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1 Samuel 18:22-23, ” Then Saul told his men to say to David, “The king really likes you, and so do we. Why don’t you accept the king’s offer and become his son-in-law?” When Saul’s men said these things to David, he replied, “How can a poor man from a humble family afford the bride price for the daughter of a king?”
Have you ever asked yourself why you have never succeeded up until now? Have you ever asked yourself how you would ever get this or that or reach a certain state in life? For instance, when will I get married? How will I buy this or that because I don’t have the money or the means to do so? Then you are not alone because also David in the Bible had such questions.
Always remember that “with God, all things are possible” (Luke 1:37). No wonder we read in 1 Samuel 18:14-16, that David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him. When Saul recognized this, he became even more afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David because he was so successful at leading his troops into battle.
Some people will love you, but others will hate you just as said in 1 Samuel 18:28-30, “Due to your success, not everyone will like you and even some people will become your enemy.”
In order To Succeed Ask Yourself The Following Questions:
- Why do I need a promotion?
- Am I faithful where I am?
- Have I finished the assignment God gave me? That assignment or task was there to prepare you for the next level. So, if you miss it, and you are not ready for the next level. For David, it was killing the bear and the lion before he was given the giant.
Life will not take you from the bottom to the top via an elevator you will have to take the lift. Only the devil promises an elevator ride. The devil says,” do this and I will give you this, or Worship me and the wealth is yours.” But as quickly as the wealth comes it gets lost in the same way.
The children of Israel remained in captivity for 400 years and you can see Egypt’s glory up to today with the pyramids and other things. This was what the children of Israel did.
Most of us are happy with where we are, others are only willing to go for only a short distance and not where they had agreed with God. Most of us want the easy way out of everything or situation. But sometimes that’s not the way.
Look at Daniel and Joseph in the Bible they both prospered in captivity they didn’t have to wait until they returned to Jerusalem. We are waiting for favorable conditions so as to prosper. But the Bible says even when you pass through the fire or waters (Isaiah 43:1-2) or the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4). God will still make us succeed no matter where we are. Remember that Daniel and his friends shined inside the fire and even at the den of lions.
This is what happened with Joseph in the Bible at a very young age God gave him the dream. But it took a long time to be fulfilled. You can’t miss a step in a staircase otherwise you will fall and get hurt and even probably get further back and start all over again.
The next level won’t come until we are stretched so as to create room for that next level. We need to be prepared through testing to make room for that promotion.
Sometimes God won’t bring you out of the trouble you are in now because He wants to bless you in the midst of it. You don’t have to wait to get out of the trial to see His supernatural favor.
Favor will follow you in exile. Joseph became the favorite of his master. The favor didn’t leave him just because he changed locations. It didn’t leave him because people were jealous, he had a bad break or he was in captivity. And it didn’t leave you because somebody walked away. You had a disappointment, it’s still there Keep shining where you are keep serving, and keep giving the right amount. People are going to open for you the right doors being Babylon did not stop the bliss, see God put on your line,
Use where you are as a springboard to the next level. God uses the previous successes, failures, etc as building materials to help you to succeed.
We see that when the prophet Jeremiah, wrote Jeremiah 29:11, he was writing to the people of Judah who had recently been exiled to Babylon as prisoners. As a result of this exile most of the people were not comfortable with it and they desired to go back to their native homeland.
You might say that this story was written for them and not for you, but remember the Bible is there as an example of people like you and me who were faced with problems, and they overcame them. So, there is something to learn from here.
Maybe life has not turned out as you expected. You are not in the place you desired to be by now. There is much about your life you wish was different.
Before the prophet, Jeremiah prophesied the events in Jeremiah 29:11, he had written Jeremiah 29:5-6, where he said: “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.”
What he meant here was they should succeed where they are currently going and that is Babylon. Your circumstances may not be great but make the most of it. Never forget the power of God to use your difficult circumstances for His great goodness. The place where you are just might be better than you realize.
Instead of complaining learn to appreciate God for what he has given you, and learn to,
“Seek the prosperity of the city to which I have sent you as exiles. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7)
God is going to connect the dots in your life, you may not understand everything along the way, but you can be sure that God knows what he’s doing here, God may not deliver you out of every situation along the way, but if you will stay faithful, he’ll make you succeed in everything you undertake. He’ll prosper you or make you succeed, wherever you go.
Did you know that while Paul was in captivity he wrote books in the bible? According to Paul you can succeed or prosper irrespective of where you are in this world, irrespective of your race, or family background, you don’t have to wait till everything is perfect. Just start where you are now with what you got.
I will leave you with these two verses which will help you to succeed in everything you do:
Galatians 6:9-10, ” Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.”
Ecclesiastes 11:6, ” Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.”
In conclusion, to succeed in anything you must be consistent in prayers and put in the hard work required and without failure, you will succeed. Did you know that most of us want to succeed without doing anything? Always remember that no matter how difficult things are, there is always something you can do to succeed, so do it now and success is yours.
Pastor Nathaniel.
This is a great article. Through this, God reminded me of something from years ago, when a retired elderly pastor who was a friend of a friend came up to me (we hardly knew each other) and said that when I returned to my hometown (my friend and I
were on vacation in her hometown at the time) I would be attacked by someone in my church who was jealous of me because (although I’m female) I have the anointing and favor of Joseph on
my life, and that’s exactly what happened. The former pastor really knew nothing about me, except what God revealed to him and told him to tell me. He actually said God was telling me as a warning to brace myself. . The person he referred to was my pastor, (though he only said someone in authority), who continued to verbally abuse me from that time on until years later when God gave me the okay to leave that church. To this day I still see him around and he still can’t be civil to me.
To God be the glory. I am so sorry to hear what happened to you. But remember the Bible says in the Book of James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” God is preparing you for something great and that is why your route might be different from others. Like David in the bible you might have to kill a few bears, lions and even giants along the way to reach your kingship in this life. So forgive forgive and again forgive as commanded in the Bible Mark 11:23-26,”And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive the wrongs you have done.” May the Good lord take you farther than you ever dreamt of in life. Pastor Nathaniel