Denying Yourself (Spiritual Formation Part 2) Series

Denying Yourself

Philippians 2:1-16

1. Deny your Authority – Acknowledging that our life is under the sovereign power of God

A. Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped (Verse 6)

B. We need to understand that that the world does not revolve around us

C. We need to understand that we should be revolving under God’s Authority

D. Jesus denied himself of being God, for him to fulfill God’s Plan

E. Jesus lived under the authority of the Father in Heaven

F. He even lived under the authority of His parents

2. Deny your Possession – Acknowledging that everything comes from God

A. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance (Verse 7)

B. Jesus considered himself a servant

C. We need to understand the station of a servant

D. We need to understand that a servant do not have any possession

E. A Servant is merely relying under the provision of his master

3. Deny your Pride – Acknowledging that humility is the key to God’s heart

A. Jesus humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross (Verse 8)

B. Humility is the way we become obedient

C. Obedience is the key for us to be teachable

D. Being teachable is the key of knowing God’s heart to us

4. Deny your Fear – Acknowledging that God is always in Control

A. For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work (Verse 13)

B. The only fear that God can accept is the fear of reverence (Verse 12)

C. Fear is the opposite of faith

D. Fear brings worries

E. Worries brings lack of confidence to God

F. Jesus lives His life without fear up to the Cross

5. Deny your self Will – Acknowledging that we are nothing without God

A. Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world (Verse 14 – 15)

B. St Paul’s exhortation of perpetual obedience (Verse 12)

C. Total surrender of our self will is the key for the Holy Spirit to work within us

D. It is also the key for the word of God (Will of God) will manifest in our life

E. Complaining and arguing is the manifestation of our own self will

F. Being blameless and pure, being children of God is way that we can shine like a lights in the world – It means that we can be Spiritually Formed