No one aspires to live an average or below average life. Hopes and dreams inspire us to accomplish more, to rise above the status quo, to be successful, and to live above-average lifestyles. What does it take to live above average? What does it mean to win big in life? In this post, we'll discuss the answers to those questions and introduce the top three disciplines you should never live without!
Live Above Average
Living above average is like a 5-star meal, made only with top-rated, quality ingredients. It's a lot more enjoyable than fast food or even 'good' meals! When you're winning big, it means your life is abundantly filled with love, joy, peace, patience, integrity, humility, faith, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, self-control, good health, financial stability, and healthy relationships. This abundance, however, does not come by chance but by choice. Specifically, it comes as a result of three irreplaceable disciplines: walking in the wisdom of God, being led by the Spirit of God, and developing your faith.
The Big Day talks all about these three disciplines >>
The Foundation for Success
Most of us are familiar with the term "founder". We often recognize it in regards to business. For example, author Robert W. Whipple is also the "founder" of The Big Day®. If anyone decides to found an establishment and expect it to be successful, then that person will begin the process purposefully, carefully, and thoughtfully. The beginning, or the foundation, is the most important part of that structure they are building. If the foundation is off, then everything you build upon it will be equally as unstable.
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Discipline #1: Walk in the Wisdom of God
What about all of planet earth?! Earth's "founder" is God Himself. The Bible clearly states that He created the heavens and the earth, but how? "The Lord by His wisdom has founded the earth; By His understanding He has established the heavens." (Proverbs 3:19, AMP) He founded the earth by wisdom! If the foundation is the most important part of a structure, and if God laid the foundation of earth with wisdom, then how important is the wisdom of God in building up your life? It's critically important. Or you could say, it's foundational! It can literally be the difference between life and death, but it's especially important if you desire to win big in life. Re-read the description of what it means to live above average. How much do you want that? Treat your life like you're founding an establishment that the world can't live without. Make a determined decision today (the big day) to practice walking in the wisdom of God.
Read more: 14 Ways to Practice Walking in the Wisdom of God >>
Discipline #2: Be Led By the Spirit of God
Note that living above average includes many characteristics produced by the Spirit of God. (See Galatians 5:22-23.) In other words, you must combine the natural and the spiritual aspects of life in order to win big. How do you combine the natural and the spiritual? Agreement. When you choose as an act of your will (the natural) to agree with the Spirit of God and His will (the spiritual), you've just combined the two realities! Not only that, but you also make the most of both of them.
Not My Will, But Yours Be Done
Your determined willingness to follow the will of God is the most important aspect of being led by the Spirit of God. It is this determined willingness that makes you sensitive to His leading and prepares you to follow it. Practice being led by His Spirit, and you'll see the rest of your life enriched in every way. Why? It's the presence of God's Spirit that changes the atmosphere around you and the direction that you're headed in life. He can open doors that no man can shut, and shut doors that no man can open (Isaiah 22:22). The Spirit of God is the greatest key to success if you want to live above average in the natural. Having said that, practice being led by the Spirit of God in your everyday life!
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Discipline #3: Develop Your Faith
Faith is not a religion. The Bible describes faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV) Also speaking of faith, here is an excerpt from Chapter 12 of The Big Day:
Using our faith without the wisdom of God in the planning ends up in a train wreck more often than not. Then we blame God and/or blame “faith” and say it doesn't work, and then we align ourselves with unbelief and disappointment.
Consequently, we end up limiting the big day as well as the future. In reality, we simply misunderstood what faith is: a spiritual substance given by God for us to steward. We fail to see that faith is not at its best when we rush past the planning stage and when we neglect to align our measure of faith with the wisdom of God and being led by His Spirit.
Did you catch that? Faith is a literal, spiritual substance given by God for us to steward. That means that we are given the privilege of receiving and growing this spiritual substance in our lives.
Faith Takes a Believing Heart
Having a believing heart is the most important ingredient of developing your faith. Without a believing heart, we don't have a container for this spiritual substance. But with it, we can play an active role in cultivating this gift called faith.
How do we develop and steward our measure of faith? By walking in God's wisdom and being led by His Spirit. They actually all work hand-in-hand. Being led by God's Spirit will develop your faith, which will then prepare you to walk more in the wisdom of God, which will, in turn, grow your faith as well. It goes along with the principle that says, "He who is faithful in little will be given much." (Luke 19:15-19) Develop your faith by using it! The more intentional you are about developing your faith, the more you'll find yourself being led by the wisdom and Spirit of God in everyday decisions and life endeavors. And then notice how you begin to live above average! It's a win-win-win.
Now what? Check out Change Your Thinking: Powerful Learning Agenda (PLA) >>
