With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 2 Thessalonians 1:11 (NIV)
Being dependent on God ignites a beautiful intimacy with Him in a way that causes our desires to align with His. Our heart beats in tune with His, His desires become our desires, His passions become our passions and His dreams become our dreams. We receive the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16).
That’s why Paul prayed for those who were dependent on God for righteousness, to have their every desire for goodness empowered by His Spirit. The simple truth is that God loves to inspire us to dream bigger!
“Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
Jesus is passionately pursuing His desire to fill all things everywhere with Himself and He has chosen to outwork this passion through us, His Body, the Church (Ephesians 1:22-23). So, as our dependency on God deepens, as our hearts and minds increasingly align with Christ’s, as His desires become our desires and when we dream God sized dreams, Jesus loves to empower our dreams, ideas and desires for goodness.
He does this with the medical researcher, giving them the godly desire to achieve breakthrough in finding solutions for a global pandemic, for the banking executive who desires to alleviate poverty, for the builder who desires to design and create new housing developments that encourage community interaction among neighbours. Holy Spirit loves to ignite fresh creativity in those within the film and entertainment industry. He loves to bring to fruition every desire for goodness in journalists who strive to bring accurate information to the world. Our Lord loves to empower medical staff, transport workers, farmers and people from every sphere of society who are aligned with, and dependent on, God.
The most profound thing is that when our every desire for goodness and all of our deeds prompted by faith are empowered and brought to fruition, Jesus is glorified in and through our lives. Paul continues:
“We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:12 (NIV)
So, if you have desires for goodness and if your faith has prompted deeds that honour our Lord, be sure that the heart of the Father is to empower them and bring them to fruition! As a result, Ireland will be filled with an increasing demonstration of Christ’s heart.
Heavenly Father, enable me to dream God sized dreams and to do exploits. Empower me in every area of my life to be creative, to have the ability to find solutions and to demonstrate the love, joy and peace that flow from Your heart. Help me today to influence every space I enter as I carry Your presence. Be glorified in and through my life according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen