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.
— Philippians 1:6

I have no doubt that there are a few things I need to wrap up before the year ends. It has been a good year — very productive and full of good fruits. I am so thankful for this — yet I know there are still some things that the Holy Spirit wants to accomplish in my life before the clock strikes midnight and a new year begins. The new year is just two days away — so it means I must intensely focus on what the Holy Spirit desires to get done before this year ends.

Just as has been true every year, this past year has been a year of both challenges and victory. But I want the year to end in total victory by allowing the Spirit of God to inwardly finish what He has started in me at the first of this year. Philippians 1:6 says, “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.”

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

The word “confident” is the Greek word peitho, and it means to be sure, to be certain, and to have absolute conviction. I don’t know about you, but the Holy Spirit has been working fervently in my heart all year, and I have absolute conviction that He is going to finish what He started. Do you have that same conviction concerning your own life?

What does the Holy Spirit want to accomplish in your life in the next two days? You might say, “Two days is too short a period of time!” But nothing is impossible when the Holy Spirit has a willing vessel who is willing to cooperate with Him. If you are willing, the Holy Spirit can accomplish anything in you — even in two days before the year ends. Then you can start the new year fresh and ready for what God wants to do in the next year, with nothing trailing behind you from the year before. Don’t let yourself drag anything negative from this year into next year! The Holy Spirit’s power is available to do a fresh, quick work of grace in your life. He wants to set you free and get you ready for a brand-new start!

In the first seven devotionals in this book (January 1-7) I challenged you with certain goals the Holy Spirit may want you to focus on in the ensuing 12 months. I want to encourage you to skim those seven days and see if you have allowed the Spirit of God to do what He wanted to do in those areas of your life. If not, this is a good time to seek forgiveness and cleansing — and to move into the new year with a fresh sense of faith and courage to allow the Holy Spirit to do the work He desires to do in you in the coming 12 months.

I’ll honestly tell you that one of my goals for this year was to finish and publish the book you hold in your hands. It required a great level of commitment and fortitude to accomplish this goal. But I knew it was the will of God, so I set my heart to accomplish it. And with the Holy Spirit’s help, it has been done according to the plan.

Knowing God’s plan — and operating according to that — is so essential for living effectively for Him. If you don’t know the Lord’s will for the next year of your life, the Holy Spirit wants to help you know it, so ask Him to show you. As I’ve already noted, the Holy Spirit will work fervently in you to finish what He has started. Philippians 1:6 assures us that this is true: “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.”

Just stop a moment to consider that promise! God begins the good work in you, and then He performs it. From start to finish, it’s His grace that enables you to accomplish what you need to do before the clock strikes midnight on December 31. So don’t say it’s too late, because it’s never too late to address those issues the Holy Spirit has been talking to you about. If nothing else, get started in this new calendar year — and His power will help you quickly get the victory.

I am praying for you today. God has wonderful things in store for you. He simply needs your cooperation, and His supernatural power will quickly do what otherwise would take a long time to do. So throw open your arms and say, “Holy Spirit, I am ready to cooperate with You! Do quickly in my life what only You can do, and show me what my part is so I can do what You want me to do!”

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, the race for this year is almost over, but it’s not too late for me to come out a winner by faith in every area of my life. I surrender every obstacle that has hindered me as a result of my own thoughts and actions. I ask You to supernaturally quicken me so I can achieve the goals You desire to perform in me. I am absolutely convinced that You will perform this work in me and that You’ll keep doing it until the day of Jesus Christ!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that God’s power is working inside me — and He will quickly do those things He has wanted to accomplish in my life this past year. My wrong choices may have hindered them from being done earlier. But right now, I choose to cooperate with the will and the power of God to see His plan for me accelerated and accomplished because of my obedience. According to Philippians 1:6, I am absolutely sure and completely persuaded that God is doing His work in me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What internal changes do you need to wrap up before the clock strikes midnight on December 31? The Holy Spirit can quickly do what you could never do on your o Why not write down the changes you desire to make today and release your faith for a quick work to be done?
2. Do you have relationships that need to be mended and healed before the end of this year? If so, you know that restoration is possible through the power of the Holy S Ask Him to help you to know how to approach that person, how to apologize, and how to make amends. He will show you what to do.
3. Do you owe a debt to someone that you should have taken care of this year but failed to do so? Has that unpaid debt grieved you and hurt the person to whom you owe the debt? Why don’t you humble yourself, make a phone call, sincerely apologize, and get on the path toward making things right with that person?