If you are a Christian, God wants you to become successful.  He will provide adequate direction and purpose so you can be a success.  You may not want to take the time or the discipline necessary to become outstanding.  Most are unwilling to put forth the effort and are willing to accept being just average or less.  Let me give an illustration that might encourage you to let God change your life positively by setting goals that can improve your life to be greater than you could ever anticipate.

My first job after graduating was being a high school basketball coach.  I heard of a coach who had more wins than most coaches in high school.  Prior to the first practice he would meet with all interested in trying to make the basketball team.  He would tell them that they would be judged on the following: character, competitiveness, pride, attitude and work ethic.  He then would elaborately explain what each meant.  For example, character would be having adequate grades, honesty, relationship with others, no smoking or drinking of alcohol, law abiding and a positive example to others.  He would explain pride in what you do.  Arrogance was not acceptable.  Humility went with pride.  And on he would go.  There would be no doubt in anyone’s minds what was expected.

He stated that the first week of practice you would be judged on each of these characteristics.  The second day the person having done the best in work ethic and competiveness would be number one.  They would practice with the first fifteen at one end of the court and those rated 16 through 30 would practice at the other end on fundamentals and basic drills.  Each day, that first week, you were rated 1 through 30.  If you were number 30 you either gave up or worked harder.  At the end of two weeks of excruciating practices 12 made the varsity and the remaining ones went to the junior varsity.

The coach said his job was to do whatever it took to prepare them to being winners.  If they were unwilling to work hard to be winners they should not be on the team.  An individual had to ask themselves how badly do I want to be a winner.  Am I willing to submit to everything required to help the team win?

Apply the same principles to being a Christian.  You can be on God’s success team or you can play on the junior varsity.  Or maybe you would rather just be a fan and watch from the bleachers.  It is your choice.   If you want God to make you a success you must play by His rules.  Do you think you can be on His team if you keep on deliberately sinning as the world sins?  First, He may have you work on some fundamentals to get you prepared.  He may need to cause certain situations in your life to overcome your lack of confidence, that feeling of unworthiness or inadequacy, so He can build you up.  The events you are given may not be pleasant.  God will look at your reaction.  Do you remain positive, with a can-do attitude?  If not He may have to allow more unpleasant things to occur and see how you handle them.  Did you think making the team was going to be easy?  Read what the Apostle Paul had to go through to be on God’s team. 

Is it worth it, you may ask?  That is the question you must ask yourself.  Do you want God to make you a success or are you going to go through life just getting by?  Your chances improve by reading your Bible daily and praying continually.  Allow the Holy Spirit that is in you to give you guidance and check you before making wrong decisions.  Why do you think God gave you His Spirit if He did not want to help you become the best you can be?  In turning out for basketball would you have felt okay if you were rated number 30 every time?  Do you realize it is the devil who wants you to think you are just no better than number 30?  Being a child of God everyone can be number one on His team.  But you must keep playing by His rules no matter how holy and righteous you may become.  Many athletes, with tremendous ability, often think they are good enough that they don’t have to work very hard to get better and it hurts the team.

Having spent over 30 years in management and supervising thousands of people over time I looked for the same qualification in promoting those into management positions.  It was their character, their work ethic, discipline, reliability, attitude, confidence, pride in their work and their relationship with other people.  One of the greatest assets was their willingness to prepare.  Basketball required preparation.  Being on God’s team required studying the Bible, developing a relationship with Him through prayer.  At work, preparation required reading management books, going to seminars and continually doing things to help become a better leader.

God does not guarantee everyone can become an NBA player, especially if you are only 5 feet tall.  Your height did not prevent you from becoming a doctor.  However, you can make the choice.  If you really study your Bible and pray, God will help you become the best you can be.  Are you willing to make that commitment?  It starts with discipline and preparation.  Then allow the Holy Spirit to take over.  His God-given purpose is there to help you, if you will let Him.  It is Satan that wants to convince us that we are failures.  Reject him!

Genesis 1:28 – “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  God provided everything they could ever want or need in the Garden.

Deuteronomy 8:18a – “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power* to get wealth,…”  *(ability, talents, confidence) –power defined  You are given the ability to obtain it.  It is not given as a gift.

Psalm 35:27b – ““Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”  God is pleased at our success.  Make His team and let Him bless you.