Paul tells us to “work out our salvation.” Notice that he doesn’t tell us to “work for our salvation.” In other words, he is telling us that we need to allow the salvation that is ours to be lived out in our daily lives.
When I was in seminary, I attended a preaching class in which every student took a turn preaching. I will never forget one student from Africa preaching on the subject of “fleshing out the gospel.” Through-out the sermon, he made the point that just like Jesus was the “Word made flesh” (John 1:14), we need to let our salvation be “fleshed out” in our daily lives. I can still hear him saying, “We need to flesh it out!”
“Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives.” - Galatians 5:25 (The Message)
That is what Paul is telling us here. And our salvation can be worked out into our daily lives because it is God who is at work in us. God is at work to reveal to His people what He wants to join Him in. God speaks today! The words of Isaiah 30:21 are just as valid today as they were in Isaiah’s day:
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” - Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)
1. God speaks to His people.
“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.”
- Hebrews 1:1-2a (NLT)
In Hebrews 1:1-2a, we are told how in Old Testament times, God spoke in a variety of ways. In these last days, however, He speaks through His son, Jesus. This was true when Jesus walked the earth; but it is also true now!
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans--I will come to you.” - John 14:16-18 (NLT)
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me. All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me. In just a little while I will be gone, and you won’t see me anymore. Then, just a little while after that, you will see me again.” - John 16:13-16
Remember Reality #4: God speaks by His Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal himself, His purposes, and his ways.
God speaks by His Spirit! His spirit speaks through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and his people—the church. We will consider each of these later on in this series. Right now, however, we need to simply understand how we might be sure we are in a position to hear the Spirit of God when He speaks to us.
The key to knowing God’s voice is not a formula of method. The key to knowing god’s voice is our investing time developing an intimate love relationship with Him.
“The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me.” - John 10:2-4; 27 (The Message)
Donna and I have been married for 30 years. During that time, she and I have spent countless hours and days with each other and as a result, we are intimately acquainted with each other. Consequently, I can pick her voice out from among several others, because we share an intimate love relationship with each other. I can especially recognize her laugh!
If we are daily communing with God, cultivating a deepening love relationship with Him, we will be able to recognize His voice above all others as he speaks by His Spirit through His Word, prayer, circumstances, and his people!
What this means then, is that if you are having trouble hearing God speak then you are having trouble at the heart of your Christian experience! You are not right with God or you do not belong to God!
2. God speaks with a purpose.
We usually want God to speak to us by giving us a nice thought to make us feel good through-out the day. Certainly, there is some value to this, but if you want the God of the universe to speak to you, you need to be ready for him to reveal to you what he is doing where you are.
He reveals what he is doing in order to call us to join Him; and to join Him requires a willingness to make whatever adjustments are necessary to walk with Him and participate in his eternal purpose of calling a people unto Himself that will live in such a way as to bring fulfillment to them and glory to Him. Note again what Paul tells us in verse 13 of our text:
“It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.”
- Philippians 2:13 (NIV)
Too many in the church today, however, really don’t want God to speak to them in this way. That is why so many fail to hear the voice of God!
“These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction. They say to the seers, ‘See no more visions!’ and to the prophets, ‘Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!’” - Isaiah 30:9-11 (NIV)
When God called Abraham to follow him, he said, “I will make your name great,” - Genesis 12:2 (NIV). In order for that to happen, God had to develop Abraham’s character to match his assignment. The same is true of us. Remember: You cannot stay where you are and go with God!
The reason God is interested in guiding what you are doing is that He is interested in what you are becoming.
When God speaks, He speaks with a purpose. Part of that purpose relates to what He wants to accomplish through you, and part of it relates to what He wants to accomplish in you!
Too many of us want the thrill of hearing From God and being in His will without having to make any adjustments in our character. One does not happen without the other!
You cannot follow God and remain the same.
If I am unwilling to make any adjustments in my life that might be necessary to follow God, then I will not recognize God’s voice.
“If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking. But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.
- James 1:5-8 (CEV)
God follows His own advice.
“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” - Matthew 7:6 (NIV)
Why should God entrust His guidance to one who is unwilling to make the adjustments in their life that might be necessary to obey?
To receive revelation from God requires a willingness
to experience a revolution in our lives!
Once I heard a pastor by the name of M.C. Williams preach a sermon on the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-10), in which he pointed out that the Lord’s Prayer is a “dangerous prayer” because if God will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven it will result in a “whole lot of rearranging down here!”
In John 5:1-15, we read about how Jesus healed a lame man at the pool of Bethesda. Before he did, Jesus asked the man an interesting question, “Do you want to get well?” (v. 6). Jesus wanted to know if the man really did want to be healed or not before he healed him.
In the same way, God asks us, “Are you willing to make whatever changes might be necessary in your life to follow me?” if not, we will not hear from God. But if we are sincerely willing to let God make changes in our life, then we are in a position to hear God speak!
