THE LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT
James 1:25 (NKJV) But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
In our previous two articles, we have been discussing about the laws of promotion. These are laws that are operational in the Kingdom of God, capable of bringing about promotion in the life and ministry of the one who “obeys” them. In the most recent article, we discussed about the law of capacity. The law of capacity dictates that God will only bring about in your life that which you are able to manage of handle. He will not bring into your life a blessing that you have no capacity for – you lose it or waste it.
Today, we will discuss yet another law of promotion that works in the lives of men. It is called the law of cause and effect. The reason why we are taking all this time to discuss these laws one by one is because they are important for your personal elevation and promotion in life and ministry. If you want to see growth in your life, you got to recognize these laws and live by them.
The law of cause-and-effect states that every action has a reaction, and every effect has a cause. It suggests that nothing happens by chance and that every action leads to a subsequent or corresponding consequence. Essentially, for every event (effect), there is a preceding event (cause) that brought it about. For every effect in your life there is a specific cause.
Thus, if you are desirous of growth and reaching the next and higher level in your life and ministry, there has to be corresponding action to it. Growth in life is about what you do. It isn’t a miracle. You may be surprised to hear this, but that’s the truth. Growth is not a miracle. Rather, it is the right application of revealed means and principles. When you put to work the knowledge that has come to you, then you will realise the desired growth and upward movement in your life.
In the Kingdom of God, it is what you do that brings about results in your life. If you wouldn’t do anything, then there is no corresponding effect. That is to say, you will not have results in your life. You know why? It is because the blessing in your life as a believer is in doing the Word. James 1:25 says, But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. When you do the Word, results come.
The blessing is not in hearing. Neither is it in wishing something good would happen. It is in taking action in accordance with the Word of God. If you look into the Word of God, you are going to realise that all those who took action had extraordinary results. Remember the four men who had a friend who was paralysed? (Mark 2:3-5). They found Jesus preaching in a certain house but couldn’t enter because the house was full.
With an understanding that unless they bring their sick friend to Jesus his condition wouldn’t change, they went up the roof of the house and created an opening there and lowered their friend to where Jesus was. You then hear the Bible saying, When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you” (Mark 2:5). Now tell me; how do you see faith when it is something that is in someone’s heart? It is seen in the actions that one takes. Essentially, what brought the healing miracle to this man was the actions of his four friends.
If you would do that which you ought to do, you will get the results for your actions. But if you don’t, you will have no results. You cannot desire to go up in life and not do that which is necessary to go up. In the Kingdom, the blessing is unto the doer! A believer who prays will obtain the benefits and results of prayer. The one who doesn’t will not. You cannot expect to enjoy the results of prayer when you do not pray. While other believers may pray for you, it doesn’t replace the praying that you have to do on your own.
In similar manner, when you fast, you get the results and benefits of fasting. The one who fasts will enjoy these benefits while the one who doesn’t will not. You cannot desire to grow in the knowledge of God and not study the Bible on your own, or attend Church to listen to teachings. You got to deliberately do this for yourself if you’re to increase in knowledge. When your knowledge increases, so will your results.
Just as it is with the Word, so is it with secular knowledge. You cannot know more about physics, economics or psychology unless you study the subject. To produce better results in your trade, study to gain more knowledge.
You cannot sleep and spend the whole day watching television and expect your financial status to change. You got to do something. You must be engaged in something. That’s how it works. Without a cause, there is no effect. Without action, there are no results. Become a person of action and see your life and ministry grow to higher levels.
Pastor Somandla Ndlovu
Resident Pastor – Bethel Ministries International Church