FAITHFULWORD.ORG | TEACHINGS

John 17:3; Philippians 3:7, 8; Matthew 7:21-23; Hebrews 9:2-9; Galatians 4:19; John 5:19; II Timothy 1:9; II Timothy 1:9; [Ephesians 2:10]

How do we measure true success in life and ministry? Eternal life does not start when one dies, but when one comes to know the true God and the Lord Jesus Christ. To walk with the Lord and to know Him intimately is the beginning of success. Success in life begins with a knowledge of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul was one of the greatest ministers of the first century church, having been given some of the greatest revelation in the Word. In the secular realm, he had also seen great success. Yet he counted all his secular success as dung if he would lose his knowledge of Christ his Lord. He did not base his success on the knowledge of the words of the law, but of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God, the Father. For a person to say he has led many to prophesy in the name of the Lord or done many miracles does not equal success. Success is not determined by what we do, but by who we know. If we do not know Christ, we do not have true success.

The tabernacle symbolizes where we come from in our quest to know God and Christ. The furniture in the outer court is made of acacia wood, which is hard to work with because of its knotty, twisted nature. It is much like the fallen nature of man. The light in the outer court is from the natural light of the sun. When we enter in by being saved, born again and see the light, we walk by natural light. But as time goes on and we grow closer to him by true knowledge, we go from the outer court to the inner court.

In the inner court, the furniture was covered with gold, signifying the divine nature of God. The only light was provided by olive-oil lamps, which signified the presence or anointing of the spirit. As we continue to walk with and grow closer to God, we enter a place of a little more incorruptibility, walking more by the anointing. As we grow and stay faithful, pressing on toward true success, we enter the holies of all — the holy of holies.

In the holy of holies, all the furniture was still acacia wood, but it was covered both inside and outside with gold, signifying total incorruptibility. The only light was the shekana glory of God. As we grow with God, we go from the outer court with the natural light of the world to the inner court where we receive some anointing, and, finally, to the innermost court where we walk not by the world’s dictates but only by the spirit and Word of God. This kind of success is not reserved for a few, but can be attained by all.

True success in ministry is not measured necessarily by how well we evangelize or how many people we have won, but by our closeness to our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father God. What we want to hear is not “much done,” but “well done.” That comes from an intimacy with God. With the help of the holy spirit, people are being brought from a state of twistedness to a place of walking more and more into the light of the anointing and ultimately walking only by the shekana glory of God. That is ultimate ministry and ultimate success.