Whenever I have had the opportunity to speak or write on the subject like this, I have always laid the foundation on the premise that God desires for us to prosper (3Jn.2). It is His will for all men, for all time. As the renowned faith apostle Kenneth Copeland puts it, “faith begins where the will of God is known.” Therefore, if you are not convinced that God wants you to succeed, you cannot effectively exercise your faith for success. Repeatedly, throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God makes it clear that He desires His people to prosper and succeed.
One of the most remarkable success stories in the Bible is that of Jacob. This was a man who fled from home after taking his brother’s birthright, fully aware that his brother intended to kill him. He journeyed to a distant land and began working for a man named Laban. Laban attempted to exploit Jacob in many ways, even altering his wages to suppress his progress. But how do you keep down a man who carries the Blessing of God?
Years later, Jacob reunited with his brother and they reconciled. However, the man who fled with nothing and labored under harsh conditions for about twenty years had surpassed the one who inherited all of their father Isaac’s possessions. This raises an important question: how did a man who left home without even a shoelace surpass one who inherited great wealth? The answer is clear - he did it through a strategic partnership with God. I will briefly highlight two key elements.
The Blessing
Although Jacob inherited no physical possessions, he received something far greater, the Blessing. His father Isaac, the carrier of the patriarchal blessing, pronounced it upon him. This Blessing is an empowerment to prosper regardless of environment or economic conditions. As it is often said in faith circles, no matter the economy of the forest, the lion cannot eat grass. That is the level of understanding the Blessing brings.
It was this same Blessing that enabled Jacob to cross the Jordan with only a staff and return as two camps, wealthy in every sense. If you are to succeed and prosper regardless of the terrain, you must first come to fully appreciate this empowerment - the Blessing, and remain conscious of it in all your dealings (Eph.1:3).
You can start out small, but cannot remain small. As you go along, you will experience a shift by this Blessing until you become great. A small food business today can become a mega food chain if you are conscious of the Blessing and put it to work. An insignificant consulting business can grow into a major enterprise when backed by the Blessing and activated through intentional action. Indeed, there are countless testimonies of individuals who started with nothing yet became institutions through the power of this Blessing.
I recall the story of a man who, after graduating as an engineer, secured employment in a reputable organization. While he was doing well, he eventually decided to resign and start his own business. Like many entrepreneurs, his early years were challenging, but he persevered and refused to be discouraged. He remained conscious of the Blessing of God upon his life.
One day, he had a dream instructing him to visit a particular office and present his product. It made no logical sense, he had never been there and was not even certain the office existed. However, a man who understands the Blessing knows that obedience to divine direction is more important than human reasoning. He went, found the office, and secured a major business deal that positioned him for even greater opportunities.
Courage
This leads me to the next point - courage. How much can a man truly prosper without courage? Many people prefer to keep fishing in their bathtub because it feels safe and familiar, rather than venturing into the deep where the real catch lies. Their mindset is often, “what is meant for me will not pass me by.” But in reality, opportunities are already passing them by, and will continue to do so, until they step out boldly to claim what belongs to them.
God made promise to the children of Israel that they would possess a land flowing with milk and honey. They went through the wilderness experience, and saw many mighty miracles and wonders, but they still required courage to take possession of the promised land. God spoke to Joshua several times to be courageous, that was the only way to take posssession of the land (Jos.1:6-9).
In the story I shared, it took courage for the man to leave his job and pursue his vision of building an engineering firm. It required even greater courage to walk into a large office, without connections or references, and present a proposal. But never underestimate what God can do for a person who is willing to act courageously based on His integrity.
I challenge you to think more boldly and courageously about the future ahead of you. Do not hold yourself back. Do not allow fear or timidity to limit the dreams God has placed in your heart. You have only one life to live, and you must make the most of it.
The worst that can happen when you step out in courage is failure, but even in failure, you gain far more than those who never tried. Those who remain on the shore with their boats, or their dreams never discover what is possible.
Your dreams will not fulfill themselves; you must rise with courage to bring them to life. I have had reasons to stand up courageously at various times in my life and I have seen God move the impossible for me, yet, I assure you - we have not even begun to experience the fullness of what lies ahead.
I will leave you with a line from the animated movie Turbo that has stayed with me over the years: “No dream is too big, and no dreamer is too small.” Your dreams are not too big for you to fulfill, and you are not too small to dream big. Whatever your dreams are, they are achievable through a stragic partnership with God.
Shalom!
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