Leadership: What Are God's Promises for Your Success?Sample

God gave success when those He called obeyed Him.

The second example of God giving success to people in the Bible that we will look at is where God granted success to select individuals because they were obedient to Him and His law.

Obedience to God’s law was not always the easy choice, but the Bible records a number of instances where God rewarded those whom He called into leadership with success because they obeyed Him.

Let’s check some examples, starting with Joseph, the son of Jacob who was so blessed by God “just because” in our last reading. Apparently, God’s favor continued with Joseph, even after his brothers sold him into slavery out of jealousy. As Joseph transitions from life as favorite son to slave in a foreign country, we read this:

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did. – Genesis 39:2-3

If you dig into his life, you will see that his obedience was flawless; and although the Bible does not say that this is why God blessed him, it’s hard to imagine that God would have blessed him so abundantly had he been disobedient.

However, the Bible is more clear on the relationship between obedience and success in many other cases. Consider Moses’ successor Joshua, who led Israel to success in the Promised Land. God gave a very specific promise of prosperity and success to Joshua; with one condition attached:

“…Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; … be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” – Joshua 1:7-8

The Bible also records the stories of other men and women called to serve God in leadership, with success and prosperity as a result of their obedience to God’s call and His law. Check these two examples:

Jehoshaphat: The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him... so that he had great wealth and honor. – 2 Chronicles 17:3a,5b

Hezekiah: In obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. – 2 Chronicles 31:21

First, we saw that God can give success just because He wants to – and even if those people were not always obedient or fully trusting in God.

Now, we see other individuals called by God into leadership who are blessed with prosperity and success because they obeyed and trusted Him.

Next, we’ll check God’s promise of success on a broader scale; and not just for those He called by name.

Reflection / Application

1. Joseph, Joshua, and others… all blessed with success because God chose them AND they were obedient and trusting. Do you think these people walked closer to God’s law then you can do today? Why or why not?
2. Has God ever promised any measure of success to you? Did that involve obedience or faith in Him on your part?