Philippians 3:10-14 NASB
[10] that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; [11] in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. [12] Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. [13] Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. …
In these passages Paul’s passion to experience and lay hold of all that God has called him to in Christ jumps off the page. Paul longs for, and presses on to experience the presence, power, and passion of Jesus for others, in his own life. In verse 11 Paul says that his pursuit is in order that he may attain the resurrection from the dead. The language in that particular verse is very interesting, and the word used for resurrection speaks of something other than the final resurrection when we receive our new bodies. The idea in this verse is that Paul wants to experience resurrection life in every area of his life completely. In other words, he wants to know the full manifestation of his life of being a new creation in Christ. Take a look at something interesting in verse 12 through verse 14. Paul is talking about pressing on and reaching for, so that he could lay hold of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. That prize of course, is Christ likeness being fully manifested in his life. The fullness of Jesus experienced, and expressed is always the great prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. There’s something that is important for us to notice in verse 12.The thing that Paul says he is wanting to lay hold of has already laid hold of him in Christ Jesus. Seeing that truth is a game changer when you’re trying to understand these Scriptures, and trying to understand our own journey of reaching forward and pressing on to lay hold of the goal of Christ likeness being fully expressed in us and through us.
Paul was not trying to get something that he did not have. Instead, he is pressing on to lay hold by faith of the experience of what has already laid hold of him. Our pressing on and pressing in is a journey of discovery of what’s already laid hold of us in Christ. It is not a journey of trying to get more, but it is a journey of laying hold of more of what has already gotten hold of us. Because of the finished work of Christ, and our union with him, his intimacy, his power, and his heart for others is already yours. Our role is to delightfully present in, reach forward, and lay hold of that which we have been laid hold of. I like the way to Kings James version says it, “apprehend that which has already apprehended us.” You don’t have to beg for his presence and for intimacy with him, because his presence and intimacy is already laid hold of you, and apprehended you. You just need to reach forward and lay hold of what is already yours. You don’t have to beg the resurrection power, because it has already laid hold of you. All you have to do is discover and lay hold of the resurrection power that yours in Christ. You have to beg for Jesus to give you his passion and love for others, a lot of Christ has already been shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Spirit. All you have to do is go the glorious journey of discovery and by faith claim has already claimed you. Yes we should press in, and yes we should reach forward, but it is not a pressing in striving to achieve something. Instead, it is the glorious treasure hunt of wanting to discover someone who has already captured you and laying hold of all that he is by faith once we discover. You don’t have to look very far because you are in union with the great prize which is Jesus.