You can turn on the TV or look on the internet and see many prominent people telling you, “Look! I've found the secret of success!” If you met them, you could ask, “Can you tell me what success is?” And they might say it’s about possessions. Or power. Even pleasure or pursuing your own path. For me, when I was young, it was about sports!
I laugh about it now, but there was a time in my life when I thought success meant being able to go to every World Series, every Olympics, and every college championship game or Super Bowl. I thought, boy, if I could do that, I’d really be successful!
But let me share the real secret of success with you today: Ultimate success comes only to those who walk with God.
God doesn't just arbitrarily throw around success, and He doesn't define it the way our celebrity culture does. No matter what you’re promised on TV, God doesn't say, “I’m going to throw a favor at you! I’m going to heal you! I’m going to give you a million dollars!”
Oh, no. Real successes—read carefully (and don’t let any other definition operate in your life)—is… walking… with… God.
But why is that success? Because God made us for Himself! Psalm 139:14 says we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” When your father and mother came together and you were conceived, God put a purpose and a plan in your life, along with gifts and talents.
For what purpose? Read Psalm 32—not as a horse running ahead of God… not as a donkey delaying… neither ahead, nor behind… but so He can touch us. We can touch Him. We can hear Him… and He can hear us! Then, at the end of our walk, our road, what is our ultimate success? Jesus Himself promises,
“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also,” (John 14:2).
That is the real secret of success. That is the winning walk!
