Text: Philippians 3:7-11
Memory verse
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”
‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

If a man loves his seed so much that he refuses to plant it because he doesn’t want its death, he will never have any increase. The mystery of death is that it produces life. “I tell you for certain that a grain of wheat that falls on the ground will never be more than one grain unless it dies. But if it dies, it will produce lots of wheat” (John 12:24 CEV).
When a seed is planted, it goes through a process of death under the soil. While in the world of darkness under the soil, it ceases to be a seed in order that the potential plant inside would live. It loses the identity of its old self as a seed. It ceases to exist in its original self and becomes something completely different and new. The old self breaks open and dies to sprout a new life, with fruit producing ability. Though painful, there is no other way the beautiful seed can produce the new life and much fruits without being buried under the soil, broken and dead. It must lose its identity to have a new identity and its old life to have a new life.
God has always chosen this method of brokenness and death throughout history. God uses broken things and does not invest His treasure in “living” people but those who are dead to themselves; who have lost their old self and identity under the fire of His furnace (Isa‬ ‭57‬:‭15‬).
God pours out His Spirit and grace on those who have been broken in their lofty ambitions like Paul, who having gotten to the peak of his career said, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.”‭‭(Phil‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬); those who have been broken in their finances like RG LeTourneau, who responded when asked why he gave ninety percent tithe and kept ten percent for himself, “It’s not how much of my money I give to God but how much of His money I keep for myself.”
Brokenness is one of the greatest needs of the church today, from the pulpit to the pew. The old unbroken self is often covered with the cloak of spirituality but manifests itself when touched by trial. Unbroken spouses harbour bitterness in their hearts; unbroken leaders and followers have no respect for authority; unbroken businessmen throw away their Christian values in business.
God withholds His grace from those who are not broken in their ambitions, reputation, desires, and all that is self.
Friends, brokenness is the pathway to breakthrough and the secret of maximum usefulness before God. You can’t be made whole without first being broken.

Prayer points
1. Father, I willingly submit my will, desires, ambitions, finances, career, and myself for You to break and use for Your glory in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, please, give me grace to endure the pains of brokenness and death in order to produce abundant fruits in Jesus’ name.

Today’s declarations
1. As the grain does not produce much fruits unless it dies, neither will I be fruitful unless I die to my old self.
2. As I daily submit myself to the Potter, through human hands or circumstances, He breaks me down and makes me more useful.