Webster’s dictionary defines success as a favorable outcome, profitable results or making a difference however, success is actually the journey itself. Success is the manner, in which we touch the lives of others, making a difference, as they move through our sphere of existence.
How do we stimulate success? Faith stimulates success. A Christ centered vision of an outcome appears to us, often as a dream. A dream that reoccurs and leaves a sense of unfulfilled promise. It nags at us when we attempt to abandon it.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) Faith is taking God at His word. When we begin to believe the reality of God’s vision for us, it kick-starts our creative juices and ignites a burning passion in our spirit.
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. (1 John 5:4) The resulting excitement draws others to join us and in turn excites them and they in turn excite others. This is the essence of revival.
How do we sustain success? Hope sustains success. When we embark on the journey that God has called us to take, the devil will throw everything he has into our path to try to make us abandon all hope.
You did not receive the spirit of bondage again, to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption. (Romans 8:15) We must look to see Christ through the chaos. We must call on the Holy Spirit to work through us when we feel we are too weak or too tired to go any further. We must pray when hope drifts toward hopeless. We must also remember that God never asks us to go where He does not lead. And the Lord went before them. (Exodus 13:21)
How do we sanctify success? Love sanctifies success. When success is no longer about us but about God’s work, it then becomes infused with the power of the Holy Spirit and this vision becomes immortal. Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles. (Isaiah 40:31) Our love of God and Christ’s love for us casts out all fear and doubt of failure. There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear. (1 John 4:18)
The essence of our success through Christ will find new life in those who have joined us on our journey, and they will pass on the dream to those who would join them. Each success igniting a new passion, and each passion sustaining a New Hope through the ages, long after we are gone. As Jesus said in Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
His dream does not die. Our success will be a reminder to many, “Do not abandon your dream.” It will become the recurring nagging of the next generation that “CAN’T" never built a church, never brought someone to Christ and never will.
Have you made a difference in someone’s life?
Has that difference had worth and value?
Author's Bio
Joanne Popp has been the Adm. Assistant, at Zion UCC of Tremont in Cleveland OH since 2000. She regularly writes prayers and articles for the weekly Worship Service Bulletins and volunteers for outreach ministries. Visit her church at www.zionchurch.org Also an entrepreneur, she is a Shaklee Independent Distributor
For Product visit www.shaklee.net/gr8day2grow/
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