Surrendering “Me” for “We” Philippians 2:5-8

“ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God.” Instruction on Humility Philippians 2:5,6

“But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Instruction on Humility Philippians 2:7,8

Surrender to God!

Surrender to God If I do surrender, what will I have to give up? Defined as: “to yield ownership, to relinquish control over what we consider ours--our property, our time, and our rights.

Living Sacrifice As a Christian, I am called to give myself to God as a “living sacrifice.” –“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” {Romans 12:1}

Dying to Self Jesus said that each person who wishes to be an effective servant in the kingdom must die to himself! –“ Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” {Matthew 16:24}

When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely set at naught; and you don't sting or hurt because of the oversight; but your heart is happy because you are counted worthy to suffer for Christ, You die to self! Dying to Self

When your good is evil spoken of, your wishes crossed, your advice disregarded, and your opinion ridiculed; yet you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even to defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence, You die to self! Dying to Self

When you lovingly and patiently bear disorder, irregularity, and annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, and spiritual insensibility, enduring it as Jesus did; You die to self! Dying to Self

When you are content with any food, offering, raiment, climate, society, solitude, or interruption because you are conforming to God’s will; You die to self! Dying to Self

When you do not care to refer to yourself in conversation, record your own good works, or long for commendation; when you truly love being unknown; You die to self! Dying to Self

When you see your brother prosper and have his needs met, but you can honestly rejoice with him in spirit, feel no envy, or question God, although your own needs are far greater, and you are in desperate circumstances; You die to self! Dying to Self

When you can receive correction and reproof from one considered to be of less stature than yourself, humbly submit--inwardly as well as outwardly—without rebellion or resentment rising within your heart; You die to self! Dying to Self

Get out of Your Comfort Zone Each of us has a comfort zone. We believe that each Christian ought to desire to be better, but better cannot be achieved when we limit ourselves to the satisfaction of our comfort zones. Christians cannot be better as long as we limit ourselves to our comfort zones.

“Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word.” Leaving the Comfort Zone A CTS 4:29

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” Daniel 6:10 Leaving the Comfort Zone

“According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” Philippians 1:20 Leaving the Comfort Zone

“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.” The Church… 1 Corinthians 12:12

The Body and “ME” The Lord’s church is like a human body; it is an organism. When I am baptized into Christ and added to His body, I cease to be “ME” and become “WE!” There is no real reason to say, “I don’t matter. I can hang loose on the fringe. I’m not really part.”

Let’s Get Practical! Surrender past hurts and disappointments ( Philippians 3:13-15 ). If “ I ” allow the past to control how “ I ” interact and work with “ you, ” it can cripple God’s work in the future. Ask yourself why you’re here, why God has placed you in this body, and what it is He wants you to do. Understand that if you are not feeling connected, it could be because you are not interacting with others. Become a part of the solution and not the problem. Realize that if you are not willing to invest in the work here, you have no right to expect to benefit from it.

Let’s Join Hands and Get to Work!