Philippians 3:10 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”

1. That I may know him

2. The power of his resurrection

3. The fellowship of his sufferings

4. Being made conformable unto his death

Understanding “know”

By definition, to know means to be aware of through observation, inquiry or information. And to have developed a relationship with (God) through meeting and spending with him.

Before we can move on to the remainder of the this scripture, the first hurdle is to develop a relationship with God. Only through constant, and consistent interaction with God, are we able to come to know him. This is accomplished through exposure to the bible, the holy word of god. This includes personal bible study, attending bible study at your local church, hearing the word preached and taught. Hiding the word in your heart. Applying the word to your daily life. Personal devotion time – praise and worship.

We must develop an ear to hear what the spirit is saying to the church (Revelation 2:17). As we endeavor to know God, we gain a greater understanding of the scriptures. This understanding is further deepened as we begin to apply them to our daily lives. Bible study can be seen as a “tweaking” process. As we apply the word to our lives we will have success and failures. The tweaking comes in when we learn more of the word. We will see that the practical application of the word to our lives will be fine tuned as greater understanding comes. The should lead to more successes than failures.

To know him requires a willingness on the believer’s part to die out to self. We must be willing to take up our cross and follow him. We must be willing to die out to our flesh so we can walk in a way that glorifies God. For all of us the way we were before our introduction to God was not good enough. This means we cannot be introduced to God without a significant change taking place afterwards. The change in the believer continues as our knowledge of him increases.

This new relationship now prepares us to move forward in this verse…the power of his resurrection.

Philippians 3:10

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”

There is a blessing in knowing God, that spreads to every area of your life. The more you know of God, and know God (experience, intimacy), the less you depend or rely on yourself.

It is impossible to get to know God without it changing your life for the better. Those people who say the know God, but are just as mean and evil as they were before they came into contact with him are not walking in the truth. 

We get to know God through his holy word (the Bible). The change comes as we mediate on the word day and night. We experience God through praise and worship. Then finally, we apply the word to our daily lives. We live the principles of the Bible. This is active participation. It is never ending. It is a way of life.

We will be discussing these principles more in depth during this series. I am truly excited about knowing him better, God bless.

Colossians 2:6-9

“6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

We live I uncertain times. Not sure of what may happen next. The only thing that is certain is that God is in control; he never fails, nor does he ever change. As the scriptures say Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever more.

It is our duty to abide in the truth of his word, be secure in it, stand on it be faith. One we are, we then need to be a light to those that are lost in darkness. To be that voice of calm in a tumultuous world.

We need to get it together because people are depending on us – even if they don’t realize it. They need our prayers, wisdom, and Godly inspired common sense. 

Because of this the enemy of our souls is after us. If he can pull us back in darkness he is then better able to keep the remainder of the world there too. 

Guard youself. Be vigilant, be sober, because your adversary, the devil, is walking around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Don’t be a victim. Don’t get caught up in mess, so you are not effective.

Be relevant because you are needed. Guard yourself and shine.

Colossians 1:10

“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

The more we know of God is not the same as knowing God more.

To know more of him is more of a book inspired learning. To know God more is an intimate exercise. It requires the believer to leave himself behind and move “into” God. This intimate handling allows us to know the mind of God. The only way to have this type of knowledge of God is through a life style of praise and worship. Our praises gets God’s attention. Our worship shows him how much we appreciate, and adore him. Our worship exalts him and humbles us. It puts the believer in a position to “hear” God.

This experience allows God to reveal himself to the believer. As God reveals himself to us, we are able to apply his truth to our daily lives. This allows the believer to be fruitful in every good work, thus pleasing God. This is a cycle that should be active in every believer’s life. 

When we are experiencing difficulties and challenges, or it does not seem like you have the victory, the answer (or fix) is simple. Increase, or rather persevere in your praise and worship. It is impossible to murmur and complain, and praise and worship God at the same time. If our focus is on the later (praise and worship), there is no failure. You might ask, how is that possible? Again, the answer is simple. God reveals himself to us and we see things the way he sees them. What may have looked like failure to us, may be something completely different in God’s eyes. 

Our goal, as Colossians 1:10 says, “that we might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.” Sometimes, what may look like a failure or loss to us, actually places us exactly where God needs us to be. This is a victory. Why? Because what happens next will ultimately bring glory to God.