The Principles of Success and Greatness

By Nkosinathi Mpisana

In a descriptive exposition and insightful storytelling, the author turns our attention in a compelling and informative manner to the life values and practices of a man known to us today as the father of wisdom. How he became so successful and wealthy? For the very first time, the Secrets to King Solomon’s greatness and all his successes have been revealed here, in practical, easy to repeat set of principles taken from the life of King Solomon. Whether in business or personal life, these principles have the power to help ordinary men and women reach their full potential. Through the life of King Solomon, the author takes you on a journey of self-discovery while encouraging you to pursue your dreams with even greater determination and focus and giving you the tools you will need to succeed. The principles discussed in this book are unconventional and are not popular but effective to unleash greatness in all who apply them.

YOUR DESTINY IS WAITING; IT’S TIME TO DISCOVER YOUR PURPOSE, AND
UNLEASH YOUR GREATNESS.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nkosinathi Mpisana
• Release date: May 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005175108

Book preview

The Principles of Success and Greatness

The Principles of Success and Greatness

Nkosinathi Mpisana

Copyright © 2021 Nkosinathi Mpisana

First edition 2021

Published by Nkosinathi Mpisana Publishing at Smashwords

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without permission from the copyright holder.

The Author has made every effort to trace and acknowledge sources/resources/individuals. In the event that any images/information have been incorrectly attributed or credited, the Author will be pleased to rectify these omissions at the earliest opportunity.

Published by Nkosinathi Mpisana using Reach Publishers’ services,

P O Box 1384, Wandsbeck, South Africa, 3631

Edited by Nicola Jenvey for Reach Publishers

Cover designed by Reach Publishers

Website: www.reachpublishers.org

E-mail: [e-mail]

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy

Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a

publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All

rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from The Holy Bible, King James

Version. Cambridge Edition: 1769; King James Bible Online, 2016.

www.kingjamesbibleonline.org.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New

International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by

Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and "New International

Version" are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and

Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James

Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All

rights reserved.

Nkosinathi Mpisana

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Table of Contents

Introduction

1. An Introduction to King Solomon

The Unifier: Leadership Lessons

The Wisdom of the Word

The Administrative Competencies

Planning

Organising

Leading

Control

The Successes

2. Pearl 1: The House

The Queen of Sheba’s Visit

The House – Meaning

Solomon’s Dysfunctional Background

Shifting the Paradigm

The Deconstruction Phase

Reconstructing the House

Building Material for Greatness

The Foundation: Identity

The Inner Man: True Identity

The Structure: Character

The Unconventional Building Blocks

The Finishing Touches: Education

Formal Education

Informal Education

The House Synopsis

3. Pearl 2: The Food

The Significance of Food

The Menu

Starters: Food for the Body

The First Course: Food for the Mind

The Second Course: Food for the Soul

The Dessert: Food for the Spirit

The Food: Synopsis

4. Pearl 3: The Seating

The Seating Etiquette

The Order of Priorities

The Host

The Co-host

The Prescribed Order: 1 – The Guest of Honour

The Prescribed Order: 2 – The Company of the Guest of Honour

The Prescribed Order: 3 – The King’s Officials

External Officials

Internal Officials

Conclusion

5. Pearl 4: The service

The Meaning and Importance of Service

The Order of Service

Serving God First

Serving the World and Humanity

Serving the Spouse

Serving the Support Structure

The Sacrifice of Service

The Material Sacrifice

Self-Sacrifice

6. Pearl 5: The Apparel

Attitude

Shaping Attitude

Negative Attitude

Positive Attitude

7. Pearl 6: The Cup Bearing

The Cup Bearer’s Role

The Assignment

The Nature of the Assignment

Bigger than you

It is your Cross

Advantages of the Assignment

Close Proximity to God

Man’s Trust

God’s Trust

8. Pearl 7: The Entryway

The Entryway to your Vision

The Entryway to your Miracle

Developing Faith for Success

Conclusion

Introduction

AT the beginning of time, God created all things; the world, the heavens and everything in them. However, His greatest and proudest creation of all was mankind. He created mankind in His image; God created men to possess His likeness, features, characteristics and nature.

²⁶Then God said: Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. ²⁷So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)

God’s original intent was for men and women to live life in its fullness while having reverence for Him and to have dominion over the earth. Man’s original form is of gods, creators and productive beings without limits. 

Along the way, mankind became oblivious of his god-like image and, through sin, strayed from God’s initial intent. Perhaps the single most horrible thing to befall humanity is the collapse into sin. It doesn’t matter how you look at it, man’s fall set up the grand stage in the theatre of the world’s atrocities known to us to date, whether man-made or natural disasters. A disaster may be considered natural, but its roots remain the curse under which the world was subjected due to man’s fall into sin.

²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; ²¹because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

(Romans 8:20-21)

Here Paul teaches us through Scripture that not only did the fall have adverse and harrowing effects on man, but even nature was affected. Whatever evil the world experiences today can be safely associated with sin. However, we also know Satan and his demonic agents wield their rod of chaos and deception in the world; working tirelessly day and night to kill, steal and destroy. He (Satan) holds this power only because he derives it from sin, so even our enemies have gained ground to hurt and harm us through our sins – and some of the horrors we have experienced have even threatened to wipe out humanity. Yet, despite the disasters, pandemics, wars, famines, crimes against humanity, oppressions, economic depressions, evolutions, revolutions, transformations and developments, mankind seems to have a God-given ability that surges from within to endure and rise above all adversity.

An unknown writer observing black slaves being oppressed by white slave drivers in the early 1700s said: There is something about the Negro spirit that seems to grow stronger and more passionate and intense the more it is oppressed. He was commenting on some of the most brutal crimes committed against humanity to date, but what the unknown writer was able to observe from a distance is what many people who have achieved greatness have experienced.

Something breaks free when man is squeezed tightly by the hardships of life; something greater from inside more capable of reaching heights unknown to the ordinary man. This is not a realisation anyone can reach unless they have been subjected to tremendous amounts of pressure; this is the kind of pressure that demands someone’s very being; it has no respect for your dignity or well-being; does not adhere to what you have set your limitations out to be or how much you are prepared to take. This kind has no respect for your definition of what you may consider as fair or unfair; it abandons you at the point where you give up and offers no apologies. It will only be those who reach deeper inside, those who can reach for God dwelling within them, who can overcome and triumph.

Perhaps this is the fabric from which all greatness is hewn in its most intermediate and simplest form. The ability to endure difficulty levels beyond humanly comprehensible and overcome tremendous adversity; to wade and keep going in the face of disappointments; to rise above and try again after every failure – this is the rare calibre of people able to tap into untapped power and unleash strength similar to that of gods.

⁶I said: You are gods and all of you are children of the Most High. (Psalm 82: 6)

The world seeks greatness in many forms; daily it yearns and sighs deeply at the vanity awarded the most prestigious awards of fame and glory. While it seems hard for anyone to articulate, the world seeks the revelation of what truly deserves to be awarded the grand accolades of greatness similar to those previously awarded to the world’s fallen greats who, by pure determination, relentlessness and defiance against the barriers set before them, emerged worthy of recognition as outstanding achievers of their generations.

Yet, a closer examination of these champions of magnum opuses who shifted paradigms and shook the world with their genius feats reveals compelling similarities. In his book God’s Generals, American author, spiritual leader and church historian Roberts Liardon (born 1966) attempts to reveal these similarities by studying the lives of people we consider today as having attained greatness. Liardon has dedicated his life to collecting history and studying the behaviours and characteristics of some of the most outstanding Christian individuals, effectively analysing who qualifies for the title God’s Generals. His work echoes American self-help author Oliver Napoleon Hill (1883-1970) whose most profound work Think And Grow Rich ranks among the top 10 best selling self-help category books of all time. In his book he highlighted the characteristics common to highly successful men, detailing no less than 500 stories of America’s greatest men.

This book reveals insightful pearls of wisdom and success principles through the study of the life of Solomon. These are the seven pearls of greatness of King Solomon that earned him worldwide fame during his time and beyond– an era where television, newspapers, social media and radio were inconceivable – at which contemporary kings and queens marvelled.

¹⁰Now when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. ²She came to Jerusalem with a great retinue; with camels that bore spices, gold and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. ³Solomon answered her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. ⁴When the Queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house he had built; ⁵food on his table; seating of his servants; service of his waiters and their apparel; his cupbearers and entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord there was no more spirit in her. ⁶She said to the king: It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom.  However, I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard.