Philippians 3:10 (That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering)
Truly Christians want to enjoy the power of resurrection but don’t want to become a partakers of the fellowship of his suffering.
We all know that man is dead the moment he tasted the forbidden fruit; we need the power of resurrection to keep us alive unto God.
All sinners are in the spiritual grave where the destinies are buried and also their purpose.
We are living corpses numbering our days, waiting for the last minute on earth without knowing where we will end up; it’s only those who are alive in God that know they will give account on the day of judgment.
We can’t approach the presence of God in this condition; it’s only the living who will see Him because He is a living God who has no relationship with the dead.
We want to be alive for God without experiencing death to the flesh; it’s only those who suffer with him that’ll reign with him in His father’s kingdom.
The new gospel satan is presenting to men is without the suffering of Christ, it’s by death we can experience resurrection; how do you live again when you’re yet to die in the flesh?
It’s when a grain of corn falls into the ground and is buried that can produce more of its kind; whoever refuses to die to the flesh can’t expect the new life of God.
We fellowship with his suffering by allowing His pruning to bring more fruit onto God, we fellowship with him in his suffering by enduring persecutions and trials to bring us to the level of Christ’s stature, or how do we reach His stature if we’re avoiding the growth that’ll bring us to his level?
We are living the life of Adam since birth; that life is sentence to death, physical and spiritual, that’ll result in eternal death.
Anyone who died in that condition won’t be able to experience the life of God; it’s only those who experience the power of Christ’s resurrection and the fellowship with His suffering that will live again.
Two of His disciples asked him if they wanted to sit with him at the right and the left hand in His Father’s kingdom.
He replied that, will they be able to drink from the cup he was about to drink and suffer what he was about to suffer.
They all replied affirmative to the question, and one of them was beheaded while preaching the gospel.
The narrow road where we’re treading is a road that leads to persecution and rejection from every side; if you can’t endure it, you won’t be able to become a partaker of his glory.
Most of the disciples died as martyrs. Only John the Beloved lived to reach old age; all the prophets called by God in the Bible also died as martyrs.
They killed all the servants, which resulted in God sending His only begotten Son, thinking they would be lenient with Him because He is the Son of the owner, but unfortunately, they killed him like the others; why do you think your own will be different?
We will own the earth, but there is a price to pay for it; some are afraid for their lives and reject the calling of God, while some are ashamed of Him and refuse to preach about Him.
Are you ready to go to the remotest part of the earth where the gospel is banned to bring out the captives of satan from his stronghold?
I’m sure this is part of the suffering we must suffer with Him not only to reap where others sow with tears.
Christians of today are not ready. That is why the rapturable will be few and limited since it’s only those who suffered with him that will also enjoy with Him.
Are we ready to suffer with him by abiding in his word even if it doesn’t please our flesh?
This is the question we need to ask ourselves before embarking on this journey, He told us to count the cost and analyse the dangers that follow, if not, by the time we don’t do our calculations very well; we will end up compromising in the middle of the battle and become captives once again.
We can’t decide to follow Him just because He is God of all providence, or we can’t follow because He is the healer; if all these things never happen in your walk with Him, will you still follow all the way?
The price is that whoever wants to follow Him and become one of His disciples must be able to deny himself,( that is to forsake all that gives him happiness in the way of the world) and carry His Cross ( the instrument of death, that he may die at any time) and follow His footsteps, do whatever he told him without removing from it.
Prayer: My Father and my God uphold me with your right hand of power don’t let me fall by the way side in Jesus name. Amen!
