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God Is At Work In YOU
Read: Philippians 2:12-18
“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Phil 2:13)
I’ve encountered many people over the years who say they don’t want to become a Christian because of all the rules and standards they would have to live by. They think they’d have no more fun because of everything they would have to give up. They think Christianity is just another religion with a bunch of rules and regulations, and they say someday they’ll get serious about God and faith before it’s too late, but not until they’re done having fun. Sadly, these are common misconceptions about faith from those who have never experienced the life-changing power of Salvation.
When one becomes a Christian, everything changes. The Holy Spirit enters that person’s life and the power of the Holy Spirit begins to change them. A spiritual re-birth occurs and the journey of the Christian life begins. The power of God and abundant blessings are made available to that person and he or she will never be the same again.
Once one becomes a Christian, God begins to work in the believer’s life. “Work” is from the verb energe?, which is the source of our word energy. It means “to energize, to work effectively, to provide the necessary power.” God energizes His people to obey Him and to live the lives He calls us to live. When God calls us to serve He empowers our service; when He calls us to obey He empowers our obedience; when He calls us to holiness He empowers our holiness. The list is endless. Whom God calls He empowers. We are not left to our own devices.
God works in us to will and to act according to His purposes. He not only helps us DO what He calls us to do, but He works in us to WANT to do His will. When our hearts are aligned with God’s, His desires are our desires. We no longer want to do the things of our old nature. The old has gone, the new has come. We now take pleasure in serving God. God works in us, not just with us. His work is comprehensive. We are not left alone to struggle. God comes along side us to guide us and change us from within through the Holy Spirit’s power to make us more like Christ. Our lives are radically changed when we wholly submit to God’s control and His work in our lives.
Reflect: Read Philippians 2:12-18 again and reflect on the following questions:
- Was there a time you dedicated your life to Christ and crossed over the line of faith? How has your life changed since you gave your life to Christ?
- If people were to observe your life, would they know you are a Christian? How might you live your life differently in order to be a better witness to those around you?
- How has God worked in you “to will and to act according to his good purpose”?
Remember: Weekly memory verses
“Do everything without complaining or arguing.” (Phil 2:14, NIV)
Going further: Pray that God would continue to work in you to will and to act according to His will this week. Pray that He would help you to be a strong witness to those around you live your life and serve others by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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