#soap # 2 Kings 1 ## Title: The Secret to Hezekiah’s Success ## Scripture: (2 Kings 18:5-7) “He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; in this regard there was none like him among the kings of Judah either before or after. He was loyal to the Lord and did not abandon him. He obeyed the commandments that the Lord had given to Moses. The Lord was with him; he succeeded in all his endeavors. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to submit to him.” (NET) ## Observation: I will admit to being a little allergic to the word “success.” This is because it is a very subjective word. To some, success can only mean rising to the top of their company. For someone else, success means only rising as far as it takes so they can provide for their families. There are many things that go into describing the word success. We have to consider what we prioritize and what is valuable to us. This is where God’s Word comes in. When we follow after the Lord, He teaches us what is valuable and what should be the priority in our lives. Then, He makes us successful at those things. This is why some people become so confused. They set up their own ideas of success then wonder why God’s Word isn’t faithful. The problem is the premise. God is faithful to help you be successful at His plan for your life. The great thing is, while His plan is usually different from ours, it is always better. ## Application: Trust the Lord. Lean in to Him and let Him show you what success is. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for being worthy of more than we could ever give… and You love us anyway.