Do you want to have real success in life? Discover the biblical definition of success in this article.
Your Hope and Future
This morning during my quiet time with the Lord I was meditating on what it means to have Biblical success.
Early in my life I would have thought that being a Biblical success would be something that looked like a Christian rock and roll star or possibly a big name preacher with a radio ministry and a church of thousands.
As I get older I am coming to realize that true Biblical success has nothing to do with fame, fortune, or money even with a “Christian” twist. It has to do with who you are becoming in Christ and whether or not you are following God’s plan for your life personally.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined that I would be sitting in front of a computer writing to thousands of people concerning what I have learned over 40 years of being a believer but here I am.
It had nothing to do with playing music, having a big church, or anything the world would consider successful. It had everything to do with what God has developed in me through the years.
Biblical Success – God’s Plan For Your Life.
There is a verse in the book of Jeremiah that sums up for me the definition of Biblical success. It is found in Jeremiah 29:11
Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
To me, Biblical success is simply following the plan that God has for you. That plan includes both plans for your character and plans for your life.
If you allow God to mold you into the image of Jesus and you go about your daily life living out His plan for you then you are a success. It is when we get self-willed and put our hopes and desires on a pedestal that we get sidetracked and become less than successful.
Jesus put it this way. “What if you gain the world and lose your soul?”
What is God’s plan for your life?
I can’t answer that question for you. All I can tell you is that it has 2 components. It has the inward component that deals with your character and nature and it has the outward component that deals with His purpose in your life.
The inward component of biblical success
The inward component is revealed in the book of Romans chapter 8 and verse 29 where it says we are predestined to be conformed into the image of His son.
This means that God has planned for us to become like Jesus.
Now I am not talking about any of that “little gods” nonsense that some prosperity preachers teach, but I am talking about becoming like Jesus in His character and attitudes.
If any of us are to be Biblically successful then part of that has to be the transformation of our character and nature into one that looks like Jesus.
The outward component of biblical success
The outward component of Biblical success is following the plan that God has for your life in the real world.
You have to discover God’s purpose for you.
Now this is much different that what was the fad a few years ago caused by the book named “the purpose driven life”. That book centered on finding “Our” purpose. I am talking about coming to understand “God’s” purpose. Those can be two very different things!
Isaiah 55:9 says “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Just as I thought that my purpose was to cavort on a stage playing Christian rock and roll music, your thoughts about your purpose in life might not be His thoughts. (By the way, I am glad that I was not a famous Christian rock and roll star. Nothing worse than seeing an old man with a pot belly and a bald spot trying to look young!)
You have to discern what His plan is and many times, just like it was with Jesus, it takes laying down your life and sacrificing what you want for the greater good.
So bearing those two things in mind, take a look at some of these Bible verses about success and some of the Christian quotes by godly Christians and you seek to discern what Biblical success will be for you.
Bible Verses On Biblical Success
Deuteronomy 8:18
Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.
Joshua 1:8
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
Psalm 112:2
Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.
Proverbs 15:22
Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.
Psalm 1:3
They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
Psalm 37:3
Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
As you can see, Biblical success is much different that what we are taught success is. It has much more to do with who we are and what we are called to do.
I hope that this lesson on Biblical success has helped you in your journey in finding the hope and a future that God has planned for you.
Blessings
Pastor Duke
Pastor Duke Taber and his wife Sue pastor Mesquite Worship Center located at 140 Riverside Rd. Ste D. in the Sherwin Williams Building. You can join them Sunday’s at 10:00 AM and Wednesday’s at 7:00. Absolutely everyone is welcome and you can come as you are.
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