I once got into a business venture that ended with my partner borrowing over $130,000 from my credit cards with no ability to pay me back before the payments were due. Imagine owing that much money to credit card companies, and you can't make the minimum payment. The situation nearly destroyed me. I couldn't sleep at night. I was angry and bitter. I had no idea how I was going to get out of this mess. My partner also didn't have a way to repay me. It was a dark time in my entrepreneurial journey. Now here's the weird part about all of this: while I was going through this terrible external situation, I was still growing in my walk with God. I read my Bible, wrote my blog posts for Daily Godpreneur, and put out my YouVersion devotionals. Nobody would have ever guessed that I was going through such a bad business situation as I was in. But if I could sum up all of my feelings into one statement, it would be this: the inner peace that Christ promises doesn't feel like very much when everything is chaos around the business. Can I get an 'AMEN' from my Christian entrepreneurs? The struggle is REAL! Entrepreneurship in the spirit, and the inner peace it brings, is a nice thing to have, but when our outer business situation is terrible, inner peace might not feel like it's worth very much. However, does accepting the present automatically lead to a passive way of running our business in which we are not mindful of or willing to change anything that troubles us? We both know the answer to this question is a resounding 'NO.' The Bible says You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4 NIV) John is reminding the reader that the power of Christ, who lives in the believer, is greater than the power of the world. The Holy Spirit living in the Christian is far stronger than any attack by the Devil. This encouragement should empower believers to trust the Lord and obey His commands rather than fear Satan and external factors. By doing so, believers can walk with boldness in business and overcome the powers of darkness. Doing business in the present is an internal process of communing with your Holy Spirit through feelings and insight. It doesn’t entail you having to develop a passive external behavior of giving into circumstances. That's what the enemy wants you to do! For example, if you’re late paying a credit card bill, you don’t simply tell yourself that you always wanted to fall into credit delinquency. Instead, you try, without panicking, to generate sales to at least make a minimum payment. Walking your daily entrepreneurial journey in the present can even provide you with new resources and new ways to solve problems. God can work through your Spirit to inspire new thoughts. The word inspiration has the word "spirit" because it's God's communication line to us. As Godpreneurs, we should not waste our inner Spirit resources creating problems. Instead, entrepreneurship in present tune with the spirit can bring us new forms of strength and determination. In fact, by operating in the present, you see what God sees: no problems – only individual, manageable situations that you can solve, one by one. This makes you a much more effective business leader. Operating in the spirit and accepting the present does not mean we commit to a passive business life or choose not to try to change things for the better. Instead, exercising the use of our God-given Holy Spirit and focusing on the present, while starving the enemy by not feeding into past or future thoughts, we are more able to see clearly whatever it is that’s wrong at any given moment, and the Spirit gives us the strength to change those things for the better. #DifferentiatingMyself

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to “restart” my business. One day things are going great, there’s momentum, the vision is clear, everyone’s on board, we’re making money. Then, bad news. Bad news has come in many forms. For me, it happened each time a partner of mine left the company. It also happened when I lost my biggest client. The latest one happened in November when I dropped the nightlife from my service list and the accountant told me I had a couple of weeks of survival before it was all over. We’ve all had setbacks in our business. We have good days and bad days. But sometimes we get news so big that it rocks the entire foundation of your business, your plans for the future, and ultimately, your identity as an entrepreneur.  We feel depressed, lonely, like a failure, like the dream is over. I’ve been there, and it's likely I will be there again. But there’s good news!  God has a plan, and he wants us to REBUILD! Yup!  And in these next series of posts, we’ll look at the book of Nehemiah and how he was sent to REBUILD the city of Jerusalem. Most of the time in the bible when something bad has occurred we see people going straight to God first. In Nehemiah 1:4, he says: “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.” News about the destruction of Nehemiah’s beloved homeland evoked such a response in him. His feelings of patriotism, of concern for the Jews in Jerusalem, made him heartsick. But he didn’t just turn around and keep living his life defeated. In his distress, he wept bitterly and went to God in prayer for solace. Step 1 of Restarting our businesses is going into prayer. You don’t have to be in business long to know that bad news comes in 100 ways. God expects us to have trouble and concerns. But He has plans for those failures. God wants us to act, but he desires that we come to him first, in prayer, for guidance and direction. What is your typical reaction to bad news or news that involves the danger of failure to your business? Did you pray? Ask God to direct you to a particularly troubling issue in your business. Spend time praying and fasting for its resolution. PRAYER TO RESTART YOUR BUSINESS Lord, thank you that I can come boldly to your throne of grace. Make me sensitive to the holy spirit and where it wants to guide my business and let me seek your loving support through the gift of prayer. In Jesus' name, Amen! I'm praying for you, too! All my best, Alex Miranda Get to know me at www.alexmiranda22.com P.S. I did a Business bible study called 40 Days to Restarting Your Business, God's Way. Check it out: 40 DAYS TO RESTARTING YOUR BUSINESS, GOD'S WAY A business Bible study to help you rethink, reinvent, and restart your business, but this time, God's Way! We parallel Nehemiah's rebuilding of the wall to your journey in rebuilding your business. Also, coaches and Christian business leaders, you can use, edit, and repurpose the teachings for your own tribe! Check it out. #EnhanceFocus #IncreaseEnergy

I get distracted easily. Sometimes I’m so distracted that I’m so far off the thing is supposed to be doing that the business starts to suffer for it. But when I realize I’ve gone off the rail and I get back on track, things seem to start running smoothly again.  Sigh of relief! This is similar to our walk with God. We get distracted by things that seem like they’ll make us money, deals that are too good to be true, partnerships that we think will suit us well, but deep down we know it's either against God’s Word or not in the vision He’s given us.  Believe it or not, going against God is a sin. However, if we’re aware of it, confess and turn our businesses back towards God, He will be faithful to the vision and promises He has given. After Nehemiah decides to pray and confess, he reminds God of the promise He made to his ancestors.  Nehemiah 1:8-9 says: “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name." Are you relying on any of God’s promises to motivate you? When God promises, it's for real.  Not like “Honey, I promise to take out the trash,” and then you forget.  No. God’s promises are true. Every single one of them. What has God promised you for your business? What does the bible say about His promises for you to prosper? Are you relying on any of God’s promises to motivate you in business? Keep that top of mind so that when you face adversity, you can remind yourself of His promise, and move on! All my best, Alex Miranda Get to know me at www.alexmiranda22.com P.S. I did a Business bible study called 40 Days to Restarting Your Business, God's Way. Check it out: 40 DAYS TO RESTARTING YOUR BUSINESS, GOD'S WAY A business Bible study to help you rethink, reinvent, and restart your business, but this time, God's Way! We parallel Nehemiah's rebuilding of the wall to your journey in rebuilding your business. Also, coaches and Christian business leaders, you can use, edit, and repurpose the teachings for your own tribe! Check it out. P.P.S. Let me know a promise that you lean on as an entrepreneur by commenting on this Facebook post. #EnhanceFocus #StrengthenIntegrity #RestartYourBusiness

I have some things to confess. I’ve cheated on my taxes. I’ve deposited checks that I knew the client overpaid on.  The list goes on and on… Before coming to a true relationship with God, doing these things was actually FUN!  It felt like I was winning; beating the system. I wasn’t a mobster or anything like that, but I knew it was wrong. Also, for years, I serviced the nightlife industry. I knew this wasn’t an industry that God wanted me to be a part of, at least not anymore.  But I continued in it for the wrong reasons, which in hindsight paralyzed me from the bigger opportunities God had lined up for me. We all have things in our business we do that we need to confess to God.  Confessing lets God know that we acknowledge our wrongs and are committed to the change of making it right. In Nehemiah 1:5-7, we see he has just broken into prayer, but the key is in the confession: Then I said: “ Lord , the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses." When you make the commitment of Restarting your business and get on your knees to pray, confess the parts of your business where you knowingly went against what God would bless.  Confess any little thing.  Get it off your chest, out of your body, and leave it with God. You’re now fresh and renewed, ready for the journey up ahead! #DifferentiatingMyself #ShareYourTestimony #RestartYourBusiness

Buy it on Amazon:  http://a.co/j6XefG7 Discovering Your Calling as an Entrepreneur The Ultimate Purpose-Driven Roadmap to Creating a Business of Meaning and Significance “DISCOVER THE BUSINESS GOD CREATED YOU TO START.” WARNING: This book will completely change your current business and the way you view it. If you’re comfortable where you’re at, I suggest you don’t read this book. The contents will revolutionize your mindset on why your business exists and what you have to do moving forward to answer your calling in the marketplace. This book is expressively for Godpreneurs – entrepreneurs who put God first in their business. It’s for those of us that want our lives and our businesses to mean something…something more than just chasing the next fad or revenue marker. This is for those who are feeling purpose-less, going on with their day thinking “there has to be more than this” to owning a business. Knowing your calling is incredibly valuable to you, and you are constantly thinking “how can I stay in the zone.” Serial entrepreneur Alex Miranda delivers a fresh take on the matra “do what you were born to do” as he shows you how to drastically re-engineer your entire relationship with God, your business and the marketplace, and if applied faithfully, achieve peak personal purpose and receive many blessings. Learn how to: FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT CALLING IS – and put a plan together for understanding yours. SLAY FEAR – and develop a faith that overcomes the enemy that doesn’t want you in your calling STOP JUST EXISTING – and start running a business of purpose and passion ACHIEVE WHAT YOU WERE BORN TO DO – with a formula for finding your calling GODPRENEURS RULES of running your business CONNECT WITH GODPRENEUERS in a community of like-minded business owners BE THE LIGHT so you can impact the marketplace for Christ PREPARE YOUR TEAM for the new direction your business will go in BEGIN TODAY with the new vision for your success ALEX MIRANDA is the creator of dailygodpreneur.com, a blog for Christian entrepreneurs who want to learn what God has to say about the business. He is a brand strategist, serial entrepreneur, author, speaker, entrepreneurs’ coach; marketing strategy consultant; and content contributor to other blogs and books. Buy it on Amazon:  http://a.co/j6XefG7 #FindMyCalling #LaunchingMyBusiness

I’ve read the book “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” many times.  The last time I read it, I got the crazy idea of giving a book review, but from a Christian perspective.  My goal was to take every concept of the book and run it through the Word of God and see what God has to say about it. Want to know what I discovered? I found that each and every concept taught in the book is something taught in the Bible too!. I know anything with the word “Millionaire” in the title automatically brings skepticism, especially in the Christian community.  But that’s EXACTLY the author’s main point – we have been pre-conditioned to think negatively about money, and this needs to change!. An 11-Day Journey to a Millionaire Mind My hope is that thousands of us Godpreneurs worldwide will take my 11-Day email video teaching together.  Each day you’ll be able to comment on the lesson of the day and work through the concepts together. I’ll also be doing a few LIVE sessions during the 11 days to answer questions that come up. Click here to sign up for the journey! What’s in it for me? The bible says: “Be Transformed by the renewing if your mind” (Romans 12:2). We Godpreneurs must learn how to recognize that our thoughts could be wrong, and how we can adopt new attitudes and implant “millionaire thinking” into our minds. Synopsis There are key guiding principles and patterns in the minds of millionaires that help them accumulate wealth.  They live by these rules and their minds don’t deviate from them. But not all of us grew up around millionaires, so our minds don’t operate like theirs.  By the grace of God, we’re all able to think differently in order to produce a new outcome in our financial lives. The best-selling book Secrets of the Millionaire Mind (2005) explains how we Godpreneurs unconsciously developed behavioral patterns and strict attitudes in our relationship to money that we learned from our parents – and in order to change our future wealth, we need to transform our minds. Summary These lessons will show you: How to Reprogram to Be Wealthy Teaching Your Kids To Be Godly Rich How to Handle Money God’s Way Transforming Your Mind to God-Like Wealth How to Break Bad Money Habits First Step on the Path of Prosperity How Christians (wrongly) Detract Money The First Commandment To Becoming Rich Want to Make a Million Dollars?  Do This. The Frugal Method to Becoming a Millionaire You Must Overcome This to Become Rich Begin the journey today!  CLICK HERE to sign up. #ArticulatingMyIdeas #WritingGreatCopy #GodpreneurAcademy #WorkLifeBalance

I've been writing a lot about entrepreneurship in the spirit - how to be fully present with the holy spirit and engaged in the right here and right now of what God wants me to do. Along my journey to stay present, I discovered that most of the anxiety, pain, and feelings of sadness I feel as an entrepreneur are caused by the enemy's control over my mind throughout the day. However, I also discovered that even if I run my business entirely in the present, some feelings of sadness and pain are simply unavoidable - like the pain inflicted by others or the pain of a failed business venture. While it’s true that most pain we feel as entrepreneurs is self-created, that doesn’t mean we create all of it. For example, suppose a client isn't close to Christ and uses their destructive mind to hurl insults or deliberately do something that negatively affects our business. In that case, the pain we feel is unavoidable. As much as we'd like, we cannot lead everyone around us to enlightenment. Another unavoidable pain is the pain of losing a business venture. The pandemic caused many businesses to have to shut down permanently. Years of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears all ripped away suddenly. The dominoes fall and lead to debt, confusion, and an identity crisis. This pain was unavoidable. So what should we do with the pain we can't avoid along our entrepreneurial journey? Just suppress the feelings and pretend that everything is ok? That doesn't sound right. What does the Bible say about unavoidable pain? Ecclesiastes 7:13‭-‬14 NLT says Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. As good a shelter as God's wisdom is, it cannot shield from every possible painful event one might experience in life. Everybody faces such situations. The wisdom Solomon teaches here is to resign to the circumstances by submitting that there are times that nothing can be done to avoid certain problems. Because there are things, God is doing that you can't understand right now, and since the Holy Spirit is your connection to God, you must focus your present thoughts on the Spirit's understanding of this truth. This will, therefore, take you from negative thoughts to positive peace in the present. When unavoidable pain shows up in the form of having to shut our businesses down, you have to discern the time, resign yourself to it, and gracefully and humbly accept it, allowing God to work out His purpose without complaint. This is the Biblical way of dealing with unavoidable pain. The flip side of not accepting things as they are is allowing the business shutdown to depress you and dominate your thoughts to such an extent that you do virtually nothing positive about the things you can change. Instead of surrendering to God and communing in the presence of the Holy Spirit, you've fed the enemy in the mind, which causes anxiety and depression. That is when Satan wins because, having put yourself into a weakened attitude, you more readily cave to his devices. As Godpreneurs, Solomon essentially counsels us to learn to “roll with the punches.” We took a risk to start a business, things didn't go as planned, and we must make careful efforts to make the best of the situation, understanding that God has seemingly shut the venture down for our good. This is the peace only entrepreneurship in the spirit can give. God has commanded that we business owners must live by faith. The enemy will nag us to try to figure out the precise reasons for the failed business. It's futile to mull over it - a huge waste of time and energy robbed from the gift of being present with the Lord. This wisdom may not satisfy some entrepreneurs because of its simplicity, but it is right: Trust God! #DifferentiatingMyself

Miracles are an act of faith, and faith has proof in advance for the things that are not yet in existence. It is about believing you have it when in the real sense, you don't. Christian entrepreneurship is faith-based. To be in business, an entrepreneur requires a thousand daily acts of seeing the unseen future. A miracle worker, or rather an agent of miracle, must have faith. The miracle of entrepreneurship is in value creation. It is in bringing into manifestation those things that never were. It starts this way: A man wakes up with an idea (divinely inspired solution) and he is not sure that it would work out. Anyways, he engages his mental or creative energy with few resources available to vivify that idea. Time breathes on the product of that mental engagement, and a few years down the line, that idea becomes a multi-million dollar company. Miracle? This entrepreneurial man just created things (products, services, infrastructures, solutions, etc.) that never existed. This event can only be ascribed to as a miracle, and it's only the ability to create value that can give birth to this kind of miracle. Entrepreneurs are idea inventors. The invention is a miracle of creation. The prerequisite for creating value is converting ideas and opportunities into problem-solving products to meet market needs. The ability to create is the force behind the miracles. We are called into entrepreneurship because we have been blessed with unique ideas and creative abilities to produce the values needed to help people. In the same way, we are not bereft of the faith to engage in the journey. I believe our challenge is exercising our faith to produce the miracle. Jesus shared one secret idea with us, and He said, Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds (John 12:24 NIV). No matter how potent, any idea remains what it is (a seed, unproductive, dormant) unless it is cultivated. Just like the seed of wheat cited here, every business idea will have to be subjected to the process of planting, nurturing, and waiting before it can produce lots of other fruits. Planting, nurturing, waiting, and harvesting are acts of entrepreneurship. In the process of time, the miracle is in one idea giving rise to other ideas and giving birth to other investments. When the miracle happens, the entire humanity becomes sharers of it. Entrepreneurs must never think that they are the real miracle workers, never! God simply uses us to work miracles. What happens in the process is entirely supernatural. It is like this: He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how (Mark 4:26-27 NIV). God does the actual miracle, in the acts of growing and the multiplication of the seed, but endows us with creative abilities to work them out. Those who hoard their business ideas can neither be agents of miracles nor experience one. You can recall the story of that man who hid his Master's money instead of investing it and having multiplication like the other servants (Luke 19:20). Jesus once hosted a multitude of people who were in need of food, and he had only five loaves of bread and two fishes (little ideas). These were far from being enough to feed the multitude. He moved by faith, by praying upon the provision, believing they would take care of the multitude, and it happened that 5,000 people were fed and they had leftovers (Matthew 14:15-21). This should be the attitude of Christian entrepreneurs. Jesus has just taught us that a few can be enough and more when subjected to acts of faith. Engaging all you have been endowed with, you can have as many miracle entrepreneurship experiences as you are willing to stake your faith in. But remember, faith that works is based on the knowledge of God and His Word. Through your faith, you can always step into your miraculous entrepreneurial future from your point of the dream. If you can see it, then you can have it. When miracles happen, an entrepreneur becomes a blessing to his community and, indeed, to mankind for generations to come. This is the reason we are here. #FindingMyPurpose #DifferentiatingMyself

I had a close friend and business partner that I couldn't be around for a long time because we'd always end up in an argument. I still can't be around him for too long because something mysteriously doesn't click between us...anymore. I say "anymore" because we used to be on the same page about the nightlife, partying, women, and drugs, but not anymore. As I began to leave that world, disconnecting my mind from the enemy's control and becoming more spirit-filled, he and I simply weren't getting along anymore. After I studied the opposing forces of the enemy's control of the mind versus the present holy spirit in us, I've come to realize that it's not my friend and former partner that I couldn't be around; it’s that darkness and light don't mix. When we Godpreneurs grow in our relationship with God and commune more with the Holy Spirit, we become able to do business in the present and are no longer completely dependent on the enemy in our mind. Naturally, this conversion will cause changes in our daily routines. Our interactions with people will begin to change. How do we manage this change, especially if you're already in a business partnership with someone who won't change? How do we handle clients and employees who are not in our same mindset? As I encountered with my former partner, it’s extremely difficult for a “non-spiritual” person to interact daily with someone who lives entirely in the presence of their spirit. The enemy's control of the mind of the non-present person feeds on problems, while the person who is present, calm, and at peace with their spirit is experienced as a threat. The non-present person’s ego (enemy) reacts by creating further problems – for instance, by debating a trivial issue in the business to disrupt the peace, insulting the other person, or continually referring to past incidents to pull them out of the present. Why would they do that? The Bible says Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1 John 2:9-11 ESV) Just as the darkness cannot survive near the light, it is difficult for a person whose mind is still controlled by the enemy to be near a person living in the present for very long. Strong opposites cannot exist in close proximity. If you put water on the fire, the flame extinguishes. If you place a candle in the darkness, the darkness disappears. However, if you do it correctly, entrepreneurship in the spirit can also significantly improve your relationship: you’ll be able to stop judging, criticizing, or trying to change people. Furthermore, the insight you gain by operating in the present can be used to disrupt otherwise endless cycles, like debates that never conclude. The inner peace that being present with your spirit brings enables you to hear your partner without judging. God wants us to see someone else as an independent person who is ALSO in need of a savior who will tip the balance from the enemy's control to the Spirit's control. Acts 26:18 ESV says, "To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." If we live in the present, the day-to-day operations can be complicated on our closest relationships. It's why the Bible says not to be unequally yoked. It can even become a new test of the relationship. In the long run, however, it can offer an excellent opportunity for positive change – for all parties involved. Imagine if all Godpreneurs were like Paul, recognizing the depths from which we have been rescued, and therefore be willing to testify to the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ so that by His grace, many minds would be turned from darkness to light and be rescued from the clutches of Satan and brought into the present with their holy spirit and personal savior, Jesus. #DifferentiatingMyself

Art is one way that many Christian entrepreneurs express themselves, but it can be difficult to find art pieces that may express our faith. If you're a Christian entrepreneur, you know that it's important to surround yourself with art and images of what inspires you and that remind you of God’s great work in your life and business. This post is for Christian entrepreneurs who want to add a little something special to their office space or home. Keep reading, and I'll tell you the three reasons why you should buy faith-based wall art. 1. Faith-based wall art is a great way to make your home or office feel more inviting Adding a Christian quote or bible verse to your workspace or home would make people feel welcome, and also, for those non-Christian people who enter the place, it would make them wonder about your faith. Having a Bible verse in your office or workplace could make a difference for some clients to enter your place, and it may be a way to bless others. 2. Wall art offers inspiration during tough times or when there are deadlines looming Every time you’re feeling anxious or desperate about something, or you’re experiencing a challenging situation, that piece of art that you bought reminds you that Christ is your strength and that God is good no matter our circumstances. Wall-art faith-based will offer you inspiration when needed, and it will be a reminder of the Lord, the one who gives us salvation, rest, and strength. 3. Wall art reminds us of our daily goals, helping us stay motivated and focused on God first. As we go through our days, we tend to work on many tasks and projects simultaneously, and we might lose our focus or feel tired of what we’re doing. A canvas with a Christian message reminds us of the greatness of God and his purpose for our lives and businesses. We’re not alone as we go through our entrepreneurial journey, God is first, and we follow what He called us to do in the marketplace. If you're looking for a way to make your home or office feel more inviting, then faith-based wall art is the perfect solution. Wall art offers inspiration during tough times and when deadlines are looming. And lastly, it reminds us of our daily goals, helping us stay motivated on our entrepreneurial journey! If you'd like some help finding the right pieces for your space or would rather buy them outright with no hassle at all, visit Faith Hustle Co. #DifferentiatingMyself

I used to cringe looking at my credit card balances. Seeing debt would set me into a state of depression. I'd binge on Mcdonald’s for a week, be super unproductive at the office, and disconnect from my morning time with God and my writing. That's the power that SEEING a credit card bill had over me. Crazy. However, I learned to change the way I see debt. I used to see it as slavery, but now I see it as freedom. I smile when I see my credit card bills because I know the debt is because I'm building a business that will (eventually) pay the debt off. That simple shift in my view has reduced my stress and helped me push forward with my ideas, even if I didn't know how long it would take to pay it off. I can rest assured that God is working in my life to become the entrepreneur that is faithful with a little and thus can be trusted with more. How could I go from depression to excitement over the same credit card bill? The only explanation is that the enemy has one plan for our lives, and God has a totally different (and opposite) plan. We Christian entrepreneurs can apply this type of mental opposition awareness to almost every area of our business and personal lives. The enemy that dwells in our mind has one goal - for us to feel pain. So how do we battle this enemy? How do we go to war with it so we can finally defeat its negative thoughts that send us into periods of depression? What I've come to learn is that our job isn't to battle the enemy. Jesus already did that and won. Our job is to know it exists, simply observe it, smile at it, and NOT follow where it wants to take you. The Bible says Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:11-17 ESV) Notice how God's plan is to shift the mind into metaphorically protecting the body (where the holy spirit dwells), thus escaping the mental cycle that the enemy exists in. After you realize that the enemy dwelling in your mind (1 Peter 5:8) is causing you pain, preventing you from truly running your business in the present, you need to detach yourself from your mental cycle. How? To separate yourself from the grips the enemy has on your mind, you must become fully conscious of it and the power it has over you. Otherwise, you’ll never understand the countless small and subtle ways the adversary influences your thinking and behavior – and, therefore, your happiness. The Bible wants us to see the enemy as something we must battle against, thus the imagery of putting on the armor of God. Through observing yourself as a soldier standing firm in your faith, you’ve managed to create a gap in the enemy's flow of thinking. The great news is that you don't actually have to go into any battle. You're simply partnering with God (who is the armor), and He battled the enemy so you can run your business freely. That's why I can run my business with confidence, even in the face of the enemy taunting me because of my credit card debt. If you apply this concept to different business areas, you’ll start to notice how much you are usually occupied by the continuous attacks from the enemy in your mind. And you’ll have found the primary tool for interrupting the enemy and thus separating from it. HALLELUJAH! Another method I use to battle the enemy in my mind is to simply observe it without judgment. For example, I don't judge my debt as a failure, not getting rich fast enough, others being better than me, or being irresponsible with my money. Judging is itself an act of the enemy. He has us question everything, and usually, the judgment doesn't lead us anywhere good. So if we judge something, we are back to being controlled by our mind again. The counterattack to this is to use your physical body in a certain way. Some people will speak the enemy away. Others will just smile at it and accept that it exists. Our body knows what's good for us because that's where our Holy Spirit dwells. By doing these tactics, we'll learn to notice the enemy in our mind without having to follow it wherever it’s trying to lead us on our entrepreneurial journey. #TrustOnGod

By nature, I'm optimistic. I see the good in everything and everyone. I believe this makes me as opportunistic as an entrepreneur could be. I see a new venture opportunity in so many areas. I've come to realize this is both a blessing and a curse. Let me explain. Being opportunistic is a blessing because my antennas are up, and I'm alert to new partnerships, new products and services, and new ways to solve problems in the marketplace. However, my optimistic side makes me vulnerable to not seeing ways the enemy can attack me through a seemingly good idea to pursue. As Christian entrepreneurs, God wants to use us tremendously in the marketplace. However, the enemy knows this and will constantly attack our minds to distract us - sometimes without knowing it's happening. How do we discern a Good-opportunity from a situation where the enemy is in control of our minds? How can we be in a constant state of service to God, alone? One technique I've shared is needing to get better at separating ourselves from the enemy's control over our minds. In this post, I want to share another technique to adopt: active waiting. Actively waiting is a special kind of waiting for the state, like when you’re aware that something important or serious could happen at any moment. This is called situational alertness. Another type of waiting is opportunity alertness. This is when your antenna is up for any opportunity that may present itself where God wants us to do something. I like to call opportunistic alertness the lifeblood of Godpreneurship because it's all about tuning in to where God wants you to go with your business. In both the situational and opportunistic state of alertness, all of our attention is focused on the present now because, at any moment, the enemy can pounce on our mindset, or God can act or speak through our spirit, the environment, or someone else's spirit. When we get into a state of active waiting, there’s no time for daydreaming, planning, or remembering that usually distracts us from the present. For example, while doing a consulting session with a client, we should waste no time worrying about the results but instead remain fully present and pay very close attention to the person in front of us that God wants us to guide. We are entering a state of active waiting (prayer and meditation) shortly before the session can help us achieve that. Another example of active waiting is an entrepreneur's ability to immediately see an opportunity to solve a problem, do something better, or sense a change in the marketplace. This is vital for identifying opportunities God wants us to pursue (or leave). It could be a new venture, a partnership, or an opportunistic way to structure a contract. Our present Holy Spirit led alertness can have an impact on the mindset needed for exploiting the opportunities. While in this state, we also pay attention to our body because this is where our Spirit dwells, and it has to be ready for anything to occur. As we’ve already seen, this focus on the body is also crucial to living in the present and hearing from God's direction. For example, when I feel goosebumps in a conversation, I know it's something God wants me to pay closer attention to. The Bible teaches us about this state of alertness as the Christian way of life. In these two verses, we see both situational alertness and opportunistic alertness. SITUATIONAL ALERTNESS 1 Peter 5:8 ESV says "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." In this alertness, you are supposed to guard yourself from the enemy retaking control of your thoughts. Mark and Matthew also have stories of Jesus sharing more examples of situational alertness. OPPORTUNISTIC ALERTNESS Luke 12:35-48 ESV says “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes." In this alertness, God wants you to be ready for opportunities He wants to bring you. If you're "awake" when He comes, you get to participate in that venture. Since we don't know when God will speak or when the enemy will attack our minds, we MUST stay in a permanently alert state. We must avoid making grand plans for the future and being taken into the past. Instead, entrepreneurship in the spirit means we're constantly aware of our bodies and surroundings to ensure we don't miss God's directing in our present moment. #EnhanceFocus

As Christian, is it possible to have fame and fortune, yet still, be rooted in Christ? Can I be the exception to the rule that “its hard for a rich man to get into heaven?” I struggled with this because I wouldn’t mind being rich and famous, but I don’t want to miss out on heaven! So, what does PROPER AMBITION actually look like? Yes, rich business owners go to heaven all the time. The issue isn’t how much money we have, the test comes to where our heart is at. Yesterday I talked about improper ambition and using my work as a means of making a name for myself. When the Babylonians tried to build their fame and fortune, God “scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city” (Genesis 11:8). To God, the motives behind my ambition obviously matter a great deal. The bible says: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23 NIV 1 Corinthian also echoes how our ambitions should be set: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV Imagine a marketplace where people aren’t out for themselves and not using their creations to glorify themselves, but instead, they are laying their creations down as an offering of worship to God. Godpreneurs are called to be ambitious, to work hard, and to be good stewards of the talents God has given us. But we are called to own businesses, not for our own glory, but to “do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). When our entrepreneurship is motivated by a desire to glorify God, serve others, and create products and services laid down as an offering to God, then we have the proper ambition to create with everything we’ve got. #StrengthenIntegrity #EnhanceFocus

I confess that I’ve had unhealthy ambitions to create a name for myself, and this temptation still plagues me at times. Deep down, I want to build a big brand with my ventures so I can be recognized as a thought leader, innovative entrepreneur, and build wealth so I can be rich. I’ve created out of a desire to make a name for myself, or, to put it in more worldly terms, to accumulate fame and fortune. If I’m honest with myself, I’m essentially trying to save myself. Let me explain. When I came up with my companies, I wasn’t content simply putting my innovations to work to help others. I wanted to leverage my creations to make a name for myself. Why? What is it about the human condition that causes me to use my work as a tool for proving something to the world? Deep down, I know there’s something wrong with me. I know I’m flawed. I know I’m not “right.” Deep down, we know that I “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Each entrepreneurial venture is me trying to cover up these flaws with my accomplishments. I think that if I write a bestselling book, or sell a business for millions of dollars, or have hundreds of employees, or get 100,000 Instagram followers, or build the world’s largest agency, then I’ll be able to mask my sinful human condition. Essentially, I use entrepreneurship as a means of saving myself. I know better! And every day I’m choosing to transform and renew my mind. I know it’s not that I need a bigger company, it’s that I need Christ to be bigger in me. The bible says I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 NIV) As a Christian, I know that the work of salvation is complete! Because Jesus said, “It is finished,” I no longer have to use my companies as a means of saving myself. What incredible freedom I experience when I let that truth really sink into my heart! Because of the gospel, I am free to work and create not as a means of making a name for myself, but as an act of worship to the One who made me, saved me, and called me to Godpreneurship. This truth replaces my improper ambition with proper ambition that flows out of a love for Christ and a desire to make His name famous throughout this earth and the next. Father, help me to remember this every second of the day as I lead my businesses. (PS – I write self-deprecating blog posts for 3 reasons. First, to confess to others. This helps call out the sin. Second, to process my own thoughts and declare new ones to myself. Third, that it might help you too.) #StrengthenIntegrity #EnhanceFocus

In my post-college proclivity, I desired nothing more than to start a great idea, grow it, and cash out so I could retire in my twenties. My first, second, or third ventures didn’t work out and I was now into my thirties…and still no fortune and fame. Around 2008 is when I started going back to church and gaining a new perspective on everything in life. One mindset shift I began to feel was that my ambition began to shift from selfish desires (fame and fortune) to wanting to help others and feel significance in my work. My struggle was that I still wanted fame and fortune, but I also wanted to serve others and be in God’s will for my business life. As Christians, is it possible to be ambitious in our entrepreneurial ventures and still have our self-worth and identity firmly rooted in Jesus Christ? Tons of self-help books and motivational coaches tell us that ambition is essential to accumulating wealth, fame, and glory for ourselves. The general consensus of entrepreneurship today is that it is the primary means by which we make a name for ourselves in this life and prove to the world that we are important, valuable, and worthy. Of course, this is nothing new for entrepreneurs. After Adam and Eve, human beings have been using work to make a name for themselves, rather than to glorify God and serve others. Take the Babylonians as an example. In Genesis 11 we read the account of these ancient entrepreneurs discovering the incredible technical innovation of brick-making. With the invention of the brick-making process, the Babylonians could build better homes, roads, and cities—all wonderful things; but driven by pride, the Babylonians’ ambition wasn’t to glorify God through their work. Genesis 11 reads Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:1‭-‬4 NIV Their ambition was to make a name for themselves. They said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:4). And if there was ever a question as to whether or not our motives matter to the Lord, the rest of the passage provides the answer. “The Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city”. Genesis 11:8. Creating a new business is not inherently bad. Our entrepreneurial ventures can and do reveal God’s character and love to serve others. But when we create a business out of a motivation to make a name for ourselves, we are attempting to rob God’s glory that is rightfully His. In Proverbs we read: All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord . Proverbs 16:2 NIV While Scripture makes clear that creating to make a name for yourself constitutes improper ambition, the Bible makes equally clear that ambition can indeed be God-honoring, so long as it flows out of a response to the work Christ did on your behalf on the cross. As Godpreneurs, this mindset could be the very thought that will turn everything around for us if we truly believe it. My prayer for Godpreneurs today is that you would re-align your ambitions to be healthy and in the direction of your born-to-do identity – your calling to do God’s will in the marketplace. #EnhanceFocus #StrengthenIntegrity