The Power Of The Offensive

“Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.” Psalm 145:6

There are many things that the Apostle Paul learned concerning walking and communing with God.  There is no doubt that his insight into the essence, application, and power of the Gospel, were revealed to him, so that the church could be edified, grasping something of what true fellowship with Christ truly is.  However, in reading Paul’s letters, we find that there are certain salient features of his walk that he is emphatic about, and that he either makes singularly important for believers to understand, or by his repetition, quietly hammers the truths into the minds and hearts, so that they are understood and grasped.  Essential to victorious living is the understanding of at least two great truths that Paul had come to experience on a daily basis.  These two truths are certainly not the entire key of Paul’s life, but they allowed him to find God’s way of being on the offensive, and having a right mind, regardless of the circumstances.

The first truth of this offensive attitude has to do with time, in particular with the past.  In speaking on the subject of knowing Christ, and the power of His resurrection, Paul has had to come to grips with the problem of his own limitations, whether they be faults, failures, or sins.  Though he is “perfect,” and complete in Christ, justified by faith, and sealed in Christ by the Spirit of God, he must find God’s way of living in the present moment in a victorious manner.  If he would learn well the great “fruit-bearing” principle of abiding in Christ, then he must deal with his “falling short of this great objective.”  To the Philippians, he writes:  “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, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.3:13-14)  Here is a man who is on a quest.  He is in the pursuit of God, not that he does not know Him, nor is not saved.  The blessed union with the Son of God, which came about by the outpouring of the Spirit of God at Pentecost, has declared this.  The problem has to do with Paul’s capacity to “receive” of Christ, derive all from Him, by that “inward aspiration of faith.”  Will he appropriate Christ perfectly?  Will he cease to sin completely in his pursuit of the knowledge of Him?  Will he still know failures, and realize that he is still “under construction,” that Christ is still being increasingly formed in him, and him transformed?  The issue for Paul is that he has to find the answer as to is how to leave with God all that is in the past, so that in the present moment, he can, by the knowledge of the truth, and the power of the Spirit, appropriate Christ as his life.  Paul would have ALL that is in Christ, that he should glorify God, but also, that he might have that which is eternal, to give to all men, as the Spirit of God may lead. Faults, failures, successes, even victories, in the past, must be left in the past.  Though the lessons of the past are to be learned, and carried on into the present moment, yet Paul must lay all at Jesus’ feet, leaving there the weight and preoccupation with it.  Christ deals with the sin, lifts up the soul and spirit, strengthening the sinner.  The “one thing” that Paul does, is to leave his burden of the past, in the past.  He will NOT carry it in the present moment, so that he can trust fully Christ as his life.

The second great lesson that Paul learned was that of “…rejoicing in the Lord ALWAYS.” (Phil. 4:4)  David would write in like manner:  “I will extol Thee, my God, O King; and I will bless Thy name for ever and ever.” (Ps. 145:1)

Dear Father, Give us grace to not look back, but every day, to rejoice only in Jesus.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.’