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What Is Biblical Success? – A Definition – Viral Believer
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What Is Biblical Success? – A Definition

Your Hope and Future

This morning during my quiet time with the Lord I was meditating on what it means to have Biblical success.

Early in my life, I would have thought that being a Biblical success would be something that looked like a Christian rock and roll star or possibly a big name preacher with a radio ministry and a church of thousands.

two person standing on gray tile paving

As I get older I am coming to realize that true Biblical success has nothing to do with fame, fortune, or money even with a “Christian” twist. It has to do with who you are becoming in Christ and whether or not you are following God’s plan for your life personally.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined that I would be sitting in front of a computer writing to thousands of people concerning what I have learned over 40 years of being a believer but here I am.

It had nothing to do with playing music, having a big church, or anything the world would consider successful. It had everything to do with what God has developed in me through the years.

Biblical Success – God’s Plan For Your Life.

There is a verse in the book of Jeremiah that sums up for me the definition of Biblical success. It is found in Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

To me, Biblical success is simply following the plan that God has for you. That plan includes both plans for your character and plans for your life.

If you allow God to mold you into the image of Jesus and you go about your daily life living out His plan for you then you are a success. It is when we get self-willed and put our hopes and desires on a pedestal that we get sidetracked and become less than successful.

Jesus put it this way. “What if you gain the world and lose your soul?”

What is God’s plan for your life?

I can’t answer that question for you. All I can tell you is that it has 2 components. It has the inward component that deals with your character and nature and it has the outward component that deals with His purpose in your life.

The inward component of biblical success

The inward component is revealed in the book of Romans chapter 8 and verse 29 where it says we are predestined to be conformed into the image of His Son.

This means that God has planned for us to become like Jesus.

Now I am not talking about any of that “little gods” nonsense that some prosperity preachers teach, but I am talking about becoming like Jesus in His character and attitudes.

If any of us are to be Biblically successful then part of that has to be the transformation of our character and nature into one that looks like Jesus.

The outward component of biblical success

The outward component of Biblical success is following the plan that God has for your life in the real world.

You have to discover God’s purpose for you.

Now, this is much different than what was the fad a few years ago caused by the book named “the purpose-driven life”. That book centered on finding “Our” purpose. I am talking about coming to understand “God’s” purpose. Those can be two very different things!

Isaiah 55:9 says “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Just as I thought that my purpose was to cavort on a stage playing Christian rock and roll music, your thoughts about your purpose in life might not be His thoughts.

(By the way, I am glad that I was not a famous Christian rock and roll star. Nothing worse than seeing an old man with a potbelly and a bald spot trying to look young!)

You have to discern what His plan is and many times, just like it was with Jesus, it takes laying down your life and sacrificing what you want for the greater good.

So bearing those two things in mind, take a look at some of these Bible verses about success and some of the Christian quotes by godly Christians and you seek to discern what Biblical success will be for you.

Bible Verses On Biblical Success

Deuteronomy 8:18

Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

Joshua 1:8

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

Psalm 112:2

Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.

Proverbs 15:22

Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.

Psalm 1:3

They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

Psalm 37:3

Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.

Christian Quotes About Success

God may allow His servant to succeed when He has disciplined him to a point where he does not need to succeed to be happy. The man who is elated by success and is cast down by failure is still a carnal man. At best his fruit will have a worm in it. – A.W. Tozer

I’d rather attempt to do something great and fail than to attempt to do nothing and succeed. – Robert H. Schuller

Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost. – Helen Keller

I believe that being successful means having a balance of success stories across the many areas of your life. You can’t truly be considered successful in your business life if your home life is in shambles. – Zig Ziglar

If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace. – Max Lucado

Many Christians estimate difficulties in the light of their own resources, and thus attempt little and often fail in the little they attempt. All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His power and presence with them. – Hudson Taylor

Obedience deepens our intimacy with Jesus. If we want to know the Father, we must not only love Him, but also obey Him. Scripture is clear that it is important to know the Father through His Word, and if we want to be a part of what the Father is doing and to be able to see where He is moving then it is clear that we must obey His commands. It is important to be biblically literate, but we must also be biblically obedient! – John Wimber

Conclusion

As you can see, Biblical success is much different than what we are taught success is.

It has much more to do with who we are and what we are called to do.

I hope that this lesson on Biblical success has helped you in your journey in finding the hope and a future that God has planned for you.

Blessings

Pastor Duke

Pastor Duke Taber
Pastor Duke Taber

Pastor Duke Taber

All articles have been written or reviewed by Pastor Duke Taber.
Pastor Duke Taber is an alumnus of Life Pacific University and Multnomah Biblical Seminary.
He has been in pastoral ministry since 1988.
Today he is the owner and managing editor of 3 successful Christian websites that support missionaries around the world.
He is currently starting a brand new church in Mesquite NV called Mesquite Worship Center, a Non-Denominational Spirit Filled Christian church in Mesquite Nevada.