How Do You Define Success?

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  Joshua 1:8

The world defines success by how much money you make, what kind of car you drive, and how big your house is, but how does the Lord define success. It is not that the Lord doesn’t want us to have these things or that they are evil. The issue occurs when we begin to seek after them to obtain them. In order to know what success is in the Lord’s eyes, we must be spending time in His Word. A football team could make seven interceptions, however only score three points. If the opposing team scored fourteen points, they would be victorious. Even though the defense for the other team was successful, the team was not victorious. God wants us to be successful, having our needs met and live a victorious life, trusting and know He is going to supply our every need. Our Father knows what we need before we even ask Him (Matthew 6:8). Matthew 6:25-34 talks about how we should not worry about what we will eat or drink and that the pagans seek after these things. See when we seek after the money or the house we prefer without seeking the Lord, we will almost always miss the Lord’s Plan. Matthew 6:33 says “Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness and ALL of these things will be added unto you.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 talks about how God’s Ways are not our Ways and in 1 Corinthians 2:9 it says “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love Him.” To love God means to obey Him (John 14:15 and John 14:21). See if we are relying on our own ability to find the Plan God has for us, we will likely never walk in it. However, if we humble ourselves and get in His Word and do what It says and be open to the leading of the Spirit of God, we will find the Plan He has for us. 1 Corinthians 2:10 then goes on to say “these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searched all things, even the deep things of God.” We are able to hear from the Spirit of God when we choose to obey the Word of God (Acts 5:32).

So today if you say that I have never really sought the Lord’s leading like this, choose to seek Him today. When we trust Him to lead us and supply our needs in His Ways by doing the Word of God, we will be able to prove and attest of God’s Will for our lives (Romans 12:1-2). We will walk through this life without anxiety, surrounded by the peace of God (Philippians 4:6-7). This peace in our lives will also lead to a healthy life (Proverbs 14:30) and we can be confident in knowing that we are in the Plan God has for us. As you may know, God does have a Plan for our lives, a Plan for good and not evil (Jeremiah 29:11) and you will find that Plan when you seek Him with ALL of your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). Who is Him in this scripture? He is simply the Word of God (John 1:1). Be encouraged, and walk confidently in God’s Plan by choosing to seek Him daily and humble yourselves. God guides the humble (Psalms 25:9). Choose today to humble yourself before the Lord and start spending time in His Word and obeying what It says, and you will live a successful and victorious life (Joshua 1:8). The Blessing of the Lord will begin to follow you wherever you go if you seek Him first in ALL things (Deuteronomy 28:2 and Matthew 6:33).

Mark 13:31 – Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Numbers 23:19 – God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Bonus: Psalm 33:11 – The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.