This article is about ‘Flow’. Flow, by definition, means a moving stream of something going forward. For instance, a flow of water or a flow of numbers like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The number 2 follows 1, 3 follows 2, etc. To get to the number 5, you go through the previous 4 numbers. This article is about a Christian flow. A flow that I have seen of how God moves us forward in his ways. The Flow in this article is: “4S Levels of Living : Start > Survival > Stability > Success”. 

This flow is very important to understand as a Christian. You never go directly to success. It is a process that requires you doing your part following Holy Spirit as he does his part. The way includes difficulties. It requires fighting to move forward. You and your circumstances need to change. Why? You are unsuccessful now in some area because of your behavior, which comes from your thinking. So your thinking needs to change and then your behavior will change to allow success to flow. It will not just happen. Success requires at least 3 prior steps—start, survival, and stability. We will look at each of these steps. Time to flow.

Start

First step to success is to decide to change your thinking, which will change your actions, which will lead to success. How do I know where to start? First, pick an area in your life that is not in order, it might even be chaos. Second, commit that area to God. Third, repent for living your life the way you wanted. This behavior is called lawlessness in the Bible. This means you became your own law instead of following God’s rules. You might not even know you have been doing that. Fourth, ask God to show you how to live his way. This may require some research on your part from the Bible, a counselor, or friend who knows the Bible. Once you have these steps and take them you have started! 

Survival

Why is the next step survival? When you decide to change your life, it starts a war. Some of it is from the devil who doesn’t want you to change. But most of it is your own mind and emotions who have had their way for so long they don’t want you to change. Either way, there is a period where it is tough to break old habits and to let the devil and your mind know you are not going back. You may even have conflict with others. Pray often for Holy Spirit to give you self-control and power to overcome. If you fall back to your old behavior, repent, and start again. Hang on! It will not last forever. Holy Spirit will change you if you keep your eyes on him.

Stability

When you start and survive the war, eventually things will get easier. Your new way of living by God’s ways will become second nature. The war will ease, and you will enter a period of stability. When this happens, congratulate yourself for your hard work. Thank Holy Spirit daily for helping you to change. The Bible calls this ‘renewing your mind’ in Romans 12:2. This is a good time in your life. You are reaping the benefits of righteous (right) living. You realize the war was worth it! 

Success

Success comes when you decide to start a pattern of living in God’s ways. You then survive the war of the old way by saying NO to certain behaviors and YES to others. You don’t stop changing even though you may be barely surviving. Success then follows. Success is the fruit and blessings of following God in the areas you have applied his ways. People will wonder how come you are so fruitful. They will say it is not fair. They will think you got something from God dropped on your head from heaven. They will not realize you got in the flow and walked through the 4 steps. But you can share it with them and then encourage them to make the changes too. 

Closing

These 4 steps will need to be repeated in every area of your life that does not line up with God’s ways. It is a lifelong task. Some areas you may need to go back to and repeat the process if you drift from God’s rules. But, over time, you will accumulate more and more areas of your life under his control, which will bring success. It is worth it. When you do this, you are on the path to becoming wise and mature. You will never regret it. Stay in the Flow.