than applause?
• Do I believe that the Holy Spirit’s witness is more trustworthy than public opinion?
• Am I resisting correction or surrender because it would dent the image I’ve worked hard to build?
Prayer
Holy Spirit,
Witness of the Son, forgive me for preferring the applause of people over Your testimony.
I confess the times I’ve trusted my own wisdom, my reputation, or my spiritual performance.
Teach me to seek the honour that comes from the Father alone.
Give me eyes to see what You are revealing, and the humility to respond.
Burn away every platform I’ve built that doesn’t lead to Jesus.
Amen.
Bibliography
1. Twenge, Jean M., and W. Keith Campbell. The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement. New York: Atria Books, 2009.
2. Buffardi, Laura E., and W. Keith Campbell. “Narcissism and Social Networking Web Sites.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 34, no. 10 (2008): 1303–1314.
3. Franks, Angela. “Self-Centeredness Isn’t Narcissism’s Central Problem.” Church Life Journal. Notre Dame Center for Liturgy, August 10, 2022. https://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/self-centeredness-isnt-narcissisms-central-problem.
4. Lewis, C. S. The Weight of Glory. New York: HarperOne, 2001.
5. Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2016.
6. Bevere, John. The Holy Spirit: An Introduction. Colorado Springs: Messenger International, 2013.
7. Sharma, Robin. The Everyday Hero Manifesto: Activate Your Positivity, Maximise Your Productivity, Serve the World. Toronto: HarperCollins, 2021.
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