Boasting about ourselves is wrong.  It is one of the expressions of worldly pride which does not come from the Father (1 John 2:15-17).  But it is not wrong to say that somebody else is excellent, if they are.  Supremely, Jesus Christ is wonderful in every way (Ephesians 1:18-23).  Everything in His character and actions draws attention to Him and gives Him glory.  And it is right that He should also be glorified for the way He has been at work within us, to enable us to work powerfully with Him, by His Spirit.

However, Satan never wants God to be glorified.  The devil's evil tactics in distorting truth, presenting lies and bringing destruction are unchanged since the Garden of Eden (John 8:44).  He wants to entice human beings to disregard the authority and the power of God, and refuse to glorify Him.  Either Satan will tempt us to deny that God has been at work or to take for ourselves the credit for the wonderful things God has done through us.

Whichever way we are tempted, Satan seeks to lock us into a Christ-excluding self-centredness which keeps us away from enjoying the life of Christ - and keeps the life of Christ away from the people we live and work among.  The Apostle Paul refused to do that, and he linked that decision with the determination to glorify God by saying that whatever had been done in his ministry was because God had done it (Philippians 2:13).  The task of leading the Gentiles to obey God and His gospel was never Paul’s plan.  But God appointed him for that work (1 Timothy 2:7) and changed his heart to love those he once despised, so that he could open the door of faith to the Gentiles (Acts 14:27).

Apostle Paul's personal strategy for dealing with these temptations is an example to us.  He served God wholeheartedly and in everything he did, he pointed people to Christ Jesus as the One who has the power and must receive the glory.  At the same time, he refused to boast about anything he had done.  If we make the same two decisions and allow them to work through every experience of life, we will glorify Christ that His power is working in us, and those around us will be attracted to Him.