“My dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the WORK of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain…” I Corinthians 15:58
In order to prosper in this life; in order to flourish; in order to succeed, God is instructing that you WORK! You must do what God has given you to do. The successes you reach will depend on God’s plan for your life, but no success will come until you do the part assigned to you in that plan.
To proceed in this discussion, I want to focus a little on this question: "What is your part?"
You can only do the work you are supposed to do when you clearly understanding what that work is. In order to see the results you are so anxious to see, you must know God's instructions; otherwise you will find yourself overly busy consumed by work which you will eventually realize actually serves no purpose.
Here’s the truth; contrary to what many preachers, prophets and bishops have been saying over the years, there is no person on this Earth whose job is exclusively to tell YOU what God wants YOU to do (and I’d be suspicious of anyone who says different). Preachers may have an inclination about you; some may even have a God-given prophecy concerning you. But the real revelation of who you are and what you are supposed to be doing is the responsibility of the Spirit of the Living God Himself. The prophet Jeremiah quotes God saying this;
“’I know the plans I have for you’ declares the lord,…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. THEN you will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you…’” Jeremiah 29: 11-12
God says I know the plans “I” have for you. Revelation concerning your path is God’s responsibility; its literally between you and your creator. God can reveal His omnipotent will in a single moment of a single conversation, or a series of conversations, or within the years of a decade, or two decades. Or God can reveal just the beginnings of a massive plan to you that will span across your entire life, involve 2 or 3 generations and your children’s grandchildren will complete it. No one can rush God to reveal His plan to you, and by the same token, no one can stop God from revealing His plan to you.
However, to answer the question "What is Your Part?", you must understand that there are certain universal things in God’s plan which apply to us all. 1 Thessalonians says this,
“...You were instructed how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more...” I Thessalonians 4:1
This scripture is important in identifying our part in God’s plan universally. I know you have an agenda. I know there are things you are working towards. I have plans I’m working on too. But sometimes we can get so focused on our own agenda that we forget our primary agenda is to find what's pleasing to God. This passage is a reminder that we've learned how to please God for one specific reason: “…to do this more and more”!
What pleases God? The whole chapter of Thessalonians 4 lists what works are pleasing in the sight of the God of Abraham. Honesty pleases God. Love pleases God. Peaceful behavior pleases God. Diligence pleases God.
Paul says later in this chapter that controlling our bodies and avoiding lustfulness are also pleasing to God. Then, bringing lost souls to Christ and Kingdom Building are definitely pleasing to God. Our part in God’s plan is to do what is pleasing to Him. If we want to see success in our agenda; we must focus more and more on this assignment. This sentiment is repeated in 2 Corinthians,
“God is able to bless you abundantly SO THAT in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in EVERY GOOD WORK...” 2 Corinthians 9:8.
When good works are securely in place in your life, 2 Corinthians says God can bring abundance to your life and you WILL abound in good works for Him. In other words, if you walk honestly and are diligent today, God can bless you abundantly and you will continue to walk honestly and be diligent tomorrow. If your heart is full of love and compassion today, God can bless you with abundance and you will still be just as full of love and compassion tomorrow. And if you act peacefully at every opportunity, God can bless you abundantly and you will continue to model peaceful behavior every time you get a chance.
Furthermore, having “abundance” in all things at all times means you lack nothing at any time. God has made His part of the equation to make grace available; blessings available; favor available; the power of Christ and His anointing available; and every thing available in abundance. But your part of the equation is to “abound” in EVERY GOOD WORK; thus, if good works are absent from your life, the underlying issue holding up your dream list of things you expect God to do may very well be YOU.
So what GOOD WORK are you doing? Are you honest? How much time do you set apart for God in an average week (outside of Sundays from 11 – 2p)? Can you be described as peaceful? Diligent? Full of love? Do you control your body or are you constantly submitting yourself to lustfulness and fornication? God will provide His grace and His Spirit on your behalf, but He’s not going to do the good works He's assigned to you on your behalf. Your part is to do what is pleasing to God.
Again, I know you have made plans for yourself, but more important than your plans are God’s plans! Yes… God has plans for YOU! His plans will prosper you; not just prosper your pocket; they will prosper your soul! God’s plans are not to harm you, but to give you hope and a real future. And the bible says once you begin to work-out God’s plans in your life, “THEN” you will call Him and He will come. “THEN” you will pray to Him and He will listen to you. To see success in your agenda, you must take time out of your plan, lay down your agenda and work diligently on your assignment which is to do more and more GOOD WORK for Him!
