This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing with our mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity)”. In Philippians 2 the Apostle Paul commended the believers in Philippi for living upright before God while he was there. They followed Paul’s example and they submitted themselves to God. Now that he was no longer with them, Paul urged them to continue to live lives that are pleasing in God’s sight – lives full of the Christian witness; fruit bearing and life giving. In other words, Paul wanted them to succeed, to become the people God called them to be and to exemplify the God who was living in them.
After giving them this charge, the Apostle Paul encouraged the Philippians. Paul knew that God would never expect them to do anything He had not already, by His grace, equipped them to do. So Paul said, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Paul asked something of the believers in Philippi and then told them that God Himself would actually be the one performing the work through them. God would give them the “will” and then, along with the will, actually perform the “act”. God does this, Paul said, “in order to fulfill his good purpose.”
The scripture I quoted is Philippians 2:13 and I quoted it from the New International Version. I want you to also read this verse from three other versions. Read each one carefully and thoughtfully:
(NLT) “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
(ERV) “Yes, it is God who is working in you. He helps you want to do what pleases him, and he gives you the power to do it.”
(MSG) “That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. God made plans for you before the world began and He wants to see you fulfill those plans. It is His desire that you succeed.
2. God loves you so much that He gives you the desire to want to please Him, and He then turns around and gives you the power to do what He gave you the desire for.
3. The fact that you have the desire in your heart to do something that far exceeds your ability, is evidence that God has already given you the grace (power) to actually do it!
4. God will never give you the desire for something that He has no plans of accomplishing in your life. If He gave you the desire, then He also gave you the power to get it done, by His grace.
5. Take a moment to think about the desires and dreams God has placed in your heart. Now think about the fact that God has ALREADY, by His unearned grace, given you the power to do it. That’s good news!
6. God loves you enough to help you WANT to do what He has called you to do. He puts the thoughts in your mind, so you can WANT to do what He has already given you the power to perform. That’s grace!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your grace and my requirement to live by faith. The more I study Your grace, the more amazed I am at how much You love me. Not only did You make plans for me before the world began, but You also pursued me while I was not living for You at all. You sent people to me, over and over again, to tell me about Your goodness. You did this until I accepted the gospel message and I received Jesus, Your Son, as my Lord. And now, after being Born-Again, You still pursue me. You don’t want me to die with my purpose still locked up inside of me. You want me to get it all out. So You tirelessly pursue me, in order to accomplish Your Kingdom plans and purposes through me. There are many things You have already equipped me to do, by Your grace. And when I am not pursuing them, You actually put the desire in my heart for them. You put thoughts in my mind that line up with my purpose. You help me to WANT to do what You have called me to do, and You then turn around and actually DO IT through me. You give me the DESIRE and the POWER for my divine purpose. So Father, understanding all of this, I believe I will be successful in life. I will accomplish what You birthed me to do. But I will never take the credit. For it is You, working through me, both to WILL and to DO Your good pleasure. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
