The Goal for Paul was not freedom from prison, health, healing, wealth, praises of people, exalting of position among his peers, BUT… The Magnifying, Exalting, Honoring of Jesus Christ, that He be held in high esteem, whether he lived or died! Paul lived his life not to pursue, promote or preserve himself but Christ’s Glory, His Fame and Name been made known! His battle cry, His pursuit was “CHRIST MAGNIFIED!
His battle cry, His pursuit was “CHRIST MAGNIFIED!” So often our frustration may be that we do not have God’s exaltation in mind when we pursue goals. We may say, “Yes, yes, I want Him to be exalted BUT…I also want ____” Fill in the gap! And often it can be what we fill in the gap with is our ultimate goal, desire, pursuit, priority, and the rest is.. lip service! Like the LORD said of one people, “This people honor Me with their lips but their hearts are far from Me!”-{ Matt 15:8}
Whatever the circumstance, think “Christ Exalted in what I am thinking, doing”…. and this is possible through the indwelling Spirit within you, “God is working IN you both the desire and power to do what pleases Him!”-{Phil 2:13}… and it pleases Him that you DESIRE to live to Exalt Jesus Christ, exactly where you are at any given time. Christ Exalted! With the DESIRE, He gives the POWER too! If you don’t have the desire? Ask Him to change your desire in alignment with Him and He will!
Today, take this portion of Scripture FROM Philippians 1:20, meditate on it, pray and ask Him to align your desires and doings with His. Also seek to pray it for others, children, family, friends… that He would work in them both the desire and doing of living CHRIST EXALTED in their thinking resulting in the choices they make in living out their lives, and then watch their goal for living, studying, working, change…to count for eternity!
Listen to Paul, “… Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”-{Phil 1:20} –
Untangling your goals, and pursuits, to have a clearly defined objective can simplify decision-making- Bottom line? “Christ Exalted” in me! This does not mean a conflict-free life, it didn’t in Paul’s life, he was in prison because of his desire and living out “Christ exalted in my body,” opposed by envious preachers.-{Phil 1:15-18}. Jesus spoke of at times your enemies will be those in your own family. -{Matthew 10:36}. Though it does not mean conflict-free living but it does mean clarity in thinking living and with it He will impart courage to stand and pursue Him and His goals in your circumstances as you raise the Flag “Christ exalted,” in your gracious, loving living to Honor Him and help others for His sake!
Today’s Goal – Christ EXALTED in my body.. be it a young body, and old body, a healthy body, a broken body, a sick body…whether I Live or when I Die, Christ Exalted the Focus and motivation! The next verse gives us the reason when he said, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain!” Jesus Christ was his life! And the outworking was to live in his body to Exalt Jesus Christ! Christ conscious, Christ pursuing, Christ exalted in his body whether by life or in his death!