Scripture Text: Mathew 6:33

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well"- Mathew 6:33

The Psalmist said in Psalm 37:25 : "Since I have been young and now I am old; yet I have never seen the righteous being forsaken nor his children begging bread"

God measures our success with the yardsticks of obedience, faithfulness, and righteousness. If we are faithfully doing the work of God, we are successful in His eyes. In God's eyes you are successful if you have faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. You are truly successful if you love God with all your heart.

When God speaks of success in Scripture, He relates it to a focus on His Word and the inner activity of meditation. Meditating on Scripture involves bringing God’s Word into our hearts so that it gives direction for every area of our lives. By walking in obedience to God’s Word, we can fulfill God’s purposes for our lives and experience true fulfillment and success.

Two Major Biblical Examples of True Success
Joseph

Joseph was one great example of a true success. He was a man who was successful because he served the Lord wholeheartedly. Because his father Jacob had given birth to him in old age, the first to whom his favorite wife Rachel had given birth, Joseph was a favorite son. Joseph proved to be a trusting, faithful young man whom the Lord blessed, much to the dismay of his brothers. It would appear that Joseph had inherited some very basic, yet important, spiritual qualities from the great spiritual patriarchs before him: from Abraham, a commitment to God and a faithfulness that could stand the test of adversity; from Isaac, an underlying spiritual sensitivity that would make him subservient to the divine will even in the face of death. Joseph also gained from his father Jacob a steadfastness that would give him the capacity both for hard work and outright rejection from others. These were to prove to serve Joseph well. The LORD was with Joseph. He was successful and lived in the household of his Egyptian master. Potiphar appointed Joseph overseer of his household and put him in charge of everything he owned. (Gen. 39:2-4)7 Even when Joseph was wrongly accused of infidelity with his master's wife and was imprisoned, the Lord’s favor brought him success with the prison warden that all of the other prisoners were placed under Joseph’s administration (Gen. 39: 21-22). Indeed, “The warden did not concern himself with anything that was in Joseph’s care because the LORD was with him and whatever he was doing the LORD was making successful.” (v. 23)

Even greater success lay ahead for Joseph, for God had given to him the ability to interpret dreams (cf. Gen. 37:5-11). It is not surprising, then, that an occasion came for Joseph to interpret the dreams of two of Pharaoh’s officials who had fallen into disfavor with him. And Joseph’s interpretations came true (Gen. 40:5-23). One of the officials, the king’s cupbearer, was restored to Pharaoh’s service and so was available when Pharaoh had a pair of troubling dreams.8 Because none of the king’s diviners or wise men were able to interpret the dreams, the cupbearer recommended that Pharaoh summon Joseph. Because of his God-given ability to interpret dreams, Joseph successfully interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams (Gen. 41:14-36) and was promoted to be the second most powerful ruler in Egypt (Gen. 41:37-45).

Joseph truly had become “successful.” But it was not for Joseph alone that the Lord had given trustworthy Joseph such success. When the predicted seven years of famine, which Joseph had foreseen in Pharaoh’s dreams cf. Gen. 41:27) came to pass, Joseph’s elevation to power became the means for bringing his people to Egypt (Gen. 42-47). Through Joseph’s success, a whole nation and his entire family was delivered from the great famine in Egypt.

Daniel

The second person who was truly successful was is the prophet Daniel. Daniel (together with three friends) was taken captive in the first Babylonian invasion of Judah in 605 B.C. Daniel’s spiritual and moral integrity and trustworthiness soon became evident to his captors. Moreover, the Lord had given Daniel the ability to interpret dreams, which enabled him to achieve great success in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar (e.g., Dan. 2,4), including the king’s recognition and praise of “The King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just” (Dan. 4:37; cf. 2:47).

When Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, Daniel was able to interpret, giving all reverence to God. Also, he was given a spirit of excellence and wisdom to not only read God's writing on the wall to King Nebuchadnezzar but interpreted in terms of the internationally known Aramaic: “Numbered, weighed, and divided” (vv. 26-28). Accordingly, Daniel once again achieved great success, being proclaimed: “Third ruler in the kingdom” (v. 29). True to his interpretation, Babylon fell to the invading Persians under King Cyrus that very night (vv. 30-31) and King Belshazzar was killed. 9 Daniel’s success was to continue even into the era of Persian dominance.

Like Joseph, Daniel was faithful and whole-heartedly committed to the Lord. Both were indeed men of spiritual and moral integrity as God’s chosen servants. In what follows, we shall explore several keys to godly success as indicated in the Scriptures.

Other successful Biblical examples were Moses, Joshua (Joshua 1:, David, Solomon (Prov. 3:5-6), Nehemiah, Job and our Lord Jesus Christ.



Promises of God for you when you seek True Success

You will have good success.
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” (Joshua 1:.

Whatever you do will prosper.
“His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Psalm 1:2–3).

You will excel in wisdom and understanding.
“O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. . . . I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation” (Psalm 119:97, 99).

You will have power over sin.
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. . . . Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:9, 11).

You will discover how to live.
“He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live” (Proverbs 4:4).

Your success will be obvious to all.
“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all” (I Timothy 4:15).

You will make Heaven

John 1:12 says: “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name”. So, are you looking forward to eternal life in the kingdom of God, then accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, so that it shall be well with you now and forever.

Seek God's Kingdom; See True Success!

If you would like to give your life to Christ, just say this short prayer:

"Lord Jesus, I come to You today. Come into my life, take control of my life and change my world. I say bye-bye to the devil. I enter into the Kingdom of Light, in Jesus name I pray, amen".

Congratulations!!!

God bless you.

Peace!