And being not weak in faith, [Abraham] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.
Romans 4:19-20 In the years I've spent living by faith, there's something I've learned to do that helps me receive from God in the toughest of situations. It's something I call stepping over the faith line. A faith line is what you need when you want God to do the "impossible" in your life. It's what you need when you want to be firm in your faith and yet you keep wavering back and forth between your circumstances and God's promises—believing first one, then the other. It's what can make you like faithful Abraham. You know, Abraham had natural facts to deal with just like we do. He knew there was no natural way for God's promise to him to come true. Yet the Word says Abraham considered not his own body. In other words, Abraham ignored the natural evidence around him and believed only God's promise. Somewhere he stepped across the line of faith. He made an irreversible decision to go with the Word of God. He made a final commitment. He chose to step past the point of no return. And if you and I are ever going to see God do the impossible in our lives, we're going to have to do the same thing! How do you draw that faith line? Begin with the Word. Search the promises of God and purposely believe what He has said, and is saying, about your need. Meditate on those promises until faith rises in your heart. Then draw the line of faith. Draw it in your mind and heart. Draw it across the floor in your prayer room. Say, "In the presence of God, in the presence of all the angels in this room, and in the devils face, I am stepping across the line of faith. From this moment on, I consider this matter done. From this day forward, I give God the praise and the glory in the Name of Jesus." From that moment on, speak only as if your miracle has already happened. Turn your back on the problems, on the doubts, and turn your face toward Jesus. God will do the impossible in your life. Dare to step across the faith line! Kenneth Copeland Scripture Reading: Romans 4:13-21 The Promise Granted Through Faith 13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be [a]sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
0 Comments
What is the first thing you say when you get bad news? It matters far more than you may realize. The power of first words can cement your defeat or catapult you to victory! The first words that come out of your mouth. In a crisis, these words are often emotion-driven and without forethought. They come in a moment of venting before moving into problem-solving mode. That’s natural. And it’s how most people respond to trials. That should be your first warning sign. Anything that is a “natural” response is almost always a flesh response (read: wrong). But is it really that big of a deal? Short answer: YES. Here, we’re sharing why how the power of FIRST words in a crisis cab either cement your defeat or catapult you to victory! 1. First Words Set Spiritual Laws in Motion “The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” –Matthew 12:37 Like it or hate it, believe it or not—your words matter. We’re never going to stop saying it because it will never stop being true. Words—especially FIRST words—set spiritual laws in motion. God designed it this way. Words fuel results one way or the other. That’s spiritual law. How do we know?
The first words any human ear ever heard were, “Be fruitful. Multiply. Fill up the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of the air, and every living thing that moves upon the earth!” God’s first words to man were BLESSING and empowerment. That’s His will for us. So to be in line with His will, our words should match His in every situation. That’s what Jesus was showing Jairus when he was facing a seeming tragedy in his life. News had just come that his daughter had died. Now, Jairus could have said a lot of things right off the bat. He could’ve allowed his first words to be filled with grief, anger, disappointment or fear. Jesus knew he would be tempted to do this, but He also knew it would set the wrong spiritual laws in motion. So, He quickly cautioned him, saying, “Do not fear, only believe” (Mark 5:36, ESV). As a result, we don’t see Jairus saying anything. He didn’t get into agreement with the bad report by speaking words, which was critical to the outcome of the situation. And as we know, a miracle took place, and his daughter was raised from the dead. What about you? What would be your first words if you received a bad report from the doctor? How about receiving news that you’d been laid off from your job? Or that your teenager had gotten into serious trouble? Matthew 12:37 says, “The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” If your first words are in opposition to what you want to see come to pass, you’re setting the wrong spiritual law in motion and setting yourself up for a negative result. It is much easier to set the right spiritual law in motion with your FIRST WORDS than to speak wrong words fueled by emotion and then try to rein them back in later. In this inspiring book, internationally known and respected Bible teachers will take you through God’s Word to give you the insight you need to pray effectively for your government leaders and your nation.
2. First Words Establish Your Faith Stand “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” –Mark 11:23 (NKJV) Think about it. Your first response to a situation—anger, fear, resentment, sadness—is where you usually stay. If you start out in doubt or fear, it’s a much tougher transition to move over into faith because you’ve already told yourself (and the spirit realm) what you think about the matter. On the other hand, FIRST WORDS that match God’s Word will establish an image of strong faith inside you—it will establish your faith stand upfront. Faith words spoken first will keep you from being double-minded—flipping back and forth between fear and faith—and will keep you in position to receive. After all, James 1:6-7 says a double-minded man receives nothing from God, so you might as well pick a side—faith or fear—from the beginning. That’s what the Shunammite woman was doing in 2 Kings 4 when her child died in her arms. She was facing a crisis—a tragedy—and she had to make an in-the-moment decision about how to respond. If she let natural emotion take over, she would have broken down, cried, mourned and even become angry. She likely would have accepted what had happened and begun planning a burial. But she didn’t do any of those things. Instead, she laid the child in a room, sent for a donkey, and headed off to see Elisha. When asked by her husband why she was rushing off to see him, instead of weeping or declaring, “Our son is dead!” she spoke these famous words of faith: “All is well.” And you know how it ended for her—she saw her son raised from the dead! FIRST WORDS—They mean more than you may know. The next time you receive bad news, instead of so many other things you could say, prepare now to say, “All is well.” How do you prepare ahead of time for a powerful faith-filled response? By filling up on the Word of God every single day. The power of first words will dramatically affect your situation, and that’s why you need to have God’s Word inside you. When a problem arises, or you’re faced with some sort of crisis, you want the first words coming out of you to be words of life—not words of panic, doubt or fear. Let the Word of God be the first thing that comes out of your mouth! 3. First Words Grant Permission “Bless the LORD, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word.” –Psalm 103:20 (NKJV) First words grant permission to someone—either the Lord to deliver BLESSING or the devil to unleash every evil work. You see, your words are a start button. When you push the button, it sets things in motion—either good or bad. When we speak words, all of heaven is waiting to hear what we will say so that our words can be acted upon. The devil has no rights to us except what we give him through our words. That’s why Jesus said, “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37, NKJV). When the kingdom of darkness attacks, your first words are the keys of God’s kingdom. Your first words open the door or lock the door to that BLESSING wall that has been built around you. That’s why Psalm 91:2 (NKJV) says, “I will say of the LORD…” Say what? “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.” That is a statement of faith. The Wycliffe Bible continues in verse 3, saying, “For he shall save me.” After you say…you see deliverance because you’ve opened access to your life through your words. WEEK 4
When Jesus and His disciples passed by the tree the next day, they discovered that Jesus’ words—the words He had heard His Father say—had come to pass: “The next morning as they passed by the fig tree He had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up” (Mark 11:20). In the 24 hours since Jesus had spoken, the Word was working “from the roots up.” Jesus had spoken to the root of that particular situation. He didn’t call fire down from heaven. He didn’t send freezing rain. He didn’t send a blight. No, He went to the roots. It’s the same with most situations—poverty, disease, depression or lack. The Word affects change at the root. Even when we can’t see or feel it, the Word is still working. Our responsibility is to trust God Word to work and to uphold it with our own words, agree with God’s Word, and thank Him for its fulfillment. Once Jesus spoke to the fig tree, He considered the situation settled. He didn’t agonize over it or beg for God to make it so. No, He spoke to the tree and walked off. He trusted that His words would be fulfilled, and so can we. Once we speak God’s Word over a situation, we can trust that He will make it happen. We can peacefully turn the situation over to Him and then praise Him for the desired result. Jesus used this encounter with the fig tree to teach His disciples, and ultimately believers throughout history, how to walk by faith—the God kind of faith. He knew the importance of the power of faith in God. When challenges come, we, as believers, have a choice. We can muddle through and let the enemy determine the outcome, or we can walk by faith and trust the Word of God to overcome Satan’s fiery darts every time. The choice is ours. God has given us the tool—His Word, and Jesus has taught us what to do. Now, it’s up to us to make the most of it by using the type of faith in the Bible…the God kind of faith! WEEK 3
God’s Faith WorksNotice Jesus spoke to the tree, saying, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” He wasn’t speaking about the tree; He was speaking to the tree. He spoke what the desired end result was. He didn’t wait until the circumstances or outward situation changed and agreed with His words before He said anything. No, He boldly spoke what the end result would be before there was any sign. He knew the situation would line up with His words. We can follow His example by proclaiming what our end results, which are based on the Word of God, will be too. If we need healing, we can boldly say, “I am healed,” because Isaiah 53:4-5 promises that Jesus paid the price for our healing. If we need provision, we can proclaim, according to Philippians 4:19, that He meets our every need completely. If we need peace, we can thank God for the peace that guards our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7). If we need joy, we can trust that God’s joy will be the strength that pulls us through every situation (Nehemiah 8:10). WEEK 2
Jesus’ lesson to His disciples on faith began the previous day: “…as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat your fruit again!’ And the disciples heard him say it” (verses 12-14). In that moment, Jesus had spoken, releasing the God kind of faith through His words. We first learn about the power of God’s Word back at Creation. Repeatedly, God spoke His will into existence in Genesis 1:
When Jesus spoke to the fig tree, He was doing what He had seen His Father do and saying what He had heard His Father say (John 5:19). He was speaking God’s Word and trusting it to be fulfilled just as He wanted it to happen. As imitators of Christ, we’re called to do what we see Jesus doing, and to say what we hear (or read) Jesus saying (Ephesians 5:1). We have to release our faith through our words, too…words that reflect and repeat the Word of God. This is a key element in developing the God kind of faith. WEEK 1
Have you heard of the “God kind of faith?” This is the type of faith Jesus talked about in the Bible. It’s important to study out because there’s power in having faith in God! “Have faith in God.” Those are the powerful words Jesus spoke to His disciples in Mark 11:22. Other translations quote Him as saying: “Have the faith of God,” and Greek scholars tell us it should be translated, “Have the God kind of faith.” That sheds a little more light on this scripture, doesn’t it? If we are going to have the God kind of faith, we need to know what that means so we can develop it. The key to understanding and developing the God kind of faith is to study how God and Jesus demonstrated faith. So, let’s take a look at Mark 11:22-23 in context, and see what we can learn: Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” (verses 22-25) Jesus was teaching His disciples how to live by faith—specifically how God works, how the God kind of faith works and how we should use the God kind of faith. WEEKS 3 - 4
SEED OF FAITH Kenneth Copeland For verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17:20 Someone once said that the reason I can live like I do is because I have "special faith." But, you know, that's just not true. I don't have "special faith." God has given me the same measure of faith He's given to you and every other believer. The only reason my faith looks like it works better is because I use it! If you've been living in the shadow of a mountain, waiting for God to give you some kind of special faith, make a change today. Step out and put the measure of faith you have to work moving the spiritual, physical, mental or financial obstacles Satan has brought against you. Romans 12:3 says God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. Believe Him! Step out in faith about that faith! Say, "Heavenly Father, I thank You that through faith in Jesus Christ, You have shared Your nature and Your Spirit with me. I am grateful for the measure of faith imparted to me as a believer. "I make the decision today to walk in that faith—to put it to work on the situations around me. I commit myself to operate in mountain-moving faith, for I know that it is impossible to please You without it (Hebrews 11:6). "As I plant this faith and water it with Your Word (Romans 10:17), I expect it to grow and overcome the mountains in my life and in the lives of those for whom I intercede. "Thank You, Father, that as I do this, nothing shall be impossible to me! In Jesus' Name. Amen." Scripture Reading: Luke 8:41-56 41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” 49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.” 50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But He [g]put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. Luke 8:41-56 (AMPC)41 And there came a man named Jairus, who had [for a long time] been a director of the synagogue; and falling at the feet of Jesus, he begged Him to come to his house, 42 For he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As [Jesus] went, the people pressed together around Him [almost suffocating Him]. 43 And a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed by anyone, 44 Came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment, and immediately her flow of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, Who is it who touched Me? When all were denying it, Peter and those who were with him said, Master, the multitudes surround You and press You on every side! 46 But Jesus said, Someone did touch Me; for I perceived that [healing] power has gone forth from Me. 47 And when the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came up trembling, and, falling down before Him, she declared in the presence of all the people for what reason she had touched Him and how she had been instantly cured. 48 And He said to her, Daughter, your faith (your confidence and trust in Me) has made you well! Go (enter) into peace (untroubled, undisturbed well-being). 49 While He was still speaking, a man from the house of the director of the synagogue came and said [to Jairus], Your daughter is dead; do not weary and trouble the Teacher any further. 50 But Jesus, on hearing this, answered him, Do not be seized with alarm or struck with fear; simply believe [in Me as able to do this], and she shall be made well. 51 And when He came to the house, He permitted no one to enter with Him except Peter and John and James, and the girl’s father and mother. 52 And all were weeping for and bewailing her; but He said, Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping. 53 And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing full well that she was dead. 54 And grasping her hand, He called, saying, Child, arise [from the sleep of death]! 55 And her spirit returned [[i]from death], and she arose immediately; and He directed that she should be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but He charged them to tell no one what had occurred. *All Scriptures New King James Version (NKJV) except where otherwise noted. WEEKS 1-2
START SPEAKING FAITH NOW Kenneth Copeland …Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Matthew 12:34-35* Words won’t work without faith any more than faith will work without words! It takes them both to put the law of faith in motion. Many believers don’t realize that. They’ll continually speak words of doubt and unbelief, then they’ll jump up one day and say a couple of faith words and expect mountains to move—and to their dismay, they don’t. Why not? Because as Matthew 12:34-35 says, it’s the words that come from the heart that produce results. The person who just throws in a couple of faith words now and then isn’t speaking them from the abundance of his heart, so they’re not effective. Does that mean you shouldn’t start speaking words of faith until you’re sure you have the faith to back them? No! Speaking words of faith is good spiritual exercise. If you want to receive healing by faith, for example, fasten your mind and your mouth on the Word of God where your health is concerned. Instead of talking about how miserable you feel, quote Isaiah 53:5. Say, “Jesus was wounded for my transgressions. He was bruised for my iniquities. The chastisement of my peace was upon Him; and with His stripes, praise God, I was healed!” If you’ll continue to meditate on those words and continue to say them, the truth in them will begin to sink in. They’ll take root in your heart and begin to grow. And eventually you really will be speaking from the abundance of your heart. When that happens, it won’t matter what the circumstances look like. You’ll know you have what you’ve been believing for and the devil himself won’t be able to talk you out of it. You’ll cross the line from hope to faith, and you’ll start seeing those mountains move! Scripture Reading: Matthew 12:33-37 (NLT) 33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” Matthew 12:33-37 (AMPC)33 Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit. 34 You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things. 36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak. 37 For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced. *All Scriptures New King James Version (NKJV) except where otherwise noted. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
Proverbs 4:5-6 Recently, God has been raising up ever-growing numbers of people who are hungry. Hungry to know their Lord in a deeper way. Hungry to serve Him—in pulpits, on mission fields, in homes, in office buildings and anywhere else He might choose to send them. They are people who simply aren't content to find the path of least resistance and coast their way into heaven. No, they're determined to run the race...to run, as the apostle Paul said, to obtain the prize. Spiritually speaking, they are on the road to excellence. Are you among them? If so, I want to share four simple words that, I believe, will enable you to run the race like a winner. Put the Word first. Whether your goal is to be an excellent evangelist or a first-rate engineer in the service of the Lord, it is the wisdom that comes from the Word of God that will get you there. Jesus said it this way: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). So commit yourself right now to do whatever it takes to totally saturate yourself with the Word of God. Use every available moment to read, study, listen to and meditate on it. I know it won't be easy, but if you've made a definite decision to amount to something in the ministry of Jesus Christ and you are determined to take the Great Commission seriously, then be diligent. Put the Word first and there will surely be glorious victories ahead. Scripture Reading: Proverbs 4:1-18 Kenneth Copeland I am the Lord, I change not.
Malachi 3:6 The world's order of things is unsure and indefinite. Desperate words of uncertainty are crying out daily from radio, television and newspapers. Everything around us seems to be in turmoil. But, praise God, if you're a believer you have something you can depend on: the unchanging Word of God! God has no double standard. He doesn't say one thing today and something else tomorrow. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. If you will make the Word the final authority in your life, it will give you stability when everything else around you gives way. If you'll let what God says settle the issues of life, you'll be confident when others are confused, peaceful when others are under pressure. You'll be overcoming when others are being overcome! What does it mean to make God's Word the final authority? It means believing what He says instead of believing what people say. It means believing what He says instead of what Satan says. It means believing what He says instead of what the circumstances say. Determine in your heart to do that today. Make up your mind to live by faith, not by sight. Fearlessly commit yourself to the authority of God's Word and there won't be anything in this unstable world that can steal your security from you. Scripture Reading: Psalm 9:1-10 1 I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your marvelous works and wonderful deeds! 2 I will rejoice in You and be in high spirits; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High! 3 When my enemies turned back, they stumbled and perished before You. 4 For You have maintained my right and my cause; You sat on the throne judging righteously. 5 You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever. 6 The enemy have been cut off and have vanished in everlasting ruins, You have plucked up and overthrown their cities; the very memory of them has perished and vanished. 7 But the Lord shall remain and continue forever; He has prepared and established His throne for judgment. 8 And He will judge the world in righteousness (rightness and equity); He will minister justice to the peoples in uprightness. 9 The Lord also will be a refuge and a high tower for the oppressed, a refuge and a stronghold in times of trouble (high cost, destitution, and desperation). 10 And they who know Your name [who have experience and acquaintance with Your mercy] will lean on and confidently put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek (inquire of and for) You [on the authority of God’s Word and the right of their necessity]. Kenneth Copeland |
Archives
January 2024
Categories |
|
We're Social. |