“I pray with great faith for you, because I’m fully convinced that the One who began the gracious work in you will faithfully continue the process of maturing you until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ!”
Philippians 1:6 Passion Translation (TPT)
I often started assignments with great enthusiasm. However, when my zeal would fade, the work would stop. But GOD is not like me, He always finishes everything He starts. When He begins a “good work” in a believers heart, it is as good as done.
According to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, a dream can be defined as “a strongly desired goal or purpose”. When I began to feel unworthy of GOD’s calling and purpose, I also saw myself as undeserving of His grace. I tried to make myself worthy by doing certain works instead of just yielding and surrendering to the call by the leading of the Holy Spirit. During this time, I was not able to dream or envision a “good” life for myself because I had not fully received GOD’s love due to sins that I had committed in the past. Unfortunately, I allowed sin to pollute my thinking.
Galatians 5:7 King James Version (KJV) says “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” In this passage of Scripture, Apostle Paul is warning the Galatian Christians to not follow the false teachings of the law but to accept the freedom of grace in Christ Jesus. In the beginning, the Galatians received the Good News about Jesus with joy and by faith they were welcomed as children into GOD’s family.
As the people were following Christ, they stumbled (in their spiritual walk) by believing that they could earn GOD’s grace through works. Paul then asked, “who tripped them? who hindered them from obeying the truth?” As I began to think about who has stopped me from dreaming or thinking that GOD can use me, the revelation is that I let “me” talk “myself” out of completing what was started in my life!
In other words, “Before you were led astray Michellene, you were so faithful; you were running well. Who deceived you or caused you to stop following the truth?”
It is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone that believers are made right with GOD.
Through prayer, fasting, wise counsel, reading and studying the Word, I realized that once I had accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I received the gift of salvation by faith. My faith does not rest in me but in the finished works of Jesus on the cross. I am free, no longer bound, and refuse to go back to my past way of thinking! Like the Philippians, I will continue to move forward in faith because I know that GOD is committed to transforming me. The truth is that there is a good and glorious work that Christ has begun in our hearts and promises to complete once He is fully unveiled.
GOD is the giver of dreams.
Whatsoever He has purposed me to do, it shall come to pass.
I am worthy and He is faithful to perform it! He will see to it that I remain faithful to my calling and purpose until the unveiling of Christ’s appearance. GOD said that it is good and now I can dream again.
Reflection Question: Have you received GOD’s gift of grace or are you still operating from a place of the law or “works”?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, our GOD, and our Maker; we thank You for Your grace and mercy given to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We thank You Lord Jesus for the being the “Truth” of the gospel and for the ultimate sacrifice that was made . We repent for any time that we believed the lies of the enemy and forgot about what the Word says and ask for Your forgiveness. We receive the righteousness of Christ by faith and rest in the finished works of Jesus Christ. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord! Morning by morning new mercies we see! We love You Lord! In Jesus, name we pray. Amen.
Written By: Michellene Griffin-Ballard
