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The Results-Oriented Nature of God’s Spirit

As a Special Educator focused on Transition Services, I am well-versed in the results-oriented process required through IDEA 2004 and a recent study of the Bible has deepened my understanding of the results-oriented nature of God’s Spirit. My study began with James.

James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

This is a verse about how the effectual prayer of a righteous person can result in a person with a fault being made whole.It begins by stating a need to confess faults one to another.The word “your” is italicized and italicized words indicate that the word is not in the original Greek, and added by the translators.The word “confess” could also be translated “acknowledge” and so the intent is not to hear confessions as is the custom of some, but rather, the intent is to admit with each other that we are not perfect.We all have our faults.The faults referenced in this verse are not to be confused with sins.The Greek uses another word for sin.The faults are minor deviations, mistakes, etc.It is these minor deviations and mistakes that can lead to many of the problems we face in life.With the knowledge of the deviations and mistakes each of us has, we can pray for each other, so that we can be healed, or made whole.When we acknowledge faults and mistakes we position ourselves for growth because if we saw ourselves without fault or mistake, we would have no need for growth.Intellectually, ifwe do not acknowledge faults, we would be able to learn nothing.Who grows the most?Who develops the most?Who learns the most?A child does.Perhaps this is why Jesus encouraged the child-like attitude for his followers in Matthew.

Matthew 18:1-5
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

So if you are reading this, a mistake that I can make again and again is to be so focused on the results, I can overlook the process and the toll the process can take on the person.It takes a lot of mental focus for me to remember that behind each statistic are real people with real hopes and dreams, and that life is not merely a destination of salvation, but a journey along the way that is Christ-focused and leads to love among brethren.Going back to James 5:16, the term “effect”, or results-oriented, should not be confused with the word “affect” meaning emotional.Do we seek a result from our prayer or are we using our prayer to display emotion?This verse mentions the “fervent prayer” and the English uses two words to replace the singular Greek word that could also be translated supplication, a contrite request for God’s help.When a righteous person acknowledges their short-comings and requests help from God with a specific result in mind, that prayer will be successful!

James was not the only New Covenant author to use the word “effectual”.Paul used this word and variations in several verses. 1 Corinthians Paul shows that he saw his apostleship as a results-oriented process.

1 Corinthians 16:9
For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

Paul knew that in preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles that he had been given a great door, or opportunity, that had an intended result, salvation for Gentiles.He also knew that as with any results-oriented opportunity, especially one focused on salvation, there are always enemies, those who will seek to prevent you from attaining the goal. In 2 Corinthians Paul shows how one person’s sufferings or comforts can benefit many more people.

2 Corinthians 1:6
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

Whatever afflictions or comforts a person may have, it results in others moving closer to salvation.In love, we are saddened when others suffer and should be compelled to ease their suffering and to pray for them.In love, we are made happy when others are comforted, and should be compelled to rejoice with them and praise God for their blessings. Paul recognizes in Ephesians that his ministry is the result of God’s spirit working in him:

Ephesians 3:7
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

When Paul was blinded on the road to he probably didn’t immediately see it as a gift.That understanding came later, and his ministry was the result of God’s power working in his life. Paul did not see himself as unique. He saw the results-oriented nature of the spirit working in Peter.

Galatians 2:8
For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:

Paul knew the result of his calling was the apostleship to the Gentiles while the result of Peter’s calling was the apostleship to the Jews. Paul didn’t just see the ministry as the result of God’s intervention in one’s life.He understood how God’s intervention would benefit the entire church.

Ephesians 4:16
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

The body mentioned in this verse is the church that is put together by Jesus so that the result of all persons working together in love is growth of the church, physical growth, spiritual growth.What is the result when there is division? Matthew shows us that failure is the result.

Matthew 12:25
And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

To have a successful result, we have to work together in love for the growth of the church.We cannot work against each other.As we will learn later, this does not mean we surrender what we have to Christians and others who may have differing beliefs.

Paul knew that the church would grow as a result of the communication of individual faith.That is why he pointed out to Philemon.

Philemon 1:6
That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

By sharing with others how Jesus Christ has worked in our lives, it results in the growth of the church, by building our own faith, helping others to build their faith, and encouraging others to become part of the faith.

And how do others become part of the faith when they are called by God?Paul also answered that in 1 Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 2:13
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

When called by God, if a person receives the word of God as truth, the result is the word of God is able to work in that person.This verse shows that God uses people as His tools to preach His word.

Jesus showed how the word of God, through the Holy Spirit, is able to work in Christians in a series of parables immediately after the Olivet Prophecy of Matthew 24. The Olivet Prophecy records the words of Jesus about the end time with its time of trouble, the great tribulation.

Matthew 24:37-51
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The time immediately before the time Jesus comes is described as a time when marriages and festivals will occur. People will be so busy enjoying their life that most will not ever make the connection that the end is immediate. The abomination of desolation has to be standing in the holy place first, and the time of sorrow mentioned in Matthew 24 probably is a time of sorrow mostly for Christians. What will Jesus be looking for in his servants?Verses 46-51 show the two results that will be examined. Some are doing the work of Jesus, and others are finding fault with Jesus.The result for those doing the work of Jesus is that they are saved. The result for those not doing the work of Jesus because they are too busy finding fault with Jesus is that they are not saved.You might find it hard to believe that people would find fault with Jesus. There are those who advocate the need to forgive God.One who is in need of forgiveness is one who made a mistake. The one who seeks the apology of another presumes no error on their part, and presume error with the other party. Those who find fault with Jesus or God are not only those who blame Jesus or God, but include those who also forgive Jesus or God.Those who forgive Jesus or God have already found fault with Jesus and God. This attitude is not child-like, and is an attitude of superiority to God. Satan had that attitude, and we know how that story ends.

The lesson continues in Matthew 25 with the parable of the virgins.This parable is not a separate lesson, but a re-teaching of the previous parable.

Matthew 25:1-13
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

In this parable, the virgins represent Christians and half were wise and half were foolish.All fell asleep while the bridegroom, representing Jesus, was away. At the return of Jesus the foolish Christians with no oil, a type of the Holy Spirit, wanted to take the Holy Spirit, the oil, from the wise Christians. The wise Christians did not allow the foolish Christians to take any of the Holy Spirit from within them. The results are simple to see. The Christians who maintain a sufficient level of the Holy Spirit are invited into the wedding supper; they are saved. Those who do not maintain a sufficient level of the Holy Spirit are not saved. This example is given to Christians so they will learn the need to protect what God has spiritually given us, and to never surrender that which God has given us. Doing the work of God maintains the Holy Spirit in us. Thinking that Jesus has delayed his coming and finding fault with God will result in loss of the Holy Spirit. The parable continues in verse 14 of Matthew 25.

Matthew 25:14-30
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the eart, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In this extension of the parable, the master, Jesus, gives his servants, Christians, various amount of talents, the Holy Spirit, according to the abilities of the individual. Each is eventually judged by how much they individually grew.The Christian given five talents had much natural ability and doubled the Holy Spirit. The Christian given two talents had less ability than the Christian given five talents, but doubled the Holy Spirit. The Christian given one talent was afraid of losing the Holy Spirit and hid it.The results of this parable are easy to see. The Christians who double the Holy Spirit are saved.The Christians who hide the Holy Spirit because they are afraid of the result are not saved.Those Christians afraid of the result in their own way find fault with the ability of Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit to work in them. So far we know we have to be doing the work of God till the end to be saved.We have to maintain sufficient levels of the Holy Spirit to be saved. We maintain sufficient levels of the Holy Spirit through growth and by knowing that God will complete the work in us that he started. Those who believe that God will judge them harshly and believe that even with the Holy Spirit they will not please God are not saved. They commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit because they deny the power of the Holy Spirit. But the parable does not stop here.It continues in verse 31 of Matthew 25.

Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

It is with these verses that we begin to see the deeper meaning, and remember that these were the concluding teachings of the ministry of Jesus, and are given as a tool to survive the time of troubles spoken of earlier in Chapter 24. The way to achieve the result of salvation are shown in these verses. The sheep are the Christians who will be saved and the goats are Christians who will not be saved. What did the sheep, the saved Christians, do that the goats did not do? The saved Christians did the work of Jesus, they increased the Holy Spirit, at the return of Jesus they had sufficient amounts of the Holy Spirit, and they did this how? By feeding the hungry, being kind to strangers, visiting the sick and those in prison. They helped those in need. The Holy Spirit is increased in us when we use the Holy Spirit in an attitude of service to others. By having this servant attitude as a Christian our actions will allow the Holy Spirit to grow sufficiently in us to achieve the result Jesus is expecting. This is why Paul wrote about love in 1 Corinthians 13:13

1 Corinthians 13:13
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Service comes from charity and charity in its purest form is possible because of the Holy Spirit. We must be vigilant to do the work of God, to increase the Holy Spirit so that at the return of Jesus, we have sufficient quantities of the Holy Spirit, and we must avoid doing that which results in losing the Holy Spirit, denying its power. That is why we are warned in many places to hold fast to what we have, such as Revelation 3:11.

Revelation 3:11
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Satan is the ultimate enemy who will use many men in an attempt to take what we have. What is it we have? We have faith, the belief in what comes next that we have not seen. That faith is grounded in certain teachings. For those of us who observe the Sabbath and Holy Days, we hold fast to not only our belief in what comes next that we have not seen, but we hold on to these. We do not surrender the Sabbath or Holy Days to others. Above all, we have the Holy Spirit,We never deny its power. When we surrender what we have, we will not be saved. The result we all want is to be saved, and in his final teaching, Jesus shows that we must hold fast to that which we have as the Holy Spirit increases in us through service towards others, even when times are most difficult.

The Bible is a results-oriented book. Whenever I look at the back of the Bible in the Book of Revelation, I am always reminded that in the end we win! As we live our life as a Christian, focus on the result we seek for ourselves and for each other. If we focus on the results-oriented nature of God’s Spirit,  together with our sisters and brothers in Christ we will seek our salvation in a brotherly spirit of love, and in the end we will win!

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
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