Phil 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (NKJV)

What does it mean to work out your own salvation? In the Greek the word used means to finish or to perform your own salvation. That sounds a little strange at first since we know we can’t work for our salvation because it is received freely by grace through faith. Since Jesus also said “It is finished”, what do we have to finish or perform? He did everything on our behalf already. So what does this mean? This is how I see it: When you got saved, you became a new creation. That happened in your spirit. Your soul and body were also bought, but are yet to be redeemed. On the inside of you, you became exactly like Jesus (1 John 4:17). His Spirit lives in you and your spirit actually united with the Holy Spirit to become one spirit (1 Cor 6:17), Christ living in you. Your spirit is seated in heavenly places in Christ at the right hand of the Father (Eph 2:6) and you lack absolutely nothing (2 Peter 1:3, Eph 1:3). The same however cannot be said of our bodies or our souls. And that is where the working out comes in.

The ‘working out’ means to change your soul and body to line up with the salvation you received in your spirit. When you ‘work out’ your salvation, it means you move it from your spirit out into your soul and body. Working out your salvation into your soul includes mind renewal (Rom 12:2), deliverance (2 Cor 10:4) and taking charge of your emotions (John 14:1) while working salvation out into your body means receiving healing and life (Rom 8:11) as well as being able to transfer that life to another person who needs healing or deliverance (Mark 16:18). The thing a lot of people miss in this is that they have a major part to play in this.

1 Cor 3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers (NKJV)

2 Cor 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us (NKJV)

Basically it goes like this: God worked for us and is now at work in us. Since He works in us, we partner with Him to let Him work through us in order to do His will and good pleasure. Without the partnering, co-labouring and co-working that comes through relationship, the working in and out parts don’t happen very effectively, which then means the working through (ministering to others) is not very spectacular either. A lot of people think because God worked everything on their behalf for their salvation, that they don’t have any part to play when it comes to ministering the life of God to others. You can’t be a co-labourer if you don’t have work to do. Not many people will get healed if we don’t go minister. Very little will get saved if we don’t go tell them the Good News. Why then, if we have a part to play in this, is there so much self-denial in the lives of believers? You always hear “It’s not me, it’s Jesus.” I understand what is usually meant through saying that, but if it was just Jesus, why did you have to be there? Why did you have to lay hands? Why were you instructed to go tell people about Him and why are signs and wonders to follow you? Look at these verses:

Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (NKJV)

John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” (NKJV)

Paul said we can do all things through Christ. Jesus said we can do the same things and greater things than He did. The first thing you need to do before even trying to do anything is to realize that you have a part to play. Once you accept that you are involved, the self-acceptance will replace the self-denial and you will start to look for things in your spirit that you can work out into your soul, your body, and the lives of others. It is through the acknowledgment of every good thing that is in us in Christ, that our faith is shared effectively.

Philem 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. (NKJV)

So how do we acknowledge all these things? One of the most effective ways is to declare them as often as we can. You can say something to this effect:

“Father, I believe Your Word. What Your Word says is true. I can do what Your Word says I can do. I am who Your Word says I am. I am going to do what Your Word says I can do. I am going to activate Your Power in my life and I am going to make my faith effective by acknowledging every good thing that is in me in Christ. It is not I who live but Christ who lives in me. I died with Christ, was buried and resurrected with Him. I sit in heavenly places in Christ far above all principalities and powers. That means far above all sickness and disease. I am no longer under the beggarly elements of this world, I am above them. They do not tell me what to do, I tell them what to do. I tell sickness and disease to get out and they leave. I lay my hands on the sick and they recover. I cast out demons and free the oppressed. I have power and authority over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt me, touch my family or come near my dwelling. When sickness comes towards me, I run toward it and it flees in seven directions because greater is He that is living in me then he that is living in the world. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free of the law of sin and death. I do not walk in sin, sickness or death but I walk in righteousness, holiness, health and life abundant. I have life enough for me and life enough to give away. I have life and healing in my hands and I give it away to whomever I touch. Signs and wonders follow me. I can do the same works Jesus did and greater. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I am an ambassador for Christ and a co-labourer with God. I am destined to reign in life and glorify my Father. I am anointed, equipped, empowered and fully able to accomplish everything God wants me to do because I have received the Holy Spirit of Promise. The gifts of the Spirit operate in my life and I use them to advance the Kingdom of my Father. I might be in this world but I am not from this world. I am from the Kingdom of Heaven. The fullness of God dwells in Jesus and He fully lives in me. I’m so full of God that there is no room left for the devil. There is no room for sickness or disease in me. I am so full of life that it overflows and touches the people around me. I live in the Presence of God every second of every day. Where the Presence of the Lord is there is fullness of joy and liberty to the oppressed Where I go, the Presence goes with me to heal, deliver and set the captives free. I have received freely, and I give freely. I am God’s son, man’s servant and the devil’s master. When I speak the Word of God, heaven hears and agrees, hell hears and obeys.”

This is just a short example of what you could start declaring over your life. There is so much more one can add to this! Enjoy working out your own salvation, there is nothing else like it!

Glory to God!

Cornel Marais

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