Filled With a Desire for the Work of Faith

Filled With a Desire for the Work of Faith

There is much talk about being filled with the Holy Spirit. In Colossians 1:9 Paul speaks about being filled with the knowledge of God’s will, and in 2 Thessalonians 1:11 we find him praying for the Thessalonians that God would powerfully fill them with a desire for the work of faith.

Obedience to God is better than anything else.

Jesus says: Teach them to observe all things I have commanded you. Matt. 28:20. Teach them obedience to My word. Jesus does not say that they should teach them to believe everything He has commanded, but rather to observe [keep] it. Teach them to execute what I have commanded. Thereby it is revealed that they have faith.

Faith without obedience is unprofitable.

There is something that every child of God believes; namely, that you can be fervent in your spirit by pressing into God. But what does that kind of faith benefit you if you are not obedient to what you believe? Faith does not make a person fervent in spirit unless he is obedient to it and presses further into God in prayer. Faith without works is useless, as James also says in James 2:20. And in the same verse, James calls those who have faith but do not do anything with what they believe “O foolish man . . . .” Jesus says that the servant who knows his master’s will and doesn’t do anything about it shall be beaten with many stripes. Luke 12:47.

Many children of God go around in their slothfulness, believing that they can be fervent in their spirit by pressing into God. Yet in spite of their faith, they remain in their slothfulness because they do not act. If they were to begin to press into God in prayer, they would immediately see that their slothfulness would vanish and that they would be filled with ardor in their spirit by God’s presence. However, months and years go by without them acting on their faith, and it is true that even now they already receive many stripes, for it is a pitiable state to live in. They have a constant judgment in their heart because they are disobedient to what they believe could benefit them.

There is an innate idleness in man, and this idleness can paralyze believers so badly that they are disinclined to pray and read their Bible. This disinclination and idleness can be broken with God’s power. Therefore Paul prays that the Thessalonians may be mightily filled with all desire for the work of faith. In this context it means that we are filled with an intense desire to press into God, a desire that shatters all idleness and aimlessness, so that we find an exceedingly great joy in acting according to our faith.

Paul says further: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7. Which child of God does not believe and know this word of God? But how many are completely set free from anxiety? Paul wrote this word so that their hearts and minds might come to rest in Christ. Do you think that a person with that kind of faith can be saved from anxiety—a person who believes and knows this word but does not act on it? Not at all! But the person who acts by bringing all things before God with supplication and prayer with thanksgiving, that person’s heart and mind are kept in Christ Jesus in whom is freedom from anxiety. Faith is made perfect by action.

Many people’s faith is united with a whole lot of pious wishes about being so and so. But this is often faith plus spiritual laziness. A theoretical faith that wishes for something profits little. Faith without works is dead—that means it is unfruitful and useless.

When Jesus came into the world, He did not say that He had come to believe God’s will. On the contrary; He says, “Behold, I have come . . . to do your will, O God.” Heb. 10:7.

Why are we being filled with the power of God? The answer is so that we may accomplish the work of faith with power. To this end we have been given a choice and the freedom to act. We have received light and power, and now it is up to us to go forward; then everyone will be rewarded according to his works.

Now we understand what it means to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Phil. 2:12. Isn’t it a great salvation to leave all anxieties behind? We can work out this salvation by obeying the word of faith that Paul wrote, by bringing all our desires before God. God will fill us with a mighty desire for this work, this work of faith. Isn’t this work a blessing? Are we then not blessed in our work? God works both, to will and to do, and we do it without murmuring or doubting. Is that so? If it isn’t, then let it become so. Redeem the time now! Take up the battle against idleness! It has been like clamps around your spiritual life. Fight the battle until the end in the name of the Lord. Make a holy resolution.

This one thing is a constant in all of life’s circumstances: Faith without works is useless! Consequently, my life will then also prove to be useless. Faith is an entrusted pound that is to be rented out at interest through work, and this work always bears its fruit; some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundredfold. There are no fruits of faith without the work of faith. We have been appointed to carry out the work of faith, and the fruits of faith—as truly as we have been faithful—will be abundantly manifested to our praise at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

You say, “We must take God’s Word in its entirety.” True enough; we shall take it with us into the activities of life. If we don’t do that, our confession will be a testimony against us.