Lesson 190: “SUCCESS IN GOD’S EYES”

The word “success” is found only once in the Old Testament, King James Version (Jos. 1:8). After this, success is most usually translated prosper or prosperity. In the eyes of God, success has nothing to do with money or position. The word originally meant wise behavior or to bring to a conclusion or to go to completion. Opposite of success is failure meaning one does not complete what he starts. Our prosperity source is always God and goes to completion under the power of the Holy Spirit. Success and prosperity have to do with obedience to God and His Word and not worldly attributes. Notice the wording of Joshua 1:8; meditate on the Word day and night so that you may be careful to do EVERYTHING written in it. THEN (and only then) you will be prosperous and successful. God has a plan to prosper you with hope and a future if you come to Him, seeking Him with all your heart (Jer. 29:11). Notice too in Joshua that God did not give the people “money” but entire cities came down in front of them to clear the way to the Promised Land. The book of Joshua is a book for people who dare to win God’s way. What applied then applies today! It is the faithful who conquer successfully!

It is not a sin to be worldly wealthy but please always remember it is God who gives one the power to be rich (Deut. 8:18). “You might say to yourself, ‘I am rich because of my own power and strength’” (Deut 8:17). God says He owns even the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10); “the earth belongs to the Lord and everything in it and all its people” (Ps. 24:1). This scripture is meant for Christians and non-believers alike. Regardless of the fact that some believe that what they have worked for and “earned” is totally theirs, they are thinking too highly of themselves (Rom. 12:3). They came into God’s world with nothing and will take nothing they have amassed out of this world (Ps. 49:17, Job 121). The benefits of material wealth are short lived and no amount of money can buy back the life of another. No one can pay God back for His own life because the price is too high. The rich, poor, wise and foolish will all die a physical death (Heb. 9:27) and only through salvation will anyone become truly successful. There are wonderful Christian people who are blessed with riches untold. These are the ones I envy, not for their material wealth rather the fact that they have found a way of life that pleases God. Their love, compassion and generosity to all around them are rewarded by God Himself, knowing they can be trusted with more (Luke 12:48b). They have learned to be good stewards of God’s earth and all things in it.

There are others that have great gain of earthly possessions without a care for God or others and these I pity and send up my prayers for them “for what good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world yet forfeits his soul” (Matt. 16:26)? If one does not remain in Jesus Christ, he is like a withered branch that is thrown into the fire and burned (John 15:6). Great wealth, according to God, is the completion of His plan through the obedience of a person. A prime example of wealth and God’s favor through total obedience is when Abraham was told to sacrifice his only “promised son” (Gen. 22:1-18). Just as he was about to plunge the knife into his beloved son, an angel stopped him with a message from the Lord, blessing him with “saving” his son and the promise of descendants; as many as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. In obedience a servant was sent to find a wife for Isaac and checked with God to make sure his trip had been successful (Gen 24:21-26). Rebekah was chosen by God to become the wife of Isaac and mother of two nations, Esau and Jacob (Gen. 24:23-26). Jacob became Israel (Gen. 32:28) and Esau became Edom (Gen 36:1).

Check out Joseph, Job, Esther, Ruth and all the other “successful” characters in the bible and find that only when in God’s will did they find true wealth and success. In God’s will WE find successful living! God way may be harder than the world’s way, but He rewards obedience. We may never have a billion dollars, mansions, diamonds or gold here on earth but accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and obeying the commandments of God will bring you to that eternal city with all these things included (Rev. chapter 17-21). Purity of faith is worth more than gold (1 Pet. 1:7), the redemption of your soul is precious (Ps. 49:8) and respect is better than good perfume (Ecc. 7:1). God says after He has tried us we will come forth as gold (Job 23:10). That my friends, is true success in God’s eyes!