Faithful Father, these verses carry heavy implications in that we are to share in the sufferings of Christ for the gospel. Paul understood what his commitment meant in order to know Christ and the power of his resurrection. I pray for your persecuted servants around the world. I pray for the strength of your Word on their lips. I pray for your tangible presence in the name and authority of Jesus, according to your good and perfect will. Amen.
“For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:8b-11 ESV)