John 6:28-29 Then said they to him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

This is a question that mankind always asks.  The Secularist answers, "There is no God, but do your own works because you are your own god."  The Christian without discernment says, "You ask God to help you, and then you do the best that YOU can."  But what does Jesus say?  Jesus says, "This is the work of God, that you believe on (literally in or into) Him (Jesus) whom He (God) has sent.  It is interesting to note that the word that is translated as on actually means to or into indicating the point reached or entered.  This has to do with being in Christ, for we have been given the privilege of having Christ in us and being able to enter into Him.  This entering into is directly connected with doing the works of God.

Here is how that works:  God draws us to Jesus.  Jesus speaks to us.  We hear Christ's voice, and we also hear the voice of our own mind, and we believe Jesus.  He creates faith in our hearts.  Faith gives us power to open the door to His grace.  Jesus stands at the door and knocks, we open, and grace comes in.  Because God has spoken, we know what God wants us to do.  It may just be a feeling or we may just know.  We may hear the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit urging us.  The grace coming into our hearts has, within it, the free gift of righteousness, but we need to yield ourselves to it.  We yield, and grace does the works of God through us.  If we lean on our own understanding, our own wisdom, our own strength, or our own righteousness, then all this work is made of no effect.  If we allow our natural minds to grab credit for the work or to publicize the work so that we get recognition, then we have our reward in the recognition.  We have found our significance outside of God rather than in God.