Lesson Song & Prayer
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LESSON 32
DEFINING SUCCESS
Why is Defining Success significant? It is significant because refining and designing your life plan will undoubtedly create a path towards the vision God has for your life. Yet, your success is based on two things: your “intention” and your “attention.” When you start to acknowledge things that you are purposely focusing on (intention), you will notice that you feel the way you do because of the thoughts you are thinking- (attention). Therefore, doing the best you can is such a personal statement— one that cannot be compared to anything or anyone else.
Tips/Nuggets
Joshua 1:8
This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.
Success is often defined by job status, the car we drive, the house we live in or the amount of money we have in the bank. Thankfully, God doesn’t measure our success by these things. He does, however, pave the way for our success in him and our purpose and destiny to be fulfilled, and the scripture above is the roadmap.
When God created us, he had a plan and a purpose in mind for us to be successful in every aspect of our lives. He wants us to meditate on his word, stay in communication with him (prayer) and heed his instruction for faithful and obedience living. The promise when we follow these instructions is, we will be prosperous and then have success. This looks like having a good family lineage, long life, good health, sound mind, joy, peace etc. We serve a limitless God, which means your success is limitless.
Going Deeper in the Word
The story of Joseph, which you can read his biography in Genesis chapters 37-50, is a great biblical defining success story. Joseph is the favorite son of Jacob, and at 17 his jealous brothers plotted to kill him. Jacob his father made him a robe of many colors. Joseph bragged about it, which increased his brother’s jealousy towards him. Joseph had a gift of having dreams, and told his brothers about a dream he had which was them bowing down to him, including the moon, and the stars as well. His brothers despised Joseph, so they decided to sell him into slavery in Egypt.
Joseph was purchased as a slave by Potiphar, who was an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh. Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, while he didn’t want anything to do with her, she lied and said he tried to seduce her, and he was thrown into prison. While Joseph was in prison, the Bible says, the Lord’s presence with Joseph enables him to find favor with Potiphar and the keeper of the prison. After correctly interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh, which anticipated seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Potiphar recognizes Joseph’s God-given ability and prompts his promotion to the chief administrator of Egypt. Joseph is now second in command in Egypt and saves Egypt during a famine. His brothers show up for food during the famine and Joseph disguised himself and accused them of being spies, and told them to go and get their father. The brothers left and came back with Jacob, and at that moment Joseph revealed himself. The dream he had in the beginning, did come true, his brothers, did bow down to him like God showed him.
When you read the full story, I want to challenge you to make notes of every time the Bible mentions, “the Lord was with Joseph” or “the Lord gave Joseph favor”.  Joseph’s success was not because of his hard work, the money in his bank account, the family he came from, the house he lived in or the car he drove. Joseph’s success was because God’s hand was on him. In all of his circumstances.
If you have God’s blessing, you have everything! It doesn’t matter whether Joseph was in the prison or in the palace, he was successful in both areas. He was successful because he knew the gift that God had given him, he operated in that gift and let God do the rest. The Bible also doesn’t account Joseph complaining, murmuring, or speaking ill of his brothers. He was grateful in every circumstance all the way, until the very end. When his brothers came back into his life, he had every right to brag, to turn them away and let them starve for what they did to him. However, the Bible says that Joseph embraced his brothers and his father and took care of him for the rest of his days.
This is a beautiful example of defining success.
Real Talk
Deuteronomy 10:12 describes success from God as follows: “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the LORD your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.
The consequences are found in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. 
I encourage you to study, journal, and read for yourself, so that your interpretation can be between you and the Lord.
Resources
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When you utilize the workbook along with these resources, you will create lasting and undeniable results!