Christian Unity is Detailed to the Philippians Volume 34

Paul wanted to Know the Power of Christ Resurrection to him

Philippians 3:10-11 That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. KJV

Here in this part of the United States where I live (Northern Louisiana) the energy company that supplies the power to the residential communities, recreational places, and businesses throughout this part of my State is Entergy. The power coming from their main power plants is always active, but it only flows to the above locations for those who appropriate their use of the power for them by continually paying a fee for the use of the power, otherwise the power is cut off. Here we find the Apostle Paul writing to these Philippian believers as well as we believers today about his primary desire while he was sojourning here on the earth. Like the constant power that flows from the Power Company Entergy, the Apostle Paul wanted to know (experimentally) the Power of God flowing from our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ that was responsible for His very bodily Resurrection from the dead as he says with these words, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” (Philippians 3:10) (KJV). To begin with, let us dig into the English phrase “that I may know” Paul uses here at the very beginning of this sentence: it is translated by one Greek word ginosko which is a prolonged form of a primary verb meaning to know absolutely or to perceive or to be sure of something or to understand or to feel something. The English word “power” used in this first sentence is translated by the Greek word dunamis (by the way it is where we derive our English word dynamite) which means force literal or figurative; specifically, miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself). The English word “resurrection” is translated by the Greek word anastasis which means a standing up again, that is, (literally) a resurrection from death (individual, general or by implication (its author)), or (figuratively) a (moral) recovery (of spiritual truth): - raised to life again, resurrection, rise from the dead.

In other words, when we put the proper meaning of these three (3) Greek words together, we find that the Apostle Paul wanted to literally feel the miraculous power of God or the Grace of God that literally raised up the lifeless Body of our Lord Jesus Christ and made it into a supernaturally eternal glorified body. Paul wanted to know this resurrection power in his everyday pilgrimage here on earth to combat the devil and his invisible devils and his two legged devils while at the same time feeling this power within his inner man to overcome the sinful corrupt nature he (and all of us) was born with that still lived inside him this is why he prayed for the Ephesian believers in this manner using these words, “And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable {and} unlimited {and} surpassing greatness of His power in {and} for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places], Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age {and} in this world, but also in the age {and} the world which are to come.” (Ephesians 1:19-21) (Amplified Bible) and when he prayed these words to these same Ephesian believers, “May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened {and} reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love {and} founded securely on love, That you may have the power {and} be strong to apprehend {and} grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!” (Ephesians 3:16-19) (Amplified Bible).

It is supreme faith in and confidence in the fact and reality that our Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and now sits at the Right Hand of God the Father interceding or praying for us always (Hebrews 7:25) and also serving as mediator for us as we are constantly and continually accused of sin (by the devil) before the Throne of God the Father (1 Timothy 2:5) that Paul declares here to these Philippian believers as well as we believers today that he was desirous to partner with our Lord Jesus Christ in sufferings while he pilgrim here on the earth, even as our Lord Jesus Himself told us we would with these words recorded by the Apostle John, “If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection {and} would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you. Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his master [is not superior to him]. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word {and} obeyed My teachings, they will also keep {and} obey yours. But they will do all this to you [inflict all this suffering on you] because of [your bearing] My name {and} on My account, for they do not know {or} understand the One Who sent Me.” (John 15:18-21) (Amplified Bible). Paul knew that as long as he declared the truth of the Gospel of Christ (as being raised from the dead and the only way to God the Father) that he would be ridiculed, scorned, laughed at, and physically persecuted for Christ sake, but this did not move him away from desiring to suffer for Him as he said in this manner to the Colossian believers, “[Even] now I rejoice in the midst of my sufferings on your behalf. And in my own person I am making up whatever is still lacking {and} remains to be completed [on our part] of Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the Church.” (Colossians 1:24) (Amplified Bible). Paul knows that he cannot participate in the likeness of Christ death or to be conformed to it as our Lord Jesus was, but what he has said previously about partnering in His sufferings will allow him and any faithful believer to figuratively take in or take up in similarity Christ death by obediently holding fast to the truth of the Gospel no matter the physical, mental, or spiritual pain and suffering it renders down here as he took up his own cross symbolically for Christ Gospel among the Jews and Gentiles during his time (Matthew 16:24).

Paul always had in view the end of all things as we know them and he kept that great day in view as he lived his life for Jesus Christ, for this is why he could write to the Romans these words, “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head. Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good.” (Romans 12:18-21) (Amplified Bible). Paul was not unsure or uncertain of his place with God the Father when he writes these words, “If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” (Philippians 3:11) (KJV), but instead he wanted his relationship with Christ to be real in his inner man continually and constantly confessing his sin to the Father through Christ and being always strengthened by the Holy Spirit in his inner man, so that he could fight earnestly the good fight of faith at the same time understanding the struggle of the walk of faith and the always urgent need of watchfulness that he would stay in line with the truth as he wrote using these words of his faith fight to the Corinthian believers, “Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air {and} striking without an adversary. But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel {and} things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].” (1 Corinthians 9:26-27) (Amplified Bible). Paul looked forward to the end when his soul and body would be reunited after death and raised together joined to each other eternally glorified in the likeness of Christ Glorified Body.

“The fact that Christ has risen from the dead, when fully believed, will produce a sure hope that we also shall be raised, and will animate us to bear trials for His sake, with the assurance that we shall be raised up as He was. One of the things which a Christian ought most earnestly to desire is, to feel the power of this truth on his soul - that his great Redeemer has burst the bands of death; has brought life and immortality to light, and has given us the pledge that our bodies shall rise. What trials may we not bear with this assurance? What is to be dreaded in death, if this is so? What glories rise to the view when we think of the resurrection! And what trifles are all the things which people seek here, when compared with the glory that shall be ours when we shall be raised from the dead!” Albert Barnes

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…