Prayers Of The Spirit: Excellence Is God’s Will For Your Life
Study The Word
2 Corinthians 13:7 (KJV)
“Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.”
On our power filled journey through the prayers of the Holy Spirit, today we encounter something that will absolutely transform the way you approach everything you do daily. The Apostle Paul once again, being moved by the Holy Spirit, is praying for the children of God in Corinth, and his prayer carries within it a beautiful revelation about God’s expectations for your life. He says, “I pray to God that ye do no evil.” Now, you might think, “Well, of course, I don’t want to do evil. I’m not out here committing crimes or hurting people.” But wait—let’s look at something incredible about what “evil” really means in this context! Evil here actually means to do something that is not excellent, or something that is substandard, or of a poor quality.
The Appstle Paul says he prays that you do no evil, “but that ye should do that which is honest.” The contrast here is not between doing evil and doing good in the way we typically think of it. The contrast is between doing evil and doing that which is honest. The word translated “honest” in this passage is the Greek word kalos, and it means so much more than simply being truthful or sincere. The word means excellent, admirable, beautiful and magnificent.
καλός kalos honest – excellent, admirable, beautiful, magnificent, good, noble
This prayer of the Spirit is to activate and establish in you that you do things that are excellent! That everything you put your hand to do is that which turns out admirable! That your work, your projects, your assignments and everything that you lay your hands upon to do be beautiful and magnificent! This is incredible! This means that it is the will of God for your life to do things excellently. To do things that are admirable. So, when you wake up in the morning and you’re about to go to work, before you step out that door, you need to declare: “It is the will of God for me to do things that are excellent today in the name of Jesus Christ! I do the things that are admirable! I do things that are beautiful! I do things that are magnificent in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!”
So the opposite of doing what is excellent, admirable, beautiful, and magnificent is what Paul calls it “doing evil.”
That means when you do a shoddy job, when you deliver less than your best, when you cut corners and produce mediocre work—the Bible calls that evil! Goodness! That puts a whole new perspective on how we approach our daily tasks, doesn’t it? The Holy Spirit is telling us that mediocrity is not just a bad habit; in God’s economy, it’s classified as evil! That thing you were going to rush through? That project you were going to give half your effort to? The Word of God says that’s evil, hallelujah!
κακός kakos evil – bad, worthless, wrong, wicked, harmful, base, of poor quality
You see, the life of a Christian is a life of winners! It’s a life of triumph! When you understand that excellence is not optional but is actually the will of God for your life, everything changes. When you’re setting out on that project, when you’re preparing to deliver for that client, when you’re about to present that proposal to your boss—your mindset should be: “This will be excellent. This will be admirable. This will be magnificent. Why? Because this is how the Word of God has framed my thinking!”
The Passion Translation puts it beautifully: “We pray hard that it will all come together in your lives.” God wants it to all come together in your life. He wants your execution to be flawless. He wants you to be flawless on your job. He wants you to be flawless in your delivery for that client. In the name of Jesus, you are flawless in your execution! Yes!
Now, I know what some of you might be thinking: “But Shingi, I don’t have all the resources I need. I don’t have everything together that I require to do things excellently.” God thought about this too and revealed His plan for provision for you to execute in another prayer of the Spirit in Hebrews 13:21 where the TPT says “…may He work perfection into every part of you giving you all that you need to fulfill your destiny.” Oh, how amazing God is. So maybe it may not start excellently. You may not have everything you need at the beginning but it has to end up excellent! The will of God for you is that it is done excellently. You are the an excellent child of an excellent God, you do no evil there, hallelujah! You don’t just do a shanty job. You do things excellently.
ἄμεμπτος amemptos flawless – blameless, without fault, unblemished, faultless, irreproachable
So when people look at and observe the work that you’ve done, the things that you produce, it is admirable. They look at it and say, “Wow, look at that!” Heyaaa! This is the will of God for you in Christ. Imagine this is how your mind is set. Imagine this is how you think every single day. “Everything that I get involved with, I do it excellently. I do it magnificently. It’s admirable. It is beautiful. Why? Because this is how the Word of God has framed my mind!”
Now make this your confession daily: “I do no evil. I only do excellent things. I do no evil. I only do beautiful things. I do no evil. I only do magnificent things!” Let this be your declaration as you step into every assignment, every project, every task. Excellence is not just a goal—it is who you are, it is the eternal will of God for your life!
Pray The Word
Heavenly Father, I thank You for revealing to me that excellence is Your will for my life. I am an excellent child of an excellent God. I do no evil—I only do that which is excellent, admirable, beautiful, and magnificent. I reject mediocrity and I embrace the standard of excellence that You have set for me as Your child. From this day forward, everything I put my hand to shall reflect the quality and excellence of heaven, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Speak The Word
I do no evil! I only do that which is excellent, admirable, beautiful, and magnificent. Everything I lay my hands upon to do is excellent in the name of Jesus Christ. Excellence is the standard of my life. Mediocrity has no place in my world—I produce excellent results in my job, in my business, in my projects, and in every area of my life. This is who I am: a producer of excellence, in the name of the Lord Jesus!
15 Days Of Prayers Of The Holy Spirit Day 5: Grace, Love & Fellowship Of The Holy Spirit