Success

Success is defined as "the accomplishment of an aim or purpose." Most of us look at success as just hitting the mark or the "aim" as the definition puts it. But I think long term success is guaranteed when you are living with a purpose and not just an aim. 

There was a king in the Old Testament named Hezekiah and the Bible says that "the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook." (2 Kings 18:7)

When I read this I am reminded of another passage written in Psalms 1:1-3
"Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers."

Now it is important to understand that (as the Bible says) we are no longer under law but under grace. So you can read this passage as saying, "meditate of the grace on God day and night."

With that in mind, let's look at what Hezekiah did. 

^"3 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. ⁴ He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. ⁵ Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel." (2 Kings 18:3-5)

What did he do? He basically demolished any type of false worship or false idea of who God is. This is important for us to do as we meditate on the grace of God. As we do, it becomes easy. This is what we do. And as we do it we discover our purpose. 

^"4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power (grace) to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Cor 10:4-5)

As we accept God's opinion about us (that we are indeed his own children) we destroy any voice that says contrary. We destroy any idea that we can't approach God. We get rid of thoughts of condemnation because Jesus himself is wisdom from God and He is our justification. Finally, we find our purpose is to be loved by God. 

Then, success is inevitable.