Proven spiritual steps to prosperity

                            By Bayo Ogunmupe

    "Clothe yourselves with humility for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble; humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him; because He cares for you,"1 Peter 5-7. Humility is the first step to prosperity. Let us break the scriptures into four parts, one, here clothe refers to a white scarf or apron typically worn by servants. But humility isn't self deprecating.

    Two, 'God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble', it means you should put others first. Three, 'humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper time.' Throughout history the mighty hand of God symbolizes two things: God's hand of discipline and His hand of deliverance. And you need both. So, submit to His discipline and you will experience His deliverance. 'Casting all your anxiety to Him, because He cares for you.' Here, apostle Peter addresses one of our core human concerns: that if we don't look out for ourselves, no one else will. 

    But if we really believe God cares for us, we needn't worry about serving our own interest. We're free to focus on the needs of others, confident that God will spare nothing when it comes to meeting our needs. "He was successful because he obeyed the Lord",2 Chronicles 31:21. Other steps to great success are four: put God first. He wants you to succeed, what good parent shouldn't? So work on your relationship with God. Acquaint now thyself with Him thereby good shall come unto thee, Job 22: 21.

    Five, help others to become successful. "Whatsoever any good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord," Ephesians 6:8. Don't just be interested in yourself, become interested in others. Six, create a climate of confidence around you. As long as you keep speaking doubt, you will never experience victory. Remind yourself that your sufficiency is of God. Seven, stay informed. A wise man will hear and increase in learning, Proverbs 1:5.

    Observe, read and grow. If you are willing to pay money for a good meal, but not for a good book, it means you value your appetite more than your intellect. Eight, visualize yourself attaining your goal. Think and talk in success pictures. Moses did that. He had his eyes on the one no one can see; and kept right ongoing. Nine, right down your plan and establish deadlines. Make a detailed list of required activities and set checkpoints. Guard your mind and prioritize your time. Use your head by making the most of every chance you get.

    Ten, set a realistic goal and work towards it one priority at a time. Many goals in life fail for one reason, broken focus. So avoid distractions. A double minded man is unstable, if you use these principles you will succeed in life. But upon all, you need a vision to galvanize you. When God called Abraham, He promised him three things: I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing to others, Genesis 12:2. Understand this: every worthy vision comes from God, whether the person realizes the source or not.

    St Augustine said: 'Let everyone understand that wherever truth is found, it belongs to his master'. God is the fountain of all truth and the source of all worthy visions. And since He gave you your vision, you must pour yourself into it everyday. The psalmist said: "Let the Lord be magnified, who has pleasure  in the prosperity and success of His servant," Psalm 35:27. With Jehovah as your partner, you shall be successful.