EXCELLING IN DILIGENCE
(week 33/10)
OLUBI JOHNSON
Hebrews 11:6 MKJV: but without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Notice here the scripture does not say God rewards those that seek Him; rather it says God rewards those that diligently seek Him.
The key word here is diligently. To get the reward of divine success in whatever we do, we need to apply diligence in doing it. This is true both for spiritual and secular pursuits.
Proverbs 22:29 MKJV: Do you see a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before unknown men.
What then is diligence?
Diligence is applying consistent, concentrated and well directed effort to whatever you do.
The most important aspect of diligence is the wisdom to apply effort in the right direction; it is possible to apply consistent and concentrated effort, but if it is in the wrong direction it will not produce good results and will cause one to be weary after a while and even sometimes give up on what one is doing.
Ecclesiastes 10:10 MKJV: If the iron is blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must put more strength to it. But wisdom is profitable to direct.
Ecclesiastes 10:15 MKJV: the labor of fools wearies him, because he does not know how to go to the city.
When you get the wisdom to direct your effort properly, you must then add consistent and concentrated effort.
Consistency means it must be regular (daily, weekly, monthly etc); concentrated means it must be done with great strength or effort (both mental and physical) to produce results.
To excel in both spiritual and physical endeavours, it is vital to excel in diligence in practicing them.
Now, since all physical things have a spiritual origin (Heb. 11:3) and are controlled by spiritual forces (2 Cor. 4:18) if you excel in diligence in spiritual things, you will definitely excel in diligence in natural things.
Hebrews 11:3 ESV: By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
2 Corinthians 4:18 ESV: as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Furthermore, as we excel in diligence spiritually in applying faith and patience we will inherit the Abrahamic promises of possessing the gates of our enemies and blessing all the nations of the earth in this 3rd day.
So then how do we excel in diligence spiritually?
We excel in diligence spiritually, by diligence in applying spiritual law.
Spiritual law is enforced by confession (saying with the mouth) of the God’s Word, praying in tongues and praying with travail (groaning) with a believing heart full of the life of God and then the physical practice of God’s Word.
Deuteronomy 30:14 MKJV: But the Word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may do it.
To excel in spiritual diligence you enforce spiritual law to:
(1) Have and retain more humility by the fear of God (Pr. 1:29; Phil. 2:8) daily.
(2) Have and retain the seven spirits of God (Is. 11:2) including the spirit of wisdom and revelation (Eph. 1:17-23) daily.
(3) Have the life of God in sufficient measure through promises in the Word (2 Peter 1:4) daily;
(4) Pray with all kinds of prayer in the Spirit including travail (Eph. 6:18, Col 4:12 and Gal. 4:19) daily as a habit and definitely weekly;
(5) To Wash feet (Jn. 13:14, 34) at least 4 times daily (Dt. 6:7, Mk. 13:35, 2 Sam. 6:13);
(6) Do balanced bible reading and study (2 Tim. 2:15, 3:15-16) as a daily habit;
(7) Frequently (once every hour Mt. 24.42) ask the Lord for mercy (1 Cor. 7:25) to triumph in all things (2 Cor. 2:14) and pray in tongues to commune with God (1 Cor. 14:18) especially during afflictions.
As you practice these things, you will excel not only spiritually, but also in all the natural things you do.
Psalms 1:1-3 NIV: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (3) He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Joshua 1:8 AMP: This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.
