THE WORK OF GOD IN US
Anita Clark – PastorGrace Chapel, Carbondale, Kansas
“For we are labourers together with God, ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.” I Corinthians 3:9-10.
Apostle Paul is the “wise masterbuilder” (Vs.10). In verse 9, we see that we “are God’s building” which means, “God’s structure.” Apostle Paul was the wise master builder. God appointed him to bring forth the message of GRACE, which is the very important means to produce in the believers the growth which is needed to be established and ready to reign with Christ one of these days very soon. God gave the ability to Apostle Paul as he wrote the fourteen epistles to various churches while he was here on earth. God is “the ultimate master builder,” but He used Apostle Paul to write the message of truth down. How blessed we are to have these wonderful epistles available for us.
In Philippians 2:13-16, says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” He Has a divine blueprint. Note this phrase, “His good pleasure.” It pleases the Father when we walk in the Spirit and yield to the working of God in our lives. He gets much pleasure when He sees us “presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice” to Him and His will (Rom.12:1). What He is creating is beautiful and perfect! Our part is to let Him work. Apostle Paul is our example of letting God do His work in us, as he went through many trials.
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work, to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever” (Heb.13:20-21). Notice the words in Vs 21 “make you perfect.” This phrase means in the Greek, “to complete throughly.” Notice- it is “in every good work.” We are ordained to do good works, this is what God has called us to do. This is the manifestation of the life of Christ which dwells in us, “through Jesus Christ.” He gives us power to overcome and do His will.
“As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory; For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the words of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (I Thess. 2:11-13). In I Thess 1:5, it says “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost...”
How Important is God’s Word? Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” The Word of God is the only true authority. What you or I think means nothing, if not absolutely in tune with God’s Word. Apostle Paul admonished in II Timothy 2:15, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” As we believe the Word of God, it works in our lives and changes us. Other things that work in our lives is found in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” Apostle Paul says in II Corinthians 4:16-18, “For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Our outward man, our body carries the life of Christ in us, known as “the inner man.” The inner man (Christ in us) is renewed day by day, as we yield ourselves to God’s working in us. Notice the words “day by day.” This divine work is going on continually, until the Lord comes, or until we go home to Christ by death. There is not one day, as we get up in the morning, that God is not working to change us - day by day (Vs 16).
We have a will. We must let Him do His work in us. I always marvel at Paul calling his trials and tribulations a “light affliction.” These tests are “but for a moment.” How can these troubles be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in heaven? Romans 8:18 says, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” This is the secret of overcoming in our trials and tests - don’t look at these trials, and tests etc. II Corinthians 4:18, “While we look not at the things which are seen:
Psalms 27:1 says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid.” The word “strength” in the Hebrew language means “a fortified place, fortress, rock or stronghold.” We as humans are weak, we need the strength of our God to get us through life. God helped His people in Bible times in very ample and abundant ways.
When Moses brought Israel out of Egypt, and faced the Red Sea, the armies of Pharaoh were close behind. God caused the waters to go back, and Israel was able to cross over in deliverance. Exodus 15:1-2, Moses and Israel sang to the LORD, “The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.” In I Samuel 17, we find a young man named David (who later became the king of Israel). He fought against a great enemy of Israel, Goliath, a giant, a champion of the Philistines. God helped young David win the battle - killing this terribly wicked man, and delivering Israel. I Samuel. 17:47, David said, “...the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you (the giant) into my hands.”
There are many examples in the Bible of people who were in circumstances that seemed to be absolutely impossible to be delivered from, but God delivered by His great strength. In II Corinthians 12:9, God spoke to Apostle Paul, and said, “My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” – Eph.6:10.
