March 25, 2021
Determined Purpose
Precious, the highest prize anyone can receive is to know Christ Jesus intimately. Paul said I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:14) He also said, whatever were gains to me, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What’s more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. It is my determined purpose that I may know Christ – and know His resurrection power. (Philippians 3:7-11) The same resurrection power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead lives in me.
I want to experience resurrection power through my prayers for others and myself, such as raising Lazarus from the dead. “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in My name, and I will do it so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it! (John 14:12-14) The highest prize of all is to know Jesus as Lord. However, if you want to walk in the same power Jesus Christ walked in on earth, you have to go through the same process He went through. You can’t have a little sip and that’s enough if you want to go deeper. You have to drink the whole cup. When you are walking through hard places that is where the crushing takes place and the precious oil that ran down Aaron’s beard comes out.
The high and lofty One who lives in eternity, the Holy One (Jesus), says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite/repentant and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts. (Isaiah 57:14) Though the Lord is great, He cares for the humble, but He keeps His distance from the proud. (Psalms 138:6) Then He said, ‘Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29) Do you want to get rest? Learn about the lowly One. The more you mature in Christ, the humbler you become. If you allow pride to creep in, you will have a real problem. Why? You’re not getting closer to Jesus; you’re getting further away from Him. The sign of true growth in the Kingdom is humility.
Paul knew genuine humility. The man who had a divine encounter with the King of Kings on the road to Damascus, the One who became a great soul winner, an apostle, and wrote 1/3 of the Bible said, I am the least of all the apostles. I’m not even worthy of being called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church around ten years before his death. (1 Corinthians 15:9) About seven years before his death said, Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, He graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. (Ephesians 3:8) Around a year before Paul’s death, he stated, ‘Paul said, this is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.’ (1 Timothy 1:15)
Pray this with me:
Father, I repent for my thoughts and attitudes; you called me to lower myself, humble myself. I repent and ask you to forgive me for any and all pridefulness. I humble myself before You, Father and man. I want to know You more; take me higher in the spirit. I lower myself before others and You. It is my determined purpose that I may know you intimately, Father, in Jesus’ all-powerful name. Amen
