Having the Mind of Christ: The Key to Building the Church

Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." That right there is a game-changer. He’s the one building His church—not us. But here’s where we sometimes get it twisted: we try to build something amazing for God, when in reality, it’s He who does the building. Our job? To get in alignment with Him.

Psalm 127:1 lays it out clearly: "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain." In other words, if God’s not the one behind it, all our efforts are just busywork. If we truly want to be part of what He’s doing, we need to have the mind of Christ—not just good ideas, passion, or ambition. Because at the end of the day, if we’re not thinking like Jesus, we’re probably building something that won’t last.

Letting Go of Our Plans

Jesus showed us what real surrender looks like when He emptied Himself and took on the role of a servant (Philippians 2:7). And that’s exactly what we need to do—let go of our own desires, dreams, and even the really good plans we’ve made, if they’re not in line with what He wants.

Think about it—how often do we try to do things for God, but we never actually ask Him what He wants? We come up with all these grand ideas, but if they’re not rooted in His purpose, they won’t carry His power. It’s time to shift our mindset. Instead of asking, “God, bless what I’m doing,” we need to start asking, “God, what are YOU doing, and how can I be part of it?”

What Happens When We Build Without Him?

Ever seen someone try really hard to be successful but end up exhausted and frustrated? That’s what happens when we build without God’s direction. The Pharisees in Jesus’ time had all the outward signs of being religious, but they missed the point entirely. Jesus called them out, saying, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Matthew 15:8).

We can be super active in church, run programs, and organize events—but if we’re not in sync with Jesus, it’s just noise. He’s not impressed by how much we do; He’s looking for people who are surrendered to His will.

The Call: Christ & Christ Alone

So, where do we go from here? Simple: deny ourselves and follow Him (Luke 9:23). That means putting aside personal ambitions and letting Jesus take the lead. It means being willing to say no to things that seem good if they aren’t aligned with what He’s actually doing.

This is not about doing nothing—it’s about doing the right things in the right way with the right heart. When we have the mind of Christ, we don’t waste time building things that won’t last. Instead, we become part of something eternal—His church, built His way, for His glory.

So let’s make this personal. Are we willing to let go of control? Are we ready to stop striving and start aligning? Because when we do, we’ll see God move like never before. The unveiling is coming. Let’s be ready.