7 Keys To Immediate Financial Success

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I just love the unction of the Holy Spirit. . .how He corrects and directs at the same time.  I even have to smile at how He does it. . .in ways you least expect it.

Recently, I was reading a book. . .which I wouldn't recommend for everybody. . .that's why I'm not giving you the title.

This particular author listed three reasons he thinks people are unsuccessful.  He said people are:   # 1 lazy, # 2 stupid and # 3 they don't give a . . . . well you know that means something I’d never say.

As I read what he wrote. . .I thought. . .I'll write the seven reasons people are unsuccessful.  Suddenly, the Spirit of the Lord said: "No."

Instead, I was very clearly directed to write the "Seven Keys To Your Immediate Financial Success.  Now that's what I've done and here are the seven keys.

1.       You gotta have the right attitude about whatever you’re facing.

The measure of any person. . .Christian or heathen. . .is determined by how they respond to adversity.

A negative attitude and/or response will eventually result in failure.

A positive attitude and/or response situations will ultimately lead to success.

Failure is almost always a result of our attitude or response to unfavorable circumstances.

The word circumstance is literally defined as the circle you’re standing in.  If you’re standing still then you will have to deal with what’s within that circle or those circumstances . . . but if you’re moving from glory unto glory . . . you are leaving those circumstances behind.

The right kind of attitude will turn trouble into a turnaround for success.

Your attitude is what takes you through the challenges of everyday living.

What kind of attitude should you have?  HIS. . . that’s right.  His attitude.  It’s just that simple.  Here are three powerful scriptures to illustrate our point.

First, Philippians 2:5 in the New Living Translation says:

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”

The Contemporary English Version of Philippians 2:5 puts it this way:

“And think the same way that Christ Jesus thought.”

Second, and perhaps, most succinctly stated. . .Romans 12:2 in the New Living Translation says:

“…Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”

Finally, Ephesians 4:23 in the Amplified Bible says:

“And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude].”

Be careful how you act and react. . .you attitude is showing.

2.       If you’re just fired up. . .you might flame out.

I once heard someone say that a positive attitude and enthusiasm is all you need to succeed.  While it’s critically important to be enthusiastic with a great attitude . . . there is more to this story.

Dr. James Dobson once said:

“Enthusiasm is no substitute for preparation.” 

Seen people are fired up. . .but never get around to what to do next.

There are three kinds of people:

1.       Those who know their purpose and are actively pursuing it.

2.       Those who don’t know their purpose but would like to know.

3.       Those who don’t know their purpose or if they even have one.

Proverbs 19:2 in the New Living Translation says:

“Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.”

I’ve heard it said that knowledge is power.  That sounds nice.  It’s become a cliché but it’s not the whole truth.  It’s not just the knowledge you have that makes a difference but what you do with that knowledge.

It’s not what you know. . .it’s what you do with what you know. . .that makes you somebody (God’s body).

Knowledge also requires preparation.

The World English Dictionary defines preparation as:

“the act or process of preparing and the state of being prepared; readiness”

As I’ve always said. . .preparation is a mental decision before it becomes a practical reality.

Psalm 90:12 says:

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

The word number is the Hebrew word manah (H4487) in the Strong’s Concordance and it means:

“to count, reckon, assign, tell, appoint, prepare.”

I think it’s significant that the definition of number includes the words “assign,” “appoint” and “prepare.”

We’re to prepare our days.  With knowledge and preparation we can expect manifestation.

Joshua 3:5 in the New Living Translation should become our expectation for each new day.

“For tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.”

3.       Dress to impress. . . but also clothe your mind.

Have you ever heard the expression that “clothes make the man?”

Sounds to me like an English tailor coined the phrase.  I know the phrase does have an English origin but I can’t prove it came from a tailor.

According to most of the sources I Googled . . .the phrase means what you wear determines who you are, who you think you are or who others think you are.

The assumption is that when you see a person who is well-dressed it is a reflection of their professionalism and character.  That may have been true in the day especially when people worn uniforms for their profession. . .but not in this day and age.

I can assure you that a woman with a Versace dress, Louie Vuitton purse, Jimmy Choo shoes and a Christophe hairstyle. . .is not necessarily a person of character.

The same is true of a man wearing an Armani suit, an Eton shirt, a Satya tie and Testoni shoes.

You can be dressed to the nines but if what you say when you open your mouth doesn’t impress . . . it won’t matter how you’re dressed.

Don’t get me wrong. . .I do believe in dressing for success. . .but what I wear doesn’t necessarily tell you who I am.

There are times when what you wear will get you in a door but it will take who you are  . . . to keep you there.

1 Peter 3:3-4 in the New Living Translation says:

“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”

God is more concerned about what He sees inside you than what He sees on the outside of you.

1 Samuel 16:7 in the Amplified Bible says:

“But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

When you rise in the morning. . .dressing your mind. . .is just as important as dressing your body.

You don’t want either one to be naked. . .or you’ll draw unwanted attention to yourself.

4.       Stop looking in the rearview mirror.

If I’ve had a re-occurring theme. . .it’s simply this . . . stop looking in the rearview mirror.

Regretting what happened or didn’t happen in the past is a waste of your mental energy.

You need to let go of what’s been holding you back.

Luke 9:62 in the New Century Version says:

“Jesus said, "Anyone who begins to plow a field but keeps looking back is of no use in the kingdom of God."

If you’re waiting to bring in a new harvest. . .if you want to reap the benefit of what you’ve sown. . .then stop looking back.

If someone has hurt you in the past. . .leave it there.  Don’t harbor any resentment . . . don’t add any painful memories to your mental play list.

God will not bring up your past. . .but the enemy will.  Yet, the enemy can only get away with it if you let him.  That’s why you have to forget the past and move forward.

Philippians 3:13-15 in the New King James Version says:

“. . .forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

So it’s time to get rid of things that are old, borrowed and blue. . .so God can move you out of your comfort zone into something new.

Isaiah 43:19 in the New Living Translation says:

“For I am about to do something new.  See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway through the wilderness.  I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”

God can’t do something new. . .as long as you’re living in the past with the old.

5.       It’s not what you know. . .it’s what you do with what you know.

Knowing and doing. . .keeping procrastination out of your life. . . is essential to your financial success.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 in the Message Bible says:

“There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth.”

Someone said once:

“Never put off today. . .what you can put off tomorrow.”

Procrastination is defined in Webster’s New World Dictionary as:

“To put off doing something until a future time; to postpone or defer taking action.”

Are you a procrastinator?  Here are ten questions to help you determine if you’re a procrastinator:

  1. Do you wait to the last minute to undertake an important task, duty or assignment?
  2. Do you buy birthday and anniversary cards and presents on the day of the celebration?
  3. Do you postpone and reschedule doctor and dentist appointments?
  4. Do you make up excuses why certain small assignments haven’t been completed?
  5. Do you wait until Christmas Eve to buy presents for your loved ones?
  6. Do you always get an extension for filing your income tax return?
  7. Do you constantly postpone your plans to clean out the attic, garage or your desk?
  8. Do you delay calling creditors about disputes on your monthly statements?
  9. Do you forget until the deadline has expired before sending in the rebate slip from a purchase you’ve made?

10.Do you avoid scheduling difficult conversations with family members, your     supervisor or fellow employees?

If you answered “yes” to three or more of the above questions. . .then you are in fact a procrastinator or have procrastinator tendencies.  If you are one. . . STOP IT NOW!

You will never achieve the success God intended for you to achieve if you procrastinate.

You have a choice. . .you can either follow the advice of comedian, Sam Levenson, who said:

“I’m going to stop putting things off … tomorrow.”

Or you can follow the words found in the New Living Translation of Proverbs 6:4 which says:

“Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do.”

6.       Your circle of friends. . .will often determine your circle of blessing.

If you tell me about your friends. . .I can tell you what your habits are. . .what your goals are. . .what hindrances you face. . .how you spend your time. . .and what you will ultimately achieve in life.

1 Corinthians 15:33 in the Amplified Bible says:

“Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.”

Proverbs 13:20 in the New Living Translation says:

“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”

Make a list of your top seven friends. . .and ask yourself the following questions.

Do you learn from your friends or do your friends learn from you?

How do your friends respond to your goals and dreams for success. . .financial and otherwise?

What I’m about to say is not a question but a definite fact.

If you’re the smartest person in your circle of friends. . .you need new friends.

Truthfully, you and your friends should be striving to become involved in another circle.

Psalm 25:12,13 in The Living Bible says:

"Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best.  He shall live within God's circle of blessing."

Your friends . . . should fear the Lord.  Your friends should have a passion to be their best so they can become His best.

Your circle of friends will determine in large measure your circle of blessings.

Child of God, if there’s one place I want you to be. . .it’s in God’s circle of blessing.

One more thing. . .if your current friends think your goal is to make them happy. . .then you have a problem.  Let me give you an absolute fact.

If you spend your life trying to please people. . .you will never please your Heavenly Father.

Someone once said:

“If you want to be a failure in life, just try to make everybody happy.”

7.       Focus is either a destiny maker or a destiny breaker.

Luke 9:41 in the Message Bible says:

“Jesus said, "What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this?”       

Focus can be simply defined as ‘whatever has your attention.’  It’s clear that God wants us focused on His plan for our lives

God wants us blessed so we can be a blessing and thus establish His covenant in the earth.  If focus is important to God, then it should be important to us.

Anthony Robbins, the noted author and motivational speaker, said:

It's not what's happening to you now or what has happened in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it's your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you're going to do about them that will determine your ultimate destiny.

This is the day for you to determine that you will focus on your destiny.

God gave me a very powerful statement. . .which you and I need to get down in our spirits.

Don't focus on your setbacks...spend your time planning your comeback.

I’ve said numerous times before that our focus will either be a destiny maker or a destiny breaker. . .we desire.

When it comes to miracle manifestation. . .we must focus our faith. . .and we must be specific.

In fact, you need to be very specific when you ask God to empower you for success.

Be exact in your request for a specific salary increase or business opportunity.  Don’t simply ask for “more” money.

Focus on the particular need you want God to meet.  Focus on your plan for success.

Don’t let anyone’s attitude or words distract you.

Finally, heed the words found in the Message Bible translation of Hebrews 12:2-3 which says:

“We’d better get on with it. . .keep your eyes on Jesus. . .Study how he did it.  Because he never lost sight of where he was headed.”

If you want to be successful . . . never lose sight of where you’re headed.

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