How should Amos 6:13 influence our reliance on God over self-reliance?

◄ Amos 6:13: God-reliance vs. self-reliance? ►

Amos 6:13—Hollow Victory and Hidden Pride

“You who rejoice in Lo-debar and say, ‘Did we not capture Karnaim by our own strength?’”

What the Verse Teaches

• Israel bragged about conquering “Lo-debar” (“nothing”) and “Karnaim” (“horns,” symbols of power).

• Their celebration centered on military success, not on the Lord who alone grants victory (Psalm 20:7).

• God exposes the absurdity of boasting over “nothing” achieved by “our own strength.”

Self-Reliance Unmasked

• Pride credits human ability for blessings God supplies (Deuteronomy 8:17-18).

• Self-reliance forgets that every breath, resource, and skill comes from Him (Acts 17:25).

• Boasting blinds us to impending judgment; Amos’s warning precedes national collapse.

God’s View of Dependence

• “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

• “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

• “Our adequacy is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5).

• True glory is “that the one who boasts should boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31).

Shifting from Self-Reliance to God-Reliance

1. Remember past deliverances: rehearse how God has supplied before (1 Samuel 7:12).

2. Acknowledge Him first: begin plans with prayerful submission, not afterthought petitions (James 4:13-16).

3. Hold victories loosely: celebrate wins as stewardship, not ownership (Psalm 115:1).

4. Cultivate humility: daily confess dependence (Psalm 16:2).

5. Serve in His strength: act diligently, yet credit His power (Colossians 1:29).

6. Guard the heart: replace “my strength” talk with gratitude language (Ephesians 5:20).

Personal Reflection Points

• List recent successes—then write beside each one how God enabled it.

• Identify areas where you quietly say, “Did I not capture this by my own strength?”

• Commit specific actions—budgeting, parenting, ministry, work—to the Lord anew.

Key Takeaways

• Any achievement apart from God is “Lo-debar”—a triumph of nothingness.

• Prideful self-credit provokes divine opposition; humble dependence invites grace (James 4:6).

• Lasting security comes only from the Lord; therefore, boast in Him alone.

Further Scriptures for Meditation