“I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:17
Dear Ones:
The Apostle Paul makes a most wonderful, and extraordinary statement to the believers in Philippi: “…For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (2:13) Why does he write this? What is the Lord seeking to convey to these believers by this declaration? Perhaps we can sum it up in part by considering two words, “proximity” and “purpose.” The prelude to this declaration is the admonition: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (v.12) The context of God’s working is one in which the heart is called upon to truly seek, and to know God, realizing that His work in our hearts is not small or insignificant. This very present work of God is not only proven in value by the cost of the life of the Son of God, but it is also accomplished with an eternal, everlasting perspective and purpose. The highest and most noble of reasons for its certainty and realization is the unveiling of the glory of God by it. God works in the individual heart to bring us into conformity with His will, His purpose. This is that which pleases Him, and results in our greatest blessing.
One of the great “assurance” verses of Scripture, which brings home His working in us towards a specific end, is Paul’s declaration: “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work IN you WILL perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (1:6) Herein is declared the persistent, certain work by the Spirit of God, which will continue, and be perfected in us until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The question then becomes, “What am I to do?” “How are we to respond to this knowledge of the working of God in the heart, with such enormous, eternal ramifications?”
In chapter one of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he inserts a prayer. In that prayer, he beings with this: “I pray that your love may abound yet MORE and MORE in knowledge and in all judgement (discernment), that you may approve things that are excellent.” (1:9,10) Why does he pray this? If the believers in Philippi are to work out their salvation with awe and trembling by virtue of the eternal God working in their hearts, then they must of necessity be dominated by the love of God. What accompanies that dominant power and motive of one’s life is increasing, abounding knowledge and discernment of EXCELLENT things. Essential to glorifying God, being “filled with the fruits of righteousness,” is setting our minds on that which is of God, of the Spirit, in tune with, and in conformity with the high purposes of God. The essential point is this: God is in the process of building His church, Christ’s body of believers who in turn overcome the very real resistance of hell. It means also that He WILL work in the heart of the believer whose attitude towards Him is that of humble faith, granting with certainty the knowledge of His leading and provision…until the day that we go to be with the Lord.
Dear Father, give us to grasp what Thy work is in us, ever working in us to will and to do of Your good pleasure. Accomplish in us this work of love, in knowledge and great discernment, ever being delivered from lesser things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad