The 6th Key to P.R.O.S.P.E.R. –“Expect Success”

Good day, dear faithful readers! Linda and I are writing our weekly blog this week from Myrtle Beach. We took a quick week to escape the frozen west.

Prospering is as much a state if mind as it is an actual event such as winning a marathon. In many ways, it is more important what you think than what you do. It says in Proverbs 23:7,  “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.” Having been in sales for over three decades I can tell you that if you don’t believe in God’s ability by His Holy Spirit to use your gifts, skills, experience, and abilities in your life, people can read that like a billboard and will choose to work with someone else.

A positive expectancy sets the tone for everything—from getting a sale to successfully asking someone out on a first date. If you don’t trust God with expectancy to act in your behalf, no one else will.  I have some friends who amaze me with their low level of expectancy of success whenever someone shares a new  opportunity they were considering. Their universal response is a skeptical, “Hope it all works out for you.” That is not a supportive comment but instead a statement of their own lack of faith.

One of the greatest examples in the Bible of someone expecting success is the story of a young, combat-inexperienced shepherd named David who went up against the imposing and heavily armed Goliath. David expected to prosper or succeed over Goliath because he had seen God grant him victories over a lion and bear before. He knew he could count on God again. He also expected to succeed because he came against this colossal foe in the name of the Lord—NOT in his own strength.

What makes this story even a greater episode of faith is that David picked up five smooth stones for his sling, not just one. Many people fail to note this small detail…but it is no small thing as many people speculate that David was prepared to not only take on Goliath but also his four mega-brothers!

David took on this monstrous foe not in Saul’s armor, not in his own confidence, but in God’s ability to grant him success. He entered the battlefield “fired up” to defend the name of God and certain that God—not David—would cause and receive glory for the victory. This allowed him to run at his enemy, not just seek out a safe spot to snipe at him. David was all in!! So, the next time you are in a situation that  depends upon God alone to grant you success, pick up your five small stones, run at your enemy, and let God get the glory.

Come back next week for the conclusion to “7 Steps to P.R.O.S.P.E.R.” as we discuss the last key, “Respect All People.”