Would you like to be known as a successful person or as someone who just gets by?

Would you like to meet and socialize with important people?  And by the way, there is a difference between important and successful people.

Seem impossible to you?  It’s not. . .according to the Word of God specifically in Proverbs 22:29 in the King James Version which says:

^“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” 

The key to meeting, working and socializing with important people is to be “diligent” in your business.

It’s important to understand that being diligent in your business does not necessarily mean you have to own your own business.

The word diligent is the Hebrew word mahiyr (H4106) which means:

“quick, prompt, skilled, ready.”

The Message Bible translation of Proverbs 22:9 says:

“Observe people who are good at their work—skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don't take a backseat to anyone.”

Some of you know that years ago I was in politics on a national level.

So drawing on my vast knowledge of how and why people get elected. . .I’m willing if you want me to tell you who’s going to win the 2016 election.

However, God stirred in my imagination what would happen if someone were to die today before the election results were known to the rest of us in nine days.

As the person entered heaven...God allowed me to see this person asking Him "who will win the election?" To which, God boldly replied, "I will."

"The people whose candidate lost...prayed to me for the safety and protection of the country from evil.

"The people whose candidate won...praised me for their victory and the next four years.

"In both cases...I WIN....because the people prayed."

Think about it.

Make no mistake in your thinking . . .God created you to be a leader.

You can also know that the enemy has used and is continuing to use some clever tactics to keep you from realizing that YOU ARE A LEADER.  Sadly, many believers allow him to get away with this deadly deception.

You may never have thought of yourself as a leader and truthfully, what you think will hinder what you accomplish. 

The real question is what does God think and say about your being a leader. . .how does God see you?

Ephesians 2:10 in the New Living Translation says:

“For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

“You are God’s masterpiece” . . .does that sound like you’re a failure, a has been or a never was?  Not only are you His masterpiece. . .but He has plans for you.

I’m going to make a statement and I want you to get it down inside of you. . .in fact, if you get nothing else from this teaching, get this:

We have 73 days remaining in 2016. . .it’s time for each of us to prepare for the battles ahead. . .and the victories to come.

Here are seven preparations for your inevitable successes even in the midst of adversity.

# 1     Prepare for battle.

Alexander Graham Bell once said:

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”

Ephesians 6:13 in the Message Bible says:

“Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.”

The World English Dictionary defines preparation as:

I’m going to say something that is an absolute fact.

There is nothing or nobody that can rob you of your divine destiny or keep you from manifesting the promises of God in your life.

Debt cannot. . .Depression cannot. . .Disappointment cannot. . .Discouragement cannot.  Nothing, and I mean nothing, can keep you from having perfect peace and His confidence in every situation unless you choose otherwise.

We choose . . .every day. . . whether we will serve the world with all its tribulation, trials, distress and frustration or whether we will serve the God of perfect peace.

John 16:33 in the King James Version says:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

I think it’s also important to notice that the scripture says “be of good cheer.”  That means not to mope around with an “oh- woe- is- me attitude.”

Try this. . .the next time the enemy attacks you, your family, finances or health, laugh at him or the circumstances.  Tell him that you are wise to his tricks and they’re not going to work on you anymore and go back to keeping your eyes on the Lord.

But “Brother Harold, how can I be of good cheer with what I’m going through?”

You choose . . . because you are a creature of free will. . .you can choose to be cheerful (that’s what the Word says we’re to do when we stand on His Word) or you can choose the “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen” mentality.

Here are two scriptures that confirm the success of God’s way over the world’s way: