In the complexity of today’s world Christians face difficult issues and have hard decisions to make. One of the decisions Christians must make relevant to life is about success.
The Bible does not overlook success but rather has several references to success. Some scriptures speak directly about success and others encourage success. Before we look at some of the scriptures, we need to understand the Bible’s meaning of success.
The Bible’s description and definition of success are different from the world’s definition. The biblical definition requires restoring one’s relationship with God the source of success. This does not keep unbelievers from becoming successful. Would you like to learn more about the Bible and success?
God declares to Moses, “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth” Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV. God is the source of wealth and requires proper management of these resources.
Bible Verses About Success
When Joshua led Israel into the land of Canaan God gave him the keys to success. His plan started with seeking God’s counsel, remembering God’s word, and committing to God’s will and purpose. Joshua 1:6-8.
Nehemiah developed a plan of success to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He evaluated the condition of the wall before starting his work. This helped him create a viable plan to accomplish the task. He worked through adverse conditions and was successful.
Jesus Christ performed his ministries through a well-developed plan. He knew where he was going, the work he was to do, and when he would reach his destiny. His success is evident in restoring humanity to the Creator.
Success Defined
The dictionary definition of success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. To put it another way, success is to achieve a goal. Success for the Christian is knowing and doing God’s will and purpose.
Many people define success as having a large bank account, a luxury automobile, and a big house in an exclusive community. However, these can be obtained in ways other than being a successful person. Inheritance, a windfall, or winning the lottery can produce these possessions.
Having large amounts of money does not mean a person is successful. Possessions are indicators of success and not the definition of success. Success begins with one’s attitude.
To be clear, success is not something outside of a person or something tangible. Success is an attitude and development of one’s character. The attitude seeks knowledge and develops the character to succeed.
If all possessions are lost, the attitude and character can rebuild a successful lifestyle. The process is instilled in the mind through life experience. Success is attracted by achieving goals. Once success is attracted, then the opportunity to build wealth is attracted.
In Genesis 39:2-3 we learn of Joseph’s success. Joseph was sold into slavery and worked faithfully in the house of Potiphar. Joseph was successful in whatever he did. He was falsely accused and put in prison. He remained faithful to God and became second to Pharoah.
Joseph’s faithfulness and obedience to God brought him to a high-ranking position in Egypt. His success came because “God was with him.” The Bible endorses success.
Plan
Planning is a very important part of completing any task. Even so, planning is not a favorite part of accomplishing the venture. It takes practice, focus, studying, strategizing, and good counsel to create a successful plan.
However, we need to plan any endeavor we hope to complete with favorable results. A plan lays out the steps needed to accomplish the task. It shows the path one will travel.
There are numerous scriptures in the Bible that teach or show people planning and the plan was successful because God worked with the individual working the plan. Additionally, there are several reasons why we should plan.
First. God demands us to plan because he plans. God says I know the plans I have for you. He plans to prosper us and give us a future.
Second, God creates plans. It would be hard to view God randomly releasing his power through gifts to anyone and say go prosper and have success.
Third, patriarchs in the Bible had plans to accomplish the work God gave them. They were all given special gifts by God to do the work He charged them to accomplish.
The Bible gives several scriptures as evidence God approves of creating plans. A person may develop a plan, but as Christians, we are to seek God’s approval for our plan. With God’s approval, the plan will be successful. However, God requires your effort to achieve the task.
- In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9
- Plans failed for lack of counsel, but with many advisers, they succeed. Proverbs 15:22
- Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. 19:21
To Commit
Trust in God begins with commitment. When we trust God, we commit the work we do and the possessions we have to him. Christians entrust everything to God. Life, employment, family, and our success to God’s guidance and direction.
Christians know that God has our best in mind. His care and his love for us are better than we can imagine. We patiently wait for God to complete his work in us and through us to achieve the best results.
Our commitment to God and his word is because he committed to us first. He sent Jesus Christ to deliver us from a negative life on the wrong pathway. Because of God’s love for us, we return love to him through our commitment to obedience and his word. In doing so we find the strength to endure and overcome all challenges to accomplish our task.
Committing to the task requires setting priorities. We must set priorities to do the task and for each step. In committing to the work, we must evaluate what it will take, and what the cost of doing the task. We evaluate finances, time, effort, and people required for the task.
Focus
When facing difficult challenges, it is easy to try to overcome the challenges using our strengths and thoughts. Always remember God has promised to be with us and to help us in our time of need.
When there are tough decisions to be made, always seek God’s counsel. Follow his advice. Sometimes, impatience and anxiety can cause us to lose sight of God’s presence. In the face of potential difficulties keep your mind focused on God’s power to help and his promise to guide you to completion.
Keep your focus on the work you have committed to achieving. A seemingly small action can have much greater consequences. I did a favor for a friend that normally takes less than an hour. This time it ran into four hours!
Conclusion
In closing, the Bible is filled with scriptures about success and successful people. We must have a clear understanding of what success is to understand how to be successful. Success is an attitude and development of character through life experience. Through life experience, wisdom and knowledge are gained.
The scriptures used in this post are some of the scriptures that imply or describe the actions of successful people. Success can come without building billions or millions of dollars in personal net worth.
You must keep focusing on God, his word, his will, and his purpose for your life. When you have a clear focus on the vision, it becomes easier to set goals to achieve. Achieving goals will attract success and success will attract finance.
God is not against us having an abundance of possessions. It is when we have an attitude that places possessions above our commitment to God, that brings God’s disapproval.
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