Track 3 on That I May Know Him
The Holy ExchangeOswald Chambers
Built on Philippians 3:10–11, Philippians 3:4–8, and 2 Corinthians 5:17
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The study behind the song
Built on Philippians 3:10–11, Philippians 3:4–8, 2 Corinthians 5:17, John 3:3, Mark 2:21, and Romans 6:6.
This song belongs to an album gathering the thoughts of spiritual greats on Philippians 3, and here Doulos of Jesus sits with Oswald Chambers over verses 10 and 11. Paul has just counted his impressive credentials as loss, and now states his one desire: to know Christ and the power of His resurrection, if somehow he may attain the resurrection from the dead.
The verses walk through Chambers' sharp point: resurrection is not a self-improvement plan. We are not raised back to our old life of defeat but into His risen, eternal life, and that power can be known here and now. So the song calls listeners to stop trying to fix the old self and let its funeral be heard. Echoing Jesus' words about new birth and the old garment, it says salvation is not a patch but a new creation.
The closing lines drive the exchange home: unclench your fists, drop your resume, die to the old self. It is His life in me, not my life made better.
02Sing along
Lyrics
Step away from your striving, pull the plug on your own strength
You’ve been trying to live the life at a human arm’s length
Chambers stands in the quiet, with a sharp prophetic word
Stop trying to fix the old man, let his funeral be heard
Philippians 3 verse 10, "to know Him and the power of His resurrection"
It’s not a self-improvement plan, it’s a radical injection
"What His resurrection means for us is that we are raised,"
"To His risen life, not back to our old life of defeat!"
We are resurrected into His life! The eternal life of the Lord!
No longer living by our power, or the prizes we record!
Chambers whispered to the soul, "We can know here and now,"
"The power and effectiveness of His resurrection!"
HCSB verse 11, "if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead"
It means the life you live today is the life of Him instead
Born again from above, an entirely new creation
Not a patch on old garments, but a total transformation
Unclench your fists. Drop your resume.
Die to the old self. Let Him have His way.
It is His life in me.
Not my life made better.
His risen life.
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