Success is not a native of any land, race, tribe or nation, neither is it an alien to any; the same goes for failure Col. 3:11; Gal. 3:28; Acts 10:35.36. Anyone can succeed if only he knows what it takes and applies himself to the demands Jos. 1:8. Success is not cheap; it is at a cost, but failure could be more costly.

Covenant Demands for Success.

1. The Discipline Factor.

What is discipline?

i) Discipline is Possessing a Sense of Mission in Pursuit of Any Given Task.

A sense of mission will birth the commitment and passion for pursuit that leads to success 1Cor. 6:12; Php. 1:21.

ii) Discipline is Operating as Commanded and not as Convenient.

The cheap way to success and the top is to be aligned to required commandments Neh. 4:21-23; 2Tim. 2:3-6.

iii) Discipline (self) is being a law to one’s self in a bid to accomplish a desired goal.

Lawlessness is the breeding ground for failure; anyone who has no respect for laws cannot experience success no matter how much he prays, serves, and labors Neh. 5:14-15; 1Cor. 9:24-27.

iv) Discipline is About Staying Focused on One’s Mission.

Focus on one’s mission is vital to command success Mat. 6:22. Discipline is the force that empowers one to stay focused, and not given to distraction, which are all around Pro. 4:25.

v) Discipline is All About Making the Most of One’s Time.

Time is life; how we make use of it makes the difference between success and failure in each life Eph. 5:4-5; Col. 4:5. Every person, rich and poor, great and peasant, has equal time: 7 days per week and 24 hours per day; how we use it determines our outcome in life. Discipline empowers for effective use of time to deliver success.

Scriptural Examples of Giants Made by Discipline.

1. Joseph.

Joseph sold as slave, became a prisoner, but emerged eventually the Prime Minister of Egypt, the strongest nation of his days against all odds Gen. 41:38-44. Discipline was a vital secret of his rise, and check his testimonies:

• He didn’t convert or divert Pharoah’s resources to himself despite no supervision Gen. 39:1-6.
• He refused sexual advances from Pharoah’s wife despite pressure Gen. 39:7-12.
• He was diligent in prison despite the unjust way he got there Gen. 39:20-21.

2. Daniel.

Daniel was war-captive brought to Babylon, but was enthroned through discipline Dan. 2:48-49; 6:3. Daniel’s testimonies of discipline:

• He purposed not to be defiled in spite of enticement of sin and pressure Dan. 1:8-10.
• He stood for God at the risk of his position and life Dan. 6:1-4.

3. Paul the Apostle.

Paul was the least of the apostles but emerged a most celebrated through discipline Acts 19:8-12,14-15. These testimonies of Paul show his virtue of discipline.

• He placed himself under subjection 1Cor. 9:27.
• He wrote about 50% of the New Testament Eph. 3:1-5,8-11.

How to Develop the Virtue of Discipline.

1. Make the choice for discipline Deu. 30:19.
2. Love and operate by rules and laws 1Cor. 9:25-27.
3. Depend on the Holy Spirit Acts 8:26.

Conclusion.

By redemption, every believer has what it takes to succeed in an outstanding way in life Mat. 5:13-16. Each one only needs to pay the price, and nothing can stop his emergence at the top!

Salvation Prayer.

To anyone reading this who desires to give their life to Christ, pray this prayer out loud with me from your heart:

“Lord Jesus, I surrender my life to you today. Forgive me my sins; wash me with your blood. I believe you died for me; on the third day you rose again that I may be justified. Right now, I believe that my sins are forgiven; I’m justified by your blood; I’m born-again; I’m saved; I’m a child of God; I’m free from the power of sin to serve the living God. Thank you, Jesus, for receiving me; thank you Jesus for restoring me; thank you Jesus for saving me. Amen!”

Prayer.

1. Father, endow me with your grace for discipline as a lifestyle, thereby empowering me to rise to the top beginning from this month Mat. 5:14.