Success Principles 2

Saturday 2 April
READ: Eccl. 9:10-11
MORE LESSON: Gen. 26:1-4

Although all men are created with the seed of success vested in them, not all men succeed. Success in life is governed by principles and ordinances. No one succeeds overnight without following these principles though some people believe in working hard to succeed. While it is true that lazy people do not succeed, you must also know that success is not all about hard work. You don't succeed because you are wise, clever, strong or brave. The scriptural passage (Eccl. 9:11) says men succeed by reason of “time and chance”; you succeed because you are at the right place and the right time.
This brings us to a very crucial issue. How can a man be at the right place and at the right time? There is a power that orders the footsteps of men to be at the right place and the right time to harvest opportunities. That force is the voice of God.
1. Listen and hear the voice of the Lord before taking life decisions, before taking steps into any venture or before you launch into the deep. Carefully study the following scriptures in your spare time, and you will be amazed how the fathers of faith succeeded because they listened to and heard the voice of God (Gen.26:1-4; Josh.1:1-3, Exo. 3:3-8, Lk.5:1-11, 1Sam.30:7-8, Eph.5:17, Psa. 32:8-9). You may note from these scriptures that the persons mentioned therein sought God and heard Him before taking steps. This was one of the greatest secrets of their success. Isaac was on his way to Egypt that he might take advantage of the Nile River to water his livestock and probably practise irrigated agriculture. What he embarked upon was the natural tendency of a fast thinking person. But God said to stay in Gerar, and God blessed him and the man waxed great. The voice of God will deliver you from personal labour and toiling all night.
2. Allow God to lead you, and remain under His leadership (Psa. 16:7-8; John 15:10-14). When the branch of a tree breaks off from its main stem, it dries up in a matter of days. A stream that is severed from its source flows away and dries up. Jesus said that without Him you can do nothing. You can choose to end your countless failures today if Jesus can be all in all in your life.
3. Develop a personal and functional altar with the Lord. Learn to go back to God again and again. Report back and learn the next way forward. You must maintain continuous link with the One who knows and understands all in order to succeed in a progressive manner.
You succeed in life because God causes you to succeed. You can only enter into great opportunities if God remembers you and grants you favour before Him and men. If you continue to stay in Jesus, seeking Him first in all you do, you will surely succeed in your ventures.

Prayer/Action
* LORD, let me hear Your voice every day of my life, in Jesus’ name
* I denounce every voice that is not of God that is speaking loud over my destiny.
* Father, draw me nearer, nearer to Thee (make this your song for the day).

PROPHETIC PRAYER
This month and all through the year, I shut down the mouth of everything that swallows up destiny, in the name mighty of Jesus.