Lose my life or gain my life?
Matthew 16:25-27 
25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
These are the words of Jesus.  He is teaching that if we truly want to live, we must lose our life, we must die!  What does this mean?  Does it mean physical death?  Nope, what He means is that our old man, the old ways that we live must die!  We must lay our self-down in order to receive this life more abundantly found in Him! 

John 10:10 - The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Now let's look at a man who lived that passage of scripture out, who truly understood what it meant to live and for the old man to die.... The Apostle Paul!!  The apostle Paul had lived a life on both sides of the fence.  For the first half of his life, he lived in complete opposition to God.  As a matter of fact he opposed God so much that he persecuted Christians, even unto death.  He oversaw the death of Stephen, the first martyr.  After Paul’s conversation on the road to Damascus, he became a new man.  H was the picture of a new birth.  The old man died, and the new man raised up a new creation.  He knows what it means to truly live.  Paul can well testify that life without Christ really isn't living at all.  

Philippians 3:1-10... 

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship [a]God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,”
Vs. 3- have absolutely no confidence in the flesh or self.  There is no room at all for selfishness in the believer’s life. Pride comes before a fall! (Proverbs 16:18) First shall be last and last shall be first. (Matt. 20:16) Fleshly desire and thoughts are enmity with God! (Romans 8:7-8)
4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless
Vs. 4-6 Paul begins to list all his accomplishments and how great he was in the flesh and all the things that he was, not in a boastful way but to make a point.  He was very high ranking, and more of a Pharisee than most according to the law, and looked extremely high upon in the city and country to the point that the governors listened to him and heeded his call, 

7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
vs 7-9 but Paul begins to say that all these things that he had, and the fame and popularity that he had, and the high rank etc that he had could not even begin to compare to the life that he found in CHRIST JESUS, once he died to self.  It is impossible to glorify Jesus and yourself at the same time, it CAN'T BE DONE!
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
What life Paul found once he died!  Died to self, it wasn’t him who lived it was Christ in him and Paul's whole life became about Jesus and living for Jesus and doing His work.  Even though he was in prison, and tortured, and starved, ad beaten, he had life more abundantly because his life is Jesus and that is so much more than we could ever attain on our own!   

Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Paul could earnestly say that for him to truly feel life it had to be in Christ.  The reality is, there is no true life without Jesus!  I can attest to this as well.  I did a lot of breathing and existing before I came to know Christ.  I thought I was living the good life, but all at once I found myself in a dark corner with not a friend in the world.  I realized right then that it took way more than trying to have fun, or just going through life to truly live.  I had to come to a relationship with Jesus!  I needed help!  When I surrendered my life to Jesus, I truly began to feel a new life.  I had purpose and was here for something far greater than just to have a good time on a random Friday night.  I feasted on His Word, and it nourished and strengthened me more than I could imagine.  It is for certain that there is no life without Jesus.  There is just existence.  Jesus seeks us out specifically to give us an abundant life through Him and what He accomplished at the Cross! 

As with any new start there is change.  There has to be change.  If there is no change, something isn't right.  I heard a wise beyond her years young lady say at church camp this past week, “if nothing changes, nothing changes.”  What a profound statement.  When Jesus comes on the scene something is going to change!  A more abundant life comes when it is Christ living through us.  We are not in control any longer. 

Fun and happiness

1 Peter 1:8 “whom having not [a]seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,”
A Mansion

John 14:2 “ In My Father’s house are many [a]mansions; if it were not so, [b]I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”
Supply every need 

Philippians 4:19 “ And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Psalm 50:10-11 ” For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine”
Physical Healing

Jeremiah 17:14 “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise.
James 5:14-15 “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
Isaiah 53:5 “ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed”. 
Peace from anxiety and fear

John 14:27 “ Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Free from addiction and the shackles of sin

John 8:36 “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed”
Psalm 50:10 “ and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not [a]carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”
Again, for me to live is Christ to die is gain!!!!