Apprehending an Anointed Ambition - Part Three
“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)
Can you believe that we are already twenty-one days into this new year? Many of us have purposed to pursue goals this year with ambitious hearts. Maybe you have elected the following goals for 2018:
- Increasing holiness (devotions, service and sanctified separation)
- Health (eating better, exercise and rest)
- Enjoying a heaven-filled heart towards giving and foregoing the habit of hoarding
These are just a few of the goals that many have set for this year. However, over the past few weeks, I have encouraged what I believe to be beautiful, bold and blessed New Year objectives; that is apprehending what I refer to as anointed ambitions for 2018. Let’s review what I am proposing for us to pursue:
1 PERSONALLY KNOW HIM (an intentional investment in intimacy)
2 POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION (personalizing and practicing His personal provision for us)
3 PERSONALIZE THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERING
4 PURPOSE TO PATTERN HIS DEATH
And now let’s process the final two together.
Personalize the Fellowship of His Suffering.
Just as Paul seriously sought to share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, such should be the heart of all believers. Our faith or Christian living should mirror the Master’s death. In so doing we become like Him in His death: being made conformable unto his death (Phil. 3:10 c).
This is tremendously paradoxical to our natural propensity to pursue pleasure and praise. To prioritize pain or slide on the suit of suffering – forget about it! There is a brand of faith fixated with “What I can get from God?” as opposed to “What can I give to God?” He calls us to die daily (Luke 9:23)! There is a seductive and misleading allurement that has apprehended too many souls in spirituality and faith. This is an attitude that says “I want everyone to be pleased with me” and “I must please everyone.” What happened to the attitude modeled by the Master and His mandate for us? We are commanded to always do those things that please God (John 8:29b) and to love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your souls as well as loving no one or nothing above Him (Matthew 10:37).
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matthew 22:37 (KJV)
It important to know that the suffering that Paul wanted us to do is not the substitutionary suffering Jesus exemplified on the cross. But Paul infers that we will experience the shame, reproach, persecution, maltreatment, unfairness, rejection and sorrow. The list is endless. The Bible clearly tells us that those who deliberately live their lives the way that Jesus calls them to live will experience suffering.
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12 (KJV)
Welcome to the fellowship! Amen!
Purpose to Pattern His Death.
And finally, purposing to pattern his death will lead to “becoming like Him.” His presence and power in our lives produces the ability to experience dying to sin just as He died for our sins on the cross. Therefore, we should be exhibiting the cutting and crucifying of our former sinful conduct and championing a new life catalyzed by Christ’s resurrecting power.
“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:5-6 (KJV)
Are you ready to rip into some righteous resolutions? If so, it will cost you. When we consider what it cost the Lord for our current condition (conversion and not condemnation), the crown of blessing and salvation received - it will consume cowardice, corruption, conceit and carnality and there by cause us to chase after Christ!
For the Glory of God,
PBKSR