29/12/2026

What Does It Mean to “Work the Works of God”?

“We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day…”
— John 9:4 (NASB)

In John 9, Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth. Before the miracle happens, Jesus says something striking: “We must work the works of Him who sent Me.”

That phrase has been on my mind lately. What does it actually mean to work the works of God? And what does that look like for born-again believers today?

Alive in the Spirit — But What Can We Actually Do?

When someone is born again, they are made alive in the realm of the Spirit. As believers, we naturally engage in many good and necessary activities: going to church, serving on teams, leading meetings, playing in worship, praying for one another, and offering encouragement. All of these are valuable and needed in the body of Christ.

But I’ve been wondering whether all of these activities, good as they are, necessarily constitute acting in the realm of the Spirit. They may flow from obedience and love, but are they the same as the “works of God” Jesus spoke about?

Four Ways We Act in the Realm of the Spirit

I may be missing something, but it seems to me that there are a few core activities through which believers genuinely participate in the works of God. These all happen by faith and dependence on Him:

1. Praying
   Prayer is not simply a religious activity; it is communion with God and alignment with His will.
2. Listening to the Holy Spirit
   The Spirit speaks through Scripture and also within our inner being. Learning to listen is essential to spiritual life.
3. Obeying the Holy Spirit
   Spiritual activity does not stop at hearing. Obedience is where what God says becomes visible in the world.
4. Speaking from faith
   Throughout Scripture, God’s work is often released through words spoken in faith — words that agree with what God is doing.

These seem to be the primary ways believers truly “work the works of God” in the spiritual realm.

A Note on Fasting

Fasting can be extremely helpful, as it sharpens our sensitivity to the Spirit. However, I would see fasting less as a spiritual activity in itself and more as a way of turning down the volume of the flesh so that the Spirit can be heard more clearly.

Jesus as Our Model

We see all of this perfectly modelled in Jesus’ life.

• He regularly withdrew early in the morning to pray.
• When Mary sat listening at His feet while Martha busied herself with practical tasks, Jesus affirmed that Mary had chosen the better part.
• Jesus consistently did what pleased the Father.
• And again and again in the Gospels, Jesus speaks — and as He speaks, the works of God are manifested and miracles happen.

Final Thought

Perhaps the works of God are not primarily about what we do for Him, but about what He does through us when we pray, listen, obey, and speak in faith.