"Ego in Sacred Clothing" — Day 2: When Spirituality Becomes Performance

Stephan Kirby - Ekklesia
23 hours ago
8 min read

Grace and Peace My Ekklesia Family

True spirituality dies to self; ego simply rebrands itself in religious language—but discernment exposes the difference between surrender and performance.

Matthew 23:5–7 "Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called 'Rabbi' by others."

Philippians 2:3–4 (NLT) "Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too."

James 3:13–14 (NLT) "If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying."

Galatians 6:3 (NLT) "If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important."

1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT) "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'"

Proverbs 21:2 (NLT) "People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their hearts."

Jesus reserved His harshest rebukes not for sinners, but for religious leaders who performed spirituality without possessing it.

In Matthew 23, Jesus confronted the Pharisees and teachers of the law—the spiritual elite of Israel. These were men who knew Scripture, kept religious rituals, and held positions of honor in the community. But Jesus called them out with brutal clarity: "Everything they do is done for people to see."

The phylacteries—small leather boxes containing Scripture—were meant to be symbols of devotion to God's Word, worn on the forehead and arm as a reminder to keep God's commandments close to heart and mind. But the Pharisees made theirs wide—larger than necessary—so people would notice their "devotion."

The tassels on their garments, commanded in Numbers 15:38–39 as reminders of God's laws, were made long—not for holiness, but for visibility.

They loved the best seats in the synagogue—not to worship better, but to be seen better.

They craved titles—"Rabbi," "Teacher," "Father"—not because they wanted to serve, but because they wanted to be honored.

Jesus wasn't critiquing their theology. He was exposing their motive. Their spirituality had become performance art. Their faith had become a platform for ego.

This wasn't new. The prophet Isaiah warned Israel centuries earlier:

"These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote." (Isaiah 29:13, NLT)

The religious system had become a stage. And ego had dressed itself in sacred clothing.

Paul later warned the early church:

"Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3, NLT)

The Greek word for "selfish ambition" here is eritheia—originally used to describe politicians who manipulated people for personal gain. Paul used it to describe those who use spiritual language to advance personal agendas.

Ego doesn't disappear when someone becomes religious. It rebrands.

Day 2 of the Exodus 21-Day Fast. And God is already doing surgery.

Yesterday, we declared, "Lord, I already believe." Today, God is asking: "But what are you believing FOR? My glory—or yours?"

Here's a sobering truth that the Holy Spirit is exposing in this season:

Some egos are just wearing spiritual clothing.

Not everyone who speaks prophetically is submitted to God.Not everyone who leads worship is worshiping in spirit and truth.Not everyone who preaches sermons is preaching from a surrendered heart.Not everyone who quotes Scripture has allowed Scripture to transform them.

Religious language does not equal spiritual maturity.

Ego dressed in spiritual clothing reveals itself in predictable patterns:

Control instead of servanthood — It must have the final say, the most influence, the loudest voice.
Visibility instead of obedience — It needs platforms, recognition, titles, and audiences. It struggles in the secret place because there's no applause there.
Defensiveness instead of repentance — It cannot receive correction. It reframes accountability as persecution. It protects its image more fiercely than it protects its integrity.
Self-promotion instead of Christ-exaltation — It drops names, highlights résumés, reminds you of its credentials, and positions itself as indispensable.

Here's what makes this so dangerous:

Ego doesn't announce itself. It disguises itself.

It doesn't say, "Look at me."It says, "God told me to tell you…"

It doesn't say, "I need to be seen."It says, "God gave me this platform for His glory."

It doesn't say, "I'm unteachable."It says, "I'm protecting what God gave me."

And that's the trap.

Because once ego wraps itself in God-language, it becomes almost untouchable. To question it feels like questioning God Himself. To confront it feels like attacking anointing. To challenge it feels like resisting authority.

But Jesus didn't hesitate.

He called out the Pharisees publicly. He overturned tables in the temple. He exposed religious performance for what it was: a counterfeit of true worship.

Paul warned the Galatians:

"If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important." (Galatians 6:3, NLT)

James wrote:

"If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying." (James 3:13–14, NLT)

True spirituality carries the aroma of Christ:

Meekness with authority (not arrogance masquerading as confidence)
Conviction without condemnation (not judgment disguised as discernment)
Confidence without self-promotion (not insecurity demanding validation)

Ego, by contrast, must always be:

Seen
Heard
Affirmed
Protected

And here's the heartbreaking reality: Ego can build ministries. It can grow churches. It can attract followers. It can even produce results.

But it cannot produce Christlikeness.

So what are you seeing on Day 2 of this fast?

You're seeing that performance is not the same as transformation. You're seeing that spiritual language without surrendered character is just noise. You're seeing that discernment is not cynicism—it's maturity.

And most importantly, you're discovering the difference between being used by God and being submitted to God.

God will use a donkey (Numbers 22:28). That doesn't mean the donkey is anointed.God will use a pagan king (Isaiah 45:1). That doesn't mean the king is righteous.God will even allow false prophets to perform signs (Deuteronomy 13:1–3)—not to validate them, but to test the hearts of His people.

The question is never: "Is God using them?"The question is: "Are they submitted to Him?"

Day 2 is about internal alignment, not external activity.

God is not impressed by how spiritual you sound. He's examining how surrendered you are.

Practical Steps for Day 2:

Self-Examination: Check Your Motives

Ask yourself honestly:
- Do I need to be seen to feel secure in my calling?
- Do I struggle when someone else is celebrated and I'm not?
- Do I justify my defensiveness as "protecting my anointing"?
- Do I serve better in public than I do in private?
- Am I more concerned with my platform than with my character?
Write your answers down. Don't perform for yourself. Be honest with God.
Identify Ego in Spiritual Spaces

This is not about becoming cynical or judgmental. This is about spiritual discernment.

Ask the Holy Spirit:
- "Who am I following because of their gift versus their character?"
- "Am I drawn to voices that challenge me, or voices that validate me?"
- "Do I gravitate toward leaders who point to themselves or to Jesus?"
Choose Hiddenness Over Visibility

Do something today that no one will see.
- Pray for someone anonymously.
- Serve without posting about it.
- Encourage someone without expecting a response.
- Give without being acknowledged.
If your obedience requires an audience, it's not obedience—it's performance.
Repent for Self-Promotion

If the Holy Spirit is convicting you that you've been operating in ego—repent. Not with shame, but with honesty.

Say:

"God, I confess that I've been more concerned with being seen than with being surrendered. I've hidden my ego behind spiritual language. I've craved affirmation more than I've craved Your approval. Forgive me. Strip me of performance. Clothe me in humility. Let my life point to You, not to me."

Spiritual ego is one of the most dangerous forms of pride because it feels righteous. It justifies itself with Scripture. It defends itself with "God told me." It resists correction by calling it persecution.

But let's be clear:

Jesus never rebuked weakness. He rebuked pretense.He never condemned sinners. He condemned religious hypocrites.He never rejected the broken. He rejected the self-righteous.

If you're reading this and feeling defensive—pause. That might be the Holy Spirit exposing something.

If you're reading this and feeling convicted—good. That's the beginning of transformation.

If you've been performing spirituality instead of living it—repent.If you've used God's name to promote your platform—repent.If you've confused visibility with anointing—repent.If you've prioritized being seen over being surrendered—repent.

This fast is not about impressing God with your sacrifice. It's about surrendering your ego so He can fill you with His Spirit.

Strip off the sacred clothing that's hiding your pride.Stand before God naked and unashamed, like Adam before the fall.Let Him clothe you with humility, righteousness, and true holiness.

You don't need to perform for God. You need to surrender to Him.

Heavenly Father,

Day 2. And already You're doing surgery.

I come before You not in pretense, but in honesty. Not in performance, but in surrender. Not trying to impress You with religious words, but simply laying my heart bare before You.

Lord, search me. Know me. See if there is any ego in me that I've dressed up in spiritual clothing.

I confess: sometimes I've cared more about being seen than being surrendered. Sometimes I've hidden my insecurity behind spiritual language. Sometimes I've craved platforms more than I've craved Your presence. Sometimes I've defended my image more fiercely than I've guarded my integrity.

Forgive me.

Strip me of performance. Deliver me from the need to be validated by people. Free me from the trap of spiritual ego.

I don't want to sound spiritual—I want to BE spiritual.I don't want to look anointed—I want to be submitted.I don't want to perform for applause—I want to obey in hiddenness.

Teach me the way of Jesus:Meek, but full of authority.Confident, but never self-promoting.Corrective, but never condemning.Powerful, but never proud.

Let my life decrease so that You increase.Let my platform fade so that Your glory shines.Let my name be forgotten so that Your name is exalted.

I lay down my ego at the foot of the cross.Clothe me in humility. Cover me in grace. Fill me with Your Spirit.

These 21 days are not about proving my spirituality.They're about exposing my ego so You can transform my heart.

Do the work, Lord. I surrender.

In the name of Jesus, who humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross,Amen.

If today's word cut deep, don't run from it. Run to Jesus with it.

This devotional is not designed to shame you. It's designed to free you. Because the truth is, we've all dressed ego in spiritual clothing at some point. We've all craved visibility more than obedience. We've all protected our image instead of our integrity.

But that's not where your story has to end.

At Ekklesia Christian Life Ministries, we are committed to discipleship that confronts ego, exposes pretense, and cultivates Christlikeness. We don't do spiritual entertainment. We do spiritual formation.

This Exodus 21-Day Fast is not a performance. It's a purification process. And we're walking through it together—not as people who have it all figured out, but as people who are willing to be broken, refined, and transformed.

If you're ready to: