Armed Warrior For God

Captured By Jesus

Philippians 3:7-21
7.) But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
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,
9.)And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10.) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11.) If by any means, I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12.) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13.) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting
those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14.) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15.) Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
16.) Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17.) Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
18.) For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19.) Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.
20.) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21.) Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Paul desired these things:

That I may win Christ
Philippians 3:8
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,
I not only count all things a total loss to win Christ, but I depend upon him to save my soul.
This win means - to gain, to get or gain his excellency. To hold oneself above, to excel,
superior, in superiority, to be better, to move higher, to pass the normal, to be supreme.
That I be found in him
That I may find myself in him, and to be able to obtain; or to perceive that I am found in
him. I once was lost but now I am found. I have located myself to be deep within his will.
That I may have his righteousness
Not of my own equity character or act, and not of mine own justification or righteousness; but through truth itself the assurance, belief, faith, and fidelity of God.
That I may know him
Know him - to "know" absolutely that I may, to be aware of, to feel, you have knowledge, to be able to perceive his thoughts, to be resolved in his presence that one can speak of and to be sure that you understand his ways.
That I may know his power
I wish to know his dunamis or his force, but especially his miraculous power. Paul says I
also need to know his ability, his abundance, and his mighty deeds. He is a worker of miracles, he has great power, strength, violence, and might, and Christ is awesome and is full of wonderful works.
That I may know the fellowship of his sufferings
Paul says I want to enter into a partnership and have participation, or be a benefactor in your sufferings. I want to be able to communicate my ability to understand your sufferings as I partake of them now. I want to have communion and to partake with you
on the level of your sufferings.
That I may be conformed to his death
Paul said, none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy...he wanted to die jointly or in a similar way as Jesus had died. He wanted to be conformed to Jesus even in his death, and fashioned like unto Jesus even unto the end of his days.
That I may be in the resurrection
Paul wanted to share in the power and the coming raising of the righteous dead back unto life from amongst the wicked dead. Paul believed in the resurrection and was looking forward to participating in this glorious event.
That I may be perfect
Philippians 3:12
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Paul said that I might apprehend Christ.
Apprehend means to attain, come upon, comprehend, find, obtain, perceive, and overtake,
to take eagerly, to seize, and to possess.
Paul was familiar with being apprehended. He was familiar with being in captivity. He referred to himself as I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Darby's translation says, 'that I have been taken possession of' is the condition in virtue of which he expected the result. He would get possession but also he had been taken possession of:
I am captured of the one whom I wish to capture. I follow Jesus as if I may be able to catch him as I am caught. I cannot say that I have already attained my goal, nor have I attained perfection.... But I follow, I press, I march towards the prize. I'm trying to catch
that awesome power that has me in his clutches, for which I have given my life and now I count all as dung that I might capture him. If I can just hold him in a place where I have a little more control, for you see I must constantly keep up with the move of the spirit. If I can just analyze him, a little closer was Paul's desire.
"Oh that I might capture Jesus as I am captured of him."

That I may win the prize
Paul said I am pressing towards a goal that I may gain an award. He was not moved by various situations. He continued to say I am ready; ready to be bound, ready to preach and ready to die.
2 Timothy 4:6
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith:
He was pressing towards a heavenly calling. He knew God was calling him on high.

That I may be one with all other believers
Let us follow together using the truth as an example as a model for imitation. The example left to us was for instance or for warning. That we may be in fashion, figure, form, manner, pattern, and print of the believers. We need to be mature and complete, which means of full growth, as men or women not
as children, but thoroughly instructed in Christian knowledge and having a deep spiritual experience.

Paul wanted to be one with his fellow believers.
That I may be changed in body
That I may be transformed or refashioned into a glorious body, an immortal body that would be powerful like the ruler of creation. No longer a vile body of sin; but changed from a natural body to a spiritual body. Paul was looking forward to being in this changed body and meeting Jesus face to face in
the heavenlies or in the abode of God.
Philippians 3:20
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Philippians 3:21
Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. He has the power to subdue all: to capture all and to subordinate all and cause to obey or to be under obedience, but God is interested in your own personal choice to submit yourself in subjection unto him.
As Paul would say,
"Oh that I might capture Jesus, as I am captured of him."