THAT I MAY KNOW HIM

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” ~ Philippians 3:10

REFERENCE

Philippians 3:7-11

Apostle Paul lived his life in service of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many will look at his exploits and envy his relationship with the Lord, concluding that he was a man of deep and intimate walk with and knowledge of God. Yet, he longed for more of God: “That I may know him.” To know here means having experiential knowledge or interacting intimately with the Lord.

See the intentionality of Paul’s prayer in the Amplified Classic version: “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection…” We will look at some words and phrases in this prayer.

‘Determined purpose.’ Pursuing God was not a casual thing for Paul. It was a purpose he chased with great determination. In a world of many distractions, if you do not make the same resolute decision to grow in knowing God, it won’t happen. God says, “If you seek Me, you will find Me.”

‘Progressively become more intimately acquainted.’ Paul saw that intimacy in knowing God is a continuous journey that progresses incrementally as you spend time with Him in Bible study and prayer until you become a giant in the things of the Spirit and a true friend of God.

‘Wonder of His person.’ The objective of pursuing God is to discover God. There is so much to know about Him – the wonder, beauty, power, love, and compassion of His nature. The more you know these about Him, the better your walk with Him, and the same will manifest in you.

‘Power outflowing from His Resurrection.’ There is so much untapped power by the saints concerning the resurrection of Jesus. Resurrection power can quicken our sick bodies, break the bonds of satan and hell, and turn you into a commander in the affairs of the spirit world.

All these fueled Paul’s pursuit of God. No wonder he revealed truths we never knew about God. He saw miracles and depths that other New Testament writers did not see. Let this be your prayer, too – “That I may know Him.” Those who know God shall be strong, doing great exploits.

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