3. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. Matthew 16:25

4. Success Oriented We are a success-oriented society. – When we succeed, we feel great. – When we fail, we’re devastated. Can you imagine God asking you if you’re willing to be a “failure” for Him?

5. Scripture Study Read Matthew 16:21-28 What motivated Peter’s response? – He had in mind Jesus’ parameters for success. – He had in mind his own parameters for success. How are we rewarded?

6. Gauging Success Jesus assures us of adversity. (John 16:33) Jesus warns of strife in the family. (Luke 12:53) We are tempted to form our own internal compass…

7. Tyranny of the Oughts Karen Horney coined this term to describe “the constant overall feeling of never doing enough to be thought of well by God.” – I ought to do better – I ought to have done better – I ought to be able to do better

8. Tyranny of the Oughts Satan would love for us to believe that we are only accepted by God when we are doing things perfectly. Some view their standing with God as a performance-based measure. What does this lead to?

9. Tyranny of the Oughts “You are not working to be saved. You are working because you are saved.”

10. Willing to Lose Success and failure are in God’s hands. Are you willing to see your career go up in flames because He is forming you for another purpose? Surrender = Freedom from the pressure to succeed and the fear of failure.

11. The Last Hitch There is a very common factor among most Christians acting as a boat anchor around the neck. What is it?

12. Stagnation in spiritual life comes when we say we will bear the whole thing ourselves. We cannot. We are so involved in the universal purposes of God that immediately we obey God, others are affected.

13. Are we going to remain loyal in our obedience to God and go through the humiliation of refusing to be independent, or are we going to take the other line and say - I will not cost other people suffering?

14. We can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but we shall be a grief to our Lord. Whereas if we obey God, He will look after those who have been pressed into the consequences of our obedience. We have simply to obey and to leave all consequences with Him.

15. Beware of the inclination to dictate to God as to what you will allow to happen if you obey Him. - Oswald Chambers

16. Challenge Questions Are you willing to lose every aspect of your life for following Jesus? Are you unnecessarily bogged down with the notions of “oughts” and perfectionism? Is concern for your loved ones hampering your complete surrender to God?