A certain saint was once taken to heaven for a tour. Among the people he met and talked with was a young man who had died because he asked for it! The story goes that while on earth, this young man was supposed to step into his father’s shoes as a pastor. The denomination they belonged to, and his father, were so opposed to the teachings concerning the infilling and operations of the Holy Spirit. The “heir to the throne” was therefore going to start off from where his dad had stopped – fighting the truth of God.
But one day, as he listened to a televangelist, he got to learn that his denomination and father were doctrinally wrong. He thus made a decision not to be part of the anti-Holy-Ghost camp. That radical decision was going to put him in a very difficult situation, so he prayed to God to take him home – to heaven, because, “We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29), for we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth (2 Corinthians 13:8).” To cut the long story short, God answered his prayer and took him home early. The bit that really blessed my heart was the narration of the “tourist” which goes as “because this young man resolved not to compromise the truth, he is among the greatest in heaven.” Wow!
It is from that true heavenly account that I derive my definition of success. Success is the discovery of the will of God and accomplishing it His way; and should the devil and his cousins harass you to bend the rules, and in the process of resisting them you die or lose earthly possessions and repute, you will forever be celebrated in heaven as one who truly succeeded.
At Kenneth E. Hagin’s funeral service, a gentleman who was honored to speak at the occasion shared what Papa Hagin taught him: “success is not what people call it; success is doing the will of God” he said. Much of what is celebrated on earth is actually bogus in the eyes of those who have passed on to eternity. When people shy away from doing what they know is right, and then all goes well with them, we write and propagate their fake success stories.
My brothers and sisters, true success has a price – a heavy one. As we shared above, one person died to earn eternal success. For those who know Kathryn Kuhlman, success did cost her the man she loved. She often used to say, “No one will ever know what this ministry has cost me. It cost much. It cost everything. But it is worth the cost.”
Until Jesus takes us home, Moses' life should inspire us. “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward,” Hebrews 11:24– 26. Here was Moses, a first family child, educated by the greatest minds of the time, with military victories that earned him the title, General of generals. Yet he forsook all that in order to obey God. Remember, Moses was in line to be the next king of the then greatest nation; but when he realized that success is not titles and possessions, he forsook them all to do the will of his Creator – to achieve real success. It cost him much, but it was worth the cost.
It was only when Moses grew up, that he had respect unto the recompense of the reward, Hebrews 11:26 KJV. It is only when we too grow up in the Lord that we shall have more respect for the eternal rewards of true success. For now, sadly, few are willing to pay the heavy price of success. The fear of man has ensnared them (Proverbs 29:25), keeping them captive to the dictates of the devil and the world. But as for me and my Last Adam Tabernacle family, we shall serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15) - we shall succeed.
God bless you.