Paul having done much being zealous in persecuting the church, obeying the law to letter without blemish still counted all as loss and rubbish. He became keen seeking to know Jesus, power of His resurrection and fellowship of His sufferings.
Know of Jesus as a living King residing the right hand of God interceding for us (Acts 5:31, Rom 8:34).
The power that should come following Holy Spirit baptism is revealed here as power of Jesus' resurrection (Acts 1:8, 4:33). Jesus being the Resurrection (John 11:25).
Concerning the fellowship of His sufferings implies assertion of Jesus which states that Christians shall be hated and persecuted as it was done to Jesus (Matth 10:22-28).
There is a purpose for which Christ resurrected and there is a power made available to us through His resurrection. We need to know both the purpose and the power for us to enjoy maximally our relationship with God with the accompanying benefits in this world and in the world to come.
Resurrection of Jesus Christ is of great concern to Christians in that if He be not raised from the dead:
1) Our faith is vain;
2) We are yet in your sins;
3) They also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished;
4) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable (1 Cor 15:17-19);
5) Satan's victory is ascertained (1 Cor 15:20-22).
Knowledge of the power of His resurrection is one thing, possession of the power is another.
Interestingly, all Christians have this power; all Christians have access to this incomparably great power, this resurrection power. Our task is to tap into it.
The purpose of the power cannot be overemphasized:
(1) The Power that Forgives Sins and Conquer Sins
*Without God, we are slaves to sin. Jesus was delivered over to death because of our sins, and raised to life because of our justification (Rom 4:25 ).
*Whenever Satan accuses us saying, "God could never forgive you for what you have done. Think how terrible you are!" we can say "Jesus rose from the dead because I am justified; having believed in Jesus, I am righteous in God's eyes." That is the power of the resurrection.
(2) The Power to Be God's Ambassador
God has a positive purpose in our salvation. He has determined that we are to be his agents of change in the world (Matth 28:18-20).
Jesus says, "You are the light of the world" (Matth 5:14).
He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us (2 Cor 5:19, 20).
(3) The Power to Overcome the Devil and his kingdom
It was through His death and resurrection that Jesus was given a name above every other name, and this means a power above every power (Phil 2:5-11).
Jesus gave us this power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the devil.
Knowing this power will make us to exercise our rightful authority over the powers of darkness and we will not be afraid of them.
(4) The Power to Rapture and be Joined with Jesus Christ
One is being made into a perfect creation and becoming like Jesus! (1 Thess 4:15-17; 1 Cor 15:51-54; Matth 27:52-53; 1 Pet 3:18-20; 1 Cor 15:54-56).
Christian is a perfect bride of Christ, spotless, blameless, loving, kind, strong, transformed into his likeness at rapture (Rom 8:11). The power of the resurrection!
What to do
1) Confess and repent of all unrighteousness (sin) (1 John 1:7, 9; 1 John 5:17).
2) Be genuinely born again (John 3:3-5; Rom 8:11).
3) Have faith in the resurrected Jesus Christ (Heb 11:6).
4) Obey the commandments of Jesus (John 15:10) which include Holy Communion (John 6:50, 56, 58). Others (Matth 11:29; 2 Tim 2:15; Matth 22:37-40; Matth 28:18; Matth 28:19; Luk 18:1; Luk 11:13).
5) Pray using power of His resurrection as a tool of giving life and killing evil powers (Prov 18:21, John 14:6; Luk 10:19).
