True Success Series

In Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Herb Miller writes: Two Kentucky farmers who owned racing stables had developed a keen rivalry. One spring each of them entered a horse in a local steeplechase. Thinking that a professional rider might help him outdo his friend, one of the farmers engaged a crack jockey. The two horses were neck and neck with a large lead over the rest of the pack at the last fence, but suddenly both fell, unseating their riders.

The professional jockey remounted quickly and rode on to win the race. Returning triumphantly to the paddock, the jockey found the farmer who had hired him fuming with rage.

“What's the matter?” the jockey asked. “I won, didn't I?”

“Oh, yea,” roared the farmer. “You won all right, but you crossed the finish line on the wrong horse.”

In his hurry to remount after the fall, the jockey had jumped on his competitor's horse. (Judy C. Knupke, Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts, Leadership, Vol. 12, no. 4; www.PreachingToday.com)

So his success was actually a failure. I wonder. How many people are going to come to the end of their lives, thinking they have succeeded, only to find they failed, only to find they were on the wrong horse?

That brings up a very important question. How do you truly succeed in life? How do you truly win the game of life? Well, if you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Hebrews 11, Hebrews 11, where the Bible talks about those who truly succeed in life.

Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— (ESV)

All of these people faced impossible odds; and yet, they prevailed.

Gideon was surrounded by the Midianites. He was threshing wheat in a wine-press in a hole in the ground, because was afraid the Midianites would find him and take his wheat. They had overrun the country, and everyone lived in fear until God called Gideon to defeat the Midianites. Gideon wasn’t too sure at first, but eventually God gave him the courage to take on the entire Midianite army with only 300 men.

Barak was surrounded by Sisera’s army. It was the most powerful army in the world at that time. They had the latest in military technology – 900 iron chariots. While the rest of the world was in the bronze age, Sisera’s army had moved on to the iron age. They were a formidable foe, but at Deborah’s urging, Barak gathered together a volunteer army and went after them. God sent a flood, bogged those iron chariots in the mud, and Barak led his little, volunteer army to total and compete victory. Not one of the enemy was left to bother Israel ever again.

Samson was surrounded by the Philistines. They had gouged out his eyes and gave him the job of an ox. They had humiliated him. Then they threw a big party in the temple of their god, Dagon. They stood Samson in the middle, so they could make fun of him. But Samson cried out to God and literally brought the house down on them all.

Jephthah was a tough guy, a gang-leader in Israel. His mother was a prostitute, and he was rejected. Then the Ammonites overran the country; and suddenly Jephthah was their hero. The Israelites begged him, the toughest guy they knew, to lead them against the Ammonites. Jephthah discussed it with the Lord and then led Israel to a great victory!

David faced Goliath and the jealous rage of Saul before he became king. Then after he became king, he was surrounded by enemy nations that tried to destroy his kingdom. Yet through it all, David prevailed. David conquered all his enemies, expanded his kingdom, and brought decades of peace to Israel.

Samuel and the prophets fearlessly proclaimed God’s Word even when others did not want to hear what God had to say.

All these people faced impossible odds; and yet, they prevailed. How? Well look at verse 33.

Hebrews 11:33a “…who THROUGH FAITH conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises…” (ESV)

How did they beat the odds? How did they gain the victory? They did it through faith. They did it, because they believed God. They did it, because they depended on His might, not their own. Through faith, verse 33 says, they stopped the mouth of lions…

Hebrews 11:34 …quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. (ESV)

Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, because he dared to pray to God when the king made a decree against such prayers. But God sent an angel to shut the lions’ mouths, and Daniel slept peacefully that night.