GOD AT WORK IN YOU

GOD AT WORK IN YOU

By Rev. Samuel Arimoro

Main Text: Philippians 2:12-13

Key Verse: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13, KJV)

Supporting Texts: Ephesians 3:20; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8:26-29; Galatians 5:22-25; Hebrews 13:20-21.

Description: This message reveals how God works within believers through the Holy Spirit to transform their character, shape their desires, strengthen their abilities, and empower them to fulfil His divine purpose.

INTRODUCTION

One of the greatest truths about the Christian life is that God does not merely work for us; He also works in us. Many believers are conscious of what God can do around them, what He can provide for them, and what He can change in their circumstances. However, they sometimes overlook the greater work God desires to accomplish within their hearts. God is interested not only in changing your situation but also in transforming your character, renewing your mind, strengthening your faith, and developing your spiritual life.

Philippians 2:13 declares, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." This means that the Christian life is not sustained by human strength alone. God Himself is actively working within His children, giving them the desire and ability to accomplish what pleases Him. He works in our hearts to change our desires, in our minds to renew our thinking, in our spirits to strengthen our faith, and through our lives to accomplish His purpose.

Sometimes, people become discouraged because they are conscious of their weaknesses, limitations, past failures, and present struggles. They forget that God is still at work in them. You may not have reached your desired level of spiritual maturity, but God has not finished with you. You may still be growing, learning, and overcoming challenges, but the presence of God's working power means that your life is still under His divine influence. The important thing is to remain surrendered, obedient, and available to Him.

1. GOD IS WORKING WITHIN YOU TO TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE

The first thing we must understand about Philippians 2:13 is that God is interested in inward transformation. Many people concentrate on external changes, but God begins His work from within. He wants to transform your heart, renew your mind, correct your attitudes, and develop the character of Christ in you.

The Christian life is not merely about changing religious activities or adopting a new appearance. It is about becoming a new person through the transforming power of God. When God is at work in you, your thoughts, desires, values, and behaviour begin to reflect His nature.

a. God Is Changing Your Heart (Ezekiel 36:26)

God promised to give His people a new heart and put a new spirit within them. This reveals His desire to change us from the inside. He does not merely want to improve our outward behaviour; He wants to transform the condition of our hearts.

A person may change his environment without changing his heart. However, when God works within you, He deals with bitterness, pride, hatred, selfishness, unforgiveness, and other attitudes that contradict His nature. Allow God to work on your heart.

b. God Is Renewing Your Mind (Romans 12:2)

One of the major areas where God works is the human mind. Our thinking influences our decisions, attitudes, relationships, and conduct. Therefore, God wants to replace worldly thinking with thoughts that agree with His Word.

When God renews your mind, you begin to see life differently. You stop thinking like someone controlled by fear, defeat, bitterness, and selfish ambition. You begin to think in agreement with God's promises and principles.

c. God Is Developing the Character of Christ in You (Galatians 4:19)

God's purpose is not simply to make us religious but to make us Christlike. He wants the character of Jesus to become visible in our lives.

This involves developing humility, patience, love, forgiveness, gentleness, self-control, and obedience. Spiritual maturity is not measured only by how loudly we pray or how frequently we preach. It is also measured by how much the character of Christ is evident in our daily conduct.

d. God Is Making You a New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

When a person comes to Christ, a new spiritual life begins. Old patterns of sin no longer have to control that person's life because God's transforming grace is available.

Do not use your past as an excuse to remain in bondage. God can give you a new beginning. Your former failures do not have to determine your future when you surrender your life to Christ and allow Him to continue His work in you.

Biblical Example: Saul's Transformation into Paul (Acts 9:1-22)

Saul was a persecutor of the church, but his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus transformed his life. The man who once opposed the gospel became one of its greatest preachers and defenders. God did not merely change Saul's activities; He changed his heart, purpose, and direction. This demonstrates that nobody is beyond the transforming power of God.

2. GOD IS WORKING IN YOU TO PRODUCE THE RIGHT DESIRES

Philippians 2:13 says that God works in us both to will and to do. The word "will" refers to desire, intention, and determination. This means that God is able to influence what we desire and develop within us a willingness to accomplish His purpose.

Before God changes some things around you, He may first need to change something within you. He may change your appetite for sin, your attitude toward prayer, your desire for His Word, and your commitment to His kingdom. When God is working in your heart, your desires gradually become aligned with His will.

a. God Gives You a Desire for His Presence (Psalm 42:1-2)

The psalmist expressed a deep thirst for God, comparing his desire for divine fellowship to a thirsty deer longing for water. This is the kind of spiritual hunger God wants to develop in His children.

When God works within you, prayer becomes more than a religious obligation. You begin to desire His presence, value fellowship with Him, and seek opportunities to grow spiritually. Ask God to give you a deeper hunger for Him.

b. God Gives You a Desire for Righteousness (Matthew 5:6)

Jesus declared that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled. God wants believers to develop a genuine appetite for holiness and godly living.

When God is working in you, sinful habits begin to lose their attraction. You become uncomfortable with practices that dishonour Him and develop a stronger desire to live according to His Word. This is evidence of His transforming influence.

c. God Gives You a Desire to Serve Him (Isaiah 6:8)

A person who has encountered God should develop a willingness to serve Him. When Isaiah saw the glory of God, he responded to the divine call by saying, "Here am I; send me."

God can place a burden in your heart for souls, ministry, missions, prayer, giving, teaching, and service. Do not ignore the godly desires He is developing within you. Make yourself available for His assignment.

d. God Gives You a Desire to Please Him (Psalm 40:8)

David declared that he delighted to do God's will and that God's law was within his heart. This demonstrates the relationship between inward transformation and outward obedience.

When God becomes the centre of your life, pleasing Him becomes more important than satisfying every personal desire. You begin to ask whether your choices honour God and whether your conduct reflects His Word.

Biblical Example: The Conversion of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)

Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector whose life was marked by dishonesty and greed. However, after encountering Jesus, his attitude toward money and other people changed. He offered to give to the poor and restore what he had taken unjustly. His transformation demonstrated that a genuine encounter with Christ can produce new desires and changed priorities.

3. GOD IS WORKING IN YOU TO GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO FULFIL HIS PURPOSE

The second part of Philippians 2:13 says God works in us "to do of his good pleasure." This means that God does not only give us the desire to do His will; He also supplies the strength and ability required to accomplish it.

There are assignments that human strength cannot fulfil. There are temptations that human determination alone cannot overcome and responsibilities that require divine wisdom and empowerment. God knows our limitations, and He makes His power available to us through the Holy Spirit.

a. God Strengthens You by His Spirit (Ephesians 3:16)

Paul prayed that believers would be strengthened with might by God's Spirit in the inner man. This reveals that spiritual strength comes from divine empowerment.

You may face situations that threaten to weaken your faith, but the Holy Spirit can strengthen your inner life. He can give you courage when you are afraid, endurance when you are weary, and stability when circumstances become difficult.

b. God Gives You Grace for Your Assignment (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." This teaches that God's grace is available even when human ability is inadequate.

Do not conclude that you cannot fulfil God's purpose simply because you feel weak. Recognise your limitations, depend on God's grace, and remain obedient. His strength can sustain you where your natural ability is insufficient.

c. God Empowers You to Overcome Temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13)

God provides a way of escape when His children face temptation. He does not expect believers to surrender helplessly to every sinful desire.

Through the Word, prayer, spiritual discipline, and the help of the Holy Spirit, you can resist temptation and make choices that honour God. Do not depend on willpower alone; seek divine help and take practical steps to avoid situations that lead you into sin.

d. God Enables You to Bear Spiritual Fruit (John 15:4-5)

Jesus taught that branches must remain connected to the vine in order to bear fruit. In the same way, believers need continuous fellowship with Christ to produce spiritual fruit.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are not merely products of human effort. They are fruit produced in the life of a believer through the work of the Holy Spirit. Remain connected to Christ and allow His life to be expressed through you.

Biblical Example: Gideon and the Power of God (Judges 6:11-16; 7:19-22)

Gideon considered himself weak and insignificant because his family was poor and he was the least in his father's house. Yet God called him a mighty man of valour and empowered him to deliver Israel from the Midianites. Gideon's victory did not come from personal strength or military superiority but from God's presence and power. His story reminds us that God can empower people who recognise their limitations and depend on Him.

4. GOD IS WORKING IN YOU TO PREPARE YOU FOR YOUR DESTINY

God's work in a believer is purposeful. He does not transform us without a reason. Every spiritual experience, correction, lesson, and season of growth can become part of His preparation for the assignment He has designed for us.

Sometimes, we desire immediate promotion, but God is more interested in preparing our character. We want greater opportunities, but God may first be developing greater responsibility within us. We want to reach our destination quickly, but God may be working through the process to make us ready for what lies ahead.

a. God Is Preparing Your Character for Greater Responsibility (Luke 16:10)

God often tests faithfulness through small responsibilities before entrusting greater ones. The way you handle little opportunities reveals your readiness for larger assignments.

Do not despise the season in which you are serving quietly. Be faithful in your present responsibility. Your character must be developed to sustain the opportunities you are asking God to give you.

b. God Uses Life's Challenges to Develop Your Faith (James 1:2-4)

Trials can become instruments through which God develops perseverance and spiritual maturity. Difficult seasons expose areas of weakness and teach us to depend more completely on Him.

Do not assume that every difficult season means God has abandoned you. Continue trusting Him. Even when you do not understand everything happening around you, allow the experience to strengthen your faith and deepen your dependence on His Word.

c. God Is Directing Your Steps According to His Purpose (Proverbs 16:9)

Human beings make plans, but God has ultimate authority over the direction of their lives. He can redirect your steps, close certain doors, and lead you into opportunities that agree with His purpose.

Do not become so attached to your personal plans that you resist God's direction. Remain prayerful, teachable, and willing to follow Him even when His leading takes you along an unexpected path.

d. God Is Conforming You to the Image of Christ (Romans 8:29)

God's ultimate purpose for believers includes conformity to the image of His Son. He wants our lives to reflect the nature and character of Jesus.

This means that your spiritual development is more important than merely acquiring earthly achievements. As God works in you, you should become more loving, humble, obedient, patient, forgiving, and faithful. Your destiny must be shaped by His purpose.

Biblical Example: Joseph's Preparation in Egypt (Genesis 37; 39-41)

Joseph received dreams of future greatness, but he passed through rejection, slavery, false accusation, and imprisonment before becoming a ruler in Egypt. Through these experiences, God was preparing him for a position of responsibility. Joseph's story teaches that God can use difficult seasons to develop character, wisdom, and endurance for a greater assignment.

5. COOPERATE WITH GOD AS HE WORKS IN YOU

Although God is the one working within believers, He expects them to respond to His influence. Philippians 2:12 instructs us to work out our salvation, while verse 13 explains that God is working in us. These two verses reveal the relationship between divine grace and human responsibility.

We cannot transform ourselves by human effort alone, but we must not become passive. We must respond to God's Word, obey His instructions, yield to the Holy Spirit, and practise the spiritual disciplines that strengthen our relationship with Him.

a. Surrender Your Life Completely to God (Romans 12:1)

God works most effectively in a life that is yielded to Him. Surrender means presenting your body, mind, desires, plans, resources, and future to the Lord.

Do not give God only the areas of your life that are convenient. Allow Him to influence your relationships, finances, career, ministry, and private decisions. A surrendered life becomes an instrument through which God can accomplish His purpose.

b. Obey the Instructions of God's Word (James 1:22)

God's Word provides direction for our lives. However, receiving instructions without obeying them limits our spiritual progress.

When the Word corrects you, accept the correction. When it directs you, follow the direction. When it warns you, take the warning seriously. Obedience is one of the practical ways we cooperate with God's work within us.

c. Remain Sensitive to the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16)

The Holy Spirit guides, teaches, corrects, and empowers believers. We must therefore develop sensitivity to His leading rather than continually allowing our fleshly desires to control us.

Spend time in prayer and the Word. Be willing to obey divine instructions, even when they challenge your personal preferences. The more you yield to the Spirit, the more your life can reflect His character.

d. Continue Growing Until Christ Is Fully Formed in You (2 Peter 3:18)

Spiritual growth is a continuous process. Nobody should become satisfied with yesterday's achievements or assume that there is nothing more to learn.

Continue growing in grace, knowledge, faith, love, and godliness. When you fall, repent and rise again. When you discover an area of weakness, seek God's help and take steps toward improvement. Remain committed to the process of becoming more like Christ.

Biblical Example: The Early Church Filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4; 4:31-33)

The disciples were ordinary men who had experienced fear and uncertainty. However, when the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were empowered to preach boldly, witness effectively, and demonstrate the power of God. They continued in prayer, fellowship, the apostles' teaching, and service. Their experience shows what happens when believers yield themselves to God's working power.

CONCLUSION

Philippians 2:13 gives us a powerful assurance that God is actively working within His children. He works in our hearts to produce godly desires, in our lives to develop Christlike character, and through our abilities to accomplish His purpose. He does not abandon us to struggle through the Christian journey by human strength alone. His grace, His Word, and the power of the Holy Spirit are available to strengthen and establish us.

Therefore, do not give up on what God is doing in your life. You may still be growing, but God is working. You may still be facing challenges, but God is working. You may not yet have reached your desired level of maturity, but God is working. Remain surrendered, obedient, prayerful, and sensitive to His Spirit. The God who is working in you is able to accomplish His good pleasure through your life.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Father, let Your transforming power work mightily in me, in Jesus name.

2. Lord, give me a heart that desires what pleases You, in Jesus name.

3. Holy Spirit, renew my mind and transform my character, in Jesus name.

4. Father, strengthen me to overcome every weakness, in Jesus name.

5. Lord, empower me to fulfil Your purpose for my life, in Jesus name.

6. Father, develop the character of Christ in me, in Jesus name.

7. Lord, use every season of my life to prepare me for Your purpose, in Jesus name.

8. Holy Spirit, help me to obey Your instructions daily, in Jesus name.

9. Father, let my life produce lasting spiritual fruit, in Jesus name.

10. Lord, complete the good work You have started in me, in Jesus name.

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS

1. God is working in you, and your life shall not remain the same.

2. Your heart shall be transformed by the power of God.

3. You shall develop a greater hunger for God's presence.

4. The Holy Spirit shall empower you to overcome every weakness.

5. Your character shall increasingly reflect the nature of Christ.

6. Every season of your life shall serve God's purpose.

7. You shall receive strength to fulfil your divine assignment.

8. Your life shall produce the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

9. You shall not abandon the good work God has begun in you.

10. God's good pleasure shall be accomplished through your life.

FINAL CHARGE

Beloved, never underestimate what God can accomplish in a life that is surrendered to Him. Do not focus only on what you want God to do around you; pay attention to what He wants to do within you. Allow Him to change your heart, renew your mind, strengthen your faith, and develop your character. Cooperate with His work through obedience, prayer, and dependence on the Holy Spirit.

GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU! HE IS WORKING IN YOU, TRANSFORMING YOU, STRENGTHENING YOU, AND PREPARING YOU TO FULFIL HIS GOOD PLEASURE!