Day 31
Philippians 2:13 NLT
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
God, Jehovah, the Existing One, Abba, is working in Freda. He is giving me, Freda the desire and the power to do whatever pleases him.
Lord, you are working in me. Whether I feel it or not is irrelevant. You are at work. In me. Freda. Not only are you at work, but you are giving me the power and the desire to do what pleases you. I can rest in confident hope that you make up any lack in me. This is amazing. You plant desire and you release power. I can’t on my own even do what would please you so, you give me even what I need to bring delight to your heart. Thank you God for supplying everything I need in my life to bring joy to you. You are an amazing God. Truly my provider.
This verse is such a reminder to me of God’s faithfulness. There is nothing He asks of me that He does not make provision for. He knows me and even when I wake up on certain days and feel like I can’t do it. He is working. Working in Freda. This so speaks of his love and care in my life. I am loved in my worst moment. He is present right there working. He does not abandon me, or give up on me as if I am too much of a job. He works faithfully. Depositing within me desire and power. They both have purpose. To do what pleases him. How awesome is that!!!
What does application of this look like? For Freda, it starts with acknowledging him not just when I feel him working, but even when I can’t see what he is doing.
Comments(5)
Sue says:
February 4, 2014 at 6:03 pmPersonalization:
“I am continually at work in you, Sue. I am giving you the ability to succeed. I am giving you both the desire and the power to complete my mission and do what pleases me.”
Thank you Father that in You, and only in You, I know that I am being set up for success. True success is only found in You. You have told me that You are at work in me. That isn’t just in the good times but during the bad as well. You are always there working for my good. You are providing the way for me to do what I could never do myself. Your pleasure = my success. Your smile = my goal. Your purpose = my purpose.
This verse makes me think of Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit descending like a dove and the voice of the Father announcing His approval, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” And the stoning of Stephen … when filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen looked up in the midst of his pain and saw the Father and Jesus standing beside Him ready to welcome Stephen.
I have a long way to go in my journey to be Christ like. And I have no deliberate desires to be stoned as Stephen was. But what stood out to me is that these are two cases of God expressing His pleasure and approval. In each situation all three Persons of the Trinity were present. In the case of Christ, it was at the beginning of His ministry. In the case of Stephen it was at the end of his ministry. In Christ’s case it was a occasion to celebrate. In the case of Stephen in was a time of terror. torture and pain.
But both were driven by and marked with God’s pleasure. There is no distinction made. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead (Romans 8:11) is in Stephen and is working in me. It is His Spirit that will give me the desire and strength to get through the bad times.
There is no natural yearning for discomfort in me. In fact, I tend to enjoy the comforts that God has allowed me. But these comforts aren’t His pleasure or delight. His pleasure and delight is to see His kingdom enlarged. The NIV ends today’s verse with “to do His good purpose”. His ‘good purpose’ is to see souls added to His Kingdom daily. To grow in Christ means that His purposes become my purposes.
So, for me, this scripture means that in recognizing His work within me I can determine to “do as I see the Father doing”. I can not only work towards His good purposes … His pleasure, but I will also make them my own because He is giving me the desire & strength to do so. There will be plenty of days when this lump of flesh will rebel, feel alone and decide it has had enough. But I have no excuse even on those days because my Father has given me what is needed to deny the flesh, willingly pick up my cross and set forth to fulfill His purpose. And in spite of the groans, aches and pains, in spite of the jeers of the world, in spite of everything to the contrary that this world would like to put forward … there is no life like it. 🙂
Jim Holmes says:
February 4, 2014 at 10:27 pmToday’s scripture is “For God is working in you giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him”. (Phil.2:13)
What can I say but “Never the same…forever changed…” In Christ Jesus, “all things have become new…” What I could not do…God did. He took my nothing and made me someone gloriously caught up in Him. To Him be all glory and honor and praise. Words cannot testify to this reality…that it is “God” alone that “gives me the desire and power to do what pleases him. It is God sharing His heart with me and empowering, encouraging me, to do what He loves to do, and out of my love for Him, doing what He asks. I cannot do anything, outside of Him, for outside of Christ is to be outside of His will. Our calling is “in Christ Jesus”. When Jesus is expressed in and through me…God is glorified in His Son…and in His son. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain… Shall not the Lamb have the full reward of His suffering. This means that God will bring to completion the work He is doing in us. Let Him be glorified in us…. There is one who draws us, calls us by name…to Himself. Holy is the Lord…who is worthy….Jesus, the Son of God is His Name.
Prayer: Jesus, you alone, we love you, we worship you…
Susan Craig says:
February 5, 2014 at 12:34 amTwo things we need in order to do work that is pleasing to God-1)we need desire or motivation and 2) we need power/strength/ability. God gives us both of these necessary elements so that we can produce work that pleases HIm.
Am I willing to work to further the kingdom of God? Do I have the ability to do that work? This verse says yes to both of those questions because all I need to do is ask God for the desire and the strength and He will provide both. So no excuses accepted-Susan-God says He will provide and He keeps His word.
Lord I pray that you would use me in your work here on this earth to furthrt your kingdom and I ask that you will be true to your word and provide the desire and strength to do it and do it well. Please open the eyes of my heart and reveal to me whatever you desire for my work to be and help me to be willing, ready ,able and faithful to accomplish the task. To you be the honor and glory-may your kingdom continue to grow !
Karen says:
February 6, 2014 at 8:57 amApplication:
P erspective of Christ in all things
O bedience to following His leading
W ill to ask for His direction
E nergy to stay constant
R esponses to situations that please Him
Pat McRae says:
February 7, 2014 at 1:50 pmGod is working in you Pat, so you will want to do His good pleasure and more then that you will be able to do it.
Father You are so wonderful to me! If I still haven’t heard that I can be assured You’re working in me You let me know You are giving me the will to want to. I am so thankful because now I can stand on your Rama Word to me! You, Father, with the Holy Spirit and the power of Christ continue to work in me helping me to improve my conversation so it can lead others to Christ by giving me the will to want to. And not only do I have the want toYou Father are giving me the ability to do so.
Thank You! So next time I hear “You will get this right!” I will come back with “You Father are right I will not, but the One Who is at work in me is giving me the will and ability to!” So mister enemy of my soul you are a defeated foe 🙂
Isn’t it wonderful Father I am not only a princess I am a winner!!!