SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES
(Philippians 3:8-9) (8) “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”
(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.”
(Romans 8:18) “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
(James 1:2) (1) “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;” (3) “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
PROLOGUE
While seeking the Lord for a compelling message to share, He brought to mind Paul's desire to know Christ in the power of His resurrection. This memory also took me back to my younger days, driving 18-wheelers as the trucker evangelist, “The Guardian Angel.”
I remember driving through Virginia and chatting with a lady trucker behind me via CB radio about God's goodness. She asked if I would stop at the next truck stop so she and her co-driver could pray for me, and I agreed.
I remember it starting to drizzle, and we were standing in front of our trucks. Her male friend kept glancing at me from the corner of his eye, as if warning me about something. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this woman was involved in what some call “the New Age Movement.”
She started by taking her hand and reaching toward my chest, then my head, while casting something into the sky. When I asked what she was doing, she replied, “I am taking your negative energy and casting it into the universe.”
I thought, “Oh no, this can’t be happening.” I quietly prayed for safety, placing my palm on her forehead and saying, “In the name of Jesus.” The woman was quite large, and when my hand made contact with her forehead, she suddenly collapsed onto the pavement as though she had been knocked out.
After a few minutes, her co-driver helped her stand, and, still dazed from the experience, she could only ask, “What kind of power is that?” I calmly replied, “That is resurrection power.”
Throughout the Holy Bible, few verses ring with the profound depth and transformative power as 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.'
This single verse, penned by the Apostle Paul from a Roman prison, captures the deep longing of our Christian journey and inspires us to pursue an intimate relationship with Christ that transforms our lives.
His yearning is not just for salvation, but for a hands-on knowledge of Christ that plunges into the miraculous power of His resurrection. It also involves his desire to know Him in the fellowship of His sufferings.
This message examines the deeper aspects of Paul's intense longing, asking what it truly means to 'know Christ' in a way that transforms his identity and leads to spiritual maturity, as exemplified by Jesus' suffering and resurrection.
In summary, this should be the goal of every Christian, because reaching this spiritual level marks the start of a journey toward spiritual maturity that shapes the core of our earthly life.
"UNDERSTANDING PAUL’ S DESIRE."
Paul's statement in Philippians 3:10, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.
Paul’s desire should be our desire because it is vital to our Christian faith: it centers on a personal relationship with our loving Savior.
How can someone who experienced three shipwrecks, endured beatings that broke bones in his feet, was stoned and left for dead, and bitten by a poisonous serpent also suffer from what he called a 'thorn in the flesh'—yet express a desire to know Christ through His resurrection power, even wanting to share in His sufferings—and then declare in Romans 8:18 that 'the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us”? When will this glory be revealed?
Here, in Romans 8:18, the Apostle Paul looks toward a future event that he can only describe as “the day of glory, which will be unveiled at Jesus Christ's second coming and the beginning of His eternal kingdom.
Paul strongly yearned to be more like Christ, especially after his face-to-face encounter with Him on the road to Damascus. He expressed his desire for a closer relationship with his Lord and recognized that this intimacy may sometimes require suffering. He sees this suffering as a privilege and a way to deepen his connection with Christ, striving to develop a character like His through His death by focusing on self-denial, sacrifice, and dying to self and, yes, to sin.
Paul's desire to share in Christ's sufferings highlights a partnership and deep identification with Jesus. This is not about wanting punishment, but about recognizing that suffering for Christ is a privilege that strengthens faith and increases dependence on the Savior.
Early Christians, including notable figures like the Apostle Paul, often faced severe persecution for their beliefs. These hardships were not just tests of faith; they were meaningful opportunities for spiritual growth and resilience.
Through their suffering, they developed vital qualities like love, perseverance, and unwavering faith—qualities that reflected the experiences and teachings of Jesus Christ during His time on Earth.
The early Christians believed that enduring hardships helped them get closer to Christ and learn His lessons of sacrifice and endurance. This shared suffering deepened their spiritual journey, allowing them to reflect more on His teachings and strengthen their faith.
For them, suffering was not an end but a transformative process that deepened their understanding of God and their relationship with Him. It shaped their identity as followers of Christ and helped them recognize the strength that comes from vulnerability.
Lastly, like Paul, this perspective of suffering as a pathway to transformation helped them build resilience and find hope even in the most challenging circumstances, reinforcing their commitment to live out their beliefs in everyday life.
“The Transforming Power of God's Grace."
Paul highlights that Jesus's resurrection is more than a past event; it inaugurates what many call the "day of grace." This new era embodies the transformative influence of grace in believers' lives, representing Heaven’s open invitation that the debt of sin has been covered. Anyone willing can accept His pardon and establish a relationship with God.
The power of Christ's resurrection actively works in believers' lives, renewing their inner man even as their outer man may be wasting away, because this continuous renewal is a direct manifestation of Jesus's life within them, enabling them to endure suffering and hardship.
"KEY PRINCIPLES OF CHRIST'S RESUURECTION POWER IN THE BELIEVER."
(1) Inner Renewal Amidst Outer Decay: This principle emphasizes a spiritual blessing where the inner man experiences revitalization, renewal, and growth even as the physical body or external circumstances deteriorate. Christ is there.
(2) Direct Manifestation of Jesus's Indwelling Life: The continuous renewal experienced by believers is a direct consequence of Jesus's life, “The Zoe Life” residing within their hearts.
(3) Empowerment for Enduring Suffering and Hardship: One of the blessings related to the inner renewal of our inner man and Christ's indwelling “Zoe” life is our ability to withstand suffering and hardship.
(4) The Power of His Resurrection: Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. This confidence that He is alive and interceding before God's throne for the believer gives strength, hope, and perseverance during trials. It is not a promise of freedom from suffering, but rather the divine strength to endure it with faith and resilience.
(5) The "putting off" of the old man and "putting on" of the new: In Ephesians 4:22-24, believers are called to cast off the old man, which is polluted by deceptive desires and sinful behavior. This change is a vital renewal of both the mind and spirit, empowering them to embrace their new identity in Christ.
(6) The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role as the agent of this renewal. Titus 3:5 states, "He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration (new birth) and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
In summary, The Holy Spirit actively works within believers' hearts, engaging in a deep process of cleansing, transformation, and empowerment. This divine indwelling presence initiates a rebirth that brings believers into a new life, aligning their desires and actions with God's plan and purpose.
As believers surrender to the Holy Spirit, they undergo a gradual and continuous renewal—one that molds their character, deepens their faith, and prepares them to live according to God's will. This transformational journey is ongoing, guiding them to reflect Christ's love and truth in their daily lives to a hurting world.
“LIFE GOES ON.”
This powerful, life-changing message emphasizes knowing Christ through the power of His resurrection and sharing in His sufferings. It shows us that, like Paul, we may encounter setbacks, hardships, and trials, but we have one thing the world doesn't—our Savior's promise that we won't face them alone.
We learned that Paul, who had initially spent his life persecuting Christians, underwent a remarkable transformation, becoming one of the most dedicated ministers of the gospel.
Following his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, he embraced the message of Christ with such zeal that he began to call it "My Gospel." This pivotal moment in his life highlights the incredible power of grace, showing how it can deeply transform even the most unlikely people.
In the end, Paul became a leading proclaimer of the Gospel, traveling widely to spread its teachings and establishing the foundation for early Christian communities. His efforts not only affected countless lives but also influenced the development of Christian theology, including how future generations would approach God.
(James 1:2-4) (1) “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.” (2) “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;” (3) “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” (4) “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
James, the brother of Jesus, offers profound encouragement to believers by urging them to embrace hardships and temptations as opportunities for joy. He explains that these challenges serve as tests of our faith, ultimately helping us develop essential qualities such as patience, perseverance, and resilience.
It's important to note that James does not suggest we celebrate the suffering itself; instead, he invites us to find joy in the understanding that God purposefully uses these struggles to mold us into stronger and more faithful individuals.
This transformative process is often described as sanctification, where our faith is refined and polished, becoming more valuable than gold. Through these trials, we learn to rely on God’s strength and wisdom, ultimately growing closer to Him.
In summary, by viewing our difficulties in this light, we can discover a deeper sense of purpose and appreciation for the journey of faith we are on, and, like Paul, we can say, "We want to know Him in the power of His resurrection."
MY CONCLUSION
There are many ways I could have approached this message, but I feel the Lord used me to present it in a way even a little child can understand. However, I feel led to close by looking at Elijah's meeting with God in a cave.
He had just celebrated a mighty victory at Mt. Carmel in defeating Jezebel’s prophets, and given how God protected him before, I don't believe he was running out of fear of her. Instead, I believe he thought he was the only one left, and he was running to be with God so he could get guidance.
The place he ended up in the mouth of a cave gives us some insight concerning this theory, because this cave was in the vicinity where God placed Moses in the cleft of the rock and allowed him to see his hind part passing by.
I'm ending this message this way because of what happened to Elijah when he was standing at the mouth of the cave. The Holy Bible gives us a picture of what Paul was talking about concerning a Christians Life and we can find it in these verses.
(1 Kings 19:11-12) (11) “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:” (12) “And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
I believe that if we look at these verses spiritually, we will experience more breakthroughs in our Christian Life. Notice and think about the first thing that passed before the prophet was a strong wind.
Think about this wind representing all the gainsayers and babbling mouths that have come against you and your ministry, and one thing that stands out to me is where the word says that the wind was strong enough to break the rocks.
I remember falling before the Lord in my early morning prayer, asking Him to forgive me for destroying His ministry, only to hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit say, “You only destroyed what you built; what I built is still standing.
Next, we discover that an earthquake occurred, shaking everything around him, followed by a fire. Wow, the fire can symbolize severe sickness, damaged relationships, marriage, and even a business, but wait. The text says that God was not in any of these; He merely allowed them.
Your breakthrough happens when you succeed and pass the test, because it's in that moment that you'll experience the blessing of hearing God’s whispering voice as He blesses you with more anointing, more breakthroughs, greater trust, and increased courage to walk in the destiny that was set for you before the foundation of the world.
In the end, God will ensure that your enemies are compelled to restore everything they have taken from you. He will orchestrate a powerful moment where those who sought to harm you will be gathered together to witness the abundance of His blessings in your life. Despite their lies and deception, you will stand as a testament to His goodness and mercy, proving that no evil can prevail against His divine plan for you.
In closing, I think of what knowing Him in His resurrection means to me, then I think about knowing Him in the power of His ascension. My entire life and ministry have been centered on miracles and supernatural events, something my mentor, Dr. W.V. Grant, calls the 5th dimension.
Paul gave us a valuable treasure map to the supernatural, and we will find it in his prayer in Ephesians 1, starting at verse 17. The prayer begins again in Ephesians 3. Only a Spirit-filled believer can pray that prayer effectively.
Notice that Paul is not praying for their health or financial situation, but for their ability to enter God's presence and gain a deeper understanding of who God is and the plans He has for their lives.
My heart is to know Him fully, to walk with Him as others have walked, experiencing shadow healing, faith, and witnessing amputated limbs grow back like during the 1906 Azusa Street revival. I have seen everything else in my ministry, and did not He say that it is His good pleasure to give us the mysteries of the kingdom?
International Evangelist
Jerry W. Hulse, Ph.D.
Miracle Life Church International
