Goodbye 2020 and Goodbye to:
Week #3 – Being Self-Centered
Philippians 2.1-4 Victory Fellowship
January 24, 2021 - Rev. Roderick Grabski
I. Introduction:
a. It can be amazing what the Holy Spirit does with us if we let Him.” He transforms our lives – removing the undesirable habits and behaviors and giving us a magnetic quality that draws believers and unbelievers to us to desire what we have.
b. We need to allow room for the Fruit of the Spirit to transform us and re-make us after the image of Christ. To allow more room for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - we need to take to change those attitudes and behaviors in our lives that hinder the work of the Spirit.
c. As we say goodbye to 2020, I want to discuss - over the next 5 weeks - attitudes or behaviors that we should also say goodbye to:
i. Being too Stubborn to Change
ii. Negativity
iii. Self-Centeredness
iv. Wounded-ness (playing the victim)
v. Fault-finding (blaming others)
II. This 3rd week I want to focus on Avoiding Being Self-Centered.
a. The key to spiritual growth is knowing your own limitations and being willing to get qualified help AND not being self-centered in the choices you make.
i. The bible can inform you.
ii. Prayer can bend you toward God
iii. The Holy Spirit can empower you.
iv. Christian friends can counsel and guide
v. Your pastor is not only qualified to help you, he is called by God to do so.
III. Application:
a. We must say goodbye to being self-centered. We should avoid being too proud to ask for help along the way.
b. We should admit our limitations and ask God to guide us. WE NEED THE LORD.
c. Paul tells the church in Philippi:
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
d. Christ was all about humility and thinking of others more highly than ourselves.
Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
Luke 6: 27-31 "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. "Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
e. Being self-centered is a major impediment to real and sustained spiritual growth.
f. If we want to truly follow God we must say goodbye to Self-Centeredness! We must be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to change our ways.
i. We no longer seek our own agenda
ii. We are no longer motivated by jealousy and selfish ambition,
iii. We no longer have to be in control – but we seek God’s will.
IV. Conclusion:
a. As we say goodbye and good riddance to 2020, let’s agree to ask God to help us examine our lives - and if we see any of these behaviors present I think it’s time we say goodbye and good riddance to them as well.
i. Being too Stubborn to Change
ii. Negativity
iii. Self-Centeredness
iv. Wounded-ness (playing the victim)
v. Fault-finding (blaming others)
This week let’s agree to examine in what areas we may need to say goodbye to Being Self-Centered.
Come Holy Spirit and help us say goodbye to self-centeredness!
PRAYER
SONG: Lord I Need You
