How The Holy Spirit Helps Us Motivate People

1. The Holy Spirit gives us a genuine love for people that helps bring out their best efforts. John wrote, "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us." (I John 4:16,17) Ask the Lord to help you excel in your love for people so that they can experience the motivating love of God.

2. The Holy Spirit helps you encourage your people with compliments for their good work. Acclamation, from ones' boss, is always one of the greatest motivators. Paul commended the Thessalonicans for their work, labor and endurance in Christ. The church planter wrote, "We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Thes. 1:3) Ask the Lord to help you generously compliment your people for their positive efforts rather than looking for the negative specks of sawdust that might irritate you.

3. The Holy Spirit gives you the wisdom to involve your people in all phases of the ministry. Do not try to withhold authority and responsibility from your members or they will tend to lose motivation for serving in your organization. Paul gave a great example of involving faithful men when he wrote to the Coalescence, "Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord... He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you." (Col. 4:4,9) Ask the Lord to give you the wisdom and wherewithal to involve quality people in all phases of your ministries.

4. The Holy Spirit gives you the energy to go out of your way to serve people. Paul was able to serve the Thessalonicans needs so that they were motivated to serve others. He wrote, "For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God." (I Thes. 2:11) Ask the Lord to help you desire to serve your people in all ways so they in turn will be motivated to serve others.

5. The Holy Spirit gives you a genuine sense of mutual family acceptance, identity and interest with your people. Paul wrote, "But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought) out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you... For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed you are our glory and joy."(I Thes. 2:17,19) Ask the Lord to give you a greater sense of mutual church-family goals, interests and identity with the people you are

ministering with.

6. The Holy Spirit makes us aware of our own biases, intolerance or stubborn attitudes toward people. James wrote, "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?" (James 4:1) Ask the Lord to help you identify, confess and forsake any wrong perceptions about your people enabling you to be blameless in your motivations.

7. The Holy Spirit helps us speak wholesome words of encouragement rather than criticisms to the people in our organizations. Paul wrote, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs." (Eph. 4:29) Ask the Lord to help you speak words of grace that build others up rather than critical words that are meant to demonstrate indignation, frustration or disrespect.

8. The Holy Spirit gives us greater sensitivity, compassion and interest in peoples' well being. Paul wrote, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgives you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love." (Eph. 4:32,5:1) Ask the Lord to help you show greater sensitivity, compassion and interest in your peoples' well being.

9. The Holy Spirit gives you an extra measure of objective and subjective concern for individuals and their interests outside of the ministry. Paul wrote, "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us." (I Thes. 2:8) Ask the Lord to help you take more of an objective and subjective concern for individuals and their interests even outside of the sphere of ministry.

10. The Holy Spirit helps you motivate people through your exemplary personal lifestyle and ministry. Paul wrote to Pastor Timothy, "You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings." (2 Tim. 3:10) Ask the Lord to help your exemplary personal lifestyle and ministry motivate others to grow up in all ways into Christ.