Attaining To The Resurrection

Philippians 3:11

NKJV

“if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

At this point in my walk, I am reaching my own experience of “by any means”. Living in spiritual hardness and having a parched soul has been inwardly pressing me so deeply. I’m at the point of desperation as the battle that wars between the flesh and the Spirit rages on. “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1-2). The longer I search in the wrong places for those refreshing water brooks, the more desperate and dry my soul becomes. I cry out to God, asking for Him to show me the way, yet, without answer for what feels like an eternity in the moment. But, that leads to this truth. Just as I lose perspective of time while I walk through the valleys, I have lost, or never even gained, right perspective of myself in the Gods eyes. I am unworthy, undeserving, unrighteous and a worm compared to the majesty and holiness of the Creator of the ends of the earth. Yet, His love and mercy continues to pour out on me, His patience stretched beyond the stars for me, and His grace showers me even when I’m lost. He has been faithful to guide me, and make my heart glad with a good word in due season. And now, He is pulling the veil from my face to behold the power of His death and resurrection. More and more He is teaching me how to die to myself. How to walk in the Spirit and to always have the peace of God ruling my heart. How do I have that peace rule my heart? By living in the word of God. Soaking myself in it, allowing it to transform me, convict me, give me life. I have learned today that to have His peace rule my heart is similar to a referee blowing his whistle when a foul is committed. In order to keep Gods peace ruling my heart, I must be attentive to hear that whistle as the Holy Spirit alerts me of even the smallest of sins. Through learning to listen for these whistles, I will grow closer and closer to the dearly beloved desire to attain the resurrection of the dead.