God Will Complete the Work He Has Started in Us

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

In last week’s post (August 31st), I shared the encouragement that God has a plan for our lives. This week I pray you will be encouraged that He is at work in us to complete that plan!

Years ago, my daughter and her family were able to move into a rental home that God provided for them.  Making the house ready before they moved in was a huge task!  Walls, floors, carpets, appliances all needed to be thoroughly cleaned.  We spent many hours over several days making it ready to move in.  The house was transformed!

We learn from Scripture that our lives need to be transformed.  Romans 3:23 tells us that we all have sinned and we all fall short of God’s holiness.  Isaiah 53:6 says All we, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left God’s paths to follow our own.    The good news is that God loves us and is working in our lives to accomplish the transformation.  Jesus gave His life on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of the world.  For those who have received that gift of salvation and forgiveness, we have been born again. Our spirit that was dead because of sin is given new life. Our sins have been removed “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103: 12).  We are wrapped in Christ’s robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). 

That is how God sees us in Christ, but He continues His work in us to make our daily life match that inward reality.  When we receive His gift of salvation, God also gives us His Holy Spirit to live in us.  His Spirit gives us wisdom and understanding, the desire and the ability to live the way God calls us to live.  We enter a lifelong process called sanctification, being transformed into His image, which will continue until the day Jesus returns, or until we see Him face to face in heaven.

Our part in that process is to acknowledge our sin, receive His gift of salvation, choose His lordship in our life, growing closer to Him in a personal relationship, confessing when we sin, turning back to Him when we have wandered.  We can’t make ourselves right with God on our own by simply trying harder or doing good works.   

What does a transformed life look like? His will for us is to know Him, love Him with our whole heart, to seek His will, listen to Him through prayer and through His Word, and obey through the power of His Spirit in us. He wants us to trust Him with every part of our life, yielding ourselves and everything we have to Him.

Read Philippians 1:6 again and be encouraged!

 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Take some time to think about what Jesus did for you at the cross.  He died to pay the penalty for the sins of the whole world – for you and for me!  He was raised from the dead and promises we also will be raised from the dead to eternal life with Him.  Write out a prayer of thanksgiving to Him.

How can you cooperate with Him in the work He is doing in your life right now?  Is there anything that needs to be confessed?  Any area of your life that you are holding back from Him?

What steps can you take to follow Him more closely in obedience to His will?