Keys To Daily Successful Kingdom Business Life 

James provides three keys for daily successful Kingdom life within a few short sentences. While these keys are relevant to every believer, it is useful to explore how they can and should be applied in your business.

Submit yourself to God.

Placing yourself and your business under subjection to God is a daily decision. It is a decision to yield to His ways and be led by His word and His Spirit. 

What happens when you sense God leading you to stop when you’re in the middle of an important project with an impending deadline in order to make a phone call and pray with someone He places on your heart?

What if you get an e-mail inviting you to be a guest on a show that you have been dreaming of being on, but you feel a strong “No, not yet” from God?

Being faithful in moments like these takes submission, knowing that God is fully aware of your deadlines and desires. I’ve found in my own life that embracing this daily surrender creates fun adventures with God and opportunities to see how very involved and interested He is in my business.

Resist the devil.

You have authority over the enemy through Jesus Christ and the power of the scripture. When you are submitted to God and in alignment with His plans concerning your Kingdom assignment in the marketplace, you better believe that the enemy is well aware and seeks to distract and destroy. When those negative thoughts, distracting circumstances, or anything else shows up that is contrary to the truth of who you are in Christ or the truth of what God has shown you concerning your business, there is no need to fear. Simply stand against the lies by standing in the truth of God’s word, and the devil has to flee. Bye devil!

Draw near to God.

The presence of God is with you always, but it is important to cultivate an active awareness of Him in your own life and business. How do you do that? By preparing your heart, seeking Him sincerely, and expecting Him to reveal Himself in the mighty way that He does. I often ask God “What’s your perspective on this situation?” and ask Him to help me see things from His point of view. 

Invite God’s presence throughout the day as you go about your business activities. Take moments to pause and meditate on His goodness and thank Him for being with you as you work. It may feel unusual to you at times, but as you cultivate greater intimacy it eventually becomes as normal as breathing. 

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 4:7‭-‬8

What’s Your Ambition?

Selfish ambition is a sneaky little beast; one that is easy to fall prey to, even for a sincere-hearted Kingdom driven entrepreneur. After all, the world of business looks favorably upon ambition and drive to be the best and achieve more. Shouldn’t you want more for your business? Won’t greater influence, profits, and prominence mean a greater impact for the Kingdom of God? According to the scriptures, not necessarily.

Being ambitious is not inherently a bad thing, but if it is selfish ambition rather than ambition that is honoring and surrendered to God, it can lead down a path of destruction.

Before I had a heart revelation that I could truly trust God and know that He had my best interests in mind, my ambition as an entrepreneur was not submitted to nor focused on Him. While I was still a generous giver and not treating others poorly, I was always looking to the future rather than appreciating what God was doing in the present. So much of my identity was wrapped up in how much I was achieving in my business or other areas of my life. That is part of the danger of selfish ambition. You can generally be operating with integrity, doing good work, making a difference in the lives of others, and not even realize that you’re still missing the mark.

I discovered that once I was able to give up my selfish ambition in exchange for experiencing business in partnership with Him:

• I found my value and security in Him, not how I performed
• I was at peace with allowing God to be my promoter and elevate me and my business as He saw fit
• I learned how to live in the daily sufficiency of God’s grace
• I became motivated by loving God and loving others well
• I was no longer interested in good ideas and focused on ideas that were aligned with what God desired for me

It is certainly a process, and we all have to consistently look to Jesus Christ in those moments when we miss it. Every past, present, and future good thing in your business is a result of God, and apart from Him you can do nothing. Allowing the deeds you do in your business to be done in humility will ultimately lead to God’s best for you and those you are called to impact in the marketplace.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

James 3:13‭-‬16

Faith and Corresponding Action in Business

I rarely meet a Kingdom driven entrepreneur who is not an action taker. It’s the nature of a business owner to work hard to see a vision come to fruition and grow in both profitability and impact.

Here is the problem.

Taking action and taking faith-filled, God-inspired action are two different things.

I am all too familiar with this from my own journey. Years ago when I left a thriving corporate career in obedience to God to become a full-time entrepreneur, I immediately entered what I like to call my six-months of faithless action. Here is what faithless action in business looks like:

#1: Relying on your own wisdom and your own strength, working as hard as you can to make things happen in your business.

#2: Failing to seek God concerning His heart, thoughts, and plans for your business and simply submitting your own plans and asking Him to bless them. This accompanies the behavior of #1 above.

#3: Chasing after every new idea to make money any way you can. Looking to see what others have done and modeling your business activities based on what you see.

#4: Ignoring the Holy Spirit’s nudges to take action in an area that is uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, and instead taking action based off of what is convenient and within your comfort zone.

I distinctly remember the day when I heard God say to me “Are you done yet?” That was the beginning of my adventure to be led by Him in my business.

Faith and corresponding action must work together in your life as a Kingdom driven entrepreneur. Seek God concerning your business plans, take steps in faith towards what He places on your heart (no matter how intimidating it may feel), and be willing to pivot when you receive a course correction. It’s through your willingness to take action that your faith remains active and effective.

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

James 2:17

Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.

You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

James 2:21‭-‬25

Lack Wisdom? Ask God.

One of the most significant assets you have as a Kingdom driven entrepreneur is divine wisdom. Not only does God give you wisdom, but He does so without finding fault in you for asking Him!  That is not a small thing, and too many entrepreneurs fail to tap in to His wisdom when faced with a problem that requires a solution.

How many times have you failed to ask God for wisdom simply because you didn’t want to bother Him with such small details or what you consider to be minor matters? Or maybe you think you should already know the solution to your issue and feel shame for asking. Or perhaps you just asked God for wisdom 10 minutes ago about something else and now you don’t feel like you should ask Him for wisdom again on another matter so soon.

If you lack wisdom (anytime, anywhere, and on any business matter), ask God and He will reveal His wisdom by His Spirit and through His word. The Holy Spirit may lead you to a specific scripture, may speak an answer to your heart, may make your path clear by removing blocks, or may lead you to a specific resource or person. The key is to not only ask, but to also:

• have a willing mind and heart to receive His wisdom
• fully commit to submitting to the wisdom you receive
• endure patiently and faithfully as you await His answer

Unlike man, God doesn’t grow tired of you. Like the good Father He is, He is right there with you both able and willing to help you in any area of your life and business.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

James 1:5‭-‬8

The Power of Perseverance

The journey of Kingdom driven entrepreneurship is filled with hills and valleys; deep challenges and fulfilling triumphs. There are times you will experience a true test of your faith.

In my own journey, I’ve faced significant financial loss in business, not once but twice. I’ve experienced the unexpected loss of a business partner along with the feelings of confusion and depression that came with it. I know what it’s like to be diligent and faithful in my work, yet have $10 in my bank account that needs to cover both groceries for the family and gas for the car. On the other hand, I’ve experienced having more than enough to give generously and I’ve seen God move in miraculous ways both big and small in a variety of areas of my business life.

The beauty of the trials and challenges you experience is the fruit it produces within you as you place your trust in the Ultimate CEO of your business and the best business partner you can possibly have — God Himself. Enduring through trials matures you (spiritually and naturally), reveals more of the nature of God, and increases your faith.

Are you experiencing challenges in your business? Don’t walk away; stay in it to win it by leaning into God through the trial. Be consistent in prayer, focus, and faith-filled action. Persevere because someone needs you and what you uniquely bring through your work in the marketplace.

There’s a sphere of influence you are designed to impact, and as you continue to mature and become more like Christ, the greater and deeper that impact will be. Your entrepreneurial journey may not be sweatless, but when it’s surrendered to God, you’ll experience peace and encounter the infinite power of His grace.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2‭-‬4

The Call to City Impact

Jesus Christ came to establish His Kingdom and sent the Holy Spirit so that His ministry could be continued through us in union with Him today. Through demonstration of the power, presence, and love of God, you are called as a Kingdom entrepreneur to make a difference wherever you are planted. 

Your city is blessed not by simply having church buildings erected throughout it, but by having believers living and working within it. The talk of the wicked tears a city apart, yet you’re able to help lift it up—releasing hope, covering it in prayer, giving generously, offering divine strategies and solutions for the communities’ needs, and modeling “love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Consider asking God what it looks like for your city to be exalted or lifted up by Him. What is His dream and heart for your city, and how might you get involved in what He is doing? 

Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.

Proverbs 11:11

Collective Wisdom in Godly Counsel

One of the mistakes some Kingdom entrepreneurs make once they embrace a lifestyle of working in partnership with God is to assume that nobody else is needed now that you’re praying and discussing your business with Him.

Yes, you have direct access to the wisdom of God through the Holy Spirit who guides you in all truth, but that wisdom is not always found in your one-on-one conversations with Him. God also speaks and gives you wisdom for your business through others who provide godly advice and counsel. You have blind spots that others can help you fill the gap on. There are others who have perspectives that may be helpful to you based on their experiences in areas you have yet to experience.

I struggled for years with expressing the mission of Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur, even after having greater clarity of how God desired for me to serve entrepreneurs in the body of Christ through the organization. When people asked me about our mission, I would answer them with, “To activate a community of entrepreneurs that will demonstrate the power, presence, passion, and purity of God in the marketplace.” However, nobody knew what I was talking about! Those were the words burning in my heart and yet they didn’t resonate with others. It was through the counsel of a God-sent advisor named David Lykken that I was able to take what God was speaking to my heart and communicate it in a way that was clear. Our mission then became: “To inspire, teach, and mentor Christian entrepreneurs to be led by God in business so they experience His best and have a greater Kingdom impact in the marketplace.” People now understand it and resonate with what we’re doing, and communicating that point with clarity served as a catalyst of growth for our organization.

As a marketplace leader, you need the advice of others but who you take counsel from is as important as the need to receive it. Psalm 1:1-2 says, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked, or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” Be careful about the counsel you receive for your business from those who aren’t rooted in the word of God and led by the Holy Spirit. Ask God to reveal those who can be a source of godly wisdom for you. You may choose to set up an advisory committee of trusted godly men and women, get a Spirit-led business coach or mentor, and/or enjoy the mentorship and wisdom found through sermons, books, and podcasts that can all help you along the way on your Kingdom-driven entrepreneurial journey.

For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.

Proverbs 11:14

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Proverbs 15:22

Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

Proverbs 19:20

Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.

Proverbs 24:6

The Source of the Steps

As a Kingdom entrepreneur, you have freedom of thought and free will to make plans for your business, but the answer (the reply and the success) lies in God’s response to those plans. Write down the business plan, map out the sales and marketing strategy, research the new product and services ideas you’re considering, and look at that potential future office space-you are free to make those plans! However, God can (and often does) guide, change, and redirect them, so it’s important to have an ear to hear and be flexible. Remember that He is the source of your earthly and eternal success. It may sound unusual (it is!), but ask God: “What do you think about these plans?” or “What’s your heart concerning this?”

Partnering with God in your business means that you commit (transfer the burdens of) your business activities to the Lord and trust Him with them. When you do that, the Bible says that your thoughts (intention, imagination, and plans) will be established (or fixed, ordained, and perfected) by God. You will have the mind of Christ and be in alignment with His will and heart for your business – there’s no better place to be!

To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

Proverbs 16:1‭-‬3

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Proverbs 16:9

A Kingdom-driven View on Wealth

I remember the day I met Ken Eldred, a Kingdom entrepreneur who built and later sold a $400 million revenue business and has since provided funding for a number of Kingdom advancing businesses. He made a powerful statement to me about entrepreneurship:

“Profit is like oxygen. You absolutely need it to win the race. But that’s not the objective. The primary objective of business is serving others to the glory of God.”

Getting and maintaining the proper perspective – the mind of Christ – concerning wealth is key as a Kingdom entrepreneur. Certainly you have a desire to generate strong profits and create wealth through your business endeavors, but if you want to experience God’s best, those profits will be the result of first seeking the Kingdom in your business. Your profit growth will be one of the things added unto you. The beauty of it all is that it is the blessing, or the empowerment of God, that will bring you wealth without sorrow and without anxious laboring!

You don’t need to chase dollars. Serve faithfully and allow God to increase your business through godly knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Profits are a tool. When you humbly recognize God as the one who enables you to create wealth and rightfully recognize your role as the steward of the wealth that God owns, it’s easy to honor Him with your finances and embrace intentional radical generosity.

Regardless of your current level of profitability, honoring God with your increase will make the economy of Heaven available to you.

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

Proverbs 3:9‭-‬10

The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.

Proverbs 10:22

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.

Proverbs 23:4

A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 28:20