By Joshua L Mullins

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
—1 Peter 5:10

The God of all grace—He is the Author and Finisher who has already called us into His eternal glory through Christ Jesus. After we have walked through seasons of pressure, He Himself moves toward us with four decisive actions. These are not suggestions. They are the determined work of the God of all grace in the life of every believer who will yield to Him.

First, He will perfect you.
The Greek word translated “perfect” is katartizō. It means to mend what has been broken, to restore what has been damaged, to adjust what is out of alignment, and to equip someone so they are fully prepared for their purpose. In the ancient world it was used of mending torn fishing nets so they could be cast again, and of setting a dislocated bone so the limb could function properly. God is not merely interested in improving your behavior.

He is committed to restoring you to full spiritual health and equipping you so that every part of your life is fitted for His will.
This perfection is never achieved by human striving. As the writer of Hebrews says, it is God Himself who works in us what is well-pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:20–21). When Scripture speaks of perfection, it always points to a joining with eternal realities. You are perfected as you launch out into God by faith—His blood covering your sin, His righteousness covering your unrighteousness, and His perfection covering your imperfection. You are already holy and perfect in Him. The Holy Spirit simply makes that positional truth experiential as you continue to yield.

Second, He will establish you.
The word “establish” comes from stērizō, which means to make firm, to set fast, to buttress, and to cause to stand securely so that nothing can easily move you. You must be established in the fact that it is His life, not yours. You are no longer the source. You have been supplanted by Another. Faith disconnects you from the instability of the earth realm and insulates you in the unshakable life of Christ. When you are established, the winds of circumstance no longer determine your stability—your position in Him does.

Third, He will strengthen you.
The Greek word sthenoō means to impart strength, to make strong, and to fill with the capacity to endure and overcome. You are strengthened by the clear revelation that God is the One doing the work, not you. You have been placed inside a divine plan that God Himself is actively working out. Strength does not come from trying harder; it comes from recognizing that the God of all grace is actively at work in you by His Spirit. As you agree with what He is doing, His strength becomes yours.

Fourth, He will settle you.
The final word is themeliōō, which means to lay a foundation, to ground securely, and to make firm upon a solid base. To be settled means you know you are in union with His will. You are established in the knowledge of it. Day by day you are strengthened until the work becomes an eternal work of righteousness. The Holy Spirit brings you to a place of deep spiritual footing so that you are no longer easily shaken. You know who you are, whose you are, and where you stand.

Notice the divine order: an enduring, then an establishing, a strengthening, and a settling. This is not going to happen unless we work the Word in our lives. This happens according to our faith. It happens as we believe what God has already declared and as we continue to yield to the Holy Spirit who makes these realities real in us.

To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
(1 Peter 5:11).

How is this verse realized in your life? By living for His glory. There must be no withdrawal, no relinquishing, and no looking back—only a continual going on for His glory now and forever. We press forward until, like Enoch, we walk with God and are not, for God has taken us (Genesis 5:24).

Thought for today:
Unbelief is the great dethroning place. Faith is the great rising place. The God of all grace has already called you. Now let Him perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you as you believe.