Achievement

Kinds of human achievement

Accumulation of wealth

Esther 1:4 KJV 1900

When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

See also 1 Ki 10:23; 1 Ki 10:26–27; Job 42:12; Ec 2:4–9

Political power

Genesis 41:41–43 KJV 1900

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

See also 1 Ki 4:21; Es 1:1; Es 10:2–3; Da 2:37–38; Da 2:48

Buildings

1 Ki 7:1–12; Da 4:30; Mk 13:1

Great learning

1 Ki 4:32–34; Ec 1:13–16; Da 1:17

Military victory

Ge 14:14–16; Ex 17:8–13; Jos 8:24–26; Jdg 4:14–16; 1 Sa 18:7; 2 Sa 22:35–43

Acts of courage

1 Sa 14:6–14; 1 Sa 17:50; 2 Sa 23:8–21

Spiritual achievements

Romans 15:19 KJV 1900

Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

See also Lk 10:17; Jn 14:12; Ac 14:3; Ac 20:26–27; 2 Co 3:1–3; 1 Jn 2:13–14; Re 2:19

Limitations of human achievements

Human achievements can lead to pride

Isaiah 10:12–15 KJV 1900

Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work Upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, And the glory of his high looks. For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, And by my wisdom; for I am prudent: And I have removed the bounds of the people, And have robbed their treasures, And I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: And as one gathereth eggs that are left, Have I gathered all the earth; And there was none that moved the wing, Or opened the mouth, or peeped. Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, Or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.

See also Dt 8:10–18; 2 Ch 26:16; Da 4:29–30

Human achievements can give false security

Luke 12:16–20 KJV 1900

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

See also 2 Ki 19:11–13; 2 Ki 19:21–28; Je 48:7; 1 Ti 6:17; Re 18:7–8

Human achievements are ultimately futile

Ecclesiastes 2:11 KJV 1900

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

See also Ps 39:6; Ec 2:17–23; Is 40:6; Hab 2:13

Human achievements do not lead to justification

Ac 13:39; Ro 5:1; 1 Co 6:11; Ga 2:15–16; Ga 2:21

God can thwart human achievements

Ge 11:1–9 God will overthrow all human achievement that is in opposition to him.

See also Job 5:12; Ps 33:10; Is 13:19; Re 18:10; Re 18:16–19

God’s achievements

God’s purposes are always accomplished

Isaiah 46:10 KJV 1900

Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times the things that are not yet done, Saying, My counsel shall stand, And I will do all my pleasure:

See also Job 42:2; Is 14:24; Is 55:10–11; Je 23:20; Je 30:24

Creation as God’s achievement

Psalm 104:24 KJV 1900

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: The earth is full of thy riches.

See also Ge 1:1; Ge 1:31; Ps 104:2–23; Is 40:25–26

Salvation as God’s achievement

Hebrews 7:25 KJV 1900

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

See also Jn 17:4; Jn 19:28; Jn 19:30; Ac 4:12; Php 1:6; Heb 10:14; Heb 12:2

Spiritual resources for human achievements

Achieving things with God’s help

Psalm 127:1 KJV 1900

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

See also 2 Sa 22:30; 2 Ch 26:5; Zec 4:6–9; Jn 15:5; Ac 1:8; Ro 15:18–19; 1 Co 3:6; Php 2:13; Php 4:13

Achieving things by faith

Mark 9:23 KJV 1900

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

See also Mt 17:20; Mt 21:21; Lk 17:6

Achieving things through prayer

John 14:13–14 KJV 1900

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

See also 1 Sa 1:27; Jas 5:16–18

Achievements out of trials and sorrows

2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV 1900

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

See also Ro 5:3–4; 2 Co 7:10; 2 Co 12:7–10; Jas 1:2–4

Achieving things with the help of fellow believers

Galatians 6:2 KJV 1900

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

See also Ac 2:42–45; Ac 4:32–37; Ac 5:12–16; Php 4:13–14; Php 4:18; Heb 10:24–25