“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
(Philippians 2:13)
In this passage Paul reveals a truth so mysterious that it both humbles us and calls us to worship. God Himself, by His Spirit, dwells within His people and continually works in them and through them. He creates the very desire to obey, and He supplies the strength to act so that both the willing and the doing are of Him. What man cannot originate, God bestows. What man cannot sustain, God accomplishes.
John Brinsley captured it well: “This is God’s work, which man cannot do of himself. No, not so much as to will himself to come to Christ. For it is God that works in you both to will and to do… this gift he bestows only upon his Elect.”[1]
One of the more beautiful truths we can be assured of from this verse in Philippians is that in the believer, human will and divine grace are woven together and work seamlessly as God designs. He creates the desire within us, and man wills freely with the new heart given him. Our choice to love and obey Him is real, but it is the fruit of grace.
Christ told Nicodemus that one must be “born again” (John 3) to see the kingdom of God. A natural birth cannot be self-willed, and neither can the new birth because the Spirit’s work is as mysterious and uncontrollable as the wind. And yet, in His divine sovereignty, God is at work accomplishing His will and His “good pleasure.”
Moreover, grace does not merely bring us to Christ and then leave us to ourselves. Rather, it pursues us daily. David sang, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Ps. 23:6). From beginning to end, God’s children are sustained, sanctified, and carried by grace. So even perseverance is His gift, promised and secured by His eternal decree.
Such grace is humbling because we can contribute nothing to the process; all we bring is our need. Yet God, who has no need, pours out His mercy in abundance on the unworthy. To know that He both kindles our desire for Him and empowers our obedience to Him is to rest in the assurance that He will also finish the work He began. For His everlasting arms uphold the faltering, and His eternal purpose guarantees the end.
Contemplations:
- Both the desire and the ability come from You. Lord, I am in awe of the incredible truth that You create within me both the desire and the power to live out Your purpose. Help me remember that every inclination I have towards righteousness is evidence of Your work inside me. Indeed, my very longing for You is born of Your grace. May I always attribute my desires, strengths, and passions to Your unceasing work within my soul.
- Your Spirit at work within me. Jesus, as I reflect on Your conversation with Nicodemus, I am reminded of the wonderful mystery and beauty of being “born again” in the Spirit. Let me never forget that this transformation, this new birth, is a divine work that I cannot achieve on my own. Just as I cannot control the wind but only feel its effects, so it is with Your Spirit’s transformative power within me. Guide me, Lord, to always recognize and cherish the Spirit’s work in my heart and life.
- Every good gift comes from You. Father, in moments of introspection, I’m overwhelmed by Your extraordinary grace that transforms and redeems even someone as unworthy as me. When I contemplate the vastness of Your mercy, I am reminded that everything good in me comes from You. Your grace is freely given, not earned or merited. Let my heart always remain grateful for Your unmerited favor, remembering that every good thing in my life is a testament to Your endless love.
- Kept by the power of Your Spirit. God, as I continue in my journey of faith, I am humbled to know that it is by Your grace alone that I am able to persevere. Strengthen my resolve, embed Your truth deep within me, and let Your grace be my anchor. Despite the challenges and storms I face, may my faith in You remain unwavering. I thank You for the promise of Your presence, ensuring that Your grace within me remains a continual fountain, springing up into everlasting life.
- Known by You from eternity. Heavenly Father, the knowledge that I am predestined for a relationship with You brings both comfort and awe. I find comfort in knowing that my path has been eternally known by You. May this divine predestination continually remind me of the depth of Your love and purpose for my life that I may live out each day with gratitude and purpose, ever mindful of Your eternal promise and design.
- Ever the same. Lord, Your infinite knowledge and eternal nature are beyond my understanding. Reassure me that even when I falter or doubt, You remain unchanged and eternally present. And may the certainty of Your unchanging nature bring hope and steadfastness to my daily walk.
Prayer (supplication)
Almighty God, I bow before You with trembling and with trust, confessing that I cannot will or do any good apart from Your grace. You have said it is You who works in me both to will and to do of Your good pleasure, and so I ask You to work in me now. Awaken my love for Christ. Stir my soul to long for Your commandments and to walk in Your ways.
Lord, I ask that You keep me from pride, from the delusion that any good within me springs from my own strength. Humble me daily under the knowledge that my willing is Your gift and my doing is Your power. Strip me of self-reliance. Let me rest in Your sufficiency alone.
O Spirit of God, breathe new life continually into my heart. You who first drew me to Christ, draw me ever nearer. You who first gave me faith, strengthen that faith. You who began the good work, carry it on until the day of Jesus Christ. Do not let me fall away. Do not allow me to quench Your working. Let Your grace prove irresistible, preserving me unto eternal life.
Father, I ask that You keep me mindful of the mystery that my will is active, yet Your grace is the fountain. Do not let me abuse this truth to excuse laziness or twist it into despair. Teach me to work out my salvation with fear and trembling, knowing it is You who works in me. Let diligence and dependence walk hand in hand.
I ask, Lord, for perseverance. In times of weakness, uphold me. In seasons of doubt, assure me. When sin rises strong, conquer it by Your grace within. And when trials press me down, strengthen my will to endure. Guard me until the end that my life may testify that grace was the beginning, the middle, and the end.
I ask all this in the name of Christ who loved me and gave Himself for me, and in whose Spirit I live and move and have my being.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Phil. 2:13:
Heb. 13:1, 1 Cor. 12:6, Ezra 1:5, 2 Tim. 1:9
[1] John Brinsley, Three Links of a Golden Chain, (London: S. Griffin for Richard Tomlins, 1659), 33.
