Principles of Success

1.  Introduction

· Everyone in business wants to be a success!  Who wants to “fail”

· What is success?  How to define it? How you know when you succeed?

· Dictionary: - To obtain the result you desire.

· Worlds View
Seminars advert: “Come and learn the Secret of Success”
(i) Success defined as ability to “buy things”
- Success judged by possessions – house, car, type, money.
(ii) Success defined on ability to achieve
- more you are able to accomplish = more successful
- success = “progressive achievement of world worth goal”
J Paul Getty: “All my wealth and success was not able to produce happy memories”

· Biblical View:
Gods values and principles are completely different to world views.
- Is 55:8-9.  My thoughts are not your thoughts – my ways are higher
- Luke 12:15.  Beware coveting, man’s life does not consist of the abundance of things which he possesses.
Not wrong to have things – Note Gen 13:2.  Abraham was very rich.
Not wrong to pursue goals and value achievements.  Note: King David

· Luke 12:20-21.  Food – lays up treasure for self, not rich toward God.

Biblical Success:

“Discovering Gods purpose for my life and pursuing it with passion and diligence”

- John 17:4.  “I have glorified you on the earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do”. PERSON

(a)  Glorify Father = make renounced or famous, to exalt or magnify
(b) Finished Work = discovered what called to accomplished in life and completed it. PURPOSE

- Foundation of true success, lasting success is knowledge of God.

2.  Principles for Success

Principle 1: Always put God 1st in your life and business.
- Mark 12:20.  Love the Lord with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength.
- 2 Reasons for this:
(a)  God will not settle for 2nd place.

“You can’t serve 2 masters – will hate one and love the other”.  Matthew 6:24
Don’t let anything in life become an idol – come before God.
- not business, money making, families – nothing

(b)  Putting God 1st in everything you can expect good things to come

Matt 6:33.  Seek first the Kingdom of God…all these things shall be added to you
- i.e.  The things unsaved seek and focus life upon will be given to you.

- When God is not 1st you have to depend upon own ability resources.
- This is the key foundation in life for success that lasts.

Principle 2: Get to know Gods word and apply it to your life and business.

- Josh 1:8.  Meditate therein day and night that you may observe to do all that is written therein – for then shall you make your way prosperous and shall have good success.

- Bible contains principles on every aspect of Life.

- Spend time daily – meditate – think about it.

- Psalm 19:7-11.  Law of the Lord is perfect – desirable – warn us and in keeping them there is great reward.

- Gods principles are perfect – never change as other theories do.

- Desirable – more than gold – result in fulfillment.

- Warns us – reveals things that will damage us.

 Principle 3: Expect big things from God.

- Once we put God 1st and begin to order our life we can have confidence and expect to receive good things from God.

- Eph 3:20.  “He is able to do more exceeding abundantly then we ask or think…”

- Expect = to look forward to something happening, anticipate.

- Mark 5:36.  “Do not be afraid – only believe”

- Mark 9:23.  “If you can believe – all things are possible to him that believe.

- Law of Belief – whatever you truly believe with feeling will become what you experience.

o ·Fears; self limitations tend to be self fulfilling

o ·Biggest hindrance doubt, fear – must feel confident

- Law of Expectance – whatever you expect tends to be self fulfilled.

o ·Expect the best of yourself and of others

o ·Positive expectations bring out the best in people.

- Develop Goals – steps to your future surround with expect of success.