Personal Growth of the Kingdom | 1.18.23 | Wednesday | On Fire Christian Church

Personal Growth of the Kingdom!

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;” Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬
Matthew Harmon’s commentary says “The believer must realize that one does not drift towards godliness. It only comes through intentional efforts using the means God provides, all the while trusting in God himself to produce the desired growth in His timing.”

Work out- cultivate what’s already there

Reverent fear and trembling

“knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” I Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭‬‬‬‬

Paul’s letter here to the Philippians in a whole is about pushing forward the gospel personally. It’s about growing not getting saved.
Paul wants them to know that even though it appears that he is shackled to Rome, in reality, God has wisely shackled Rome to Paul. (Christianity.com)

We must begin to perceive that we are not shackled to our circumstances but they are shackled to us. Rome was shackled to Paul not the other way around and God uses the power of God in Paul to spread the gospel .

Cultivating our lives starts by perception of whose we are and how we are slaves to Him

Philippians says we are to work out or cultivate

Philippians 1:27 let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ

Phil 2:5 let this mind be in you…as it was in Christ

Became obedient to the point of death on the cross

Cultivating our salvation in light of the text is making sure self stays in a grave and we surrender to a slave for Christ. Slavery accompanying suffering is many times what this looks like

Many today want a resurrection without a cross

We want to control people and not serve people

We want to promote ourself and not prostrate ourself

We seek prestige and position rather than lifting up the lowly and despised

Galatians 2:20. I have been crucified, no longer I
A preacher once said-The center of the word revival has the letter I in it. Cross out the I and you’ll have revival. Self-centeredness is the greatest enemy of the Christian life. All is not well, so long as the center of your personality is occupied by that little god I. Revival begins by putting a line through the I which is at the center and turning it into a cross

ALL OUR DECISIONS should be made as followers of Jesus. We do not have a mind on it or an opinion on it. We surrender to His ways on it

Because I’m a slave]

Phil 1:1. Opens with Paul saying he is a bond servant

Romans 1:1. Again. Bond servant

Titus 1:1. Again

Philemon 1. Says he’s a prisoner of Christ

James, Peter and Jude

We are a people called out by God, made a people for Himself
We are called to mature in Christ

Mature Christians stop pointing out other peoples sins and start confessing their own

Mature Christians watch their own words and know when not to speak

Grow less dependent on themselves and more dependent on Christ

Add to their faith

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” II Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬-‭11‬ ‬‬‬