Category: Self-Denial

Do you have anything that is dear to you? Something that would be hard for you to give up for the Lord?  Paul certainly did. He told the Philippians in chapter 3 of the text that his position as a zealous Jew — circumcised, from Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, a zealous Pharisee, blameless in his attempts to keep the law of Moses — was reason for him to have confidence in the flesh. And yet upon his witness of the resurrected Christ, leading to his conversion, he wrote, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8).

Why did he make such a sacrifice? For the same reason we will, if we have his wisdom! That he might “know Him [Christ] and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings… if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead” (3:10-11).

Do you want access to the power of Christ, and the hope of the resurrection? Then it is simple. Just like Paul you must be ready to give up all that is precious in your life and give yourself totally in service to the Master. There is absolutely nothing that this world offers you that is worth sacrificing your soul! (cf. Matthew 16:26). Something sobering to think about, isn’t it?!