And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. (Acts 12:22–23)
There is a song I often find myself singing quietly and reflectively:
“All Glorious God, we praise Your name.
We lay our crowns and worship You.”
Another one that has marked generations is this:
“All the glory must be to the Lord, for He is worthy of our praise.
No man on earth should give glory to himself.
All the glory must be to the Lord.”
It’s amazing how, from such a young age, we begin teaching this to our children through sleepy-eyed family devotions. At the time, they may not fully understand the weight of what they are singing, but their spirits are being taught. They are learning early that glory is not something we keep. It is something we return to God.
That’s the kind of truth we must never outgrow, because if we’re not careful, the very child who sang those lyrics at five can grow into the adult who takes the credit at thirty-five.
Many start with God, small, broken, and dependent. They cry, “Lord, if You don’t help me, I’m finished.” And He does help them. He lifts them, sets their feet on solid ground, opens doors, enlarges their voice, causes men to listen when they speak.
But then something sad begins to happen, slowly and subtly. They begin to give the credit for their success to their own hard work and many sacrifices.
For those in business or pursuing a career path, you begin to hear phrases like, “I burned the midnight candle,” or “I stayed up all night preparing the pitch that won us the deal.” When profit margins increase or recognition comes, they start to believe it was their consistency, their branding, their strategic decisions that brought the results. Really?
While it is true that diligence is important, staying up to give your best shot matters, it still cannot replace the favour of God. You still need His breath on your proposal. You need His hand on your exam sheet. You need His Spirit resting upon your business or career journey.
Or have we forgotten what Paul wrote?
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6).
Yes, plant, water, work hard, give all you do your best shot, but never forget who brings the increase.
For those in ministry, the temptation is no different. Because they prayed long, fasted hard, and pressed in for power, they begin to speak of the results as though they earned them: “I paid the price” they say. They forget that no amount of sacrifice can purchase the anointing. All of the sacrifice, whether fasting, obedience, or study, is more for our own formation or character development than for moving God. It is to kill our flesh, sharpen our hearing, and align us with His will. The anointing still flows from God’s mercy, not man’s effort. It is still God’s Spirit doing the work (Zechariah 4:6).
If we are not careful, we start writing ourselves into the glory story. We begin to speak of ourselves as though we are the source, not the vessel. We shift from testifying of God’s help to showcasing our sacrifice.
The moment a man begins to think, “It’s because I…” instead of “It’s only because God…,” pride has entered, and pride always leads to a fall (Proverbs 16:18).
Our posture should always be: “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness” (Psalm 115:1).
Remember the beloved King Uzziah. Scripture says in 2 Chronicles 26:15–16: “So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
Remember King Herod? Acts 12:22–23 says And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”
Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.
These are not just stories. They are written to remind us that when men begin to touch glory that belongs only to God, they step outside the covering of grace and into the judgment of pride.
Let us learn from the posture of the twenty four Elders in Heave. Revelation 4:10–11 says:
The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”
Even in glory, the Elders don’t keep the crown. They cast it, because it never truly belonged to them. The crown is not yours to keep. Never was and never will be.
The more God lifts you, the lower you must bow.
The more men applaud you, the quicker your knees should bend.
Let every compliment, every breakthrough, every success, and every fruit be another opportunity to say, “To God alone be all the glory. I love how members of the Redeemed Christian Church often say among themselves, ‘Who did it??? Jesus did it, oh my God!’
May that forever be our response.
