God Is Working In You

June 29, 2009

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. 2 Corinthians 13:5-6

As we inspect and evaluate ourselves, we have to understand that Jesus is on the inside of us. “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).

The peril of introspection is to stop short at the “work out your salvation” part and miss the conclusion that God is working in you. The power of Jesus in us is not to be underestimated.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV

God is at work in you. That is how you got to this point. That is how you endured. As long as you seek God and put Him before you, you will be at an amazing advantage. Through vicious temptations and harsh trials, we have to do everything we can to press in, seeing that none of us falls short of what God has for our lives. Take hold of this “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” power that is available to us through Jesus.

Don’t cave in! Other people need what you have. Of course the enemy is going to bombard you, because there are good works that God has prepared you to walk in—mountain-moving, nation-changing, world-reaching, soul-saving, and Jesus-uplifting good works! “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

Press on!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.