HOW TO SUCCEED AT BEING A CHRISTIAN

We want success in our jobs and businesses. We want success as a nation. We want success in our families. We read books written by men to tell us how to do these things and spend hours and many dollars to learn how to be a success. HOW MANY PUT THE SAME EFFORT, EXPENSE AND ZEAL IN FINDING OUT AND IMPLEMENTING WHAT GOD SAYS IT TAKES TO BE A SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN?

2 TIMOTHY 3:16,17• All scripture is given so that the man of God can be

perfect and furnished completely unto every good work. • Col. 3:23 tells us that whatever we do we must do it

heartily as unto God and not man.• Mt. 6:19- “lay not up for yourself treasures on earth

where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break through and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust does not corrupt and thieves do not break through and steal- where your treasure is there is your heart also.”

• What does the Bible say about being a successful Christian? Where do we start and how do we continue?

Being A Successful Christian• Requires first of all- HUMILITY• Matt 16:24- Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If

anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

• John 13:12-16- So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

Being A Successful Christian• Without a humble, servant spirit no one will

ever want to comply with what the Lord says.• Pride keeps so many from admitting wrong

and letting God’s word actually change them into what God wants them to be.

• We cannot direct our own steps and it is foolish to try- why do so many of us still want to dictate to God how we will serve Him and what we will do and not do. This spirit will mean certain failure as a Christian.

Being A Successful Christian• Requires Commitment• Too many serve the Lord as a fad or pastime. As

long as it does not cost them much they are obedient (Lk. 14:28- Count the cost…)

• It must be a lifestyle permeating every aspect of our lives.

• It requires work and sacrifice, taking a stand and hating every false way (Ps. 97:10; 119:104;Pr. 8:13). Eph. 5:11 tells us to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them. This means taking a stand.

Being A Successful Christian• Look at Christ’s example of Commitment. • He had a goal while on this earth: 1. Fulfill the

Law 2. Leave us an example to follow on how to live and how to die and the proper emphasis to place on this world. 3. To be the sacrifice for the sins of the all mankind.

• He did all He came to do. He was committed to His work and endured even when things got tough and no one seemed to care.

• We see this in Mt. 27:22-46 and in verse 24 we see that the heathen realized His greatness when his own did not.

Paul’s Example Of Commitment• By the world’s standards Paul was on his way to great

success as a persecutor.• He did what he did against Christians with all he had and

did it with a good conscience (Acts 23:1). He was committed to evil even though he thought it was right. But he changed his focus and transferred his zeal to righteousness

• Phil. 1:21-”for me to live is Christ- to die is gain• Ro. 12:1- “present our bodies a living sacrifice”• Phil. 4:13- “I can do all things through Christ..”• 2 Cor. 4:16-18- “light affliction” • He had a goal of eternal life and was committed. • Some call this type of service- too strict- legalistic-

pressing your opinion- that is only his idea and so dismiss the truth and the change it will mean in their lives.

Other Examples Of Committed Service

• Acts 4:12-20- Peter and John. Peter had healed a lame man which caused a stir among the Jews. In Acts 3 the rulers wanted them to stop talking about Jesus. But they told them that “we cannot help but speak the things we have seen and heard” They would not compromise or take the easy way out. They had no quit in them. They stood firmly to what was right. We must do the same.

Being A Successful Christian

• We must lead a Disciplined Life• Anyone can live their life by chance happening.

No goals, no plans, no direction and no hope. Many approach Christianity as they do going on a diet, handling finances or taking care of their health (no foresight, no plan- just a lot of want to).

• 1 Cor. 9:27- Paul realized the need for discipline in his life ( “I keep under my body and bring it into subjection… lest I become castaway”)

Paul On A Disciplined Lifestyle• He instructed Timothy- 1 Tim. 1:12- “I know

whom I have believed and I am persuaded He is able to keep what I have committed unto him against that day.”

• 1 Cor. 5:1-7,11- He told Corinthians to discipline a sinful brother if they loved him. To allow brethren to live undisciplined lives is sin.

• We walk a straight and narrow path. That means we are not to be as the world. This takes discipline, leadership and strength.

• We may wink at sin but God does not.

Scriptures On Disciplined Lives• 1 Cor. 15:58- “be steadfast, immoveable, always

abounding in the work of the Lord…”• Gal. 6:9- “be not weary in well-doing, for in due

season you will reap if you faint not.” • 1 Cor 9:24-26- “Know ye not that they which run in

a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats the air:”

Being A Successful Christian

• Takes an Optimistic Attitude• It is easy to give excuses for lack of service and

to find fault with everything God has given us to make us stronger.

• Think of someone you consider a successful Christian- Positive- we can do all and lives like it or Pessimistic- it won’t work- it is too hard- it costs too much- attitude?

What Contributes To Optimism?• We do not live here- we are just camping out- Our home is in

heaven.• The optimistic Christian looks on every day he lives as a

blessing from God and considers it a cherished thing to be devoted to the Lord.

• Col. 3:8-10, 12,15- but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth: lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings, and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him: 12- Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye: and above all these things (put on) love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Optimism Of Romans 8:35-3935 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Miserable Christians• Who comes to mind? What characteristics? • Pessimistic; down on themselves and everyone else,

will not own their own lack of service, no joy- worldly? All about self not others. Anything happens or is preached that calls for them to change and they pout.

• My day is ruined- lesson too long• No one spoke to me- I am not coming back• Song led I do not like- I’m bored with singing, services

are not exciting enough• Someone brings sin to our attention- I don’t like them

they are just out to get me . • Pessimistic attitudes are too prevalent among

Christians.

Optimist Loves Service

• Realizes we only meet twice a week and wants to get all he can out of it. If services go longer than normal- Positive reaction- I did not pay any attention to the time- didn’t know we went over

• Someone does not speak- They probably did not see me- I am sorry I did not get a chance to speak with them.

• Optimist puts the best spin on what happens and does not have a chip on their shoulder waiting for someone to knock off.

Being A Successful Christian

• Requires Sacrifice• Anything worth doing is worth doing well. • It will cost us something to be all God wants

us to be. • Am I willing to pay the price daily to be what

God wants me to be? • Jesus taught us the best lesson on sacrifice-

He held back nothing for us- what do we hold back on Him?

Sacrificial Christianity• Luke 14:26-35- “ if any come to me and hates not his

father, and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes even his own life also- HE CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE…”

• Mt. 16:24-26- “ if any will come after me let him deny self, take up his cross and follow me. Whoever will save his life will lose it and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it.

• It takes courage to give it all up, doesn’t it? We become secure in our relationships, what we possess, the lives we live. It is worth the sacrifice.

• It takes a great deal of faith to fully put your life in Christ’s hands doesn’t it?

• The world can do nothing for us- Christ can offer us everything. Matt. 11:28-30- “come unto me..”

How Successful Are You?• Do you believe that Lord can do what He said He could

do? • Eph 3:17-4:1- so that Christ may dwell in your hearts

through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Successful Christianity• Eph 6:10-18- Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the

strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up

the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.