The Promise of Completion. Trusting God's Faithful work in us. Philippians 1:6
This is my Bible.
I am what it says I am.
I can do what it says I can do.
I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be.
Today I will learn more of the word of God.
The indestructible, never ending, living word Of God.
I will never be the same.
I will never be the same. In Jesus Name
Amen?
Before you sit down, say good morning to your brothers and sisters.
Turn with me to Philippians Chapter 1 and say, "Amen" when you are there.
Scripture: Philippians 1:6
"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Introduction:
Today, we’re going to reflect on one of the most powerful promises in Scripture: that God, who began a good work in us, will continue it and bring it to completion.
Philippians 1:6 is not just a nice sentiment—it’s a declaration of God’s relentless faithfulness to His promises.
We all have times in life when we feel discouraged, incomplete, or even like we’re not making any progress in our walk with Christ.
But today, I want to remind you of a truth that can transform your perspective: God is always at work in you, and His work will not fail.
To illustrate this, I’m going to share a story that shows how growth can sometimes feel slow or invisible, but with God, the end result is always more glorious than we can imagine.
Picture this: a gardener receives a small sapling, delicate and fragile, with barely any leaves. It’s small and unimpressive. To the casual observer, it might look like a wasted investment, but the gardener sees something others do not: potential. He knows that this sapling, though weak and vulnerable now, will one day become a magnificent tree.
The gardener doesn’t give up on the sapling. He waters it every day, tending to it through all seasons. He prunes away dead branches so that the tree can grow stronger. He shields it from storms and keeps it in the right environment for healthy growth. There are days when the sapling seems to stand still, when it looks bare and lifeless. Some might wonder if it’s ever going to become something worthwhile.
But the gardener is patient. He trusts the process. And over time, that once fragile sapling becomes a strong, flourishing tree—its branches stretch wide, its roots deep, and its leaves full of life. The gardener looks at the tree, not just for what it is in the moment, but for what it has become. He’s faithful in the work, and as a result, the tree becomes exactly what it was meant to be.
This story speaks powerfully to our own spiritual journeys. How many times have you felt like that sapling—weak, vulnerable, and unsure of how God could ever bring anything significant out of your life?
Maybe you’ve been walking with the Lord for a long time, but you still struggle with the same issues, the same weaknesses, or the same doubts.
Perhaps you feel like your growth has been slow, or you can’t see the transformation God is working in you.
The beauty of Philippians 1:6 is that God sees the finished product.
He sees you not just for who you are today, but for who you are becoming in Christ.
And while you might not see immediate results or rapid growth, trust that God is still working in you. He’s pruning, shaping, and strengthening you in ways you might not even recognize.
The good work He began in you is a process, and it’s a process that He will see through to completion.
You are not a project God will abandon halfway through. He’s not in the business of starting things He doesn’t finish.
God has a vision for your life—a vision that is full of purpose, growth, and ultimate transformation into the likeness of Christ. You may not see it now, but trust that every season, every challenge, and every step is part of the process that will bring you to the completion of the work God has begun in you.
A Call to Trust the Process:
I know some of you are facing struggles that make it hard to see progress in your life. Maybe you’re battling with sin, or you’ve faced deep disappointment, or you feel like you’ve taken two steps forward and one step back. It’s easy to feel like God is distant, like His work in us has stalled.
But I want to encourage you today: Trust the process. God is not finished with you. His work in you is a work that He will complete. The same God who called you, who redeemed you, and who is at work in your heart will continue that good work until the day of Christ Jesus. He will finish what He started. You are not forgotten. You are not abandoned.
If you feel like that sapling—small, weak, struggling, or incomplete—know that God sees you as a mighty oak. He is tending to you, and He will complete His work in you. Your growth may not always be visible, but trust that God is faithful to finish what He began.
The Altar Call:
If you’ve been struggling to see the work God is doing in your life, I invite you to come forward today. Maybe you’ve been walking through a season of doubt, frustration, or exhaustion, and you’re wondering if you’ll ever see the fruit of God’s labor in your life. I encourage you to come and surrender that burden to Him. Trust that He is still working in you, even when you can’t see the progress.
Perhaps some of you have never fully surrendered your life to Christ, and you’re here today feeling incomplete, unsure, or lost. This is the moment where God can begin a good work in you. He is ready to take your life and shape it into something beautiful.
If you’re here today and need to surrender to God’s faithful work in your life, or if you want to take the first step of faith in Jesus, I invite you to come forward and let us pray with you.
Closing Prayer:
Father, we thank You for the promise that You who began a good work in us will bring it to completion.
We thank You that even when we don’t see it, You are faithfully working in our lives, shaping us into who You’ve called us to be.
For those here today who are struggling, discouraged, or weary, remind them of Your faithfulness and the good work You are doing in them. Help us to trust the process and to rest in the knowledge that You will complete the work You have started. We surrender ourselves to You today, knowing that You will finish what You’ve begun. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
