5 Myths About Patience You Can’t Afford To Believe

There’s something you need to know.

There are some myths floating around, and believing them—even secretly—is costing you.

There are a lot of ideas about patience in the world, and in Christian circles—some are true, some are not. So, it’s time to do some debunking because patience is a fruit of the spirit that makes every other fruit work because it causes you to not give up or quit, even when you’re under pressure.

In her latest book, Walking in the Fruit of the Spirit, Gloria Copeland shares about the fruit of patience and how it will take your faith to the finish line in every situation. Bible patience will go after a promise, dream, desire or blessing for as long as it takes. It will keep you standing and believing the Word of God until the full manifestation comes. So, you can’t afford to buy the lies anymore. It costs too much!

Patience is something we could all use more of. That’s why we’re debunking 5 Myths About Patience You Can’t Afford To Believe if you want to live a life of victory.

Myth No. 1: Patience Is Passive

“Let patience have its perfect work.” –James 1:4 (NKJV)

Most people think of patience as sitting and watching the world pass you by without taking any action. Waiting. And waiting.

But that isn’t true of Bible patience at all.

Bible patience is not passive. It is active and assertive. It is strength concentrated and released with precision and intention. Patience is power.

That would certainly explain why the devil provides ample opportunity for us to step out of patience every day. He wants to make sure we don’t have the power we need to have fully activated faith. That’s why you can’t afford to believe that patience is passive.

Think about how impatience makes you feel—frustrated and helpless. That certainly isn’t a position of power! But Bible patience is a decision to stand firm. It’s a choice to persevere with active faith—believing, speaking and acting on God’s Word. The stand of faith is not for wimps! And it is not inactive or passive in any way.

When God calls you to be patient, make no mistake; He is calling you to an active position of spiritual battle.

Myth No. 2: Patience Is a Personality Trait

“Ye have need of patience.” –Hebrews 10:36 (KJV)

“I’m just not a patient person.”

Have you ever heard anyone say that? Here’s the problem. Patience is not a personality trait. It is a developed quality—a cultivated fruit of the spirit.

God says we have need of patience. He also says that love is patient, and to love your neighbor as yourself is the second greatest commandment. That means it isn’t optional and everyone can obtain it. When you were born again, all the fruit of the spirit was placed right there inside you. But you have to make a decision to develop and yield to it. You can’t afford to do otherwise.

Your will is the gateway to your spirit. Whatever your will decides, that’s the way things are going to be. You can use your will either to shut off the outflow of patience within you, or to release it and let it have its perfect work. The choice is up to you.

Watch as Gloria Copeland teaches you why faith with patience wins.

Myth No. 3: Patience Is Too Difficult To Develop

“Endurance develops strength of character.” –Romans 5:4

For the average unbelieving person, patience is difficult to develop. But since we know we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, nothing is too hard for Him. He has commanded us to love and to be patient, and He never commands us to do something that is too difficult to achieve—that is, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

If you agree with the myth that the fruit of patience is too difficult to develop, you’ve already lost. But if you overcome the myth and determine to develop this powerful force in your life, nothing will be impossible for you. That’s why you can’t afford to give up on patience.

But the question remains: how?

Gloria Copeland suggests these ways to develop patience:

Pray in the spirit. This edifies you and builds up your spirit, enabling you to better operate by the Holy Spirit.
Practice. Take advantage of every opportunity to practice patience. In line at the store, on the road, with your spouse and children. The more you practice, the more natural it will become.

If you keep working at patience, one day you’ll surprise yourself and find that the fruit of patience has grown into a tall and strong force in your life!

Walking In The Fruit of the Spirit — Order your copy of Gloria’s new book for a special price today!

Myth No. 4: Lack of Patience Isn’t a Deal Breaker

“Fight the good fight of faith.” –1 Timothy 6:12 (NIV)

Some Christians shrug off the idea of perfecting patience in their lives as if it were some sort of pipe dream. But patience is more than just a nice idea—the lack of it is a deal breaker in the spirit realm.

That’s because faith doesn’t work without patience. It’s the difference between success and failure.

You don’t generally get miracles by just having faith for a few minutes and then caving in. You may have to stand steadfast over time in the face of seeming impossibilities. That takes patience!

You can’t have a lot of faith, but not have much fight. You need faith that’s aggressive—faith that teams up with patience to pack a one-two punch that puts the devil on the run and brings the impossible to pass!

Make no mistake, you can’t have the desires of your heart without faith, and you can’t have faith without patience. You see, faith opens the door to God’s promise for you, and patience keeps it open until that promise is fulfilled.

Do you have your faith sights set on a promise of God today, a promise you’ve been waiting on for some time? Don’t let the delay discourage you. Put patience to work. The Word guarantees you will receive your reward.

Like every other fruit of the spirit, we have to practice patience to see it fully develop in our lives. Watch as Gloria Copeland explains more.

Myth No. 5: Patience Will Delay the Result

“And so, having patiently waited, he received the promise.” –Hebrews 6:15 (NASB)

This verse tells us that Abraham received his promise as a result of…wait for it…patience. Hebrews 6:12 (NKJV) tells us to be like those who have gone before us who “through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Notice it wasn’t just by faith alone. Patience brought it home.

That means the idea that patience will delay the result is a myth. Patience will expedite your result. That’s a bit counterintuitive for most of us, but it remains true. That’s because patience is an indicator of where your faith is on the spiritual gauge. The higher your patience, the stronger your faith. Strong faith says, “I’m not moving. I don’t care what it looks like. I’m getting my promise! I’m not moved by what I see and feel. I’m not moved by the passage of another day. I’ll see my promise!”

Of the expediting power of patience, Kenneth Copeland says, “When you’re willing to stand in faith forever, you won’t be there very long.”

On the other hand, if you have let circumstances throw you off course, you got out of the vehicle driving your faith—you got out of patience. The problem is, when you get out of your vehicle, you aren’t moving forward anymore.

The power of patience is a working power. When faith has a tendency to waver, it is patience that comes to faith’s aid to make it stand. The power of patience is necessary to keep faith strong and moving forward.

Now that you know the truth about the fruit of patience, it’s time to stop believing these five myths! Make a life of patience your goal. When you do, get ready for breakthrough!

Watch Kenneth Copeland teach you how faith, with patience, receives the promise.