{"id":2596,"date":"2022-11-17T16:12:44","date_gmt":"2022-11-17T21:12:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/?p=2596"},"modified":"2023-11-27T11:18:36","modified_gmt":"2023-11-27T16:18:36","slug":"prayer-to-know-and-win-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/devotional\/prayer-to-know-and-win-christ\/","title":{"rendered":"Prayer: To Know and Win Christ"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Prayer: To Know and Win Christ<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo Win Christ\u201d<\/em><\/strong> and \u201cTo Know Him\u201d<\/em><\/strong> are two phrases used by Paul in writing his letter to the Philippians, his \u201cEpistle of Joy\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phil  3:8 (KJV)
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<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Phil  3:10-11 (KJV)\nThat I may KNOW HIM<\/strong>, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death;\nIf by any means I might attain unto the *resurrection of the dead.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
NOTE:<\/strong> \u201cResurrection\u201d in verse 11 is the Greek compound word \u201cex + anastasis\u201d which means \u201cup from, or out of the resurrection.\u201d This is the only time this Greek word is used in the New Testament. \u201cExanastasis\u201d refers to the Rapture \u2013 the soon-coming event when Jesus returns to \u201ccatch up\u201d His Bride \u2013 those who have \u201cmade themselves ready\u201d (Rev 19:7-8)<\/em> \u2013 just before the 7-Year Great Tribulation begins (1 Thess 4:16-17).<\/p>\n\n\n
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\u201cTo Win Christ\u201d<\/em><\/strong> and \u201cTo Know Him\u201d<\/strong><\/em> are beautiful marriage relationship expressions of those who have a deep and intimate relationship with Jesus as their Heavenly Bridegroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paul made this the very passion of his life and ministry \u2013 an earnest desire that caused him to recklessly forget all else behind him (of both success and failures) and to continue reaching forward:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phil 3:13
\u2026this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Paul writes of the high calling, supreme prize, and the ever upward pull that were written upon his heart and mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phil 3:14
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high [\u201cupward\u201d NASB] calling of God in Christ Jesus.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Hidden away within this passage is a very precious promise that we can cling on to in prayer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phil 3:15\nLet us therefore, as many as be perfect [\u201cmature\u201d NASB]<\/em>, be thus minded: AND IF in any thing ye be otherwise-minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
It is so vitally important to see that these expressions and longings were not just for Paul. It is for ALL who have \u201cears to hear.\u201d (Rev 3:21)<\/em>. We must believe and understand that if this is written in God\u2019s Word, then the Holy Spirit can also write it directly into our lives! Therefore, I want to take this passion that Paul expressed and make it my very own heart cry in prayer, and then, if I am in anyway \u201cotherwise-minded,\u201d<\/em> this promise states that God will \u201creveal even this\u201d<\/em> unto me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to prepare the Bride for Your Son. Thank You for the blessed privilege of being chosen and drawn (Psalm 65:4) into a closer and more intimate relationship with Jesus \u2013 in order to be part of that Bride for all eternity! As Jesus Himself said, \u201cNo one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him\u201d (John 6:44).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh Father, if in any area of my life I am \u201cotherwise minded,\u201d<\/em> please \u201creveal even this\u201d<\/em> unto me (Phil 3:15). I am willing for You to make me willing to surrender all that keeps me earthbound so that I can be first and foremost Heaven-bound, seeking first the \u201cKingdom of God and His righteousness\u201d (Mat 6:33)<\/em> and \u201cthose things which are above\u201d (Col 3:1-3)<\/em>. Please, according to the New Covenant promises (Jer 31:31-34; Eze 36:26-27), work in me \u201cboth to WILL and to DO\u201d of Your good pleasure\u201d (Phil 2:13).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n
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Holy Spirit, wash and renew my mind \u2013 let me be like-minded with all those truly on this same quest to be prepared as the Bride of Christ. We want to be Rapture-ready! Oh, Spirit of God, You are the very \u201cfinger of God\u201d (Mat 12:28; Luke 11:20)<\/em> and You are the One Who moved men to pen these Words (2 Peter 1:21) \u2013 the \u201cWords of Eternal Life\u201d (John 6:68).<\/em> So now, according to the New Covenant, \u201cWRITE\u201d and \u201cPUT\u201d that Living Word within my heart and mind (Heb 8:10; Heb 10:16). Oh, that You would \u201cenlarge my heart\u201d<\/em> to run after Jesus (Psalm 119:32).<\/p>\n\n\n
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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Dear Jesus, I long to \u201crun in such a way\u201c (1 Cor 9:24-27)<\/em> that I can \u201cwin\u201d You (Phil 3:8) and be Yours. You are the \u201cprize of the high calling of God\u201d (Phil 3:14)<\/em>. You are coming soon and I want to be found in You, trusting You with \u201clike precious faith\u201d (2 Pet 1:1)<\/em> \u2013 the faith that pleases You in all I think and do. I long to know You more each day, so ever \u201cdraw me and I will run after You\u201d (Song of Songs 1:4).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus, let me also \u201crun in such a way\u201d<\/em> that others will see You through me and join in the final race (1 Cor 11:1; Phil 3:17)<\/em> so that together, as Your people, we will \u201clove Your appearing\u201d (2 TIm 4:8)<\/em> and be prepared to meet You when that Trumpet sounds (1 Thess 4:16-17)! Thank You for this upward call and for pulling upon my heartstrings to make me wholly Yours and wholly in love with You!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1 Peter 1:8-9
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
2 Tim 4:7-8
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto ALL THEM ALSO THAT LOVE HIS APPEARING.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
I love You, Jesus!
Come quickly! Amen!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Prayer: To Know and Win Christ \u201cTo Win Christ\u201d and \u201cTo Know Him\u201d are two phrases used by Paul in writing his letter to the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[41,165,251,521,522,520,519],"class_list":["post-2596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-devotional","tag-bride-of-christ","tag-prayer","tag-rapture","tag-run-the-race","tag-second-coming","tag-to-know-christ","tag-to-win-christ"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/5E48B729-8F80-4CD0-BBA3-02F8085A4C41.jpeg?fit=1922%2C1105&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa8ofw-FS","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2596"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2596\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3036,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2596\/revisions\/3036"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/slentz.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}