Work Out What God Works Within

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke... among whom ye shine as lights in the world." Philippians 2: 13-15 (KJV

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It's different to try to become something for God than to learn to live from what God has already put inside you.

A lot of people feel worn out because they're always trying to find enough strength, faith, discipline, or goodness to make God happy. But Paul tells the Philippians something different. He doesn't say, “Work for your salvation,” or “Work up your salvation.” Instead, he reminds us that God is already working in us, shaping our desires and giving us the ability to do what pleases Him.

This changes everything.

Living as a Christian isn't about performing for God. It's about joining in with what God is doing.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the promise, purpose, and power of Pentecost. Pentecost wasn't just a big event in church history. It brought a new kind of strength. It gave everyday people the courage to share the truth about the risen Savior with confidence. It made believers aware of God's presence and power in a way that was much deeper than just following routines.

When we really notice God in our lives, something changes inside us. Our conscience becomes more sensitive. Our will starts to respond. Our desires begin to shift. Instead of just asking, “What do I want?” we start to ask, “Lord, what are You doing in me?”

That's where real change starts.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians shows us this clearly. In Philippians 2:1–11, he describes Jesus Christ as the perfect example of humility and obedience. Jesus didn’t hold on to His privileges. He became a servant and humbled Himself, even to the point of dying on the cross.

Then Paul moves from Christ’s example to how we should respond. If Christ is working in us, people should be able to see His character in us.

This doesn’t mean we’re saved by what we do. It means that the salvation God has given us should show up in the way we live, speak, respond, serve, and treat others.

What God does inside us is meant to be seen by others.

A seed doesn’t struggle to become fruit. It grows based on what’s inside it. In the same way, we are meant to show on the outside what God has already put inside us. We can’t live out what God hasn’t first done in us.

Paul says, “For it is God which worketh in you.”

The word “worketh” means active, effective, energizing power. God isn’t passive in our lives. He is always convicting, transforming, guiding, strengthening, developing, and shaping us to be more like Christ.

Imagine a battery-powered tool. It might be able to do a lot, but without power, it just sits there. It was made to work, but it can’t do anything until it’s connected to its power source.

The same goes for us. We weren’t made to rely on our own strength. We were made to live by God’s power working in us.

So maybe the real question isn’t, “Can I do this?”

Maybe we should ask, “What is God helping me become?”

Paul says God works in us “both to will and to do.”

Notice the order.

God changes our will before He changes our actions. Before our behavior changes, He changes our desires. Before He redirects what we do, He reshapes what we care about. He starts with our heart, our motives, our values, and our priorities.

This matters because real, lasting change doesn’t start with outside pressure. It starts with change on the inside.

A GPS doesn’t just tell you you’re off course. It recalculates and gives you new directions to get you back on track. In the same way, God works inside us to adjust our direction before changing what we do on the outside.

So we should notice what God is doing in us. What new desires is He giving us? What attitudes is He changing? What passions is He shaping? What priorities is He shifting?

God doesn’t work in us just to make us better for ourselves. He does it so others can see and be encouraged.

People should notice something different about God’s people—not arrogance, self-righteousness, or just going through the motions, but real integrity, grace, humility, kindness, faithfulness, and love.

So what God does inside us shouldn’t stay hidden.

His power should show up in how we live.

What He wants should shape our habits.

His character should be seen in how we act.

His light should shine through us as our witness.

Often, God changes our character before He changes our circumstances. He works on our hearts before He changes what’s around us.

So the real question isn’t, “Is God working?”

The real question is, “Am I willing to live out what God is doing inside me?”

When what God wants becomes what we want, obeying Him isn’t just a duty. It becomes a natural response from a heart shaped by grace.

God doesn’t give us purpose, power, and potential just for us to keep. He gives them so we can show them in our lives.

Work out what God works within and, Live Legendary by design.