Philippians 3:11

that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 

Philippians 3:11 (ESV)

This is a tough verse to interpret. What I think Paul is implying is that we know what we need in order to attain resurrection from the dead. Like we have been talking about all week, we need Jesus. Jesus is the only way to obtain eternity in Heaven with him. We have to die to ourselves and live for him in order to have eternal life. Simply put, "if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 16: 24,25).
This is a lesson I have been learning a lot over the past two weeks. Like I said in my entry on Philippians 3:8, I have been working on letting go of control in all areas of my life. Along with this comes what Jesus is saying in Matthew 16. I have to lose my life to Jesus every morning. I have to wake up and I have to intentionally let go of the things my flesh are telling me I need, want, and most importantly, deserve. A part of being a Christian is laying down the warm and fuzzy beliefs that "good" people get to go to heaven and that Jesus just wants me to be happy. I deserve Hell. I was born a sinner. I am not a good enough person on my own to deserve anything, let alone Heaven. All the things in my life are by the grace of my Lord, Jesus Christ. He is, "the way, the truth, and the life." No one can can come to the Father except through him (John 14:6).