Have you ever thought about this question ?
Today we start a two part series, exploring this subject.
So let’s get started !
How does He judge, what is successful and what is not successful ?
Whether you have had a great year or one of the worse years, you have ever had.
This is, I believe a vital and especially important question. As we walk towards, the end of this year and into 2025.
Over the years, I personally have been caught up in these thoughts, Have you ?
The more I do for God, the more successful, I will be seen by Him !
The more miracles, signs and wonders or the more people saved is equivalent to how successful, I am or our ministry is.
But as with everything, there is a point when we become successful with God and then, there is a point, when it becomes all about us ! This is often, where the wheels fall off and great loss can come. This line in the sand, will be at different places for different people. But rest assured, it is there, for all of us !
Two of the greatest examples of this, in the bible, are King Solomon and King Sual. Both were appointed by God to do great things. But both transitioned from God focused, to man and self focus (waywardness). This can also happen to us !
What may have started off as doing things for God. Can very easily fadeaway into doing things, in His name for us ! We can work harder and harder to achieve success for God. Which can lead us to burnout or ‘waywardness’ Where we end up working in our own strength, doing it all our way, until we are out of control,
Proverbs 1:32 (NIV)
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
Another option is to just sit down and wait for God to do everything. This almost derailed David from finishing his God given assignment. This is called ‘complacency’. I love how this verse above explains how complacency ends ‘will destroy them’.
I believe we are each, born with a special purpose ! A plan appointed by God, that He will make every effort to help us accomplish. He will provide everything at the right time for you to succeed in this task. As He did for King Solomon, King David and King Saul. But only one, King David I believe was truly successful. As He ended his life with God’s view of ‘A man after God’s own heart’
I believe the one thing, that can determine whether we fulfil this special assignment, assigned by Him . Is our understanding of ‘How God sees success’
So what is ‘Success’ from the Lord’s prospective ?
How does He judge this or view this seemly complex subject?
I believe the Lord looks at success, in a completely different way, than we do.
For example the Lord asked us to run an event for Passover this year. We planned, advertised and organised this event. Also invited people to come and share in the meeting too.
On the night we only had a hand full of people turn up. So from a worldly perspective or logical standpoint. This night looked to be a failure or not successful. To add to this, was the cost of running the event and the offering did not come close to covering the costs. This in someway added to the above feeling of failure.
But the next morning after the event , I awoke to the Lord’s words. “Last night was a success”.
So I changed my thought and prospective of the night, to align with His thoughts. That day we received a special offering, that more than covered the event. So we planned 2 more events, to celebrate His people ‘the Jewish people ’ in 2024 and planned 5 more meetings in 2025.
As you can see God’s prospective of success, looked completely different than mine on this occasion. I believe it is the same, a lot of the time too. The bible backs this thought up in.
Isaiah 55:8 (NKJV)
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
As you look back over this year, you may see things that did not work, maybe you lost out on. Maybe they simply did not turn out, the way you thought, they would. These things can often leave us with questions like. What was the point ? But don’t lose heart and give up !
Remember this one thing ‘God does not waste anything’
We see this when Jesus feeds the 4000 (Matthew 15:29-39 ) and the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21 ). Every scrap was collected, then used and it’s the same in our life’s, too.
As I look back over past two decades , I have had the opportunity and pleasure to walk with the Lord. I can see again and again, how He has done what we read in
Romans 8:28 (TPT)
So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.
So no matter what this year has been like for you. Whether you have experience a tough year , with great loss or you think you failed, in many things.
God loves to turn all these things around for good.
They may seem like impossible situations to turn around.
But for God nothing is impossible!
Challenge Time
- I want you to write down all the stuff that did not make sense in 2024. The stuff you believe you failed in, include health problems and any areas you had loss. health, relationships, education, business, marriage etc
- Now pray over the piece of paper Father I pray and declare that You are so Good ! Father I may not be able to understand, all these things that have happened in 2024. But I am convinced that every detail of my life is continually being woven together. To fit into Your perfect plan of bringing good into my life. For I am Your lover, who has been called to fulfil, Your designed purpose, in and through my life AMEN
- Now grab some matches and burn the list. As the list burns, say a prayer like. Father may these things, I don’t understand, be incense to You ! I choose to believe, that You are already working them out for good, for me, in my future ! Thank You Jesus AMEN
Father, I know that You are faithful, to work all things together for good. For those who love You, those ones who you have called, according to Your purpose. So I thank You, for supernatural turn around and breakthrough, for Your children in 2025. Amen
For those of you, who want to place an offering at the alter or plant a finical seed in the fertile ground of the Lord. Maybe you could contribute in someway towards His House, we are currently building. To equip the saints for ministry, then release His word through them, in a variety of ways.
Below is a link to a secure website, so you can do this safely online.
https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=87bf3759-ef4a-4ae2-ac5d-902b82587e44
Or our bank account details for New Zealand memebers,
Encounter Centre – 03-0481-0007448-000
If you require a receipt for tax purposes please email to info@encounterministries.org.nz
Craig Patten
Founding Pastor/Prophet
Encounter Centre & Ministries