TD Jakes - Balancing Boldness vs. Arrogance
This is respect, and this is reverence. If you don’t learn, Leviticus and Hebrews will cause you to be arrogant. When God said, «Just be bold,» do you understand the difference? Arrogance is entitlement. I’m Aaron’s son; I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m Aaron’s son; I would do it. You can do it however you want, but this is still God’s house. This is still God’s house. With it being God’s house, there’s a certain submission and a certain humility that is required. But humility is not insecurity.
You see, you can be humble and not be intimidated. You must get in between these two extremes. Hunty, intimidation will pass off as humility. Today, I want to be humble, but I refuse to be intimidated because what I have, I have, and what He called me, He called me. What I can do, I can do. Glory to God! I refuse to be intimidated because of what you’re doing, because whatever you’re doing, it’s whatever He lets you do; but whatever I’m doing is what He has given me to do, and you are not to change me from doing what He has called me to do. I’m not going to give it up to you just because you want to take it. No, I’m humble, but I’m not intimidated.
Now, this is God who is searching our intents. He is telling us the attitude He wants us to have when we come before the throne. On one hand, He’s saying, «Don’t come in here any kind of way, like I don’t matter, because if I blow my breath, I’ll burn you up. I’ll put my fire against your fire, and I’ll burn that arrogance out of you.» I want you to have an innate respect; it’s like raising a child. I want you to respect me, but I don’t want you to be scared of me. I don’t want you to be scared because I’m your Father, and I don’t think it’s healthy for you to be scared of your Father. But on the other hand, I want you to respect. Don’t talk to me like you talk to your brother because I’m your Father. You understand? This is the order that we’re missing that causes us not to connect to the throne.
Now, see, what I want to do is balance the boldness against the arrogance of entitlement, where you feel like God just has to bless you. God doesn’t have to do anything. God doesn’t have to let you breathe; He doesn’t have to let you live another moment. On the other hand, He doesn’t want you backing away from His presence because that means you doubt who He put on the inside. So He says, «I want you to come to the throne boldly, but don’t be arrogant. Don’t be presumptuous. I want you to have your back straight and your head up, but don’t put your nose in the air.» Because I saw you; I know who you really are. I know what you thought, I know what you did, and I know what you’re capable of. So when you come into My presence, I want you to come like you’re My child, but still respect Me as your Father. Yeah, I want you to be that way.
That’s a thin line, but if you’re going to come before the throne, you’re going to come before the throne boldly. Now, how can I be bold when you strip me in the text? I’m naked in the text. My thoughts are naked in the text. My imaginations are naked in the text. All of the things that ran through my mind that I filtered before I said or did—even if I didn’t do them—you know my capability; you know my potentials, you know my possibilities. And yet you’re telling me to come boldly? How can I be bold and exposed? Faith exists between boldness and exposure. The only way you can be bold and naked before Him is to believe in the One who represents you.