For the world, success will be outwardly measurable. For the Christian, it will be more subtle. In some ways, it will be a very private thing, between each individual and God. In familiar terms, the outward evidence of a successful Christian walk will be love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. But what these look like will vary from person to person, often depending on what particular circumstance God has placed a person in at a particular time, and what is being dealt with. So a person could appear to be depressed, anxious, angry or may have just failed at a job and yet be successful — because he is not relying on his own strength to deal with these things, but on the Lord. This is an incredible mind-shift for many of us, but one that needs to be made, since our basis for success often drives us away from the very thing that provides true success, thus making us vulnerable to manipulation from leaders, vulnerable to attack from the enemy, and at the mercy of our flesh. We need to be careful when judging either ourselves or others as to what success looks like.

Having said this, we can look at the example of Jesus Himself to see what His success looked like to others. Somehow He stirred an entire nation with His words and His actions. What did it look like? Jesus said that if they had seen Him, they had seen His Father. What did it sound like? Jesus said that He spoke only those things that He had received of His Father. So what is the standard of success we want to look for? Do our actions and words reflect our Father, His Nature? Do our actions and words reflect contentment, wholeness and dependence on our Father alone? What this specifically will look like will need to be determined on a case-by-case basis, but as our soulical senses are tuned, we will learn to recognize those who are walking in this dependence, as well as recognize it in ourselves. Those that have eyes and ears quickened by the Lord Himself will see and hear.

For many of us this is a pivotal question, since our motivation is often based on how we think we’re doing in terms of how successful we are. We want to know how we compare, if we’re meeting some standard. Worldly success is measured in terms of what is produced or accomplished: achieving great things, like the Nobel Peace Prize or earning great wealth or letters after our name. Worldly success can also be measured in terms of recognition; such as climbing Mount Everest or winning gold in the Olympics. Or even achieving and maintaining certain personal goals, such as being a good parent, spouse, or even a good Christian, according to whatever standards are accepted.

But as in so many areas, true Christian success is measured in radically different terms. For Christians, success is simply actively depending on God to live His life in and through us, on His terms. Success is our true nature working its way out into our soul and body in His time. Success is not about our spiritual relationship with God, which is completed already, but about our soulical and natural walk for our time here on earth. It is not about spiritual attainment, but about soulical and physical dependence and wholeness.

Practical Christianity is clear and specific for each of us as individuals at a particular time and place. One of the ways we can recognize religious manipulation is when we are instructed, whether by something we read, hear or think, to do something that does not have clear boundaries. Here are some “Red Flags” that signal that something deserves greater questioning:

* Vague: “you need more faith,” or “just be in the will of God and you’ll never be in the dark.”

* Unending: “you’re just not trying hard enough.”

* Religious: “Pursue your sanctification with righteous justification and humility and wisdom will be yours with the fear of the Lord.” We don’t have to learn a whole new language to live the Christian life.

* The burden of the doing is on the individual: “You can’t steer a parked car”; “God is waiting for you to tithe before He can bless you financially.”

* Dependent on something that can’t be changed (age, gender, nationality): “God is doing something special with the youth…”

* Motivated by idolatry of the will: “If you really wanted to, you could accomplish great things for God.”

* Rigid: “only those who speak in tongues are truly baptized by the Holy Spirit”; “there is only one way to serve God.” Practical Christianity is flexible.

* Motivated by fear or pressure of any kind: “If you don’t do this, believe this, feel this way, God won’t ___________.”

* Speaking for God / authoritarianism; “Because I said so”; “I’m the leader, so God is holding me accountable for your growth”; “God has given me the vision for this church.”

* Over-generalization: This is especially prevalent in our own thinking. Look out for terms like everyone, always, should, must. For instance, “God always blesses us when we give out of our need.” “Since this works for eveyone else, if it’s not working for me I must be doing something wrong, or there’s something wrong with me.”

Then What?

When we recognize that check from Him, how do we respond? Simply, “Lord, is this true? What does this mean for me? Is this something you want me to be paying attention to? How do You want me to respond?” He is faithful to answer these questions, often by bringing some circumstance to our mind and showing us how it fits, if the teaching is indeed grace-based. The more we depend on Him for His leading and direction, the more rest we will enjoy and the more flesh He will consume. If He doesn’t respond, it probably wasn’t from Him, it wasn’t for you, or the timing wasn’t right.