Empowered Living: Walking Worthily of Our Calling

Devotional

Day 1: Dependence on God's Power, Not Self-Reliance

Walking worthily of our calling is not about relying on our own strength but about depending on God's power. Our calling is a sovereign act of God, and our task is to align our lives with this divine calling through faith and reliance on His strength. This means recognizing that our efforts are not sufficient on their own; instead, we must trust in God's ongoing work within us. As we do so, we are empowered to live lives that reflect the grace and glory of God. This transformation from self-reliance to faith-based action is crucial for living a life that glorifies God. [05:45]

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being." (Ephesians 3:14-16, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are relying on your own strength instead of God's power? How can you begin to trust Him more in this area today?

Day 2: Transformation from Self-Reliance to Faith-Based Action

Our resolves for good become works of faith when carried out by God's power. This transformation is essential for living a life that glorifies God. It involves a shift from self-reliance to faith-based action, where our good intentions are empowered by God's strength. As we trust in His power, we are enabled to perform works of faith that reflect His grace and glory. This process is not about our own abilities but about allowing God's power to work through us, transforming our resolves into actions that honor Him. [03:58]

"Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a good resolve you have made recently. How can you rely on God's power to transform this resolve into a work of faith today?

Day 3: Relying on the Immeasurable Greatness of God's Power

Understanding and relying on the immeasurable greatness of God's power is essential for living a life worthy of our calling. This power is not just for knowledge but for practical reliance in our daily walk. As we comprehend the love of Christ and the strength provided by His Spirit, we are equipped to walk in a manner that reflects our identity as children of light. This reliance on God's power enables us to live lives that are good, right, and true, demonstrating the transformative power of God's light within us. [06:30]

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." (Ephesians 6:10-11, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you practically rely on God's power in your daily life? What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of His immeasurable greatness?

Day 4: Bearing Fruit as Children of Light

As children of light, our identity in Christ empowers us to bear fruit that is good, right, and true. This fruit is a testament to God's light within us, transforming us from darkness to light. Our walk is a reflection of God's workmanship in us, and the good works we perform are those God prepared beforehand. As we embrace our identity as children of light, we are equipped to stand against challenges and bear fruit that glorifies God. This transformation is rooted in the strength of the Lord, enabling us to live lives that reflect His grace and glory. [09:50]

"For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true)." (Ephesians 5:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: What specific fruit of the Spirit do you feel called to cultivate in your life right now? How can you rely on your identity in Christ to bear this fruit?

Day 5: Reflecting God's Workmanship in Our Walk

Our walk is a reflection of God's workmanship in us. The good works we perform are those God prepared beforehand, and our ability to stand against challenges is rooted in the strength of the Lord. As we align our lives with our divine calling, we demonstrate the transformative power of God's light within us. This journey is not about self-reliance but about depending on God's power to live lives that reflect His grace and glory. As we trust in His strength, we are empowered to perform works of faith that honor Him. [07:40]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally reflect God's workmanship in your daily walk? What specific good work do you feel God has prepared for you to pursue today?

Sermon Summary

In our exploration of Ephesians 4:1-6, we delve into the profound relationship between God's work in us and our intentional efforts to walk worthily of our calling. This journey begins with understanding that our calling is a sovereign act of God, as seen in Ephesians 2:5, where He made us alive in Christ. Our task is to align our lives with this divine calling, not through self-reliance, but by depending on God's ongoing work within us. This is echoed in 2 Thessalonians, where Paul prays for God to make us worthy of His calling, highlighting that it is God's power that enables us to fulfill our good resolves and perform works of faith.

The essence of walking worthily is not about our strength but about God's power working through us. As we trust in His power, we are empowered to live lives that reflect the grace and glory of God. This is further emphasized in Philippians 2:12-13, where we are reminded that God is at work in us, prompting us to act according to His good purpose. Our resolves for good, therefore, become works of faith, not self-reliance, as they are carried out by God's power.

Ephesians 1 and 3 remind us of the immeasurable greatness of God's power toward us who believe. This power is not just for our understanding but for our reliance, enabling us to live lives worthy of our calling. As we comprehend the love of Christ and the strength provided by His Spirit, we are equipped to walk in a manner that reflects our identity as children of light, as described in Ephesians 5:8-9.

Ultimately, our walk is a testament to God's workmanship in us. The good works we perform are those God prepared beforehand, and our ability to stand against challenges is rooted in the strength of the Lord. As we embrace our identity as children of light, we bear fruit that is good, right, and true, demonstrating the transformative power of God's light within us.

Key Takeaways

1. Walking worthily of our calling is not about self-reliance but about depending on God's power. Our calling is a sovereign act of God, and our task is to align our lives with this divine calling through faith and reliance on His strength. [05:45]
2. Our resolves for good become works of faith when carried out by God's power. This transformation from self-reliance to faith-based action is crucial for living a life that glorifies God. [03:58]
3. Understanding and relying on the immeasurable greatness of God's power is essential for living a life worthy of our calling. This power is not just for knowledge but for practical reliance in our daily walk. [06:30]
4. As children of light, our identity in Christ empowers us to bear fruit that is good, right, and true. This fruit is a testament to God's light within us, transforming us from darkness to light. [09:50]
5. Our walk is a reflection of God's workmanship in us. The good works we perform are those God prepared beforehand, and our ability to stand against challenges is rooted in the strength of the Lord. [07:40]
** [07:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:16] - Introduction to Walking Worthily
[00:35] - God's Activity and Our Intentionality
[01:14] - Prayer for Understanding
[01:49] - Parallel Passage in 2 Thessalonians
[02:55] - God's Work in Us
[03:58] - Works of Faith vs. Self-Reliance
[04:39] - Glorifying Jesus Through Our Walk
[05:25] - Walking Worthily of Grace
[06:00] - Sovereign Work of God
[06:30] - Immeasurable Greatness of God's Power
[07:09] - Knowing the Love of Christ
[07:40] - God's Workmanship and Good Works
[08:07] - Strength in the Lord
[09:07] - Walking as Children of Light
[10:26] - Sovereign Calling and Our Response

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Ephesians 4:1-6
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
Philippians 2:12-13

---

Observation Questions:

In Ephesians 4:1-6, what does Paul urge believers to do, and how does he describe their calling? [00:16]
According to 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, what role does God play in making believers worthy of His calling? [02:02]
How does Philippians 2:12-13 describe the relationship between God's work in us and our own efforts? [02:55]
What does the sermon suggest about the nature of the good works we are called to perform? [07:40]

---

Interpretation Questions:

How does understanding our calling as a sovereign act of God influence the way we approach our daily lives? [06:00]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that our resolves for good become works of faith? How does this transformation occur? [03:58]
How does the concept of being "children of light" in Ephesians 5:8-9 relate to the idea of walking worthily of our calling? [09:07]
What does it mean to rely on the "immeasurable greatness of God's power" in practical terms, according to the sermon? [06:30]

---

Application Questions:

Reflect on a recent situation where you relied on your own strength rather than God's power. How might you approach a similar situation differently in the future? [05:45]
Identify a specific area in your life where you feel called to perform good works. How can you ensure these actions are carried out by faith and not self-reliance? [03:58]
Consider the ways you currently bear fruit as a "child of light." What is one specific action you can take this week to further demonstrate the transformative power of God's light within you? [09:50]
How can you cultivate a deeper understanding and reliance on God's power in your daily walk? What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of this power? [06:30]
Think of a challenge you are currently facing. How can you draw strength from the Lord to stand firm against it? What specific prayer or scripture might you use to support you? [07:40]
Reflect on your identity as a child of light. How does this identity influence your interactions with others, and what changes might you need to make to align more closely with this identity? [09:07]
How can you actively seek to understand and experience the love of Christ more fully in your life? What impact might this have on your ability to walk worthily of your calling? [07:09]

Sermon Clips

I therefore, Paul says, a prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthily of the calling to which you have been called. And we've spent several sessions on this, but there is one more absolutely crucial question to ask, namely, how does this happen in relationship to God's activity and our activity? [00:00:12]

To this end, we always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling. Well, so this is different, isn't it, than to this end I always pray for you that you will walk worthy of your calling. But here he's asking God to make you worthy of his calling. [00:02:04]

May God make you worthy of his calling, and may he fulfill every resolve for good. So we have resolves to do good, which would be a walking worthy of our calling, and God fulfills those willings and desirings and intentionality. [00:03:11]

It's by faith in God's power in us that we're able to carry out our resolves for good so that they become works of faith, not works of self-reliance. And then it happens, he says, by God's power. That's why it is God who's the one who's making us worthy. [00:03:44]

So my answer to the question, how do we do this, is we, by faith, perform works that are worthy of the calling. So walking worthily doesn't mean self-reliant bringing our lives into accord with the calling. It means noticing that the calling here was a sovereign work of God. [00:05:27]

He made us alive; he brought us to life. That was our calling into a glorious eternal future of joy. And if you walk now in accord with a sovereign work that brought you into being, you're going to depend on the ongoing work of God in your life. [00:06:00]

Here's the prayer in chapter one: I pray that you know what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe. He wants us to know this power so that we are relying upon it and thus we live lives worthy of our calling in his power and not our own power. [00:06:28]

We are his workmanship, created by him in Christ Jesus for good works, works that are worthy of our calling. But it's God's workmanship when we do these; it's God creation when we do this, and the works themselves, which God prepared beforehand, the works themselves are prepared that we should walk in them. [00:07:36]

Be strong as you attempt to walk worthily of your calling. Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. So we may look strong when we overcome some temptation and thus walk worthy of the Lord, but we know better. It is in the Lord that we have our strength. [00:08:05]

At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord because of what happened in 2-5. He made you alive spiritually. You are light; your father is light, and now you are children of the light. And so you are, in your essence, divine light, not worldly darkness. [00:09:07]

The fruit of light is found in all that is good, right, and true. This means that if you are a child of light, a child of God who is light, a kind of fruit is born by light, which means it's growing on you, but you're not the decisive cause of it. [00:09:53]

As we trust and embrace and know this, we will be strengthened by it, and the spirit by faith will cause this treasure to produce this walk, and thus it will show the worth of this walk, and we will bring our lives into accord with it. [00:10:52]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?

Empowered Living: Walking Worthily of Our Calling

Devotional

Day 1: Dependence on God's Power, Not Self-Reliance

Day 2: Transformation from Self-Reliance to Faith-Based Action

Day 3: Relying on the Immeasurable Greatness of God's Power

Day 4: Bearing Fruit as Children of Light

Day 5: Reflecting God's Workmanship in Our Walk

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Empowered Living: Walking Worthily of Our Calling

Share