GOD GIVES THE DESIRES AND STRENGTHS TO OBEY HIM

Philippians 2:13 says, "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." The reason it was possible for the believers in Philippi to live out their faith in Jesus by obeying God with deep reverence and fear was that God was at work in their lives, giving them the desire and power to do what pleases Him. We need to understand that every desire that we have to follow, obey, and trust God is coming from the Spirit of God who is working in our lives. Our desire to pray, read the Word of God, go to church and fellowship, and serve God in any way comes from God. However, godly desires without God's power will not succeed. We need God's power to help us do the godly desires that God instills in us. In other words, we cannot please God without God's desires and power in us, and this is the reason God gave us the Holy Spirit to live in us to help us live a new life in our Lord Jesus the moment we are saved. 

God knows that we cannot live godly lives with our own strength because it is impossible to live a godly life apart from God's desires and strengths. Jesus said, "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5)." So, if we want to live a godly life, we need to ask God to give us the desire and strength to live out our faith in Jesus by obeying Him with deep reverence and fear in wherever we may be or whatever we are doing. Let us stop relying on ourselves to live a Christian life; we need God to help us. Making up rules to help us live a godly life will only frustrate us because obeying the rules without God's strength will not help us live a godly life. Instead, we must completely trust God for living out our Christian life. 

We need to ask God to give us specific desires on how we should live our lives, then we ask God to give us the strength to live out those specific desires, and this is how we can live out our Christian faith through obedience to God with deep reverence and fear. 

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Can I live out my faith in my Lord Jesus with my own will and strength? Where does my desire and strength to obey God with deep reverence and fear come from? How do I live out my faith in my Lord Jesus?

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, please give me the desires and power to live out my faith by obeying you with deep reverence and fear. Please help me not to try to live out my faith with my own will and strength because it will never work. I am desperately dependent on you, for there is nothing that I can do apart from you. As I go to work, school, or wherever I need to go today, please give me the desires and strengths to please you in whatever I do. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.