Mars Hill Fellowship

Finding Success through Godly Wisdom

SERIES |

Living in Godly Success

SCRIPTURE |

Proverbs 2:1-22

SPEAKER |

Pastor Joseph Ardayfio

KEY THEME |

I.  Having defined what Godly success looks like, we focus the sermon series on understanding how to attain and manage Godly success in our lives.

II.  The Bible records the wisdom and success of Solomon, son of King David

1. God gave Solomon the opportunity to ask for anything and Solomon prudently asked for wisdom: “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people.” (2 Chronicles 1:10)
2. God answered Solomon’s prayer.  “¹¹Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, ¹² therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” (2 Chronicles 1:11-12)
3. Solomon lived in Godly success: He continually delighted in God so that every area of his life reflected whom God created him to be.
4. In 2 Chronicles 9, the fame and success of Solomon caused the Queen of Sheba to acknowledge God’s favor upon him. “² Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. ³ When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, ⁴ the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. ⁵ She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. ⁶ But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. ⁷ How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! ⁸ Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.” 

III.  Not only did Solomon achieve Godly success in every area of his life, but he left us with instructions on how to achieve similar success.

IV.  In Proverbs 2, Solomon shares that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom that leads to success.

1. “For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  7 He holds victory [success] in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.”
2. We must prioritize that voices that we are listening to. Many of us start on the path of achieving success by finding the best marketplace leaders to mimic. But in the kingdom of God, our first priority is to 1) Obey God, 2) Obey Kingdom Principles and 3) Listen to marketplace leaders. We acknowledge that the “Lord gives wisdom” in every area because the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.

V.  Obeying God allows our ways to be prosperous and successful even though it may require a longer journey than those who cut corners and achieve a level of success by their own strength.

1. Solomon predicates finding Godly success on our diligent search and understanding of Godly wisdom.
2. “¹ If you accept my words and store up my commands within you, ² turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, ³ and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, ⁴ and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure.”
3. One commentator writes, “What are we to do with God’s Word: receive it, hide it in the heart, incline the heart toward it, apply it to our lives, cry out to God for wisdom, and search the Word to find God’s will.”

VI.  Godly wisdom protects our footsteps (v9-11)

1. The blessing of Godly wisdom is that it provides us with an understanding of what is right and just and fair—every good path.
2. When we apply God’s wisdom, it is relevant to every area of knowledge. God’s word becomes guardrails for our knowledge and insight in every area of endeavor.

VII.  Godly wisdom saves us from the ways of wicked men (v12-15)

1. Living in Godly success is a product of Godly choices. We can either choose to trust God and his path to success or we can accomplish success through our own methods
2. The danger of leaving God out of our path to success is that we can fall prey to those whose “paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.” (Psalms 2:15)
3. Solomon indicates that Godly wisdom allows us to avoid the snare of those who walk in dark ways. Following Godly wisdom saves us from the unnecessary difficulties.

VIII.  Godly wisdom saves us from the lusting after success (v16-19)

1. Solomon exposes how an adulteress uses seductive words to entice others to abandon their covenant before God.
2. If we achieve success, but abandon our calling as “a royal prienthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God,” then, we are just like the one who gets lured into compromise by the adulteress. The path of the adulteress “leads down to death.”
3. By following Godly wisdom and obeying God, we resist the lustful temptations that success can bring. We remain committed to God and allow our success to be a reflection of God’s glory rather than our own glory.
4. The more success that we achieve, the more that we have to guard against the things that can replace God and eventually rob us of further success.