Prayers Of The Spirit: The Confidence of Divine Completion
Study The Word
Philippians 1:6 KJV
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
There’s a confidence that the Word of God wants to establish in your heart today. A confidence that is not based on your own abilities, not based on your track record, not based on how well you’ve performed—but a confidence rooted in the faithfulness of the One who started the work in you! The Apostle Paul says, “Being confident of this very thing.” This is confident assurance based on the unchanging character of God!
Now, I want you to pay very close attention to a key word in this verse. Paul says God “will perform it.” The word “perform” is the Greek word epiteleō, and when you understand what this word means, it will revolutionize your expectation!
ἐπιτελέω epiteleō perform — to fulfill further, to bring to completion, to execute, to accomplish, to finish, to perfect, to complete fully
This prayer of the Spirit is so rich in meaning and blessing. To get everything we can from it we need to look at the word “perform” – epiteleō and that word means to fulfill further! In other words the prayer is to further establish a mindset in you of knowing that firstly, God began a work in you and God is actively at work in you right now. Secondly, also knowing that He is actively fulfilling it further! He is executing it further! He is bringing it to completion! The Expanded Bible translation says He “will continue it until it is finished, completed, perfected.” Hallelujah! This is the will of God for your life—that the good work He started in you from the first day you believed would be fulfilled further, executed further, and brought to perfect completion!
Today I want you to know that God is not done with you; He is not done with the plans that He has for your life.
Maybe you are thinking that you have gone so far or you are so far gone to the point that God can not do anything with your life again. Listen, He is not done with you! “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ!”
God is not a God who starts projects and abandons them. He’s not like a contractor who begins building your house and then disappears halfway through. When God begins something, He completes it! When He starts a work, He finishes it! This is His nature. This is His character. This is His commitment to you as His child.
τέλειος teleios complete — perfect, finished, mature, having reached its end, fully developed
The root of epiteleō is teleios, which speaks of something that has reached its intended end, its designed purpose, its full maturity. You get it? God’s work in you is moving toward teleios—toward complete perfection, toward full maturity, toward the fulfillment of everything He designed you to be! And He will not stop until you get there!
Now, The Living Bible Translation says, “And I’m sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in His grace until His task within you is finally finished.” Did you catch that phrase “His task within you?” This is not your task; it’s His task! The work of transformation, the work of sanctification, the work of bringing you to full maturity—it’s His task, and He takes responsibility for completing it! Glory to God!
This should give you such confidence! Even when you stumble—and God knows we are going to stumble—but God is always, always going to pick you back up! Even if you stumble to the left or stumble to the right, He’s going to complete the work! Maybe you made a mistake. Maybe you drew back for a season. Maybe you say, “I’m going to take a break.” Just remember: He’s going to complete it! Glory to God! You are not disqualified from His completion! He that began that good work, we are confident that He will perfect it!
πέποιθα pepoitha being confident — to be persuaded, to trust, to have confidence, to be fully convinced
Taking it a step further, the word “confident” here is pepoitha, and it means to be fully persuaded, to be absolutely convinced. Paul is saying, “I am fully persuaded, absolutely convinced, completely confident that God will complete what He started!” And this which he is communicating isn’t positive thinking. This is faith grounded in the character of God and the power and authority of His Word. And this is the confidence He wants you to walk in every single day of your life!
The devil will try to shake this confidence. He’ll bring accusations. He’ll remind you of your failures. He’ll point to areas where you haven’t measured up. But you need to understand—the completion of God’s work in you is not dependent on your perfection or imperfection; it’s dependent on His perfection and His faithfulness! He who began the work will complete it! Stop trying to complete yourself; surrender yourself to the ministry of His Word and whole heartedly trust the One who is completing you!
The Passion Translation says: “I pray with great faith for you because I’m fully convinced that the one who began this glorious work in you will faithfully continue the process of maturing you and will put his finishing touches to it until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Hahaa!
He will put His finishing touches to it! Like a master artist who never leaves a masterpiece incomplete, God is putting His finishing touches on your life! The grace is increasing. The knowledge is increasing. The wisdom is increasing. The ability is increasing. The power is increasing. The anointing is increasing. You are growing unto maturity, unto the full stature of the fulness of Christ, everything is being perfected!
ἄχρι achri until — until, as far as, up to the point of
Notice also that God will perform this work “until the day of Jesus Christ.” The word “until” is achri—it means all the way up to that point, without stopping. God’s work in you doesn’t have an expiration date before Christ returns. He is still working in you, perfecting, completing, everyday all the way until that glorious day when Jesus appears. Your transformation is an ongoing, continuous work of grace that God Himself has committed to finish!
So today, receive this confident assurance into your spirit. Stop trying to complete yourself through striving and self-effort. Stop beating yourself up over areas where you haven’t arrived yet. Instead, rest in the confidence that the One who began the good work is faithfully, actively, diligently bringing it to completion. He is perfecting it. He is executing it further. He is fulfilling His purpose in you. And nothing—no distraction, no delay, no detour—can stop what God has determined to finish in your life!
Pray The Word
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the confident assurance that You who began a good work in me will faithfully complete it. I release every anxiety about my growth, every fear about my failures, and every doubt about my progress into Your capable hands. You are the One who is perfecting, completing, and bringing to fulfillment everything You started in me from the first day I believed. I trust You, Lord. I am fully persuaded that Your work in me cannot be stopped, cannot be hindered, and cannot fail. Thank You for Your faithfulness, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Speak The Word
I am confident of this very thing: He who began a good work in me is performing it, fulfilling it further, and bringing it to completion! God’s work in me cannot be stopped. God’s purpose for my life cannot be frustrated. I am being perfected, matured, and brought to the fullness of everything God designed me to be. The grace is increasing. The anointing is increasing. The wisdom is increasing. I am fully persuaded that my faithful God will complete His task in me until the day of Jesus Christ, in the name of Jesus!
15 Days Of Prayers Of The Holy Spirit Day 6: Completion Of The Work Of Christ In Us