Unleashed: The Power Within- week one

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death Philippians 3:10

I'm not going to lie to you. When I first read and studied out this scripture I was a tad unnerved about "suffering" for Jesus, because all points indicated that this was a physical type of suffering, and I'm a WIMP when it comes to pain, I asked the doctor for the epidural when I started my 9th month of pregnancy, that's how much of a wimp I am!!


But this morning, as Kara was singing "Draw me closer to your heart" The Lord said to me, "The closer you get to my heart, the more you will understand my suffering, and how deeply I loved the world" Now that is POWER!

One of the Greek words for power is "Dunamis" Here's the definition of that word:

a) strength power, ability a) inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth
b) power for performing miracles
c) moral power and excellence of soul
d) the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth
e) power and resources arising from numbers
f) power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts

Francis Frangipane said it best:
What a wondrous reality is the "fellowship of His sufferings." Here, in choosing to yoke our existence with Christ's purpose, we find true friendship with Jesus.

This is intimacy with Christ. The sufferings of Christ are not the sorrows typically endured by mankind; they are the afflictions of love. They bring us closer to Jesus.
Wow!!! To be that intimate with the Lord!!! That's the kind of intimacy that wherever the disciples went their very shadows healed someone!!!If we want to see Jesus lifted high in our life, love and world, this is what we need to be pursuing: HIM! Apart from Him we can do NOTHING. And when we get HIM we get EVERYTHING that comes with HIM!!I heard someone say once that the purpose of intimacy with the Lord is the supernatural, and that the purpose of the supernatural is intimacy with the Lord. Do you long to see Him do more???? Do you desire to be used at a higher level than you've ever been? Do you want to see His glory cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea? Then draw close to Him! Start chasing Him!I promise you when you seek Him you will find Him, and He will show you GREAT and MIGHTY things which you do not know!!

Heather Neil