April 24 Devotion - God works in us

for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

 فَاللهُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَضَعُ فِيكُمُ الإرادَةَ لِعَمَلِ ما يُرضِيهِ، وَيُعطِيكُمُ القُوَّةَ لِتَحقِيقِ ذَلِكَ.

Philippians 2:13

Now may the God of peace [the source of serenity and spiritual well-being] who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood that sealed and ratified the eternal covenant, ²¹ equip you with every good thing to carry out His will and strengthen you [making you complete and perfect as you ought to be], accomplishing in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

وَأَسْأَلُ اللهَ، إِلَهَ السَّلاَمِ الَّذِي أَقَامَ مِنْ بَيْنِ الأَمْوَاتِ رَبَّنَا يَسُوعَ رَاعِيَ الْخِرَافِ الْعَظِيمَ بِفَضْلِ دَمِهِ الَّذِي خَتَمَ بِهِ الْعَهْدَ الأَبَدِيَّ 21 أَنْ يُؤَهِّلَكُمْ تَمَاماً لِتَعْمَلُوا مَشِيئَتَهُ فِي كُلِّ عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ، وَأَنْ يَعْمَلَ فِينَا جَمِيعاً مَا يُرْضِيهِ بِيَسُوعَ الْمَسِيحِ، لَهُ الْمَجْدُ إِلَى أَبَدِ الآبِدِينَ. آمِين!

Hebrews 13:20-21

 

God leads us to "will and to act." He does not will and act for us. We "will and act" – however God influences us to do it. God  does not compel us, we are free to choose. He exerts an influence to lead us (believers in His Son Jesus Christ) to will and to do that which is in accordance with His will. We cannot take any credit for our good works, all we will and have, and do, is from God who strengthens us and equips us through Jesus Christ to do what is pleasing in God’s sight.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You that You work in me, guide me and direct my actions to be in accordance with Your good will. Lord, I pray that out of Your glorious riches that You strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith and I fulfill Your good purpose and advance Your Kingdom. May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip me with everything good for doing His will, and may God work in me what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, majesty and authority before all time and now and forevermore. Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein