Being Willing To Be Nothing (Clip)
Gary Wilkerson teaches that true spiritual exaltation comes from a willingness to humble oneself and become nothing, following Christ's example of self-emptying.
This sermon emphasizes the importance of humility and selflessness, drawing from Philippians 2 where Jesus made Himself nothing and took on the form of a servant. The speaker warns against seeking exaltation through false humility, highlighting the need to genuinely humble ourselves before God. The key message is that by being willing to make ourselves nothing, we open the door for God to use us as vessels for spiritual awakening and revival, giving glory to His Word and work rather than seeking personal recognition.
Full Transcript
Verse 7, back to Philippians 2, it said, But he made himself nothing, taking on the form of a servant, being born of the likeness of man. Therefore God has highly exalted him. Now again, we have to be careful, that balloon thing is like, okay, I'm going to humble myself so that, and now you've got the balloon up here saying like, look, I want to get exalted.
So we don't do this to say like, okay, I'm going to try to be humble so I can be exalted. That's just the opposite again of this kingdom, this yeast that fits into the new kingdom of God. But this phrase just stuck out, just drove me crazy, like, he made him, Jesus made himself nothing.
And I felt like the Holy Spirit said to me, Gary, if you're willing to make yourself nothing, I'll use you to bring spiritual awakening and revival and move of God wherever you go. And that's not boasting, that's just, that's God's natural form of exalting His Word, His work, His way. It doesn't exalt the ambassador, the messenger.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Christ made Himself nothing by taking the form of a servant
- Humility is not a means to personal exaltation
- The kingdom of God operates differently from worldly ambition
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II
- The danger of false humility motivated by desire for exaltation
- True humility is self-emptying without expectation of reward
- Jesus as the ultimate example of humility and servanthood
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III
- God exalts those who make themselves nothing
- Willingness to be nothing invites spiritual awakening and revival
- God's work is exalted, not the messenger
Key Quotes
“He made himself nothing, taking on the form of a servant, being born of the likeness of man.” — Gary Wilkerson
“If you're willing to make yourself nothing, I'll use you to bring spiritual awakening and revival and move of God wherever you go.” — Gary Wilkerson
“It doesn't exalt the ambassador, the messenger.” — Gary Wilkerson
Application Points
- Practice humility by serving others without seeking recognition or reward.
- Surrender personal ambitions to allow God to work through you for spiritual revival.
- Focus on exalting God's work rather than your own status or achievements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'make yourself nothing'?
It means humbling yourself completely, letting go of pride and ambition to serve God and others selflessly.
Why shouldn't we humble ourselves to be exalted?
Because humility motivated by desire for exaltation is not true humility; God's kingdom values self-emptying without seeking reward.
How does humility relate to spiritual awakening?
God uses those who are willing to be nothing to bring revival and spiritual awakening wherever they go.
What is the example Jesus sets for us?
Jesus made Himself nothing by taking the form of a servant, showing us the path of true humility and obedience.
Does God exalt the humble or the messenger?
God exalts His Word, His work, and His way, not the messenger or ambassador.