TO WILL AND TO DO

Friday 24

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13 (NKJV)
READ: Philippians 2:12–18

Ability to will and to do things for God’s delight and pleasure is always worked in someone by God Himself. If you see yourself being willing and clamouring to do, such thoughts and desires are being put or worked in your heart by God through the Holy Spirit. If you are having a strong urge to do anything for God and His kingdom lately, without doubt, the urge—being willing and clamouring to do—is given to you by God.

Many have shrugged away the urge, willingness and ability to do that were given to them about a particular assignment by God. Willingness and ability to do things that give pleasure or joy or satisfaction to God are usually propelled by God through the Holy Spirit on the inside of you—they do not ordinarily come to your mind. Do not turn down that good desire in your heart:
• The desire to propagate the gospel.
• The desire to teach the Word of God, the Bible.
• The desire to help someone in need and meet their needs through what you have.
• The desire to start a move for the liberation of those who are being oppressed.

Do not douse and jettison such good desires. You know, God speaks by painting words as pictures in your mind. When you start having the pictures of certain things in your heart, they are usually and probably painted by God, especially if you are a believer who walks in the Spirit and prays more in the language of the Holy Spirit. Although there are times that you may have good desires, but such are not of God—they are carnally or fleshly motivated. Not every good desire should be considered to be from God. Good desires at times could be suggested by the flesh or the devil, but such would not be for the glorification of God’s name. Such desires usually emanate from the flesh and mainly to boost human egos, not for God’s glory. How to differentiate:
• The desires from God will centre on honouring and glorifying God’s name and His kingdom.
• A desire from God will be for the blessing of mankind and the glorification of God’s name.
• If a desire is about making you known, promoting the self, announcing you, that definitely could not be from God—it is from the flesh. A desire from God will mostly be about how God would be honoured and glorified.

REFLECT:
• What good desires do you currently have that may be from God? Are you acting on them or suppressing them?
• How do you discern whether a desire is from God or from the flesh or the devil?
Peace.
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