2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 The Name of Jesus

To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. [2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NASB]

Paul is finishing this section of his letter with a prayer before moving on to another subject. 

First, he prays that "God will count you worthy of your calling." In this context, our ultimate calling is taken from the previous verses; that is, we are to glorify Jesus at His coming. Paul said,

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, [Ephesians 1:18 NASB]

Jesus' inheritance is us. We are His riches. It is in us that He is glorified. This is a high calling indeed, that we would glorify the Son of God, who is glorious beyond our comprehension.

Paul prays that God will fulfill His every desire "for goodness, and the work of faith with power." It is God's desire, not ours. It is God who fulfills, not us. It is all so the name of Jesus will be glorified.

From the beginning, our salvation is by God's grace. Paul says;

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, [Titus 3:5 NASB]

And it is by His grace and for His glory that we continue to grow and mature in the faith. In Philippians, Paul says;

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. [Philippians 2:9-13 NASB]

It is God who is at work in us. We work out our salvation by walking in that grace. We can't earn salvation, and we can't sanctify ourselves by our works.

You have to rely on God's grace for everything. The obedience He wants from you is total trust. Don't try to earn God's pleasure. You can't earn what He has already freely given to you.

Lord God, Thank You that You have so freely given me Your grace, and have counted me worthy and good; not because of my goodness, but because of Yours. I pray that Your name will be glorified in me.