A Devotional by Pastor Cesar Castellanos

Today’s Bible Verse

Do you know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

1 Corinthians 9:24

Vision for Success

O.S. Marvin said, “Success is never a gift but a conquest.” This means that to succeed there must be a determined effort on our part, to maintain a very high level of motivation and energy in life. We all have dreams that are equivalent to the desire to conquer something that seems impossible. It is usually something that will demand a lot of time and effort from us. Even though some achieve their dreams, complete happiness doesn’t fulfill them. Human beings are never fully satisfied; they always want more and more. However, when you have a dream that comes from God, it makes all the difference because it has come from the desires of the Lord’s heart. In this way, you can go in faith to conquer what may seem crazy to others.

The dream that comes from God brings peace, prosperity, assurance, and happiness. A person who follows that dream always sees the fruit of his labor. God’s dreams take you out of the average and ordinary and into new levels of faith. Because you believed in Him, you now have the courage to make it happen. When you start to show yourself as a person of success, some people might misinterpret you. However, without allowing any criticism to stop you, no matter how hard it is, you can keep on advancing. Nothing should worry you when you are doing what God has asked you to do.

When I found out God’s desire for my life, I understood that He only wanted the best for me. I stepped out in faith and I was able to find my place in the Body of Christ.

Great and noble dreams are the resources with which we intertwine our future. The man who longs for success should be saturated with a vision. Just like a pregnant women, who, despite not being able to see the baby’s growth, is responsible for preparing all the baby will need after birth. If we have a dream, a vision given by God, we should not be influenced by any negative circumstances or adversity. On the contrary, we should speak about the vision as if it were true, because your dream is something that is already a reality within you.

Something to Think About

In the late nineteenth century, when the Methodist Church celebrated its general convention, a leader stood up and explained his vision for both the church and society in general. He told the Ministers and Evangelists that he believed that one day man would fly from one place to another instead of just riding on horseback. But it was a concept too bizarre for many of the people in the audience.

A minister, Bishop Wright, stood up and angrily protested, shouting, “Heresy! Only angels can fly!” Then he went on saying that if God had wanted man to fly, He would have given him wings. This Bishop could not catch the vision of what the other was predicting.

When Bishop Wright ended his brief protest, he called his two sons, Orville and Wilbur, and left the room. As you heard, his children were Orville and Wilbur Wright. Several years later, on December 17th 1903, his two sons did what their father labeled as impossible. Soon the Wright brothers built the first practical airplane in the world, Flyer III. By 1908 the brothers had come up with an improved model in France which flew sixty miles in less than two hours. The two brothers worked together to achieve the impossible, and in the process changed the world.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for that vision that could only have come from You. You opened my eyes. You have taken my hand and led me down the path. My feet will not leave the way You are leading me. You care for me with the tenderness of a kind shepherd. You choose the best water and the best place to enjoy Your blessings. You made me free from all of my fears so that I can see my dreams fulfilled. I praise you, Lord Jesus, Amen.

Declaration

I choose the path of success that God dreamed for me.

Today’s Bible Reading

• Old Testament: Ezekiel 42-44; Job 15:17-35
• New Testament: John 11:45-57; 1 John 4:1-6