To Know Him

When Paul penned the words: that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, (Philippians 3:10 ESV) he was evaluating his whole life. What he was, what is and what he wanted to become. Taking into consideration his upbringing, his education, and all his credentials, Paul was willing and deeply desiring to trade it all to know Him better.

To know Him as Savior and Master… Teacher and Rabbi! To embrace the deliverance from sin and on the same note the ultimate trust in Him no matter what the situation. Through trial and deep tribulation, left friendless and beaten, shipwrecked and naked, Paul wanted to know Him more. Trusting Him in every circumstance, facing courts and kings, living in dungeons and prison… Exemplifying the life of Christ and illuminating His Word through the known world. Having that liberating reality that the Spirit of the Lord is present and where the Spirit is there is liberty! (2 Corinthians 3:17)

Congregating around the Cross of Christ, viewing the reality of the sacrifice is one thing, but knowing the power of His death through the resurrection is truly another. LIfting up life out of death and taking weaknesses and becoming a partaker in the strength of God as He bring His grace to the rescue of our own frailties is becoming "one" with Him. Paul was no satisfied by being just an apostle of renown reputation. He desired to only be obedient and to the the power of God through the resurrection of Christ.  The total surrender of the will and soul wrapped up in a heart that was mirrored by His holiness and compassion! This surrender meant that no matter what he had already attained in life he really had not apprehended what he was reaching for. He knew that the suffering of Christ was necessary for the salvation of man and Paul wanted to be acquainted with that suffering. To actually share in what Christ did for mankind and the breaking of the curse of sin on the whole of creation. Paul was continuing on the journey of greater revelation and higher dimensions of Christ love and His personage.

To know Christ as Savior is absolutely and deeply inspiriting and liberating. However, to know Him in suffering reflects a knowledge of Christ that cannot be found on any other path. Being willing to be hated for His sake and rejected because of His cause explores and reveals a newness in relationship. His determination to bring mankind too the Father for reconciliation had to come through grief and intense suffering and Paul was seeking just that. Not the point of being a Savior but to know Him intimately in suffering that he may declare the power of His Word even unto death….

As Paul came to the end of his life he was able to look back at the hours of prayer and fasting that he had accomplished in his endeavor to know Christ in His true personage as the Son of God. He brought himself many times to the floor of prayer, in chains and in bondage of prison cell, to inquire of the Lord. He wrote and and continued too minister to the Churches through out the known world as he realized that he would soon loose his life for Christ physically as he had spiritually. When the axe was about to brought upon his neck he prayed out loud… I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7) His race was over and he had fought against all odds to obtain the resurrection with Christ. Giving all to all men that they may be saved. His faithful cause to know Christ and to be recognized as an apostle for Him was attained through the surrender of his being. NOt how he died but the reason he was willing to die was that Christ would be seen through his death.

Credentials, pageantry, popularity and a pompous attitude will not lead you to know Him better. To surrender all that you may obtain Him and know Him will come by humility and dedication to who Christ is yesterday today and forevermore… (Hebrews 13:8)

Dennis

Remember prayer moves the Hand of God