How Do You Make Maximum Effort?

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So much success in life depends on making maximum effort. So much of our spiritual growth depends on making such an effort. In Peter’s letter he uses the phrase ‘make every effort.’ What does that even mean?

Here is the scripture I am talking about. I have added emphasis to the key phrases.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

2 Peter 1:5–10 (ESV)

Maximum Effort – More Diligent

In this age of grace, we sometimes like to think that God will take care of everything for us. However, there is a biblical expectation that we do our part with zeal so that we grow stronger spiritually, our faith is more resilient and our witness is ever brighter.

The disciples gave all they had to the cause of Christ and the work of his church. Their efforts, empowered by the Holy Spirit, changed the world. Here is what we can find from their efforts recorded in our New Testament that help us define what it means to make every effort.

Empowered by the Spirit

In Luke 4, Jesus faces temptation. He is full of the Spirit and led by the Spirit into the wilderness. After forty days he returns in the power of the Spirit to start his ministry. In Acts 2, the disciples are filled with the Spirit and go out and change their world. We cannot empower ourselves by the Spirit. God does that. However, we must consecrate ourselves to him, just as Jesus and the disciples did before they were empowered by the Spirit. To make maximum effort surely requires us to live and work in the power of the Spirit!

Gifted by the Spirit

Another area that is required for making every effort is to use the gifts of the Spirit that are given to us. In 1 Corinthians 12, we discover that we all have spiritual gifts. But these gifts do nothing for us or for others until they are unwrapped! Discovering and using your spiritual gifts is a straightforward process that I explain here. Essentially, we serve in God’s kingdom and as we serve, he reveals our gifts and empowers us to use those gifts.

Intense prayer

The disciples prayed for ten days prior to the day of Pentecost! That ten day prayer meeting prepared them to receive the Holy Spirit and power for the work they were to do. We cannot do less! We need intense prayer if we are to make every effort. Our spiritual health, growth and effectiveness all rely on an increasingly strong fellowship with God that can only be gained in prayer.

Consuming the Word

The Bible is our guide. This is the breathed-out Word of God to help us be transformed into God’s image. Maximum effort in our spiritual lives requires us to consume the Word of God. We must read and study intensely to get the most out of his Word. Again, our spiritual health and growth depend on it.

Unrelenting service

Actively serving in the Kingdom of God, as a community of faith in your local church, will help you immensely. Surely, if we are to make every effort, as we are encouraged to do in scripture, service is included. When we serve, we experience God’s power in our lives, we help others to thrive spiritually and we actually help ourselves to thrive spiritually as well.

Consistent fellowship

Spending quality time with other believers is essential to strengthen our faith. This is exactly what the writer to the Hebrews was saying here (emphasis added).

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV)

Those times we meet in worship, discipleship and fellowship are times of encouragement, affirmation, joy and love! This is so good for us. Making every effort requires time and energy. Fellowship also requires time and energy but it also gives us great energy in return!

Your turn

Make maximum effort to grow spiritually. Don’t back down. Take at least one positive step today to employ one of these methods to help you reach the pinnacle of growth in your spiritual life.