Today we continue our series entitled, “Pursuing Grace-Based Success!”
Here are our foundational scriptures:
(Ephesians 2:8-10 ERV)
8 I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God.
9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about.
10 God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.
(1 Corinthians 1:30,31 NLT)
30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”
(2 Timothy 1:9 NKJV)
Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
For the last few days we have also been looking at this verse:
(3 John 2, AMP)
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.”
A few days ago, we started to walk through the passage I provided for you from Ecclesiastes 5. Let’s go back to it this morning. King Solomon, a man who had access to both divine wealth and divine wisdom, said this about wealth, health and life:
“Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past” (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 NLT).
Today I will focus on the line: “God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.”
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Solomon paints a picture of a blessed man/woman for us.
The King describes this person as the following:
— a person who enjoys life
— who is determined to make the most of the short time they have on the earth
— who has accepted their lot in life (God’s assignment), so they are not pursuing anything but God’s will
— who has received wealth from God (so they have all the resources required to complete their assignment)
— who has received health from God (so they can enjoy the purpose and prosperity God has graced them to walk in)
Solomon says that this person, living under the Blessing of the Lord, is too busy enjoying life to brood over the past.
2. If you are brooding over the past, then you are failing to enjoy the present.
When referring to a blessed man/woman, Solomon said, “God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.” But the opposite is also true.
— Some people spend so much time nursing and rehearing their past (past mistakes, missed opportunities, failed endeavors, etc.) that they miss the opportunities of the present.
— Don’t miss today’s blessings worrying about yesterday’s mistakes.
— Good or bad, up or down, success or failure, you can’t change the past. So live every day with a ‘forward ever, backward never‘ mentality!
Whenever I have had what would be considered a “bad” or “challenging” day, I simply go to sleep and wake up the next morning and say, “Yesterday ended last night!”
With this mentality, I:
— Don’t keep good records of bad things.
— I use my time and mental energy productively, always moving forward.
— I am quick to forgive, so I develop a root of bitterness in my heart (quick note: holding grudges can block your blessings).
— I LET GO so I can LAY HOLD of what God has for me NEXT! Far too many believers can’t LAY HOLD of their future because they refuse to LET GO of their past.
3. God wants you busy enjoying the moment.
When referring to a blessed man/woman, Solomon said, “God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.”
In this statement, I see that:
a) God wants you busy,
b) God wants you busy enjoying life, and
c) God wants you so busy enjoying the life you are living RIGHT NOW that you have no time to concern yourself with the past.
Don’t worry about yesterday, because it’s over. Don’t worry about tomorrow because you don’t know what it will bring. Focus on today and enjoy the moment. Make the most of your NOW!
— The problem with focusing on yesterday is that if yesterday was tough, then you will replay the challenges over and over again in your mind. These continuous replays will keep you from moving forward. If yesterday was amazing, then you will replay your successes over and over again in your mind. While this sounds good, the problem with it is that you are not in your yesterday. You are in TODAY. And if your mind is fixed on yesterday, you will miss out on the blessing of today. So whether good or bad, don’t let your past keep you from your present.
While you don’t want your past to keep you from your present, you don’t want your future to keep you from your present, either.
— I know how it feels to be stuck between your history and your destiny. I know what it is like to know you are called to do something, but you are not free to do it yet. You have to be faithful over today while you wait on the tomorrow God promised. And the fact that God promised it is the key.
— When you know that you only want something because God put it in your heart, but then again, God has not released you to walk in it yet, it can be very hard. It’s hard to enjoy your present when you know your future is calling. But you cannot allow the expectation of your tomorrow to cause you to lose your joy in your today.
— God wants you to ENJOY YOUR NOW while you are waiting on YOUR NEXT, without brooding over your ALREADY!
4. Don’t forget that your success will come from God’s grace, not your human effort.
Solomon has painted a great picture for us, one with wealth, health, happiness, and purpose. But remember, this series is about grace-based success.
— I am not saying that you work your way to the Blessing. I am saying that you DIE your way to the Blessing.
— To become a divine success, you must surrender, accept, align, and die to self.
— Success, in God’s eyes, is NOT a matter of MORE TRYING. It is a matter of MORE DYING!
— To become a divine success, you must embrace your divine assignment. And when you do, the grace of God will flow through your life for you to accomplish what God has called you to do.
The New International Version of Romans 11:6 reads, “And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” The New Living Translation of the same verse reads, “And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is — free and undeserved.”
— God can give you free and undeserved favor to succeed in life. He does it by His grace so that you can fulfill the assignment He gave you before the world began and so that He can get the glory out of your life and living.
— Your part is to say “YES” to His will, DIE to your will, and then get OUT of the way. At that point, you become a human conduit of the divine, and God is able to flow His love, light, and power THROUGH you for all the world to see!
(2 Corinthians 1:20 TPT)
For all of God’s promises find their “yes” of fulfillment in him. And as his “yes” and our “amen” ascend to God, we bring him glory!
God has already said “YES” to His promises for your life. Everything God has spoken over you has a “YES” on it. Now God is looking for you to say “AMEN” to it, no matter how crazy it seems!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for teaching me about grace-based success.
Solomon painted a great picture of divine success for me. I see myself the way He described. I see myself eating, drinking, and enjoying the life You have given me during the short time I have here on the earth.
I see myself walking in Your divine assignment, no longer fighting against what I am called to do. I see myself with the wealth and health to enjoy and accomplish Your divine purpose.
I see myself dying to sin, self, and selfish desires so that You can freely flow through me by Your grace.
I see myself too busy enjoying life, doing what I am called to do, enjoying the NOW of every moment, to concern myself with looking back. I don’t brood over my past, nor do I worry about my future.
You have put a “YES” on every promise spoken over my life, and now You are looking for me “AMEN!” I declare that I add my “AMEN” to Your “YES,” and by providing this agreement, on earth, my life shall be lived on earth as You have planned it in heaven. I get to experience heaven on earth daily because I align with what You have assigned me to do! Living this way, I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
