God’s Work Done God’s Way

Introduction: Are you Serving the Lord Jesus? Do you ever get tired? Frustrated? Anxious? When the Lord calls us to serve Him, PRAISE His Name…..His Holy Spirit enables us! The apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes about this subject to the Colossian believers, as well as us today. Notice his emphasis on the Calling to the WORK of Lord and the Enablement to that Calling.
 

1. What about the Passion & Burden of the CALLING? (Col 1:27, 28)

“Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” 

To be clear, Paul wants the Church to know it is Jesus Christ IN us, not just FOR us!

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Rom 8:31, 32)

To take it a step further, the Scripture reveals we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit IN us.

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Eph 1:13, 14)

  • The word “warning” is νουθετέω, noo-thet-eh’-o), which means admonish, warn, counsel, exhort.
  • The word “teaching” is διδάσκω: (did-as’-ko), which means teach, direct, admonish.
  • The word “perfect” is τέλειος, teleios: (tel’-i-os), which means complete in all its parts, full grown, of full age, specially of the completeness of Christian character.
This is the key to Serving in ministry. Jesus Christ is IN us!
 

2. What about the Power and Enablement of the CALLING? (Col 1:29)

“29Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.”

  • The word “labour” is κοπιάω, (kop-ee-ah’-o),which means grow weary, I toil, work with effort (of bodily and mental labor alike).
  • The word “striving” is ἀγωνίζομαι, (ag-o-nid’-zom-ahee), which portrays as in an athletic contest or warfare, I contend, as with an adversary.
  • The word “mightily” is δύναμις, which means dynamite….power!
 

Conclusion: Our God is FAITHFUL! When He calls us to serve Him, then He equips is! Learning to cooperate with His resurrection power is a lifelong process of fulfilling our calling.

How are you doing? Let’s stop right now & pray for His power to EQUIP US and FILL US for His GLORY!

Love y’all, 
Dr. Randy Reese