Summary:

The Christian life is characterized by a lack of selfishness. God desires that you be a blessing to someone else. When you love God you will die

to self, which is denying your plans, purposes and pursuits so God's
will can be expressed through your life. When you die to self, you
resist anything that contradicts the Word of God. Selfishness will
separate you from God and block the manifestation of His abundant life.

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1. Your life as a Christian should not be self-absorbed.
   1. Strive to be a blessing to someone else.
   2. When you learn about the principles of God, it should be so you can bless someone else.
      1. For example, your faith or prosperity is not just for you; it is so you can be a blessing to someone else.
   3. The purpose of the Christian life is:
      1. To empty your life and be filled with God's life.
      2. To be a reflection of God's character.
      3. To be a genuine witness for God.
         
         
2. When you love God, you will die to self and resist anything that is contrary to the Word of God.
   1. God wants you to die to self, or deny yourself, and follow Him
      (Luke 9:23-25).
   2. To deny yourself means to lose your thoughts, emotions and feelings that are contrary to the Word of God.
      1. Recognize your feelings, emotions and thoughts that contradict the Word, and resist them.
         1. When you resist, you demonstrate your love for God.
            1. Love has a demonstration of sacrifice.
               1. Dying to your selfish desires is an act of love for the Father.
            2. God is only interested in you loving Him by keeping His commandments.
            3. Your love for God is not demonstrated with a human, emotional love.
               1. Emotional feelings are unstable.
      2. God and the Holy Spirit will help you resist all that goes against His Word and His will.
         
         
3. "Self" will separate you from God and block the impartation of God's abundant, eternal life.
   1. Selfishness will separate you from God.
   2. Selfishness is a result of disobedience and is part of the curse.
   3. Love is the opposite of selfishness.
      1. God has commanded us to love one another as He has loved us (John 15:12,13).
      2. God commanded us to love each other by laying down our lives for each other (1 John 3:16,17).
         1. Great love is demonstrated by sacrificing your desires for someone else.
   4. When you allow selfish desires to rule you, you are demonstrating that you love self more than God.
   5. God wants to restore man to his original state before sin and the curse entered the Earth through Adam's disobedience.
      1. However, self is the enemy that blocks the impartation of zo? (or God's life).
      2. The zo? life of God cannot be manifested until you die to self.
         
         
4. There are benefits to choosing God's will over your own.
   1. You must be willing to choose the will of God over your own happiness.
      1. Trust God to take care of your needs.
         1. All things work together for the good of those that love God (Romans 8:28).
      2. God will take care of you, but He cannot do that if you try to be the god of your life.
      3. When you delight yourself in God's will, He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).

Scripture References:

• Luke 9:23-25
• John 15:12, 13
• 1 John 3:16, 17
• Romans 8:28
• Psalm 37:4

Pastor Robert Bagonza
Redeemed Church
www.mrolec.org