Steps to Starting a Business With God

 

Did you know that the bible gives us instructions on how to start a business with God? No, it's not in plain text but there's scripture from the 2nd Chronicles, in the first 9 chapters, that we can apply to starting our businesses God's way.

Before we get into the steps of starting a business with God, it’s very important when you’re starting the business to have a clear mission statement. A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of the company that you’re starting the purpose of the organization or the purpose of you as an individual and it can be a powerful tool when aligning God within your business so make sure to include a statement of values admissions on your website that’s easy to find for people who are just now finding the brand that might relate more to you 

For context, read chapters 1 through 9 of 2nd Chronicles so you have a little understanding of what we’re going to be reading and how we apply it to our business.

King Solomon was the third king of Israel and his father was King David. Now, when King Solomon became king when he was 20 years old, he was responsible for the huge task of rebuilding the temple.

King Solomon was the wisest man to ever live and will be the wisest man to ever live. The reason why he was so wise and so successful in building the kingdom starts with the very first thing Solomon asked for, which he asked God for wisdom and knowledge.

Step 1 | Asking for Wisdom (2nd Chronicles 1:7-12)

The first step to starting a business with God is to pray for wisdom and knowledge.

That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him ask “What shall I give you” and Solomon said to God “You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father and have made me King in his place oh Lord God let your word to David my father be now fulfilled for you have made me King over people as numerous as the dust of the earth give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out before this people, for who can govern this people of yours which is so great”

God answered Solomon 

“Because this was in your heart and you have not asked for possessions wealth honor or the life of those who hate you you have not even asked for a long life but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you King wisdom and knowledge are granted to you I will also give you riches possessions and honors such as none of the Kings had who were before you and none after you shall have like”

So let’s summarize this and how you can apply it to starting your business with that first step it’s so important to ask God for wisdom and knowledge when it comes to running your business because think about it, it’s kind of foolish not to. God knows the past, present, and the future. He knows the future of your business and He has ultimate knowledge and ultimate wisdom. So, why not tap into the same wisdom that Solomon tapped into in order to run your business in the way that God intends you to run your business? 

Make sure when you’re praying and asking God for wisdom, that you’re praying from a standpoint of not being selfish. You should never be starting a business to make money

Step 2 | Using your tools, gifts, and talents (2nd Chronicles 2:14)

Step number two in starting a business with God is to use any income or wealth that God has given to you and use it as a tool to invest in your business. Maybe you need to purchase materials like inventory or maybe you need to purchase certain systems you need to operate your business successfully. So use the wealth and talents that you are given to start your business as a tool to help build your business.

2nd Chronicles verse 14 reads

“Solomon gathered together chariots and Horsemen. He had 1400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem and the King made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stone and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephalah and Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue and the King’s traders would buy them from Kue for a price. They imported a chariot from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150. Likewise through them these were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.”

Notice how in these verses, Solomon uses his wealth to employ people and to gather materials that he needs to build the temple. He also made gold so common and it was accessible to everyone who was in that area. It’s important to take the same approach when starting your business.

How can you use the resources provided to you to maybe help someone else within your business? How can you make their lives easier? How can you provide something within your business that makes it accessible to people? How can you also use the resources and wealth given to you to outsource to a talent that’s really going to help you build your business in ways that you may not know? 

Step 3 | Preparing your business with systems (2nd Chronicles 2:1-3)

The third step to starting a business with God is to prepare to build the business through setting up your systems.

2nd Chronicles 2:1-9 says  

“Now Solomon proposed to build a temple for the name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself. And Solomon assigned 70,000 men to bear burdens and 80,000 to quarry in the hill country, and 3,600 to oversee them. And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: “As you dealt with David my father and sent him cedar to build himself a house to dwell in, so deal with me. Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the LORD our God, as ordained forever for Israel. The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. Send me cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am to build will be great and wonderful.”

Now, let’s focus on verses 11 all the way down to 16.

Pay attention to how Solomon used the resources that he had to prepare a palace for himself. Now,  this is not a selfish intent but it’s a smart move. Solomon building his palace in the same place he’s building God’s Temple unifies a close connection between the two houses. For starting your business God’s way, it’s wise to have a dedicated place to conduct your business. So whether that be an empty room in your apartment that you can turn into an office,  a co-working space, or a warehouse, you want to make sure that you have a dedicated space where you can go and conduct work. This is important to help you not be distracted and help you be productive and really get work done

This whole section of this verse is about building systems. Building systems within your business is so important in automating different processes. These processes could be emails or welcome email sequences, automating your social media content, apps, or platforms that you can use within your business that would just make your life so much easier so that way you’re not working for your business 24/7.

Step 4 | Building Relationships & Networking (2nd Chronicles 2:7-11)

The fourth step to starting your business God’s way is to make sure that you’re building relationships and you’re networking with like-minded people.

In this verse, we’re introduced to someone named Hiram, which was the king of Tyre at that moment and he actually had a really close connection with Solomon’s father David. As soon as Solomon became king, he had his wealth and resources and then contacted Hiram for skilled workers or recommendations for skilled workers that he could use to help build his kingdom.

This was a relationship that Solomon sought out because it was already a strong relationship with his father. So when you’re doing this also within your business think about the relationships that you have built in the past.

In these verses, King Hiram says “because the lord loves his people he has made you King over them blessed be the Lord the God of Israel who made Heaven and Earth who has given King David a wise son” 

So, the fact that he’s honoring King Solomon’s God is an amazing thing because King Solomon could have gone to anybody but he went to somebody who really understands the connection between God and what he’s doing through Solomon. Meaning, seek out people who believe in the work you’re doing. They are going to be the best resources to find the people or things you need to be successful in business.

Step 5 | Finally take action (2nd Chronicles 3:1)

The fifth step in starting a business God’s way is to take action or place action behind your words.

Credit: www.dualcitizensociety.com