So far, we have looked at what Christ has done for us, what Christ is doing in us, and what we can do in Christ.  Here are some vital realities about your walk with Christ that, if learned now, will save you a lifetime of misery and missed blessings.

1. We can do NOTHING for Christ that He cannot do for Himself!

• He is all–sufficient and has access to all power: “All authority [power] in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18)
• He has at His disposal all the resources of heaven: “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19).
• At the same time, God has plans for us.  In fact, He had them planned long ago.  Yes, He can do them Himself, but He wants us to join Him in doing them.      Jer. 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
• Illustration: (can be changed to fit teacher) Not long ago, my wife, Robin, and our daughter, Hayley, made biscuits.  Robin knows how to make biscuits and does so regularly.  This time she invited Hayley to join her.  Hayley could have said no.  Would the biscuits still have been made?  Yes.  Could Robin have asked our other daughter to join her in making biscuits?  Yes, and Hillary would have received the blessing of making biscuits with Mom.  Hayley and Mom made biscuits.  Mom let Hayley roll the dough and cut out the biscuits and then put them in the pans.  It took awhile, but they got them done.  They turned out fine!  Robin could have made the biscuits more quickly and efficiently, but the point of the project was not necessarily to make biscuits but to spend time with Hayley.
• This illustration shows how God in Christ through His Holy Spirit interacts with us!  “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) 

1. We cannot get away from the call of Christ on our lives.

• Now that you have the Holy Spirit in residence in your lives, He will guide you into all truth: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13a).
• One of those truths is that we are to die to ourselves everyday—every hour, if necessary—and live for Him “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23). 
• We cannot reserve any part of our lives and claim it for our own.  It is absolutely essential that you learn now that dead people don’t own anything, they don’t feel anything, they don’t have opinions, and they don’t keep back any portion of their lives for themselves i.e. weekends, special TV programs, “selected” areas on the internet, pet “words of expression (curse words),” esp. pornography!
• No area of your life is off–limits to the Lord; otherwise, He isn’t Lord.  Here’s an axiom of truth to live by: “If He (Jesus Christ) isn’t Lord of all (of your life), then He isn’t Lord at all.”  If you catch yourself saying, “I’ll do this for Christ so that I can get on with what I want to do,” look out!  That’s a red flag.  Remember, dead people don’t hold parts of their lives back from the Lord.  Trust Him.

1. There is a principle I call the “Baptist Second Blessing.”

• It is the principle that when a teacher studies a subject in order to teach a lesson, he learns it once.  When he teaches the lesson, he learns it again.  This principle is most evident in Bible teaching and the passing on of biblical principles in that The Holy Spirit shows us things as we study and then he shows us more things as we teach—many times to the contradiction to human error.  In other words, errors become plain when we begin to explain them.  We see the illogic or deception behind our thinking.  Also, when we teach, it’s like pointing a finger at someone with the lesson: the teacher realizes that there are three fingers pointing back at him!  All of a sudden, what we learned from our teacher becomes painfully clear when we disciple others.  If you really want to nail down a particular subject or lesson in your own life, try to teach it to someone else!
• Also, in discipling others, we fulfill the Great Commandment in Matthew 28 that tells us to go and make disciples.  “Study to show yourself approved,” and “feed My sheep.”  Be a discipler.

1. Be a Cheerful Giver.

• Historically: Gen. 14:20   Abraham gave a tenth to Melchezidek
• Under the Law: Lev. 27:30  A tithe (tenth) of everything belongs to the Lord
• Under Grace: 2 Cor. 8:12, 9:7 According to the Holy Spirit’s prompting
• According to Ability: 1 Cor. 16:2  Everyone has something to give
• According to Gifts: Rom. 12:8 Excel in the area in which God has gifted you