One of the challenges the body of Christ faces is the lack of knowledge on how to manage success. The sad truth is that we are not prepared for success because we were never taught how to handle it. When we talk about the lack of management in success, we often refer to the financial aspect, which is important. However, I will focus on the attitudinal aspect and how this can also negatively affect our relationship with the Holy Spirit.
So, what does success mean?
According to an online definition, success means achieving desired goals, gaining wealth or fame, and reaching a positive outcome. In other words, each time a person achieves a desired positive outcome and each time a project leads him to gain more wealth, he can consider it a success. And that can be in anything, including a job promotion. I believe there is nothing wrong with success; the only thing is we must never forget where our success comes from. The Bible says that “Exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the judge: He puts down one and exalts another.” Psalm 75:6-7
The danger we face in the body of Christ is that we often forget where success comes from; therefore, we start well, and then we become a different person along the way. We then have this new personality that even God cannot recognize because it is contrary to His Kingdom’s culture. We forget that Scripture says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9.
So, let’s say we were praying, fasting, hoping, and waiting for God to bless us; we were so humble. We didn’t look down on anyone because we didn’t think we were better than anyone else; and that’s why God promoted us in the first place.
You see, the gentleness, kindness, humility toward others, the respect and devotion to God are what led His children to receive promotion from Him. So, when you stop doing the right thing and intentionally become partakers of ungodly behaviors despite warnings, that is an act of dishonor and betrayal to God. However, what we must never forget is that there is no position that God places someone in that He cannot remove them from. When we betray God, for example, it is not that He didn’t see the betrayal coming, but sometimes He allows it to happen so we can have a revelation of our hidden sins and to pray against them.
When we allow wickedness to govern our lives, that reveals a lot about us and, most importantly, how we see God. For instance, such behavior reveals that we don’t have a full understanding of God’s supremacy because we think we can manipulate Him. This can also mean that we think that after we get the position, the thing, or the person we wanted, we can do whatever we want because somehow God cannot do anything about it now that we’ve gotten what we wanted. This is a deception!
The other thing to consider is that when we practice such behavior, we cannot make a positive kingdom impact on others because we behave just like the world, which in turn affects our spiritual walk.
And how does it affect our spiritual walk?
We need to understand that, according to Scripture, any sinful or ungodly practice will eventually block our spiritual flow. It’s like a pipe; the more debris that gets in it, the more clogged it gets. And in the spiritual sense, we will eventually be shut out of our blessing doors. What we must also realize is that when someone becomes prideful and disrespectful after God elevates them, this shows not only that they are immature but also unwise because there is always more in God. So, where the person becomes prideful, that’s the level they’ll be stuck at, or God can completely reduce him to nothing; naturally or spiritually.
So, what is the solution to this issue, then?
The solution is to remember where you came from. Always remember how you got there, who got you there, and stick to the instructions you were given that helped you get there. Another important thing we must remember is that God will always elevate us from the bottom up. From a spiritual standpoint, this means God will elevate us when He finds us at the feet of Jesus. And if we want to keep leveling up in God, we need to remain at Jesus’ feet. “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” Matthew 23:12.
The challenging questions this topic can compel us to ask ourselves are: Can I be consistent with my kindness? Is my spiritual fruit seasonal? Do I produce the fruit of the Spirit only in summertime but not in all seasons? Jesus said in Matthew 7:20, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Which means that there are specific behaviors that Jesus expects His disciples to live by.
Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Therefore, let’s be consistent with the fruit of the Spirit!
SCRIPTURES
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” James 3:13
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