* You can now watch a video of this message at: https://new.livestream.com/rickpina/live.
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by starting a new mini-series entitled, “Grace Based Success (Prosperity).” Dr. Creflo Dollar recently taught a series entitled “Grace Based Prosperity” and his messages blessed me greatly. As I listened to Pastor Dollar the Lord was speaking to me about the difference between pursuing success the world’s way (through blood, sweat and tears) and God’s way (by His grace). In this series I will cover lots of topics as I seek to teach by both precept and example; giving you divine principles and Biblical examples you can glean from.
The following is a list of ‘just a few’ of the things you will learn in this series:
— How to define success in life
— Right thinking and right believing concerning Godly success
— Redemption from the curse of Adam (Gen 3:19)
— Confidence in God’s love towards you
— Finding grace in a net-breaking boat-sinking load of fish
— The grace to work hard
— Entering into God’s rest
— Freedom from dead works
— The favor of God
— Everything you need to fulfill your divine assignment is already yours
— God wants you to succeed in your life’s assignment
— God is not opposed to wealth or health
— The power of the Presence of God
— Joseph had the grace to succeed
— Paul had the grace to succeed
— Gideon had the grace to succeed
— King Jehoshaphat had the grace to succeed
These are in no particular order, but for this morning I will share a few nuggets about the term “success in life.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. How do you measure success in life? Success in life cannot be measured by what you drive, where you live or the size of your bank account. In society today many equate success to fame or fortune. Having money or being known is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is far from being “only” thing. The dictionary defines success as “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.” In the case of your life, the aim should be the accomplishment of God’s divine purpose for you. You were born for a reason and your job is to FIND, FOLLOW and FINISH your purpose. If you do, if you accomplish what God brought you into the earth to accomplish, then you succeeded. That’s it. It’s that simple.
2. Can you be successful at the wrong thing? Wouldn’t it be a shame to think you were ‘winning’ at life, enjoying what you thought was success, only to get to the end of your life and find out that your spent it doing the wrong thing? God is not going to favor and bless the work of your hands when you are doing it on your own and you are determined to live a life you were not intended to live, but make no mistake, you can WORK your way to earthly success at something you are not supposed to be doing, and if you do, you will have to work hard and your labor, at least in God’s eyes, will be in vain.
3. Are you succeeding? Since I gave you a simple definition for success (accomplishing your divine purpose), I can now ask this simple question. Are you doing what you were born to do? Are you living the life God intended for you to live? Is the path that you are on taking you incrementally closer to God’s overall desired destination for your life? If it is, and if you are, then you are succeeding at life. It doesn’t matter how much money you have in the bank, what you drive or where you live. If you are doing what God placed you in the earth to do, then you are succeeding, and you should enjoy every minute of it. However, if you are not, then don’t allow the trappings of this world (money, fame, position, prominence, etc.), to keep you on a path you know is wrong. Repent, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you, and get back on the path to God’s best for your life. Don’t worry about money. If you do what God purposed you to do, the money will be there and you will always have more than enough to meet your needs and to be a blessing to others. Money makes a great servant, but a poor master. Don’t chase money, chase God, and money will chase you.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for dealing with me concerning my definition of success. I know You made plans for me before the world began. I know I was born for a reason and that reason is Your divine purpose for my life. I know I am not a mistake. I know I am here on purpose. I also know that there was a time when I did not know Your purpose for my life, so I came up with my own and I was the Captain of my own ship. However, after I came in contact with Your Son Jesus and made Him my Lord, You gave me Your precious Holy Spirit and He now reveals things to me about my purpose. I have made changes based upon what I now know my purpose to be. I have rearranged my priorities. Now what is first and foremost in my life is the accomplishment of my divine purpose. I don’t chase money, I pursue my purpose. I don’t chase fame, I seek to accomplish what I was born to accomplish. And as I do, You make all grace abound towards me, to the point where I always have everything I need to do what I am called to do, and You make my name great, putting the spotlight on me, so I can deflect the glory right back to You. Thank You Father for helping me to understand success. I am succeeding and I shall be successful in life, because my life is no longer about me. My life is ALL ABOUT YOU. You brought me into the world for a purpose and I will accomplish my divine assignment before I die, by Your grace, living by faith. And that is success to me! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
