10 steps to greatness

Editor's note: The following column is adapted from chapter 3 of "Megashift" by James Rutz.

Here is my personal little gift to you this Christmas season. May your life never be the same again!

1. Learn to enjoy life.

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Find your joy in the Lord, as He does in you. Learn to revolve around Him – nothing is so unhappy as a planet out of orbit! (Who said you were a star?) Learn to enjoy your Quiet Time with God every day. When your happiness tank runs dry, you begin to do really stupid things to fill it back up.

2. Take a step of faith every day.

When you awake, say, "Lord, give me a chance today to show in some new way how much I love you. Help me to do (or endure) something I've never done before." He always answers that one!

3. Learn to use the Bible.

You cannot become a mature Christian disciple unless your mind is transformed, and much of that transformation will come as you study Scripture. Read and reflect on the Word – then act on it. You aren't just trying to learn the Bible, but to know God through the Bible – and become like Him. Don't be a baby, dependent on others to feed you. Learn to feed yourself, and you'll never have to worry about where your next spiritual meal is coming from.

4. Set your goals.

You must write your goals down. Be very specific. Keep them related to your personal vision for your life – don't make it just a crazy wish list. Be realistic, but ambitious – include a dimension of faith. (Possible goal areas: spirit, family, ministry, health, career, character, finances.) Review it regularly.

5. Get used to the growth cycle.

Over and over, the Holy Spirit will put you through the process of Conviction, Repentance, Obedience, and Joy. This is a basic rhythm of life, and if you don't get with it, you don't grow.

From time to time, the Holy Spirit taps you on the shoulder, convicting you with guilt about something. If you promptly repent of that sin and then live out that decision in an adjusted lifestyle of obedience, you'll have a steady supply of joy.

But if you dig in your heels and keep refusing to repent, the Spirit may eventually give up and let you live with that sin. You hit a brick wall. This is why 95 percent of Christians reach a certain level and stop.

6. Start or join an open fellowship.

Lone Ranger Christians never make it. You need a support team, a highly committed circle of friends who will help you, pray with you, and stand by you 24x7 no matter what. Programmed meetings don't give you this backup. In an interactive, home "circle church," where you're free but accountable, you'll grow much faster.

7. Keep your commitments.

If you don't honor your own word, your integrity eventually turns into a hollow shell, and your character rots from the inside out. Those who stand by their pledges stand close to God. Don't be wishy-washy. Don't flirt with deadlines, debt and other debacles.

8. Read!

Most people grow only in certain fields. Big mistake. Read widely. Read to stretch. Let books and magazines expand your mind, your heart, your gifting, your universe. If you learn a certain lesson on paper, the Lord won't have to teach it to you the hard way. It's much easier to spend 10 hours reading a book than to suffer 10 years of disasters caused by your own ignorance.

9. Focus outward.

World-class Christians stay focused on the world and the people around them. You'll always have problems – just don't let them crunch you into a self-centered little ball of misery.

10. Choose to be a giant.

Don't just cope. Overcome!

Don't settle for a nice job, nice home, nice family, nice clothes, nice etc. Nice is just two notches above awful. Don't just get by.

Nurture a mania for the highest gifts. You won't generate weapons-grade spiritual power until you begin to grow through your spiritual gifts and the great disciplines of the faith, like prayer, fasting, and Bible memorization. These are not grim duties, but exciting steps that can catapult you upward.

Expect miracles! Let these principles guide you toward greatness in the eyes of God.