Beyond wisdom and faith, what is required to gain the full strength of a Guru like Sai, and how is this achieved?

While immense wisdom and steady faith are important, Chapter 19 reveals that to gain Guru-strength like Sai’s, 'strong fortune is necessary.' This fortune, however, is not arbitrary; it is directly linked to one's own actions. The text puts the entire burden on one's actions with the words 'Ye yatha mam' (As they approach me...). The secret is that 'as the action, so the hearing; as the practice, so the benefit.' Therefore, this strength is achieved by surrendering with an undivided heart, treating the Guru's words as authoritative, and performing the necessary spiritual 'exercises' (Zor).