Spiritual Success

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty." Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull." Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest. At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship. When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down."

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do.
The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.







The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, God will give you great gifts.

Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.

We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

Can you recall a time when you were consistently riddled by bullets of defeat. Have you ever had an unprovoked, sequence of events that left you bewildered, discontent, and physically and mentally exhausted.

These are times when your children are going astray, your marriage seems to be strained, friends withdraw from you, you receive a lay-off notice from your employer, an eviction notice soon follows and lastly, you receive a diagnosis of a genetic illness and the prognosis is grim.

At this point all you can muster up to say is: What is really going on here? Something is just not right! You begin to feel spiritually drained .

Our vision here is equipping people to believe , receive and achieve all that God has for them. I believe that God has an awesome work for us all , He wants us all to be spiritually successful and over comers.

Gen 50:20 says 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.

God allows certain things to come are way to get us were we need to be.

You can either fall on the rock or the rock will fall on you.



Spiritual Success

Joshua 1:8:
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.

Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that to succeed Joshua must..

1.Be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy.

2.Obey God’s law
3.Constanly read and study the Book of instruction-God’s Word.

To be successful, follow God’s words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world’s standards, but you will be a success in God’s eyes- and his opinion is the most important.

1. Commitment to Christ

1 Thessalonians 5:23
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

God must be involved in every aspect of our life.

A. Some Christians fall short of pleasing God because they are not totally committed to Him. They insist on asserting their will over God’s will.

B. Spiritual success demands complete abandonment of self and the acceptance of God’s will. His will makes everything work together for our good and His glory.

We must first be submitted to the will of the Lord before we can even begin to achieve spiritual success -James 4:7 says-Submit yourself therefore unto God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Romans 8:28:
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

We need to trust in God, not in worldly treasures because our security is in heaven, not on earth.

Our faith in God should not waiver in pain and persecution because we know God is with us and is able to turn every circumstance around for our long- range good.

Our strength lies in our will to survive! The reality is that all chaos has been unleashed into our life, but in actuality God will never leave you.
If you choose it, the Joy of the Lord can be your strength.

2. Confidence in Christ

We can achieve this with consistent focused individual prayer, group prayer, and singing songs of victory, praise-reflects what he has done for us, worship-reflects what God means to you.

Surround yourself with water walkers: those who have gone through insurmountable odds and survived.

1 John 5:14:
14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.

The emphasis here is on God’s will, not our will.

When we communicate with God, we don’t demand what we want: rather we discuss with Him what he wants for us.

If we align our prayers to his will, he will listen: and we can be certain that if he listens, he will give us a definite answer.

Start praying with confidence! Re-route all doom and gloom talkers, delete and dispose of their negative comments. This can be difficult, but necessary.

Speak daily ( Declaring) scriptures aloud when discouragement, doubt and unbelief creep in. Say no to thoughts that don’t line up with a successful outcome, and plead the Blood of Jesus over your mind.

A. World and national conditions have caused a breakdown in trust and confidence. This holds true in government, business, school, church, and family.

B. Christ is still the Truth. We can safely place our confidence in Him. He never misrepresents or undermines. Trusting Christ leads to spiritual success.

3. Compassion Like Christ’s
Luke 7:13:
13 When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said.

Jesus has great compassion on our pain, and he has the power to bring hope out of any tragedy.

A. Jesus had great compassion. Because He was touched by the infirmities of others, he healed the lame , may the blind to see and the death to hear.

B. We attain spiritual success when we are compassionate- pray for the sick, help the needy , and comfort the bereaved.

4. Cooperation with Christ

2 Corinthians 6:1:
1 And working together with Him,

A. Many Christians fail to work for Christ as they should. They neglect, make excuses, and fail to cooperate with Christ in carrying out His commission.

B. When we work for Christ, we are working with Him also. He goes with us and speaks through us as we call, invite, and witness.

5. Contentment Through Christ

Philippians 4:11:
11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.

Are you able to get along happily(be content) in any circumstance you face? Paul knew how to be satisfied whether he had plenty or weather he was in need..

The secret was drawing on Christ’s power for strength . Do you have great need’s, or are you dissatisfied because you don’t have what you want?

Learn to rely on God’s promises and Christ’s power to help you be content.
If you always want more, ask God to remove that desire and teach you how to be satisfied in every circumstance.

He will supply our every need , but in ways that he knows is best for us.

A. Discontentment is prevalent in today’s world. Many are trying to find contentment through possessions, pleasures, and popularity.

B. Real and lasting contentment is only found in Jesus Christ. He satisfies the longing of the soul and brings spiritual success.

1 Timothy 6:6:
6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.

This statement is the key to spiritual growth and personal fulfillment. We should honor God and center our desires on him , and we should be content with what God is doing in our lives.

Philippians 4:13
13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Because of this promise we can have spiritual success.

As your faith increases think regularly on past victories.

Speak what you desire the outcome to be no matter what continues to occur. I am blessed, I walk in the favor of God and man, no weapon formed against me shall prosper, I am healed and spirit filled sickness and disease are far from me, I attract finances, and blessings are running me down and overtaking me now....... The list goes on!!

Commitment, confidence , compassion , cooperation , will bring about spiritual success.

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.