#DailyDevotion The Holy Spirit Will Get The Job Done

Philippians 1:2-6

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,  because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.  And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

 

Paul often begins his letters this way. But it isn’t some mere formality. Paul is actually in the writing of this letter bringing to its readers and listeners that which he blesses them with, grace and peace. He gives them grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is God’s good favor towards them. He bestows upon them the favor of God that they might have faith in Jesus Christ and through that faith have salvation and eternal life.

 

He also gives peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Peace is the lack of hostilities and more than that, every blessing from the right hand of God. God’s peace is the Father not counting our trespasses against us because he has been reconciled by the blood of his son our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only has he been reconciled with us but we have been made to be called his children. The peace of bestows upon us our daily bread, friends, family, fellow Christians and their fellowship. It bestows upon us every spiritual blessing and gift needed to go from this life to the next. It still our hearts when everything is going wrong and it looks like God is angry with us and against us. But we can look to any to intersecting lines, we can look at any tree or telephone pole, we can even cross ourselves and remember God is at peace with us for the sake of Jesus Christ.

 

Now as the Philippians partnered with Paul and supplying his needs, we as Christians partner with our pastors, church workers, and our congregation to provide whatever is necessary to make sure the gospel is proclaimed in our place and even in distant places. For that, like Paul, we give thanks to God to those who contribute monetarily, by their prayers and through their work. Without each Christian who partners up with us how will kingdom progress. True, God may end up using someone else if we fail, but wouldn’t you rather hear “Well done good and faithful servant”?

 

Paul closes with this section with a certainty, something that has been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit and should give us great comfort when we feel like quitting, “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”  The Holy Spirit doesn’t give up. Jesus himself has promised that no one and nothing can take us out of the Father’s hand and therefore nothing and no one can snatch us from his hand as well, for he and the Father are one. Your salvation begins with Holy Spirit working in your life, it continues with the Holy Spirit working in your life and ends with the Holy Spirit completing your faith, your salvation at the day of Jesus Christ and his revelation. The devil doesn’t want you believing this. He wants you to be uncertain and hate God. The world doesn’t want you believing this. They want you to join them in the self-determined pride. You flesh even doesn’t want you believing this for that mean your flesh must die and Christ must live. But the Holy Spirit will preserve you in your faith and bring it to completion despite all these naysayers. You can bank on it.

 

Heavenly Father, continually give us your Holy Spirit that he might bring the good work, our salvation to completion on the day you reveal your son Jesus Christ. In his name we pray. Amen.