HOW TO SUCCEED IN LIFE

Byron Howell

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 CHAPTER 1

GIVE ME ONE HOUR

A friend of mine died unexpectedly in early 2017. Thousands attended his funeral. It
was a beautiful service that honored both his life and the future that his legacy would assure. At
the funeral numerous people talked about his impact on their lives. Several of them mentioned a
phrase he commonly used, “Give me half an hour with someone and their life will be changed
forever.”
Maybe that sounds like a prideful or impossible statement. Although I didn’t know him
very well, I know his statement was true. A life won’t change in thirty minutes, but the seed of
life change can be planted in even less time. A hunger for positive life change can be created in
seconds. Truth that will lead to positive and everlasting change can be taught in only minutes.
My friend knew all of this, and he had the ability to transmit these to anyone very quickly.
My friend understood that the best changes come from God, so in his love and wisdom he
would guide people into a closer relationship with God. If someone will allow God to change his
or her life, that person’s life will inevitably improve. Then there will be no limits on what that
person can accomplish.
My friend wanted half an hour with someone, and I wish you could see what all those
half-hours produced. I know your time is valuable. I’m a lawyer and I bill my time in three
minute increments, so believe me, I understand time’s value. I want to take some of your time
and in return I promise that if you listen to me your life will change for the better.
In fact, I want about an hour of your time (assuming a normal reading pace). In this hour
I am going to teach you how you can change and ultimately dominate your life according to
God’s principles. I will teach you how to succeed and I guarantee this system will work if you
put it to work. I say that because it’s not my system, it’s God’s.
So give me your hour. It’s only an hour. Don’t argue with me as you read. Just listen
for now, and then you can argue or discard this entirely later. I know what people think, both
about Christianity and about books like this that say God guarantees you can succeed in life. I
know this hour is important, but the use thereof will not break your life. It could, however, begin
a process of permanent change and success.
I also understand that many people seem to be succeeding without any help from God.
Yet I’ve never seen anyone succeed in every area of his or her life without God. We see rich and
famous movie stars go through one divorce after another. We see powerful businessmen
succumb to illness or corruption. And even if we found a person succeeding in everything we
could measure, without a relationship with God that person is failing spiritually. With God you
can enjoy success in every area of your life, and it’s a success that will last for eternity.
Furthermore, success with God’s system can work for 100% of the people on earth. It
will work for the business tycoon in New York City. It will work for the single mother of five in
Haiti. God’s systems are perfect, and they don’t regard age, gender, race, social status, or
anything else that the world says determines your ability to succeed. What I’m going to teach
you in this book, which is what God teaches in His Book, will work for you. Just give me one
hour.

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 CHAPTER 2

THE GENESIS OF TRUE SUCCESS

To truly succeed according to God’s system you must become a “born again” Christian. I
will explain why. One time I told a friend about Jesus. We then spent several conversations
talking about Jesus and God, and I felt that I was accurately presenting what the Bible says about
them. We prayed and my friend accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. After we prayed I
mentioned that my friend was now “born again”. My friend immediately recoiled at the idea.
He was like, “Whoa, I didn’t know I was becoming a “born again” Christian. I don’t think I
want that.”
My friend wanted Jesus but he didn’t want anything to do with the label of being “born
again.” The idea of being “born again” scares some people away. They think that the “born
again” Christians are the really nutty ones.
First of all, according to the Bible there are not two kinds of Christians, those who are
born again and those who aren’t. If someone says they are a Christian but they are not born
again, they either don’t understand being born again or they are not a Christian. The terms are
synonymous, and you can’t be one without being the other.
I need you to understand the amazing realities of being born again, and how those
realities are essential to succeeding with God. This is a crucial part of God’s system of success.
If you skip this step, for a variety of reasons, the rest of God’s systems cannot be guaranteed to
work for you.
To begin this study we must go back to the origin of mankind. As you probably know, in
the beginning God created Heaven and earth. Then He planted a garden, the Garden of Eden,
and He put man and woman into the garden. Let’s look at God’s first words about man because
they show us God’s plan for humanity.

And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and
over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” (Genesis
1:26, KJV)

God made us to be like Him. He made us to think like Him. He made us to act like Him.
And He made us to dominate like Him. Man was supposed to rule the earth in a loving
relationship with God his Creator.
If you don’t know what happened then you should read the story for yourself in the first
chapters of the book of Genesis. I will summarize it briefly. God gave mankind one
commandment, that they shouldn’t eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
The devil, the enemy of God and man, was already in the garden. He tricked Eve (the first
woman) and she ate the fruit. Then she gave it to Adam (the first man) and he also ate.
When Adam and Eve ate the fruit they disobeyed God and they lost their place of
authority in the earth. By obeying the devil they had submitted their authority to him. Mankind
was supposed to rule the earth, but now that authority was turned over to the devil. Let me show
you that in the Bible, for it is a very important truth. Many years later, Jesus and the devil had a
discussion that the Bible recounts for us, and this point about authority is raised.

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 The devil led Jesus up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of
the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has
been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be
yours.” (Luke 4:5-7, NIV)

Notice that the devil had power over all of the kingdoms of the world. Jesus knew the
devil wasn’t lying. The devil said that he owned all the authority and splendor of all the
kingdoms of the world. Think of that. The devil ruled over men. People often don’t understand
this, but it’s true. His rule is still in effect today, but, and this is the key point, Christians can
come out from under it.
The devil offered this authority to Jesus. However, and while this was tempting to Jesus
(as it would be for any of us) Jesus doesn’t want power over you. Jesus wants a loving
relationship with you. Jesus wants you to voluntarily come to Him as your Lord and Savior.
Jesus knows that this is the way to the best possible existence for you that the universe has to
offer, but we’ll come back to that.
The devil has this authority over mankind. We don’t want to make this too complicated
for our study, but it’s important to understand that every person is born subject to his rule, and
every person is born with the influence of the devil and sin in their lives. This blocks our ability
to succeed with God and it must be dealt with.
Listen to what God said to Adam and Eve after Adam ate the forbidden fruit, as this
further reinforces these ideas.

Then He said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you
will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.”
And to the man He said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose
fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you
will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though
you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you
return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to
dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:16-19, NLT)

This is the origin of all problems for humanity. This is the origin of sickness. This is the
origin of death. This is the origin of all relationship problems. This is the origin of poverty.
This is the origin of every negative thing in the world. Every single problem in the earth resulted
from Adam and Eve’s original sin. This is why the earth has so many problems. This is why
there is war, famine, hate, poverty, natural disasters, and every other negative thing. Not only
does the devil rule over mankind, but his authority over man prevents us from dominating the
earth and succeeding as God intended for us.
God wanted Adam and Eve to live in paradise. God wanted them to have plenty of food,
a wonderful relationship and family, and a wonderful purpose (expanding the garden throughout
the world). God still wants the same things for us today.
God doesn’t want you to experience any of the negative effects of sin. God doesn’t want
you to experience poverty. God doesn’t want you to experience sickness, and God certainly
doesn’t want you to live under the devil’s power. So God made a way for us to escape all of this.
By accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are removed from that system of sin and
death. We are removed from those curses. My friends, I cannot overstate the importance of this

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point. It is a relationship with Jesus Christ that brings us out from under the devil’s power.
Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in the book of Colossians.

[God has] delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the
kingdom of His dear Son. (Colossians 1:13, KJV)

God wants to rescue you from the devil’s authority and transfer you to the kingdom of
His Son Jesus Christ. Now listen to what the Apostle Paul says about God and His plans for you
in the book of Ephesians.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before
He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in
His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to
Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great
pleasure. (Ephesians 1:3-5, NLT)

When a person accepts Jesus Christ, that person becomes a Christian. At that moment
the person becomes united with Christ. It’s not the physical body that gets born again, it’s a
person’s spirit, the inner man, the part of a person that exists forever. Your spirit gets born again
directly by God, and you become His spiritual child. (To hear Jesus talk about this read John
3:1-7.)
When a person is united with Christ, he or she is removed from the devil’s power. He or
she is no longer under the devil’s authority or jurisdiction, so to speak. God takes away and
forgives all of that person’s sins. Furthermore, he or she is given every blessing by God that
exists. That’s right, a Christian is blessed with every Godly blessing.
Of course, when you accept Jesus Christ you are also saved from an eternity in hell and
promised an eternity in paradise with God. Those are truths wonderful beyond words, but they
are also beyond the scope of this book. We are focusing on the benefits of salvation in this
earthly life, and all of the benefits above can directly and powerfully impact every area of your
earthly life.
I’m not saying that life instantly becomes perfect for a Christian, we should all know that
isn’t true. But I am saying that now the door is open to Godly success in every area of life. I’m
saying that we have a way of escape from all the world’s problems. I’m not saying that the devil
won’t try to bring them into our lives, but we can overcome them all with God’s help. As
Christians we are no longer under the devil’s rule, we are no longer under the curse, and all of
the blessings of God are ours. If we use these blessings (think blessing = empowerment) we can
live the life that God wants us to live and succeed as He intended that Adam and Eve would
succeed.
God wants to bring you back to your original place of blessing, authority and success in
the earth. When He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you, He paid the highest price so
you could have that opportunity. Jesus paid the penalty for your sins so that the curse can be
removed and the effects of sin can be taken from your life. When you believe that Jesus died on
the cross and God raised Him from the dead, and when you declare that Jesus is the Lord of your
life, you are saved and born again (Romans 9:9).

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 Listen to what Jesus says.

A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal
life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. (John 10:10, MSG)

Whatever bad things you may have heard about Christianity, my friends, they are all
wrong. There is nothing bad about Christianity. It is 100% good. It is 100% blessing. It is
100% truth. I’m not saying it’s always easy or that it always conforms to our definition of “fun.”
Most people don’t have any concept of how God wants man to live on the earth. In fact,
according to what Jesus tells us, it’s so good, you’ve never even dreamed of this kind of life. It’s
a life walking in the supernatural power and love of your Creator. That’s the kind of life that
God wants you to have.
Christianity is not a religion. Christianity is not a list of rules. Christianity it not even a
set of practices. Christianity is a relationship with God. Christianity is the greatest expression of
God’s love, that we can accept God into our hearts and be born again as His child. The
relationship with God and the blessing to succeed in life come when we accept Jesus Christ as
our Lord and Savior.
Make no mistake, the first step to truly succeeding in life is to make sure that you are a
born again Christian. This moment of getting saved, which is truly the ultimate success for you
spiritually, this moment is the door to every other kind of success.
I once heard a man say something I will never forget, and you would do well to
remember it. He said, “If you succeed in that which is not pleasing to God, then you have failed
in the midst of success.” That really struck me. At the time I was in college and had all sorts of
success on the outside. I could spend lots of time with friends and still make straight A’s. I had
plenty of money because of my successful father. I had a beautiful girlfriend, and I had already
been accepted to law school. But was this what God wanted? Was I succeeding in His eyes?
Did I want the right things?
I want to succeed in the eyes of God, in the eyes of my Creator and loving Father. I want
to succeed in ways that will last forever. I’m sure you do too. When you become a Christian
that type of success becomes possible.
If you have never become a Christian, today is your day. Please pray the following
prayer out loud with me, “Father God, I repent of my sins. I ask that you forgive me. I thank
you for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross to save me from my sins. I believe that
you raised Him from the dead. I declare that He is my Lord and Savior now. In Jesus’ Name I
pray, Amen.”

“Do not marvel that I say unto you, you must be born again.” – Jesus (John 3:7)

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 CHAPTER 3

GOD’S BOOK OF SUCCESS

“If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land.” - God (Isaiah 1:19, KJV)

Over time, regardless of financial success, most people realize that the most valuable
things in life are not obtained with money. A vibrant union with God, good relationships with
your friends and family, peace in your heart and mind, health in your body, purpose in your
work, freedom of your time, these are truly some of the best things that life can offer. You can
experience these even if you have very little money.
I do believe God wants Christians to eat the finest foods, live in the finest homes, and to
have the highest positions of influence and authority in the earth. But those are not the real
treasures of existence. The real treasures can begin coming to you when you are dead broke.
You can begin experiencing them very soon, all of them.
Please understand the beauty of this reality, no matter where you are in life you can
quickly begin succeeding at the highest levels in the parts of life that really matter, the parts that
matter to even the richest people. Your education doesn’t matter. Where you live doesn’t
matter. Your race, gender, and age don’t matter. All that matters is whether you will be willing
and obedient to follow God’s system to obtain Godly success.
So how do we begin succeeding this way? The verse above is from the Biblical book of
Isaiah. As we read a little farther into Isaiah, we see what God says about His system.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the
Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV)

Most people stop there. They think we can’t know God’s ways. They think we can’t
know God’s thoughts. They think His ways and His thoughts are some big hidden secrets in
Heaven that He doesn’t want us to know. But that’s not true at all. Let’s look at the very next
verses.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without
watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and
bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me
empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
(Isaiah 55:10-11, NIV)

God is saying that His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. But He then compares
them to the rain and snow. They come from high above, but they fall down to the earth and
produce. His thoughts and ways are higher than ours, but they come down to earth and produce.
And they come in the form of His Word. Where is God’s Word now? It is on the earth
waiting to be read and obeyed by us. What does the Word do when we read and obey it? It
produces. It accomplishes God’s desires. It succeeds according to God’s plans.
So God’s Word is how God brings His thoughts and His ways down to us. If we will
study His Word and learn His thoughts and His ways, then we will have His will for our lives.

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Then we will do what He wants us to do. When we do what He wants us to do we will succeed
how He wants us to succeed.
The Bible is God’s Word. If you don’t have a copy, go get one. Beg for one from a
Christian church if you have to, just get one. The Bible teaches us God’s Ways and God’s
thoughts. The Bible teaches us how to be willing and obedient. The Bible teaches us how to eat
the good of the land. The Bible teaches us how to succeed in every area of life. Listen to what
the Bible says in the Gospel of John the Apostle.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(John 1:1, NIV)

God has put all of Himself into the Bible. I know that’s hard for us to imagine, but
somehow the Bible contains all of the truth about God and His ways. His systems don’t always
reveal themselves instantly, but they are right there if we will study and learn. God equates
Himself with the Word, with the Bible. If you spend time with the Bible, you spend time with
God. If you follow the Bible, you follow God. If you succeed according to the Bible, you
succeed according to God.
Look at this quote from the Biblical book of Joshua, after Joshua has been appointed the
leader of God’s people. Listen to how God teaches Him to succeed.

Be strong and very courageous. 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; meditate on it day and night, so
that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and
successful. (Joshua 1:7-8, NIV)

If Joshua would obey those laws from God’s Word, then Joshua would succeed in every
area of His life. The Bible shows us Joshua obeying God’s Word and having amazing military
success as God’s people entered the land He promised them. The blessing for success is still on
the Word of God. The keys to success are in the Word of God. Listen to the first Psalm, written
by the great king David.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that
sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams
of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-- whatever they
do prospers. (Psalms 1:1-3, NIV)

Everything you do can prosper. No matter what comes in your life, you can always
prosper. You can succeed when the rest of the world is failing. You can be in plenty when the
rest of the world is in lack. You can have amazing relationships with your wife and children
when it seems like everyone is getting a divorce and everyone’s kids are going crazy. The keys
to success in every area of life are in the Word of God.
After becoming a Christian, the first step to succeeding in life is to align your life
with God’s Word. It’s just that simple. Read it. Study it. Obey it. Live by it.

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 It won’t always be easy. It won’t always comport with your personal definition of “fun.”
It won’t always help you go after your culturally instilled wants. But it will always help you
succeed in the areas that really matter. It will always lead you into Godly success and prosperity.
The Bible will direct you to make changes in your life. The devil wants you to think
those changes are bad. He wants you to think Jesus wants to take away your fun. But don’t be
deceived. Remember, Jesus wants to give you a life that’s better than you ever dreamed of.
Everything God wants for you is for your good.
So you must study God’s Word. You must submit to it. You must trust it. I would love
to tell you that you can pick and choose, but it doesn’t work that way. If you pick and choose,
the devil will pick you apart. But if you follow God’s Word in every area of your life, you will
succeed in every area of your life.
Let me mention that the Bible is divided into two sections, the Old Testament and the
New Testament. You should understand that, while Christians are to find the Old Testament
very educational and instructive about God and His Ways, we must primarily look to the New
Testament and the writings about Jesus for our behavior. The sacrifice of Jesus freed us from the
Jewish law, so we don’t need to sacrifice animals or obey many of God’s rules for the Jews. We
are now to focus on loving God and loving others, and we will discuss that more later.
The Bible is a long book, and if we had the time we could discuss every area of life. The
Bible will certainly lead you to success in them all. I’m going to continue this book by looking
at a few specific areas that can greatly impact your entire life, the essentials to succeeding with
God. But you can pick up the Bible any time and learn how to succeed in any area. All you
have to do is search the internet for Bible verses relating to that area and you will immediately
begin learning God’s ways to success.
We understand now that Jesus wants us to have great lives, that God wants us to succeed
in every area of our lives, and that God’s Word will show us how to do it. Next, let’s look at
what the Bible says about relationships.

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 CHAPTER 4

SUCCESS IN RELATIONSHIPS

“As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” - Jesus (John 13:34, NIV)

Remember that in the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve sinned, we saw the origin of
all the world’s problems. That included the origin of all relationship problems. At that time
there was only one human relationship, Adam and Eve, who were supposed to live in perfect
harmony. When sin came in, so did distrust, a desire for power, and ultimately all problems in
human relationships. The Bible has much to say on relationships, but there is a master principle
that we can learn today, the principle of love.
Let’s first note that in 1 John 4:8 the Bible says, “whoever does not love does not know
God, because God is love.” What an amazing verse. As God and His Word are one, God also
says that He is love.
God will show you how to love and God will help you love. To follow love is to follow
God. To succeed in love is to succeed with God. And if you will succeed in love, true Biblical
love, you will succeed in all your relationships. Listen to what Jesus says about love.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor
as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matthew
22:37-40, NIV)

That is the importance of love to God. All of God’s commandments are based on love,
love for God and love for others. Every relationship you have is to be defined by love.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not
dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of
wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8,
NIV)

You must understand that there are different kinds of love. The Bible, in its original
language (Greek, in this passage), translates different Greek words as “love.” There is a natural
human love (the Greek word “phileo”) which is the type of love most people think of and live
with. There is also another kind of love, God’s kind, which is a divine, perfect and sacrificial
love (the Greek word “agape”).
God’s kind of love, agape, is a sacrificial love. It’s the kind that dies on the cross so that
others can be saved. It’s the kind that puts others first. It lets your friend pick the movie, your
spouse pick the restaurant, and your children play with you when you’re busy and will have to
work late instead. It’s the kind that loves those who hate you, that tips the waiter after terrible
service, that prays for the person who yelled at you at work. Agape love is not a feeling, not at
first. At first it’s a decision, it’s a decision to love according to God’s ways of love no matter
what. If you make the decision to love enough, it will become natural (part of your mental
patterns and a default mechanism, which is actual change).

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 Operating in agape, or God’s love, leads to success in every relationship. It brings you
closer to those you love and it protects those relationships. It restores broken relationships. It
heals wounds. It creates new friendships. It’s actually an amazing key to new and exciting
interactions. As a Christian you are ready to be a conduit for God’s love to the world, and when
you actually begin loving is when things really start to get interesting.
The power and principle of love isn’t just confined to success in relationships either.
Remember that the Bible says, “love never fails.” Whatever you are going through, walk in love.
Whatever someone is doing to you, react in love. Whenever you have a question as to what you
should do, look for love.
It’s not always easy. In fact, sacrificial love is rarely easy. Most of the time it’s not fun,
at least not at first. The devil will tell you that you will get stomped on if you love like this.
He’s lying. Maybe it will seem that way at first, but soon you will see God’s power working in
your relationships and the love which never fails producing success wherever you use it.
Remember that God has higher ways, but we can learn and use them to succeed. Highest among
God’s ways is love.
We are going to talk about the Holy Spirit, which comes into a Christian when that
person accepts Jesus Christ, in another chapter. However, I want to point out now that the Holy
Spirit brings the love of God into our lives. When you become a Christian, God’s agape love
comes into your heart. It’s one of God’s gifts to us. You can experience it and you can use it.
You can succeed in relationships with it. (See Romans 5:5).
As with most Biblical subjects, great volumes have been written on the importance of
Godly love. I hope you will study the Bible regarding love and some good books on the subject.
But for now you should know that the key to success in relationships is the agape love of God,
which is given to you for your use when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

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 CHAPTER 5

FINANCIAL SUCCESS

“The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich,

and He adds no sorrow with it.” - King Solomon (Proverbs 10:22, NLT)

God wants you to have money, plain and simple. I know there are people that think
otherwise, but they are wrong. That is not what the Bible says.
In fact, God wants you to have more than enough money. He wants you to have enough
money so you can have your Godly needs and wants satisfied and so that you can be a blessing
to others, which will ultimately lead others to Christ and bring glory to God (See 2 Corinthians
9).
I call that level of Godly financial success the “Prosperity Line”. The Prosperity Line is
where your Godly needs and wants are met and you have enough to bless others. People are
worried about the Poverty Line, but God wants us far above the Poverty Line and even above the
Prosperity Line.
God’s Word has many verses about money. Some sources will tell you that the Bible has
over 2,000 verses about money. So let’s go ahead and get rid of the idea that God isn’t
concerned about our finances. He’s expressed that concern over 2,000 times.
Remember that the origin of poverty and financial problems is sin. We saw that in
Genesis 3 at the beginning of this book. God wanted Adam and Eve to live in His perfect
abundant provision, but with the curse of sin came the curse of financial struggles. First let’s
read a very clear statement from the Bible regarding God’s desire for your finances and the
Prosperity Line.

God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you
need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, "They share freely
and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever." For God
is the One who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He
will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in
you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And
when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. (2 Corinthians 9:8-
11, NLT)

This passage makes it pretty clear. God wants to provide for your needs, and God wants
you to have plenty left over to share with others. I don’t want to get hung up on needs v. wants,
as I think that derails a lot of people. Let’s just point out that the word “needs” isn’t in the
original Greek writing. Rather, the word actually used refers to satisfaction and contentment.
It’s not just about bread, water, rags and a shack. God wants you to be satisfied and content.
God wants you to have plenty to share as well. He wants you to be a generous giver, and
to use those gifts to bring glory to Him. Here is another way we could describe the Prosperity
Line – satisfied, content and generous. And do you think God wants to give you enough so you
can just spare your pocket change? Of course not, He wants to bless you so that you can help
many people. The more people you help, the more people can see God’s love and give glory to
Him.

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 Isn’t that wonderful news? God wants you to be “enriched in every way” so that you can
rise above the Prosperity Line and be generous and bring glory to God. These are the primary
purposes for finances. If you understand this, and if you are willing to use money for these
purposes, then you can begin succeeding financially according to God’s system.
Remember that God’s thoughts and ways are higher than our thoughts and ways. In
every area of life we have to use His Word to teach us His thoughts and ways. When we submit
that area to His Word, we will begin to succeed in that area. It’s just that simple. If you follow
God’s plan for relationships, you will succeed in relationships. If you follow God’s plan for
money, you will succeed with your money. I hope you see the pattern developing.
God will move us into His financial blessings if we follow His economic instructions
from the Bible. People have written many volumes about Biblical economics and God’s
financial system. We can’t reproduce all of that here, but let’s now look at two of the specific
practices that bring us into God’s financial system, “tithing” and “sowing and reaping.”
As you may know, “tithing” is giving God 10% of your income. “Sowing” is another
word for giving over and above your tithe. These are the two essential components of Biblical
economics. Let’s discuss tithing first by looking at a passage in the Biblical book of Malachi.

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me
in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of
heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I
will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop
their fruit before it is ripe," says the Lord Almighty. "Then all the nations will call you
blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:10-12,
NIV)

We don’t need to overcomplicate this passage. God says to bring the tithe to Him. Bring
10% of your income to the local church. Exactly where you should bring your tithe is beyond
the scope of this book, but I believe it’s your local church. If you have questions about that, pray
that God would direct you.
What will happen if you give God the 10%? He will “open the floodgates of Heaven and
pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” He says He will
prevent the devourers in your life. You may not be a farmer, but there are certainly things that
devour your finances: equipment breakdowns, problems at the house, medical issues, etc. We
could all make a long list. God will prevent those things from happening in your life. He says
your land will be a “delightful land”. Your home, your family, your work, you can have a
delightful life. These are the promises associated with the tithe.
I cannot encourage you enough to begin tithing. Some people might tell you that tithing
is a matter of the Jewish law and Christians don’t have to tithe. My friend, you don’t have to do
anything! I don’t have to tithe. I get to tithe. The points about the Jewish law are wrong
anyway. Yes, tithing is covered by the Jewish law, but it was actually a custom instituted by
Abraham centuries before Moses received the Jewish law (See Genesis 14). Therefore, it’s still a
good idea that invites God’s blessings today.
The next part of the Biblical economic system we might call “sowing and reaping.”
There is no question that this idea has been misused and abused in the Christian world. Some
people would say something like, “Sow $50 to our ministry today and you are guaranteed a
$5,000.00 harvest by the end of the week.” I don’t like to say anything negative about anyone,

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but I’m not going to tell you that it works like that. I am, however, going to tell you that sowing
and reaping or “seedtime and harvest” is the primary construct for God’s economic system, and
it’s actually the construct for everything that God does in the earth.

As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer
and winter, day and night. (Genesis 8:22, NLT)

That verse is important to understand that God deals in seasons and cycles. Everything in
the earth operates that way, and seedtime and harvest is an essential component to the way things
work in the earth. This is true in economics and every other area of life. Please read this next
Biblical passage. I know it’s long, but this is very important for every area of our lives.

"A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some of the
seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with
underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant
soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn't have deep roots, it died. Other seed fell
among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.
Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was
thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!" Then He (Jesus)
said, "Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand." Later, when Jesus was
alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked
Him what the parables meant. He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secret
of the Kingdom of God . . . If you can't understand the meaning of this parable, how
will you understand all the other parables? The farmer plants seed by taking God's
word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message,
only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents
those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don't
have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are
persecuted for believing God's word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents
others who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the
worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is
produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God's
word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been
planted!" (Mark 4:3-20, NLT)

Jesus goes on to explain the parable in greater detail, and you should review it further
soon. However, you can see here that this parable explains how God’s method of seedtime and
harvest works, and it shows that this is a “secret of the Kingdom of God.” God is giving the
disciples a window into the mechanisms of God’s Kingdom, or the ruling system of God. Jesus
goes on to say that if the disciples don’t get this one, they won’t understand the others. He says
that, fundamentally, everything operates according this principle.
I appreciate this is a long quote for our section on finances, but I want you to see these
verses because understanding seedtime and harvest will help you succeed in every area of your
life. If you sow love in your relationships, you will reap love. If you sow generosity, you will
reap generosity. If you sow kindness, you will reap kindness. The importance of this principle
cannot be overstated.

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 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. (Galatians 6:7,
NIV)

This is also a key financial principle. Even tithing operates according to this principle
(you sow your tithe, you reap the blessings described in the Malachi verse above and elsewhere).
Remember the verses from 2 Corinthians Chapter 9 that we presented a few pages ago,
let’s look at those verses in a larger context now (and in the NIV translation of the Bible). I
believe these are very important verses because they are clear directions and statements about
money to Christians. They also show us the Biblical application of “seedtime and harvest” to
finances.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows
generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in
your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that
you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "They have freely
scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever." Now he who
supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of
seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every
way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will
result in thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9:6-11, NIV)

In this passage, which I encourage you to read and study for yourself, the Apostle Paul is
talking about raising funds to give other believers in need. Here he gives us some of the most
important statements on money in the New Testament. God wants you to give. God wants you
to sow. When you sow financially, you will reap financially.
Tithing is a separate mechanism, but it still functions according to the principal of
seedtime and harvest. Tithing and seedtime and harvest are the most important Biblical
principles when it comes to financial success. The world tells us to save and make investments
that promise a return. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with saving or investing (the Bible
also says that both are good) but when we give money to God and we sow money as He directs,
we are placing that money into God’s economic system. God’s returns are always better than the
world’s returns.
God wants you to live above the Prosperity Line. He wants you to live in financial
satisfaction, contentment, and generosity. If you operate in God’s financial system, you will
undoubtedly succeed financially. God’s financial system will also help you understand sowing
and reaping, which is fundamentally a key principle that will help you dominate every area of
your life.

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 CHAPTER 6

THE HOLY SPIRIT

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” – Jesus (Acts 1:8, NLT)

Let us now spend some time talking about the Holy Spirit. As you may know, God is
three beings in one, the Father (God), the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit. Those Three form the
Trinity. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, and the Holy Spirit has a very important role in the
earth today. Our relationship with the Holy Spirit is essential to our succeeding in life with God.
Jesus taught us a great deal about the Holy Spirit. Of all His statements about the Holy
Spirit, I find one in particular the most striking.

But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Advocate won't come.
If I do go away, then I will send Him to you. (John 16:7, NLT)

“The Advocate” is another name for the Holy Spirit. We won’t delve into that right now, but
let’s focus on Jesus saying that it was best for the disciples that Jesus leave them so that He could
send them the Holy Spirit.
Can you imagine what they were thinking? How could anything possibly be better for
the disciples (and us) than the physical presence of Jesus in our lives? If Jesus was with us then
He would heal us, He would guide us, He would provide for us, He would do everything for us
as our God on the earth. If Jesus was alive in the flesh on earth the world would be a better
place, right? That would be the best possible thing for the whole world, right? It’s easy to think
that way, but in fact, no matter how good it would be, Jesus Himself said that it’s better for Him
to go so that we can have the Holy Spirit.
Let’s put it another way, after dying for us on the cross, sending us the Holy Spirit is the
most important thing Jesus has done for us. As “born again Christians”, it’s better for us to have
the Holy Spirit than it would be to have a relationship with Jesus in the flesh in our lives.
Knowing how to live and work with the Holy Spirit is absolutely vital to success in our
relationship with God and success in our lives.
When a person is saved the Holy Spirit comes to live in that person (2 Corinthians 1:22,
Ephesians 1:13). The Holy Spirit does numerous things for us. Here is a list with Biblical
reference so you see the importance and breadth of His ministry to Christians. This is not meant
to be a complete list but rather some broad points so you get the idea.
 He reveals God’s will to us. (1 Corinthians 2)
 He guides us to truth in every area of our lives. (John 16:13)
 He guides us into everything God wants us to have and do. (1 Corinthians 2)
 He fills us with God’s wisdom. (1 Corinthians 2)
 He fills us with God’s love. (Romans 5:5)
 He empowers us spiritually and physically to continue the ministry of Jesus on the earth
and to live in God’s perfect will. (Acts 1:8, Philippians 2:13)
 He comforts us. (John 14:26)
 He reminds us of everything God and Jesus tell us. (John 14:26).
 He empowers our physical bodies and brings God’s healing power into our lives.
(Romans 8:11)

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 I hope you see the importance (and awesomeness!) of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. It’s
now easier to understand why Jesus said it’s better that He go away so that we can have the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit can do for us everything that Jesus can do. Moreover, the Holy Spirit can
do it simultaneously for all Christians everywhere in the world.
So as we consider our relationship with God, we must realize that Jesus has sent Himself,
has indeed sent God, to live within us in the form of the Holy Spirit. God is within us through
the Holy Spirit, and He will guide us and empower us to success in every area of our lives.
The Holy Spirit is your greatest ally in your quest to succeed. Recall that a moment ago
we used the word “Advocate” as another name for the Holy Spirit. That is a translation of a
Greek Word “paraclete”. Paraclete could be translated several ways, and it includes the ideas of
comforter, counselor, intercessor, advocate, helper and friend. These are just some of the ways
God wants to be in relationship with us now, and these words convey the characteristics of the
Holy Spirit. Imagine God Himself taking on all of these roles in your life. That is the Holy
Spirit, and that is His constant ministry to you.
Before we conclude our discussion of the Holy Spirit, we must discuss the baptism of the
Holy Spirit. It’s a complicated topic and the subject of much disagreement within Christianity.
We can, however, focus on a few verses to see its importance, and I advise you to pray about and
study this subject for yourself. It is so important though that we must mention it here.
There are, essentially, two experiences with the Holy Spirit. When you accept Jesus
Christ as your Lord and Savior you are filled with the Holy Spirit. Then there is another
experience where you are baptized (or immersed into) the Holy Spirit. This is where He comes
as a covering on you and also fills you with His power. Yes, you are already filled with the Holy
Spirit, but at the baptism of the Holy Spirit you are specifically filled with His power. It is this
infilling of His power that we must discuss, for this Spiritual power is vitally important for
succeeding at the highest levels in life, especially in God’s plan for your life and as you begin
telling others about Jesus (which will come naturally as you draw closer to God). The filling of
the Holy Spirit and the baptism of the Holy Spirit can happen at the same time when a person
becomes a Christian (Read Acts 10) but they may also happen as separate events (Read Acts 8).
Here is a very important statement from Jesus about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

John [the Baptist] baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with
the Holy Spirit . . . You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And
you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout
Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:5, 7-8, NLT)

That was one of the last things Jesus told His disciples. In Acts chapter 2 you will see the
Holy Spirit come to the disciples, and everything that happened when they received the Baptism
of the Holy Spirit. I realize this might be confusing, but the Bible teaches us that this is an
extremely important experience as you grow in your relationship with God and seek greater
intimacy with Him.
I counsel you to begin studying God’s Word on all the subjects we cover in this book.
Don’t go crazy at first, just begin reading and studying. You will grow to love it and you will
study more and more. I suggest you start by committing to only ten minutes each day. You will
inevitably study the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. Pray that God would guide you in this
subject of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Speak to trusted Christian friends and leaders about it.
When the time is right, God will bring it to you.

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 Notice what Jesus said about the power in that passage as well. When you receive the
Baptism of the Holy Spirit, it comes with power. It comes with the power to be a witness for
Jesus, and it comes with the power to truly live out God’s plans for your life.
Remember we talked about eating the good of the land IF you are willing and obedient.
The Holy Spirit changes your heart to help you become willing (because that doesn’t always
come naturally) and the Holy Spirit empowers you to be obedient (because that isn’t always
easy).
When you accepted Jesus Christ you received the Holy Spirit into your hearts. He is with
you to help you, guide you, comfort you, bring you closer to God, and generally improve every
aspect of you and your life. Your relationship with the Holy Spirit is essential to succeeding in
life with God. He will help you succeed in every area. Indeed, He will empower you to succeed
in every area.

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 CHAPTER 7

FAITH

“The righteous will live by faith.”

(Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38)

We can sum up the importance of faith by the statement above which appears four times
in the Bible. “The righteous will live by faith.” Faith is an absolute must in the life of a
Christian.
People believe that “faith” is the same as “belief.” If people believe in a particular
religion, they would say they have faith in that religion, or even that such religion is their faith.
But true, Biblical faith is much more. Biblical faith includes the idea of belief, but Biblical faith
is also a force. It is the force that created the world, and it is the force that will ensure your
success in the world.
So please understand this crucial distinction - faith is not simply belief in God or His
Word. Rather, faith is both belief in God’s Word and the force based on that belief that brings
God’s will for your life into your reality. To put it another way, if you have faith in God’s Word,
that faith forces God’s Word into your reality.
God’s Word says many things, as you can tell by just looking at a Bible. It says many
things that are hard to believe, especially the most important parts such as those about Jesus
dying on the cross and coming back to life. It can be hard to believe such things. That is the
place of faith. We must believe that what the Bible says is reality now regardless of what we can
perceive with our physical senses. The Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it. I’ve never
seen Jesus. I’ve never seen Heaven. I’ve never seen many of the things the Bible talks about.
But they are true and real. That is my faith in God’s Word.
The fact that Jesus died and rose again is a fact. It’s a fact for every human being, but for
that fact to benefit you, you must have faith in it. When you have faith in these facts, believing
them and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you become a Christian. Your faith makes
those facts a part of your reality. If you only hear these facts but don’t believe them, they do
nothing for you. That is the sad reality for the millions of people who have heard about Jesus but
don’t have faith in Him. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says about this.

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not
profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (Hebrews 4:2, KJV)

So you can read God’s Word all day long, but it will do nothing for you if you don’t have
faith in it. This is the plight of many archeologists and professors who know a great deal about
the Bible but don’t believe it (or at least not the parts that matter most). However, if you do
believe it, if you do have faith that what the Bible says is true, then it becomes personally
applicable to you, and all of the promises therein can become part of your reality.
Salvation through Jesus Christ, fortunately, is both the most important message in the
Bible and also the easiest to receive. It is the most important because nothing is more important
than your eternity with God. The reason it is the easiest to receive is a little more complicated.
Let’s say I told you that you are in perfect health but you know that you have a cold.
You wouldn’t believe me. You would feel your cough and your runny nose and tell me I’m

19
wrong. You would, understandably, have no faith in my words. But if I told you that Jesus died
and rose again, you have no physical proof to argue with. There is simply no physical evidence
that Jesus stayed dead on the earth. But I’m not arguing archeology and history with you, we’re
making a point about evidence required for a belief.
If I went further and told you that I’m a born again child of the only God, again you
would have no way to dispute it. There is nothing in the physical world to fight against my
belief that I’m a Christian. There is nothing in the natural world, nothing that my senses can
perceive, which contradicts my belief that I’m a born again Christian. It’s then easy for me to
have faith that this is my reality. Therefore, as I have faith in this truth from God’s Word, it is in
fact my reality. And I don’t mean that it’s my reality just because I think it is, it’s my reality
because it really is. My faith makes it my reality. My faith causes my literal salvation and my
spirit to become literally born again as one of God’s children. But, again, it’s easy for me to
have faith here, because the world offers nothing to contradict this belief.
Look, I understand this is a bit complicated, but this is so important that we must include
this discussion in this book, and as we continue I think you’ll see why. Let’s see another
statement about faith from the Apostle Paul.

Faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being
the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as
real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. (Hebrews 11:1, AMP)

That passage is a direct quote from the Amplified translation of the Bible, which helps us
understand some of the complicated original language words. Look carefully at what it says.
“Faith is . . . the proof of things we don’t see and conviction of their reality, perceiving as real
fact what is not revealed to the senses.”
I cannot see the fact that I’m a born again child of God, but my faith is the conviction of
that reality. Moreover, according to the verse from Hebrews Chapter 4, above, my faith is what
makes what I believe into my reality, my faith is what causes my belief to become my reality.
My friends, crazy as this may sound, this is a brilliant system God established to bring His will
into our lives.
So what is the point? First I want you to understand the difference between belief and
Biblical faith. Now we must talk about using your faith to succeed in life. Your faith brings
about your salvation through Jesus Christ. Your faith will bring about much more.
So how do we begin using our faith in our lives? The first way is by reading the Bible
and believing as reality everything it says. If the Bible says God blesses me financially (2
Corinthians 9:11), then I’m blessed financially regardless of the status of my bank account. If
the Bible says God heals me (Jeremiah 30:17), then I’m healed regardless of how I feel. You
may have a cold, but you have faith in God’s Word that says you are healed, then you become
healed. You have faith in God’s Word that says you have enough money, then you receive it.
That’s how it works. God’s Word becomes a reality in your life as you use your faith. Let us
now look at a very important passage from Jesus on using your faith.

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 Have faith in God. Verily, I say unto you—Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be
lifted up, and cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that, what
he speaks, comes to pass, it shall be his. For this cause, I say unto you—All things,
whatsoever you are praying for and asking, believe that ye have received, and they shall
be yours. (Mark 11:22-24, Rotherham)

There are two very important ways that we use our faith to bring what we believe into
reality: declarations and requests. Jesus addresses them both in that passage. If we will make
declarations, and believe that what we say immediately happens, it will happen. We believe that
it happens according to our words, and then it does. If we will make requests of God, and
believe that we immediately receive what we request, then we shall get it. We must believe that
we have received what we asked for, then we will get it in the natural sense.
Again, I appreciate that this system sounds impossible, to say the least, but this is Biblical
faith. Remember that God’s ways are different and higher than ours. If you will read the books
of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, you will see Jesus using these methods over and over again,
constantly receiving what He declares and what He requests in prayer. We are supposed to be
like Jesus. We are supposed to operate like Him, and this is a major way we do it.
What do we ask for? What do we declare? Those are great questions. Many people
have started asking for Ferraris and been disappointed. The Bible does give additional guidance
on this subject that would take a long time to discuss, but I can give you some very short and
sound advice on this.
Don’t just begin declaring and requesting whatever you want. First, spend time with
God. Read God’s Word to understand what He wants for us (a healthy body, great relationships,
the Prosperity Line, etc.). As you begin understanding the life God wants for you, you will begin
praying and declaring correctly. Also, as you develop your relationship with the Holy Spirit, He
will teach you to pray and declare correctly.
Take the time soon to read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Study the life of Jesus. See
how he went through life dominating every situation He faced. See how He received everything
He requested. Read how often he mentions faith in connection with receiving from God.
Also notice that Jesus was constantly in line with God’s will. The truth is that Jesus
first aligned Himself with God’s will through prayer and time with God, and then He
began making declarations and requests. If you will do the same you can operate like
Jesus, and you can dominate your life with the power of God, experience and obtaining all
His desire for you by faith.

Please also note the following important points about faith –

 God gives everyone faith. (Romans 12:3)

 We increase our faith by hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)
 Without faith it is impossible to receive anything from God. (James 1:5-7)
 Faith is the power that God has given us to accomplish His will on earth. (1 John 5:4)
 While you are using your faith (praying and declaring), make sure to do anything that
God tells you to do. Obedience to such directions are the required seeds to harvest your
answered prayers (see John 2:1-11, especially verse 5).

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 This concept of Biblical faith may take time for you to understand, and it takes all of us
time to begin operating. This is not something that comes naturally to our human minds, but it is
a major principle to begin succeeding at the highest levels in life. As one man said, “Faith is the
holder of your destiny.”
Deliberately using your faith should become a part of your daily life. Faith has been
given to us so that we can operate in the supernatural power of God, both for us and for others.
We are to learn God’s will from the Word of God and the Spirit of God, so that we may then use
our God given faith to accomplish God’s will and fulfill our destinies.

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 CHAPTER 8

CONCLUSION

My friends, my desire is that you would have a vibrant relationship with God. He is your
Creator and He loves you more than you can fathom. He sent Himself in the person of His Son
Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you, so that you could become His child and have a perfect
relationship with Him.
God wants you to succeed in every area of your life. In fact, He wants you to succeed
greatly so that you can spread His love to the world. He wants everyone to live in peace and in
plenty, just like we see Adam and Eve living in the Garden of Eden. And He wants so much
more, so many wonderful things are available to you as you draw closer to God and begin living
in His ways.
There are other principles of Christianity we could discuss, many others. I believe,
however, that if you focus on what we have discussed in this book you will eventually encounter
and learn about them all. The Bible will teach you about God’s systems for every area of life.
The Holy Spirit will guide you into God’s perfect will for your individual life. God loves you
and He will help you every step of the way. God wants you to have all of His blessings more
than you do.
Begin praying every day (talking to God), ask Him for guidance in your life with Him.
Ask Him to draw closer to you, and He will as you draw closer to Him. Join a church that
believes the Bible, every word of it. Pray that God would bring you Christian friends so that you
can fellowship with them and grow together.
There will be struggle. There will be pain. It’s not that God wants either of these for
you, but your enemy, the devil, will fight against your receiving God’s best. He will also fight
against you helping others. You can overcome Him using the principles we’ve discussed here
and others you will learn as you grow closer with God.
The human existence on earth is nothing without a relationship with God and living in
His plans. But with God every area of your life can be filled with success, peace, love, adventure
and excitement.
You are created to be a champion. That is true for every single one of us. You can do it.
God will help you. Don’t settle for anything less. Pursue God and His system. You will
succeed. You will obtain the life Jesus died to give you, the life that’s better than you’ve ever
dreamed of.

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He
leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right
paths, bringing honor to His name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will
not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort
me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by
anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely Your goodness and
unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the
Lord forever. (Psalm 23, NLT)

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 How to Succeed in Life

This book is dedicated to Pastor Greg Powe.

Please distribute freely.

Copyright © 2018 Byron Howell

All rights reserved except as stated herein. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way by any means – electronic, mechanical,
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responsible for any errors within the manuscript.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®,
NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of
Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New
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Scripture quotations marked (AMP) are taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954,
1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994,
1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All
rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

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