Giving Diligence

 Pastor Alex Adegboye

Text: Hebrews 11:5-6

I discovered it is really a powerful thing to be diligent. Not being diligent many times is responsible for failure. The difference between excellence and mediocrity and sometimes between life and death is diligence. But much more, you must be diligent in spiritual things. When you are not diligent in spiritual things you suffer greatly and it manifests in your physical life.

Diligence is an attitude which we can cultivate in our lives. Your faith in God which is what is important as far as your spiritual walk goes is predicated on diligence. In other words the substance and quality of your faith hinges on your diligence in carefully maintaining your works in the things of God.
Hebrews 11:5-6
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. [6] But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.(KJV)
1 Peter 1:4
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,(KJV)

Two things you must do when you come to God:

  1. You must believe that He is.
  2. You must know that He rewards those that diligently seek Him.

You must fulfil these two conditions in order to get results from God. It will enable you to have sufficient faith in God in order to be able to get things done. It is true that the enemy works very hard to prevent us from having faith in God. That is where the devil puts his challenge and focus. The devil wants us to lose our faith in God and the way he does it is by affecting our diligence.

It takes strength to be diligent. That is why you see some people are zealous today, they are cold tomorrow. Some are diligent in certain areas and would leave other areas unattended to. They think if they are diligent with their work, it will also cover their spiritual lives and other areas. It is hard to be diligent.

The Christian life is likened to sports. It is likened to boxing in 1 Cor 9:26, athletics in 1 Cor 9:24 and wrestling in Eph. 6:12. Participation in sports requires a lot diligence. The money those sports people earn can be called obscene but they put so much effort into it. Some of our Nigerian players can be so talented but can they be diligent and maintain the form through the years. Beyond talent is diligence. Actually, what makes a tremendous sportsman is continuous diligence over a long period.

So our spiritual life is like a sports regime. Sports require that you train and prepare. You must be temperate, persevering and persistent. Sports involve pain. You fall down and rise again. Sometimes you sweat and hit the ground so badly but they are able to keep going. That is the way our spiritual will make similar demands on us. You cannot afford to be slip-shoddy in your spiritual life. The Christian life requires discipline. Only if you are a disciplined person would you be an effective disciple of Jesus Christ.

You must embrace some routines in your life. For example eating food, drinking water, sleeping, washing of your body including your mouth. Those who don’t do these diligent things have the tendency to decay. The same thing happens in the spirit. A lot of people decay easily.  Diligence is defined as a lot of careful and detailed effort applied consistently over a long period of time. If you want to be successful in life, you’ve got to be careful and detailed in application of your effort over a long period of time.

In Jer 29:13, “God said to the children of Israel in captivity that you shall find me when you shall seek for me with all your heart.” You must search for God to find Him. God is not cheap. The things of God are not cheap. Deut 4:29 also says “if from thence you seek me i.e. from the land of captivity, you will find me if thou seek me with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” Deut 6:4-5 says “you must love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul and with all thy might.” These are the people that will come in contact with this God because it takes all to get God.

If you do not continue to be diligent you cannot have any form of victory in your personal life, in the inner sanctum of your soul, in your closet outside of church. You will never really possess the victory unless you are diligent. Diligence is paramount in order to walk in sync with God.

7 POINTS WHY DILIGENCE IS CRUCIAL

  1. It is a sign that God is worth seeking.
  2. The building of strength and maturity is a process of diligence.
  3. Victory over bad habits is a process because bad habits require a process to get us.
  4. God works slowly, surely and then suddenly.
  5. Victory over resistance is cumulative.
  6. There is a God-side and a man-side to all the promise of God. 2 Pet 1:5 says “giving all diligence then, add all these ….” You must do your best from your own side.
  7. It is a sure preparation for the day of trouble. Bible does not say ‘if’ evil comes, it says ‘when’ evil comes. Evil comes unannounced and we are hardly prepared for it. You don’t have to start praying when trouble comes, pray when there is still relative peace. Pray diligently because it is a sure preparation for the day of trouble.

Acts 24:16
And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and [toward] men.(KJV)
Philippians 3:13-14
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.(KJV)
Philippians 4:12
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.(KJV) 
1 Corinthians 9:27
But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.(KJV)
Proverbs 10:14
Wise [men] lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish [is] near destruction.(KJV)
Proverbs 12:24
The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.(KJV)
Proverbs 12:27
The slothful [man] roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man [is] precious.(KJV)
Proverbs 12:27
The slothful [man] roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man [is] precious.(KJV)
Proverbs 21:5
The thoughts of the diligent [tend] only to plenteousness; but of every one [that is] hasty only to want.(KJV)
Proverbs 22:29
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean [men].(KJV)
The reason many people cannot enjoy the promise is because they are not diligent with the promise. Even unbelievers are better off because they practice all these principles to the letter.

AREAS TO BE DILIGENT:

  • Prayers. You should be too busy not to pray.

Luke 18:1
And he spake a parable unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;(KJV)
Ephesians 6:18
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;(KJV)
 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray without ceasing.(KJV)

  • The Word of God.
    Matthew 4:4

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.(KJV)
1 Timothy 4:15-16
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.(KJV)
Psalm 119:9-11
BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed [thereto] according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.(KJV)

  • Your faith in God.

Romans 10:17
So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.(KJV)
Hebrews 11:16
But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.(KJV)

  • Your grace of God. You do not profit from grace if you don’t grow in it.

2 Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and [in] the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him [be] glory both now and forever. Amen.(KJV)

  • In your accusation of Satan. That’s why I instructed you to read Is 54 everyday because the devil accuses you day and night.

Revelation 12:10-11

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.(KJV)