Principles of Godly Success - PART 1

Ladies and gentlemen, life is sweet and it is expected that we should all enjoy it to the fullest measures. But, unfortunately, such is not the case as many have found themselves swimming in the oceans of despair, frustrations, difficulties, failures, infirmities, poverty, e.t.c. "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well".(NIV)- 3 John 2. The above scripture tells us about God's desires for us. He intends that we should be in good health, live in prosperity while maintaining good relationships with him. Yes!!! Let's consider below the Four Principles of Godly Prosperity. The Four Principles of Godly Success Everyone wants to be successful. However relatively few people actually know what godly success really is. And why do I make the distinction of "godly" success? It's very simple. Unless our success is according to God's plan for our lives, it cannot be true success, no matter how it looks on the outside. You've seen worldly success before... the rich man or woman who has worldly riches but is unhappy. Why? Because they are not walking according to God's plan for their lives. So how do we walk in godly success? Here are the four Principles we must acquaint ourselves with in order to have godly success. Step One – God's Will First, and most obviously, we must know God's will for our lives. And how do we do that? In each man or woman there is a vision – a godly vision that He Has planted within us. We'll know it's His vision as we continue to meditate and pray to know His will. "But how will we know it's Him and not the enemy?" You'll know it's Him because He'll speak it into your heart... for the sheep know the Shepherd's voice. (John 10:4) You'll also know it's Him because what He says to you will agree with the Scriptures. He may even quicken you with specific Scriptural passages to meditate on. The point is, He desires you to know His will for your life, and as you pray and listen, He will give you His will or His vision for your life – they are one and the same. Habakkuk 2:2,3 "Then the Lord answered me and said, "Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run. (3) "For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal, and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay." So when you hear His will for your life, and see the vision He has for you, write it down! Step Two – Faith Step number two of the four principles of godly success is faith. "For the righteous shall live by faith."(Hab. 2:4) And what part does faith have to do with walking in God's will for our lives? The answer is, it's impossible to receive anything from God without it (James 1:6,7)! Have you ever heard that it's impossible to please God without faith? His word tells us so in Hebrews 11:6. But do you know why it's impossible to please God without faith? God knows that He can't get any of the blessings He has ordained for your life to you without faith. And walking in God's plan for your life is walking in blessings! So once you know God's will for your life – once you have seen His vision He has painted in your mind of His plan for you – have faith that He will bring it to pass. In other words, if you don't trust Him to do it, He can't get it to you. Step Three... Seed Yes, every harvest requires a seed. And Seedtime and Harvest is still in operation. Read it again in Genesis 8:22, nothing operates outside of the boundaries of Seedtime and Harvest. Faith without works is dead (James 2:20). Put a little differently, faith, in order to operate, requires a seed. Conversely a seed (the vision God has for your life) requires faith! Yes, faith without works is dead. What the Word of God is telling us is that faith requires a work or seed in order for it to work. Now, that seed might be time, talent, or the doing of something or a service, or it might be a financial seed. But make no mistake, the book of James makes it abundantly clear that faith requires a work or seed to bring it to fruition. Ask God what seed the dream He has placed inside you requires – He'll tell you because it's His will for your life and he has already told you in His Word that it is required. Confession – Step Four Psalm 45:1 says; "... My tongue is the pen of a ready writer." That's right, what you say or confess is what will manifest in your life. You see, what you say is perhaps the most powerful seed you possess. For the creative power and nothing less is the power of the tongue. You don't have to believe me, but do believe God, for again, that is exactly what this Scripture is saying. We are supposed to use this power of the spoken word in obedience with God's Word and His plan for our lives. And because it's His will, you have the entire backing of Heaven behind that confession. Your godly confession, coupled with faith and its corresponding seed, will set the heavenly host in motion to bring about God's will – His vision which is now your vision for your life. Psalm 35:27 Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually, "The Lord be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant." I leave you with this Scripture that teaches us two things: First, that God wills for you to be prosperous. And secondly, He is teaching us in this verse to use the confession to bring it to pass! Yes, "The Lord be magnified, who delights in the prosperity of His servant!"(emphasis added)