Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)
When Paul wrote that you should work out your own salvation, he didn’t mean we can earn salvation through good works. Jesus paid for our salvation on the cross, but Philippians 2:12-13 tells us you have a part to play if you want God’s will to come to pass in every area of your life. The word salvation, soteria in Greek, should influence every part of your being. Soteria means rescue, safety, deliverance, and health. Jesus gave us His authority, and He expects us to use it to experience soteria in our health, protection, provision, and mental clarity. The Greek word translated work out is katergazomai, which means to fully work. In other words, if you want everything Jesus died to give you, you need to use the authority
He gave you by speaking and standing in faith. That is part of what Paul meant when he said we must work out our own salvation. However, did you notice he also said it is God who works? Let’s think about that. Do we work, or does God work? The answer is “yes.”
The word worketh here is energeo and means active and efficient. God works in you, and you work outside of you, renewing your mind and obeying His Word. He has given you everything you need to fulfill His will, but you need to renew your mind, obey His Word, and speak God’s Word to assert the authority Jesus gave you. What happens in your life depends on how you use the authority and power God gave you. God’s power is like natural electricity. If something isn’t plugged in, it won’t work. So, don’t blame God when things didn’t happen if you never used or acted on the power He put inside you. He gave you the tools to will and to do His good pleasure. Use what He has provided and see soteria operate in every area of your life.
Practical Application
How can you use your authority today? If you know someone who is sick, call them healed by Jesus’ stripes. If someone doesn’t have enough money, you can give to them and declare by faith that God meets their every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)