Day 21: The Total Package: The will and the work of God
Over the past 21 days, we have explored what it means to be deeply rooted in Christ, growing in faith, and bearing fruit that has eternal Kingdom impact in the lives around us. We have examined the necessity of healthy spiritual soil and environment (God’s Word and the fellowship of the Church), the nourishment of God’s presence (the Sun), the atmosphere we can thrive in (our prayer life), and the living water that nourishes us (our praise and worship). We have learned that fruitfulness is not about the quality of the fruit’s appearance but about authenticity which is true faith that produces a righteous life.
In one of the many over used clichés of life, there is one that is used to define the top-of-the-line new car or cell phone, face of the sports franchise, or someone who has distinguished themselves about the rest in their workplace. You’ll hear something to the effect of, “They are the total package.” They’ve got the looks, the smarts, the personality, and the performance. In our social media crazy world, we spend time scrolling and looking at all our friends, acquaintances, random people we forget where we met, and we see all their pictures and life highlights and think, “man, they’ve got the total package.” I’ll be honest, the truth is they don’t, but the highlight reel makes it look like it. In reality, the total package is rare and cannot be found without the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts. That, my friends, is why we spend times like these fasting and praying. So that we can become the total package.
Do not read this and think, “I’m definitely not the total package.” The total package Christian has nothing to do with talents, treasures, looks, or any measurements we look to in the world. If it were about those things, 94% (totally made-up percentage but definitely a vast majority) of all the faith heroes wouldn’t have been chosen. No, the total package Christian is simply fully surrendered to the work and will of God. Let me define the work and will of God in a nutshell for us today. This is something that if we are going to bear fruit in our lives, we should know and experience! And you know me, I need things simple for me to understand, so here is the work and will of God simplified!
The Work of God in us:
Salvation & New Life – God saves and makes us new in Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17 if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Sanctification & Growth – God molds us into the image of Christ.
Philippians 1:6 He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Empowerment for Service – God equips believers for good works.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.
Acts 1:8 You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses.
Discipline & Guidance – God corrects and directs His children.
Hebrews 12:6 The Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
Completion – God preserves us for eternity.
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand.
Jude 1:24 To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault.
God’s work in a believer’s life is a lifelong process of transformation, empowerment, and preservation, bringing us into His perfect will and preparing us for eternity with Him.
The will of God is His divine plan and purpose for creation, guiding believers in righteousness, obedience, and eternal life.
The Will of God for us:
God’s Will for Salvation – That all would know Him and be saved.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise… Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
God’s Will for Holiness – That believers live a life set apart.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
God’s Will for Obedience & Good Works – That we follow His commands.
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
God’s Will for Gratitude & Worship – That we give thanks and rejoice in Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
John 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth.
God’s Will for Guidance & Direction – That we trust Him for our path.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My loving eye on you.
God’s Will for Eternal Life – That we dwell with Him forever.
John 6:40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.
Revelation 21:3-4 They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
God’s will is not just about our actions but about our hearts—knowing Him, living in holiness, serving others, and trusting Him for our future.
I’ll be honest, wrapping up 21 days of devotions in a pretty little bow seemed daunting until I tried to put together a comprehensive and concise description of the work and the will of God in and through our lives. But hey, when have I ever done things the easy way? The entire focus of our fruitfulness is so that the work and the will of God can be completed in our lives. So that we can become the total package for the Kingdom.
Today as we wrap our time of prayer and fasting, I have no doubt that you’re looking forward to breaking your fast. You can probably taste that Sunday doughnut, or you might have that alarm set in the morning to begin redownloading the social media apps. Or maybe, and this is my prayer, you have realized how much closer to the Lord you have felt and been over the last three weeks. Maybe it has opened your eyes to the productivity in spiritual life and physical life that you have without the things you have been fasting. Most of all I pray that you have felt the presence of God so closely the last 21 days that you will continue to be disciplined to stay this close, after all He never changes or moves.
My prayer is that you have decluttered your spiritual environment, have felt and seen the Lord do mighty things in your heart and live, and that you want more of it. The challenge from here on out is to continue to keep your spiritual environment conducive to bearing fruit. Keep the work and the will of God at the forefront of your priorities and he will do things in your life you couldn’t even imagine. Like Paul talks about in Ephesians 3. I’ll leave you with this scripture that is some of my favorite words in the entire Bible.
Ephesians 3: 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Go and live your life as the salt and light, focused on the work and the will of a God who can do more in you and through you than you could ever imagine. Lets bear some big time fruit, what do you say!?