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Tithing 101: The Top 10 Bible Truths You Need to Know

Posted on January 3, 2019 - 10:55 am by
Tithing 101

On the fence about tithing? Take this crash course in tithing and learn why these Bible truths can turn your financial situation around!

To tithe or not to tithe, gross or net, Old Covenant or New Covenant—the tithing debate rages on. Yet, like so many other biblical truths, there isn’t really a debate. You might say, “Well, I tried tithing, and it didn’t work.” But tithing isn’t something you try, it’s something you live.

Like anything else, God looks at the heart. One who puts a tithe in the bucket in a grudging manner and out of obligation is no better than the one who fights tooth and nail against giving God anything at all. If you want to live in the benefits of a tither, you’ve got to first become a real tither—one who gives continually, year after year, no matter the circumstances—with a tither’s heart.

If you’re already a tither, these truths will only strengthen your resolve. If you’re not, and you feel like you need to have revelation in this area to truly embrace the concept, these truths are for you, too.

No matter which way you slice it, tithers are blessed. The Bible is chock full of benefits, rights and privileges for tithers. You don’t want to miss them! You can live the life of a tither—a blessed life—with these top 10 Bible truths you need to know.

Discover 3 Tithers’ Rights Every Christian Should Know here. 

1. The Tithe Is the First 10 Percent

“Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.” –Deuteronomy 14:22 (NIV)

Wondering how to calculate your tithe? It’s easy! The tithe is the first 10 percent of your gross income—before any expenses or obligations, including taxes. How do we know? Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase” (NKJV). The dictionary defines firstfruits as “the first agricultural produce of a season, especially when given as an offering to God.” (See also Genesis 28:22; Leviticus 27:32; Hebrews 7:2, 4).

There’s something spiritually significant about giving God your first and best, rather than the leftovers. And it means something to Him, too. In Malachi 1:6-12, some of the priests at the Temple got a bright idea. Instead of offering unblemished animals as sacrifices to the Lord, they decided to make sacrificing more convenient and cost-effective. So, they began encouraging people to give their blind and lame animals, instead of the best of the bunch. The priests were giving God the leftovers instead of the first and best. In response, God said, “Where is My honor?… Where is my reverence?” (Malachi 1:6, NKJV). He viewed this as dishonoring to Him—and it was!

When God gave His first and only Son as a sacrifice for our sins, He gave His first and best. He deserves nothing less than the same from us.


2. The Tithe Belongs to God

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” –Matthew 22:21 (KJV)

Some people get real defensive when a pastor or minister talks about the tithe. “All they want is my money!” they’ll say. That kind of attitude comes from a spirit of fear and judgment, and it is outside the love walk. Most pastors are trying to help you understand the principle of tithing for your own benefit! But the real question isn’t about whether or not a pastor is trying to get your money—it’s whether you understand that the tithe belongs to God.

Is He really first in our lives? If He is, there won’t be such strong opposition to the idea of giving Him our first and best. Leviticus 27:30 says, “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord” (NIV).

In other words, when you tithe, you aren’t giving your money to a pastor or a church—you’re giving it to God. Certainly, it’s important to be sure you are giving into good soil, but once you’ve made that determination, your heart should release the tithe into God’s hands.

If we don’t, there’s no way around it—we’re robbing God (Malachi 3:8). And, as Gloria Copeland says, “There’s no blessing in robbing God.”


3. We Present Our Tithes to Jesus

“Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he (Jesus) receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.” –Hebrews 7:8 (NKJV)

In the Old Covenant, the people would present their tithes to the high priest. Today, Jesus is our High Priest, so we present our tithes to Him (Hebrews 4:14-16). That’s why tithing isn’t about money—it’s about honor. We honor God with our tithe when we present our tithes to Jesus. How do we do this? First, we do it joyfully—we don’t murmur. Then, we make it a deliberate act of worship.

Gloria Copeland has shared how she and Kenneth present their tithe to the Lord each time:

“Ken and I, we take our tithe and we worship God. We do this at home. We pray and have Communion over our tithe. We worship God with our tithe. We say, ‘It is our privilege to tithe, and we love You, Lord, and we honor You and we thank You for everything You’ve given us.’”

Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth…then your barns will be filled to overflowing.” You know, it’s good to have barns, but it is better to have them filled to the top. So, every time you give, tithe and sow—present your tithe to the Lord with honor. That is the heart with which we increase; that is the heart with which we tithe.


4. We Give Our Tithes in Faith

“Without faith it is impossible to please him.” –Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)

If you’re tithing in fear—fear that you won’t have enough left over, fear that you won’t be able to make ends meet, fear that you won’t get a return—you’re not tithing in faith. And if you’re not tithing in faith, you’re not eligible to receive the benefits.

So, don’t just tithe—tithe in faith! Do it believing that God will rebuke the devourer for your sake (Malachi 3:11) and that He’ll open the windows of heaven over your life (Malachi 3:10). If you aren’t tithing faithfully, your priorities are in the wrong place. Your priorities are in the natural realm instead of the spiritual realm. And it’s what’s in the spiritual realm that will bring you out of trouble and cause you to be abundantly blessed.

Faith says, “We’re going to tithe first, even if we don’t have groceries.” And faith knows God will take care of you in a supernatural way in the meantime.


5. We Tithe Using Words

“Take some of the firstfruits…. and say to the priest….”—Deuteronomy 26:2-3 (NIV)

If you approach tithing as a matter of the heart, rather than just bucket-plunking, you’ll not only begin to see it as an act of honor and worship, but an act of faith, as we just explored. Part of that act of faith is that we tithe using words of faith.

In the Old Covenant, God’s people would place their tithe—the firstfruits of their increase—in a basket, present it to the high priest, and say to him, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us” (Deuteronomy 26:3, NIV). They spoke their redemption.

Today, Jesus is our High Priest. When we present our tithe to Him, we should do so with our words, declaring tithing benefits and protections. Say out loud, “As I tithe, I believe the devourer is rebuked in my life, and the windows of heaven are opening up over every part of my life. As I give, it comes back to me, pressed down, shaken together and running over!”


6. Tithing Protects the Other 90 Percent

“I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground” –Malachi 3:11 (KJV)

“I can’t afford to tithe.” Have you ever heard or said these words? You may have even thought, When I can afford it, I’ll tithe. Some of you have been thinking that for 10 years, and you still don’t think you can afford it. Now, that ought to tell you something. The way you’re doing it is not working.

Here’s a simple truth about tithing: Give God what is His, and He will protect what is yours. As you honor God with the 10 percent that belongs to Him, He’ll get involved with the rest. The other 90 percent will go further than ever before because you’ve got the supernatural power of God involved with your finances.

The tithe from your income belongs to God, and it lays the foundation for your financial success and abundance. There is a protection plan that’s attached to the tithe. Everything we have is protected—our finances, our home, our goods.

Gloria Copeland says this: “If you’re not a tither, I guarantee you, you can look back in your life, and you can see where your fruit was destroyed, where your situation didn’t work out, where your job didn’t come to full fruition, where you weren’t able to do what you intended to do. That’s what happens to people who don’t tithe. What’s missing? THE BLESSING!”

Watch as Jerry Savelle teaches how sowing in famine is the key to financial breakthrough.


7. Tithing Is the Only Area God Says “Prove Me”

“Try it! Let me prove it to you!” –Malachi 3:10 (NLT-96)

This is God Himself speaking, and He is saying, “Prove Me in this.” This is the only time in the Bible where God instructs us to prove Him, and it is the one area where most people have withdrawn from proving God. He tells us the devourer will be rebuked, and the floodgates of blessing will open up over us (Malachi 3:10-11, NIV).

Does God mean tithe one week and see what happens? No. You’re not a tither if you give once or even for a year. It isn’t an experiment or a hobby—it’s a lifestyle. A tither is a tither from the heart. So, don’t just toss some money in a bucket and wait to see what happens—you try the Lord in this area with a tither’s heart. That is when harvest comes. And, as Jerry Savelle says, “If you’re not a sower [or a tither] you’re not entitled to a harvest.”


8. Tithing Is Our Covenant Connection

“They have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies.” –Joshua 7:11-12 (NIV)

Refusing to tithe disconnects you from the covenant of blessing. When you tithe, you give God the legal right to intervene in your financial affairs, to bless you richly, and to defend you against the destruction the devil brings.

Don’t wait until your back is against the wall to start. Begin now. Meditate on the blessings God’s Word promises you as a tither. Learn to act on that Word now, and when Satan tries to put you in a financial corner, he’ll fail. Establish yourself on the covenant of God—then Satan will have no chance against you. God will rebuke him for your sake.


9. God Created the Tithe for Our Benefit

“Honor the Lord with your substance…so shall your barns be filled with plenty.” –Proverbs 3:9-10 (KJV)

Tithing isn’t sowing—it’s giving back to God what belongs to Him. As a result, you will live in the overflow! That is the harvest. And a good harvester is a tither.

Tithing is the most foundational part of prosperity—that’s where it begins. God reinvests it back into us for our benefit. The tithe protects the harvest. You can’t sow unless you’re tithing—tithing comes first. The benefits are beyond anything you could ever imagine.

 

10. Tithing Opens the Door to THE BLESSING

“Then you….shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.” –Deuteronomy 26:11 (NIV)

Handling someone else’s money is the testing ground—the qualifier—for Kingdom promotion and being entrusted with true riches. This all begins with the proper handling of what belongs to God—the tithe. Tithing is the open door to THE BLESSING that God set forth that is going to meet your needs, bless you and keep you prosperous.

In Deuteronomy 28, God spoke to the Israelites about the curse and THE BLESSING. But just prior, in Deuteronomy 26, He talked to them about letting Him in on their finances—through the tithe. Why? Not because God needed the money, but because they needed help. They were going into the Promise Land where there were many challenges. So, He told them about tithing, the curse and THE BLESSING, in that order.

And you know, it’s still the same today. If you’ve been thinking I believe in tithing, but I just can’t afford it, you’re going backward. Because if you don’t let THE BLESSING in, the curse comes in.

This is Tithing 101! If you take these top 10 Bible truths and put them to work—let them become revelation to you—you will begin to see increase in your life. If you’ve been hesitant to walk in the life of a tither—take the plunge. Look up tithing scriptures and act on them. The very next paycheck you get—tithe! Then, buckle your seatbelt and get ready for an exciting journey to prosperity!

Related Articles:

How to Present Your Tithe to Jesus

4 Ways to Grow Closer to God This Christmas

Posted on December 18, 2018 - 12:00 am by
4 Ways to Grow Closer to God This Christmas

Are you desiring a closeness with God you haven’t yet achieved? You can develop a friendship with God this Christmas like you’ve never had before!

 

At Christmastime, we tend to put greater focus on spending time with friends and family from near and far. Even those you haven’t seen in years will likely get a Christmas card from you, wishing them the best and letting them know you’re thinking of them during this special time of year. Friendships can come and go in our lives, but they are still of great value!

 

Relationships take effort, desire and an investment of time. They don’t just happen by accident! The same is true of our friendship with God. Maybe you’re feeling a desire to be closer to Him—to hear from Him more, learn from Him more, and have a greater confidence and boldness in His Word. There’s good news for you—you can be as close to Him as you want to be by following these four ways to grow closer to God this Christmas.

 

1. Pray

Even in the natural, developing a friendship is simple—spend time together. Spending time with God means taking the time to pray (and listen!). Don’t just pray randomly—pray boldly. Pray His Word, pray with thanksgiving, pray in faith and pray in the spirit. The more you pray, the closer you’ll be to God.

 

Find 3 Prayer Secrets from Gloria Copeland here.

 

2. Fellowship With God

There’s a difference between prayer and fellowship. Many people will pray as a ritual or very formally, without any sign of a true relationship. But fellowship with God comes when you approach Him with confidence and share your inmost thoughts and feelings. He wants you to tell Him about your concerns and then leave those things in His hands. He tells you to cast your cares onto Him because He cares so much for you (1 Peter 5:7).

 

3. Meditate on the Word

When you spend time getting to know God’s Word, you’re getting to know Him! The more you know Him, the better your friendship will be—the closer you’ll be to God. When you know Him the way you would know a good friend, you’ll have confidence in Him. You won’t have to guess what He is thinking, desiring or saying to you—you’ll know. Get to know Him by mediating on His Word—you’ll never again have to ask, “Is that me, God, or is it You?”

 

4. Praise

If you want God to come hang out with you, there’s one sure way to get Him to come over—praise! He inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3), so when you praise Him, you are drawing near to Him and that’s when He draws near to you (James 4:8). To really praise God, you have to know who He is and what He has done for you, and that comes from No. 3—spending time in the Word.

 

Spend time praising God. Praise Him while you’re driving, praise Him while you’re cooking, praise Him while you’re wrapping gifts. When Christmas comes, you’ll find you feel much closer to Him than you ever have.

 

God wants to be your best friend. He wants to listen to you, speak to you, encourage you, correct you, guide you and give you the most amazing gifts you could ever imagine. Don’t hesitate to reach higher and draw closer to Him this Christmas. You are a friend of God, and being His friend is always to your advantage.

 

Listen in as Kenneth Copeland shares how to activate your ability to hear God.

 

 

Accepting the Whole Gift of Salvation This Christmas

Posted on December 17, 2018 - 12:00 am by
Accepting the Whole Gift of Salvation This Christmas

Have you left some parts of your gift of salvation laying at the bottom of the bag? Learn what blessings you might be missing!

 

Opening a gift wrapped in a large gift bag filled with tissue paper can be a challenge. You dig around until you finally find something, and pull it out to ooh and ahh. Then comes the awkward moment—do you reach in again, acting like you’re expecting something more, or do you just leave it? You decide to be as polite as possible and assume there is nothing more, when the gift giver shouts “There’s more!” Delighted, you reach back in for more. Just think—you may have missed out on some wonderful blessings if you hadn’t taken the time to accept the whole gift!

 

Some Christians are the same way when it comes to salvation. When they get born again, they receive the big, shiny gift bag filled with tissue paper. They pull out salvation and gratefully receive it. Then, they put the bag down and walk away. All the while, Jesus is shouting, “There’s more!”

 

Jesus paid a big price to provide an abundance of blessings for us to enjoy. We receive salvation by faith, and we receive everything that comes with it by faith, as well. If you’ve accepted your salvation but have left the other goodies in the gift bag—it’s time to reach in and take them, and give God the praise He deserves.

 

Here are the gifts just waiting to be received:

 

  • Healing

Wholeness and healing in your physical body is part of your salvation. Jesus bore your sicknesses and carried your diseases when He bore your sins. Health belongs to you, but it won’t be manifested until you believe God for it, until your faith comes, and you believe you receive it and say, “By His stripes I am healed.” That’s when healing starts to take place in your body—that’s when you accept the full gift.

 

Find out what The Power of the Blood of Jesus covers in your life.

 

  • Protection

Maybe you’ve been bound by a spirit of fear, not knowing that your salvation includes the gift of protection from danger. If you’ll believe it and receive it, faith will come into your heart and dislodge all fear.

 

  • Material Possessions

If you’re in financial trouble, the answer doesn’t come from the outside in, it comes from the inside out. Jesus said He came to give you an abundant life—that includes total life prosperity and the blessing of material possessions. God loves you, and He wants you to eat the good of the land. Don’t leave that gift laying at the bottom of the gift bag. Open it and enjoy!

 

  • Deliverance

Depression, substance addiction, pornography addiction, strife, hopelessness, marriage trouble, worry, doubt, fear—anything that holds you in bondage—it’s all covered by the blood of Jesus. It’s all included in your gift of salvation.

 

Accepting the whole gift of salvation this Christmas is the best gift you can give back to God. It is an act of receiving His love. Have you ever tried to love someone who just wouldn’t love you back or would not receive the love that you offered them? There’s no joy in that. God is so full of love. He has gone to great lengths to give us salvation, so we can walk with Him, talk with Him and receive His love—that incomprehensible love that God has and is. And He wants a receiver for that. He’s calling out to you today, saying “There’s more!” Will you reach back into that bag and take what He’s given you?

 

Watch as Gloria Copeland teaches about all the benefits of salvation.

 

 

 

3 Gifts You Should Unwrap This Christmas

Posted on December 16, 2018 - 12:00 am by
3 Gifts You Should Unwrap This Christmas

Would you like to open some Christmas gifts early? God has blessings in the form of three gifts you should unwrap this Christmas season.

 

There’s a lot of talk of giving gifts this time of year. You’re likely looking forward to unwrapping some shiny boxes yourself!

 

When you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you unwrapped the greatest gift of all time—salvation! Salvation includes everything in your life you could ever need—whether it is eternal security in heaven, a car, healing or a home (John 10:10).  It includes everything! Yet, so many Christians are walking around looking just like the world instead of living in the victory that overcomes the world.

 

What about you? Have you opened every gift Jesus purchased for you? Or have some of them been sitting unopened? Don’t wait any longer. Jesus paid a great price to purchase these precious gifts for you. Go ahead—take a peek at these three gifts you should unwrap this Christmas.

 

1. Unwrap the Gift of Healing This Christmas

Remember the Pool of Bethesda? You know—the place where people would lay waiting for the angel to stir up the water (John 5), and the first person into the pool would be healed. Well, when Jesus came, He made that pool obsolete. Yet, some Christians are still lying by the pool, so to speak, waiting and hoping that the Lord will give them a special opportunity to be healed.

 

Every day of your life, this Bible fact will be true: Healing is here. It’s here every minute of every day because the power of God never fades, and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

 

Just as He said to the sick man at the pool, He is speaking to you today, asking, “Do you want to be made well?… take up your bed and walk” (John 5:6-8, NKJV). Don’t wait another minute. Unwrap the gift of healing this Christmas—your name has been on the tag all along.

 

2. Unwrap the Gift of Financial Blessing This Christmas

If traditional religion has taught you that God wants you poor and oppressed, there is good news for you today. The Bible says God takes pleasure in your prosperity (Psalm 35:27). God wants you to prosper! He wants that for every area of your life, including the financial realm.

 

Why? Because He loves you, and He has a job for you to do. He wants you to help meet the needs of mankind, and He’s smart enough to know that you can’t give away what you don’t have.

 

If you’ve been struggling to make ends meet, battling debt or searching in vain for a job, now is your time. God doesn’t want you to owe anyone or be without anything you need (Romans 13:8, Philippians 4:19). So, if you have settled for less than God’s best in this area, it’s time to make a change! Unwrap the gift of financial blessing this Christmas by expecting to receive provision, and begin 2019 in the overflow!

 

Learn more about the Profile of a Prosperous Christian here.

 

3. Unwrap the Gift of Family Reconciliation This Christmas

A strained marriage, a wayward child or a broken relationship can cause untold hurt and bitterness. Add unforgiveness and strife to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for disaster! If you’re facing this situation today, you know the heavy burden it brings that can impact every area of your life. Because it seems like so much depends on the other person, it can feel hopeless at times.

 

Now, let’s add God to the equation. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, which means “nothing missing, nothing broken,” or “to be whole.” That kind of peace has always been God’s plan for His covenant-keeping people. No promise missing, no part of it broken. In other words, God wants you at perfect peace in every area of your life, including your relationships.

 

Let’s set the record straight. Nothing is too far gone for God. Your marriage might be hanging by a thread right now, but God makes all things new (Revelation 21:5). He wants your marriage to be healed, and on top of all that—He can make it better than it’s ever been before.

 

If you have a prodigal child or a challenging relationship with a parent or sibling, God wants to work a miracle. Unwrap the gift of family reconciliation this Christmas—but don’t do it in your own strength! Do it by faith. Let go of the situation—stop worrying and start praising! That ribbon will come untied, and the gift will come bursting forth.

 

When you unwrap these three gifts from God this Christmas, 2019 will be your best year yet! God loves it when you find out what is yours. He doesn’t wait until Christmas to bless you with His promises. They are yours for the taking every day! Will you receive them?

 

Learn how to tap into the power to fight for your family with Gloria Copeland and Billye Brim.

 

 

 

3 Ways to Bless Soldiers This Christmas

Posted on December 15, 2018 - 12:00 am by

You can bless a military family this Christmas! Share the love of Jesus and learn 3 ways to bless soldiers this Christmas season.

 

Our military today is the most outstanding United States military in the history of this nation. There’s never been another corps like them anywhere, anytime. They’re tough, and they’re committed. More importantly, they need our support.

 

Military families face unique challenges every day. Multiple lengthy deployments, relocations, financial pressure and the strain on families are all often compounded by a lack of community support. As Christians, we have the opportunity to be a light to this special group of people who serve us, protect us and defend our freedoms.

 

Perhaps, you’ve had a desire to step in and help our military—to give back in some small way to honor their sacrifices. There is no better time than during this holiday season to include military families in your Christmas planning. Here are three ways to bless soldiers this Christmas that will make a lasting impact on their lives.

 

1. Pray for Soldiers

Often in harm’s way or facing trying obstacles, our military men and women need regular prayer support. It’s the most powerful thing you can offer from a distance. A soldier’s life can be lonely and dangerous, and the power of the Holy Spirit brings a comfort unmatched by any human effort. Here’s how you can pray:

 

  • Pray for Psalm 91 protection.
  • Pray that they will have courage and supernatural strength.
  • Pray that they will have favor and victory in every situation.
  • Pray for their families at home and that their relationships will remain strong.
  • Plead the blood of Jesus over their minds and bodies.

 

Learn more about the power of Psalm 91 here.

 

2. Give Toward the Needs of Soldiers

When soldiers are deployed, it can be difficult to know how to make a difference. But don’t let that stop you! There are many ways that you can bless soldiers this Christmas by meeting their tangible needs. Jesus always met needs before He shared the gospel. It is a powerful witnessing tool and an important way to shine His light at Christmas! Here are some ideas to consider:

 

  • Send a card or care package to a soldier. (There are several organizations that facilitate this.)
  • Volunteer or donate to an organization that serves deployed soldiers and their families.
  • Many military men and women face financial struggles. Bless a member of our military with a gift card that will help meet his or her needs this Christmas.
  • Purchase Christmas gifts for their children.
  • If you see a member of the military in a restaurant—never let them pay for their own meal! Take the opportunity to bless them and thank them for their service.

 

3. Stand With Their Families

Military families face unique challenges. Deployments mean separated families and a spouse who is alone in caring for the needs of children. You can come alongside and support families and ease the mind of a soldier overseas. This Christmas, many military families will spend the holidays alone. Your act of reaching out in love will be a blessing.

 

What can you do? Don’t ask what they need—simply serve. Often, when asked if help is needed, people feel obligated to say no to avoid inconveniencing others. So, instead of asking, if you feel led to serve and give to a military family—just do it!

 

If you know a family at church or at your child’s school, there are many ways you can offer to help. Sometimes, if you listen when people talk, you can pick up on clues to where their greatest needs lie. Just be sure to ask permission. They will appreciate it more than you will ever know. Some ideas include:

 

  • Stop by with a meal.
  • Offer to take the kids to the zoo.
  • Lend a helping hand with household repairs or yardwork.
  • Take them out to lunch or dinner.

When you use these three ways to bless soldiers this Christmas, you will make a difference in our nation, our world and the kingdom of God. Add military families to your Christmas list this year, and spread the love of Jesus in your community and your world.

 

Watch as KCM Partner, Sgt. 1st Class Tracey Baker shares his testimony of Psalm 91 protection during his tour in Iraq.

 

 

 

How to Use the 3 Basics of Faith This Christmas

Posted on December 14, 2018 - 12:00 am by
How to Use the 3 Basics of Faith This Christmas

Are healing, finances or restoration on your Christmas list this year? Use these basics of faith to unwrap your dreams this Christmas!

 

Have you ever opened a wrapped package and inside was another, smaller package, and then another and another, until you finally found a gift in the last box? If so, why did you keep unwrapping when the first box held nothing but another box?

 

The answer is: You had faith. You had faith that if you kept at it, you would finally unwrap the real present.

 

This is the kind of faith God is looking for in His people. The kind of faith that knows with certainty that whatever it’s believing for will happen.

 

In the middle of the hustle and bustle this Christmas, you likely have some things on your list that you need in your life:

 

  • Healing in your body
  • Financial increase
  • A restored relationship
  • Deliverance from depression

 

Maybe you’ve even thought to yourself, I’ll have to wait until after Christmas to press in to God for those things. But God is a NOW God, and He never wants you to put your faith on pause—He wants you to have life and live it abundantly! You can get everything done for Christmas and still receive everything you need from God when you learn how to use these three basics of faith this Christmas.

 

Faith Basic No. 1: Believe the Word

When life is extra busy is not the time to cut back on time in the Word. In fact, it’s just the opposite! During the Christmas season, you’ll find your days are much more peaceful and productive when you give God’s Word first place each day.

 

Then, when you’re hearing others talk about catching the flu, being up to their eyeballs in credit card debt for Christmas, and fighting with family members—tune out! Don’t receive that as truth in your life—go over and above it to the Word of God. That’s your final authority.

 

Believe the Word of God above all else, and you’ll always have success.

 

Faith Basic No. 2: Speak the Word

Words were created primarily for power release. Words created this planet. That’s why what you say and what you don’t say is important. This is a basic principle of faith!

 

It isn’t enough to renew your mind in the Word of God if you aren’t going to use it for anything. When a child learns his or her ABCs, the purpose isn’t just knowing them, but putting them to use—turning them into spoken words. The same is true with faith. It won’t do you any good to just know the truth of God’s Word—you’ve got to put it to work by speaking it out!

 

Your words allow one of Satan’s main inroads to your life. If you keep your words in line with the Word of God, Satan is locked out. But if you start cursing yourself in your health, finances, marriage, children—suddenly he’s in and he has big plans to carry out what you’ve spoken.

 

Speak the Word only! Then you can expect to see it come to pass in your life this Christmas.

 

Find a more in-depth study of The ABCs of Faith here.

 

Faith Basic No. 3: Act on the Word

James 2:20 says, “Faith without works is dead” (NKJV). So, what does it mean to act on the Word of God?

 

First, it means whatever you see in the Bible—you do it. No matter what. You don’t try to do it.  You do it because the Bible commands you to do it.

 

Second, it means making a move before you see a manifestation in the natural. That might be moving a part of your body you couldn’t move before or putting feet to your faith by paying even one dollar toward getting out of debt.

 

When you put these three basics of faith to work this Christmas, you’ll unwrap the best gift—the gift of faith! Take your healing, take your increase, and take newfound peace and joy, and make this the best Christmas and new year ever!

 

Watch as Kenneth Copeland shares how the fundamentals of faith always work!

 

 

 

 

Forgive and Go Free This Christmas!

Posted on December 13, 2018 - 12:00 am by
Forgive and Go Free This Christmas

Do you have someone you need to forgive this Christmas? You can forgive and go free, and enjoy the merriest Christmas ever!

 

Remember when…? That’s a question we hear a lot this time of year. Reminiscing with family and friends, we browse through Christmases gone by, enjoying the memories until inevitably, we stumble across memories we would rather forget.

 

Suddenly, the pain comes rushing back. The sting of a parent’s criticism, the broken promise of a friend, the rejections, the disappointments, the heartaches…. Or maybe there are fresh wounds from this year that haven’t healed and haven’t been resolved.

 

What should we do with memories or situations like that? Do we have to drag them along, like baggage, from year to year? No. We can leave them behind. In fact, we must leave them behind. And there’s only one way to do it—through forgiveness.

 

Some people think it’s too hard to forgive certain offenses or believe they have a right to remain angry and bitter. But the truth is—forgiveness is a choice. And it is also a command.

 

God has two reasons why He requires us to forgive anyone and everyone:

 

  1. It’s a prerequisite for our own forgiveness. Jesus emphasized this point on two different occasions. First, in Matthew 18, in the parable of the unforgiving debtor, where we learn the fate of those who refuse to forgive. Second, in Mark 11:25, when He said, “….if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (NIV).
  2. Our prayers will not work without forgiveness. The first part of Mark 11:25 is the key: “And when you stand praying…forgive….” Prayer will not work without forgiveness. If you’ve been praying for something and you just can’t seem to get an answer, check your heart for unforgiveness. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring any grudge that’s hidden in your heart to the light. Unclog the channel of faith by forgiving, and you will soon see things you’ve been praying for come to pass.

 

Feeling like your prayers aren’t getting through? Find The 7 Steps to Prayer That Bring Results here.

 

Forgiveness is a gift. When fully unwrapped, you’ll find peace, joy, healing, prosperity, blessing and a faith that cannot be stopped. That’s why the devil works overtime to convince you to stay out of it. He’ll tell you all the reasons why you’re justified in refusing to forgive, and he’ll replay every bad memory he can find in his file. He knows that a person without offense is a person he can’t touch.

 

If you’ve been living under the weight of a hurt, this Christmas season is the perfect time to forgive and go free. Unforgiveness clogs the faith channel and keeps you powerless against the mountains in your life!

 

So, determine to forgive everyone on your list—permanently! When old feelings rise up within you and Satan tries to convince you that you haven’t really forgiven, resist him. Say, “No, I’ve already forgiven that person by faith. I refuse to dwell on those old feelings.”

 

As you do that, something supernatural will happen within you. The pain once caused by that incident will disappear. The power of God will wash away the effects of it, and you’ll be able to leave it behind you once and for all.

 

Don’t let unforgiveness make a home in your heart. Forgive and go free this Christmas and prepare for a new year filled with every blessing!

 

Watch Kenneth Copeland teach you how to release the force of forgiveness in your life!

 

 

Celebrate 12 Days of Christmas With KCM!

Posted on December 4, 2018 - 9:00 am by

Starting Dec. 13, 2018 join us for the 12 Days of Christmas With KCM! Each day, you will get an encouraging message, free digital download, dinnertime devotion for children and a Copeland family recipe.

 

The most wonderful time of the year is at hand! Christmas is not really about Santa Claus, snowmen and how many gifts you receive, but it’s a special season for Christians to celebrate the miraculous birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. It’s big in the heart of God, and it’s big in our hearts, too. We are so thankful that Jesus was born into this earth, aren’t you?

 

That’s why we want to share Christmas with you, and this year, we are offering you gifts of encouragement, anointed teaching and more through our 12 Days of Christmas With KCM!

 

What is the 12 Days of Christmas With KCM?

The 12 Days of Christmas With KCM is our way of blessing you this holiday season! Beginning Thursday, Dec. 13 through Christmas Day, we will be gifting you in the following ways each and every day:

  • An Encouraging Message—With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we all need a little extra encouragement to keep Christ in Christmas and to stay focused on the truths found in God’s Word.
  • Dinner Time Devotion for Children—These are perfect devotions for young children that coordinate with the day’s encouraging message, so you can help your children apply biblical principles to their lives this Christmas.
  • Free KCM Digital Product Download—Download a free KCM product! These are some of our most popular books and audio teachings.
  • Copeland Family Recipe—Nothing brings people closer during the holidays than food and family! The Copelands consider you part of their family, and they would like to share some of their most treasured holiday recipes with you. Maybe you will make one of their traditions one of your own!

 

This program is no longer active. Thank you for participating! 

 

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

 

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Is Your Back Against the Wall?

Posted on November 29, 2018 - 1:23 pm by
Is Your Back Against the Wall?

Move out of the way, and let those things pushing you back hit the only wall that matters—the Wall of BLESSING.

by Kenneth Copeland

There’s a familiar expression that pops up when everything seems to be going against us and we think we can’t go on—when we’ve done everything we know to do and still our marriage, our finances or our family has not turned around: “My back’s against the wall.”

If that’s where you are today, then let me introduce you to a new confession, one born of the reality that the greatest authority on earth resides in the born-again believer. In this article, I’m going to teach you the truth about your situation, a truth that is based on The WORD of God for you as His child. When attacks and confusion come and try to push you back, declare this: “I’m not up against the wall, but these things that have come against me are. Anything from the curse that tries to come at me is about to hit the wall—THE BLESSING Wall.”

When you feel like your back is against the wall, remember these four facts about the Wall of BLESSING that will deliver you from every curse that comes against you.

1. The Wall of BLESSING Belongs to You

The Wall of BLESSING belongs to you. What do I mean by that? I’m talking about a manifestation of THE BLESSING in action that belongs to every believer. Look at Exodus 8:22-23 and the words God gave Moses in His warning to Pharaoh before the fourth of the 10 plagues He sent on Egypt, and you’ll start to see what I mean:

“And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am The LORD in the midst of the earth. And I will put a division between my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be (KJV).”

God warned that unless Pharaoh softened his heart and let the people of Israel go, a plague of flies would swarm the entire nation of Egypt. But the plague had to stop at the border of one area of the nation that had been given to Joseph and his family 400 years earlier.

Look again at the words God used to describe the boundaries set on the plague of flies. He said: “I will sever…. I will put a division between….”

There would be a wall those flies would not be allowed to penetrate. That phrase “put a division” can also be translated “put a redemption” between them. THE BLESSING was still on Goshen 400 years later.

You say, “But how does what God did for the Jews under their oppression have any bearing on the challenges I’m facing and the mess this world is in today?”

It has everything to do with what you face today, because that Wall of BLESSING was not just for the Jews, but for all the seed of Abraham. In Galatians 3:13-14, we see that through Redemption, the believer has been placed solidly inside that BLESSING Wall:

“But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same BLESSING he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.”

That Redemption has placed us on THE BLESSING side of a wall between sin and death, and life: “And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death” (Romans 8:2).

That Wall of BLESSING belongs to you. It belongs to you more than it belonged to those Israelites. Their covenant was in the blood of animals and the blood of the foreskin of a man. Your covenant is sealed in the precious blood of Jesus.

2. The Wall of BLESSING Stands Between You and the Curse

Throughout Scripture we see this BLESSING Wall of protection, separation, division and Redemption. It is the shield in Psalm 5:12: “For you bless the godly, O LORD; you surround them with your shield of love.” It is the whole (encompassing) armor of God that is written about in Ephesians 6:13-17.

THE BLESSING Wall is also what Satan called a hedge around Job, the most prosperous and powerful man in the east in his day: “You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is!” (Job 1:10).

And, in one example that can be easily missed, it was the grace in giving Paul challenged believers at the church at Corinth to “excel also in” (2 Corinthians 8:7)—a grace that, as they grew in, would erect a wall between them and poverty.

Preparing believers at Corinth for the coming of Titus to receive an offering, Paul taught, “You know the generous grace of our LORD Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Compare this to Galatians 3:13-14: “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same BLESSING he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.”

This grace they had not heard about was a wall between them and poverty. They were to grow in this grace of sowing bountifully, so they would also reap bountifully (2 Corinthians 9:6).

The result? “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others” (verse 8).

Does this verse say you will have enough just when the economy is going well? No. But it is true especially when the economy is not going well, so we can be channels of the answer to a bad economy—God, the Source, who is able to make all grace abound to all who believe.

Can you see it? Can you see that THE BLESSING can truly make a difference in your life? THE BLESSING provides a wall between you and the curse—poverty, destruction, sickness, disease and loss.

Watch Kenneth Copeland as he shares how THE BLESSING and the curse are spiritual forces already at work, and it’s up to you to choose life!

3. The Wall of BLESSING Stands Strong When You Cast Your Cares

Speak this over yourself right now: “My back is not against the wall. Instead, the Wall of BLESSING surrounds me and my family.” Get this truth, and don’t ever let it go. Maintain that Wall of BLESSING in your life.

How do you maintain THE BLESSING Wall or restore whatever part of it has been torn down, making sure it stands strong against every approach of the curse?

We take our place in 1 Peter 5:6-7: “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

Being humble is not going through life running yourself down or debasing yourself. It is not declaring, “Well, you know, I’m just so unworthy. I’m just no-good.” Who told you that? You won’t find God’s WORD describing you that way. Nor will you find it declaring you are just an old sinner saved by grace. You can’t be both. You’re either an old sinner or you’ve been saved by grace. No, true humility is casting all your care upon God who cares for you.

Early in our television ministry, though we had never before gone into debt for anything, I had allowed the ministry to become $6 million behind in our TV bill. Though I knew better, I had taken on the care of it and could hardly do anything without suddenly thinking about that bill.

The night before our board of directors’ meeting, I was reviewing the reports from every department, not looking forward to giving a report on the lousy job I had done letting that bill get behind. I told The LORD I was going to sell some ministry property to pay it off, but He asked, What are you going to sell next month? I realized I was out of line, but I didn’t know where.

The answer came as I read report after report declaring that each department had experienced one of the best years ever. Together, Gloria and I rejoiced over every report. Then, when we came to the report on the television broadcast bill, the word of The LORD came to both of us and I spoke it out: Now see? Every department was in the black—had a great year. The anointing was on every department except the one you were trying to carry.

Trying to carry the care of this thing by myself was pride because The WORD of God says, “Don’t do it. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God; casting all your care over on Him. All of it.” (1 Peter 5:6-7, paraphrase). The Amplified Bible says “once and for all” (verse 7).

“We’re going to get out from under this right now,” I said, and clasping hands, Gloria and I rolled the care of this whole thing over on God. Now, the devil didn’t leave me alone after that. For the next couple of weeks, he kept coming at me to take back the care. But every time a thought tried to enter back in, I took authority over it: “No, no, no. You don’t come into my mind. I cast you down, imagination. I cast that thought down. I’m not touching that with my thought life anymore.”

At first, I had to do that every few seconds. I kept reading scriptures, especially 2 Corinthians 7, 8 and 9. I stood guard on the thing. We kept tithing. We kept sowing. And after about two weeks, I wasn’t thinking about it anymore. I had rolled the care over on The LORD. Soon, that bill was paid, and I can’t even tell you how. I never entered back into the care of it.

You can do the same. Remember, your back’s not against the wall. The Wall of BLESSING is surrounding you. And now is the time to let go of the cares!

4. The Wall of BLESSING Is Your Deliverance

I hope this message about the Wall of BLESSING is getting through to you. I want you to get it because you don’t have to be subject to the defeat and struggle of this world. You can live a successful Christian life of plenty and love and peace. God desires that for you, and Jesus paid the ultimate price for it. Don’t let another day pass with you feeling the pressure and frustration of a defeated life. I’ve outlined the truth of this in Scripture and even my personal experience of getting out from under that $6 million TV debt. Just as He delivered me, He’ll deliver you.

To get out from under that $6 million debt, I had to cast the care of it over on God. He became the “care-taker.” Do that right now with whatever care you have been carrying. Then, stop and listen very quietly. You will hear Him say, I will take care of it.

Yes, the devil will still try to talk to you about it—about that debt; about the pain, the sickness, the disease; about the marriage, the job, the economy. His entire focus will be to get you to take the care of these things back and keep it.

When he approaches, just tell him, “Look, I don’t have a care. I have rolled my care over on Jesus. If you want to talk to someone about it, go talk to Him.”

When someone says, “Don’t you care about [this situation or that]?” you’ll be the one who says, “No! I rolled all my care about that over on The LORD. He cares for me and I am here to obey, to be blessed and to be a blessing. And I’m walking in praise and thanksgiving, continuing to make my desires known to God through thanksgiving and praise, not through anxiety.”

When your mind troubles you with worrisome thoughts, fight them by refusing to take on the care. Defeat those thoughts by speaking The WORD!

Remind yourself, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). And roll the care on God “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5, KJV).

Why?

Because there’s a Wall of BLESSING around you.  And from your position inside that wall, there’s always more than enough for whatever God has called you to do. You thrive, so you can help others who are trying to survive. So, let me ask you: Is anything coming against you? Let it come up against the wall—the Wall of BLESSING!

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The Vehicle That Will Drive Your Faith to the Finish Line

Posted on November 24, 2018 - 12:59 pm by
The Vehicle That Drives Your Faith

Wondering why you haven’t seen a manifestation of victory in your life? You need the vehicle that will drive your faith to the finish line!

If you’ve ever driven in the mud or in the mountains, you know that having the right vehicle can mean the difference between arriving safely at your destination or being stuck for hours in the same place. Choosing the right vehicle at the start is the best way to go! The same is true with faith. It can often be a rocky, muddy and steep road to the finish line—where you see manifestation and victory—and choosing the right vehicle will keep you from getting stuck.

Maybe you’re feeling that way today. You declare and stand for healing and your symptoms subside. Then three days later, they’re back in full force—maybe even worse! Or maybe you’re standing in faith, reciting scriptures, and believing for a financial breakthrough, and things start to look good. Then, suddenly it’s as if you’re back to square one. What’s the problem?

Keith Moore puts it this way, “On-again, off-again faith will produce on-again, off-again results.” To get to the finish line, you have to keep the switch of faith turned on and use a vehicle that can navigate the terrain ahead. That vehicle is patience.

Patience is being consistently constantly the same, day in, day out, by faith. Patience isn’t as exciting as faith, is it? But it sure is a necessary vehicle to get your faith to the finish line. God is not only the Author and Finisher of our faith, but He has given you the grace to reach your destination—even when you’re tempted to quit, get discouraged, give up on a dream, or give up on a promise. You weren’t created to quit. You were created to win!

As you honor God, moving forward in your faith, He will meet you with supernatural power. As Gloria Copeland says, “With faith, you get started. With patience, you finish the race.” Here is how patience—the vehicle that will get your faith to the finish line—works when you make it your primary source of transportation.

1. Avoid Flip-Flopping to Get to the Finish Line

“Be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.” –James 1:6-8

This is a great place to pause and do a quick self-evaluation. Take a moment and think about what you’re believing for right now—whatever promise you’re standing for—whether it be promotion, a ministry, your family, financial increase or healing. Now, you can probably think of many times when you’ve been strong in your faith regarding this matter, but can you think of times when you’ve started to get “blown and tossed” by statistics, your symptoms, your bank balance or missed opportunities?

If you 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. James 1:7 says that when this happens, we “should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” That’s why it is so important to avoid flip-flopping in our believing, our speaking and our persevering.

That might sound rough, and everyone struggles in this area, at least for a time. But God would not ask us to do anything that He has not equipped us to do. It takes practice to become a faith champion, but you can do it!

You see, 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. Kenneth Copeland says, “If patience is not in its place, you’re going to come apart at the seams.”

That’s why almost everywhere you find faith mentioned in the Bible, you also find patience. Faith and patience are the power twins. Together, they will produce every time.

Watch as Kenneth Copeland teaches about the power twins faith and patience:

On the other hand, faith without patience will often fail because no matter how many confessions you speak and how determined you are to stand on the Word of God, the devil is always standing by, ready to fire distractions at you like a machine gun. “Look over here! Look at your symptoms! Look at that failed business deal! Have you noticed that what you’re believing for hasn’t happened yet?” He will tempt you with anything to keep your focus off the Word of God.

That’s where patience comes in. Patience says, “I don’t put timelines on God. I don’t have to see it to know I have it. I believed I received it when I prayed.” Patience keeps your faith strong and gives it endurance to persevere until the answer comes. Faith takes it, and patience keeps it.

2. See Trials as an Opportunity to Get to the Finish Line

“Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” –James 1:2-4 (NKJV)

One of the most common traditions and mistakes is believing that trials and tribulations develop faith. Trials and tribulations do not develop faith…faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17)—hearing, speaking and acting on the Word. Faith must be developed on the Word of God before the trial or test comes.

However, trials and tribulations do develop patience. We have already learned from James 1 that this is true. The Apostle Paul says the same thing in Romans 5:3: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.” In other words, endurance—or patience—is the vehicle that drives your faith to the finish line.

If trials develop our patience, does that mean God sends them our way? No. Tests and trials don’t come from God—they come from the devil. God, in His goodness, knew that these tests would come and taught us how to use them as opportunities to grow spiritually. A test or a trial is something that applies pressure on our flesh and attempts to draw us away from God’s Word.

But God encourages you to remember that “the temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

That’s what Jesus was talking about in Luke 6:47-48, when he compared one who builds his house on sand to one who builds his house on a rock. When the floods (or trials) beat on a house built on the rock, the house does not fall. That’s because faith is developed before the trial comes. Then patience is developed in the trial or tribulation and undergirds, or keeps the door open, for faith to work.

To be clear: Tribulation is not the goal of Christianity. Many think we cannot be worth anything until we suffer. That is not true. You will not be worth anything unless you overcome that suffering. There is no glory in knuckling down and enduring trial. The glory is in overcoming that trial with the Word of God through His power. This is why we can count it all joy when we are tried. We know that Jesus has defeated Satan, and that we are victors over anything Satan sends our way.

So, if you’re facing a trial right now that is challenging your faith, “consider it an opportunity” (James 1:2) to get to the finish line through the vehicle of patience.

3. Don’t Quit to Get to the Finish Line

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” –Galatians 6:9

Have you ever seen a quitter win? No one has. Every victory in the Bible had a time between the promise and the victory. Some were very long periods of time with evidence that contradicted the promise all along the way. The common thread in every Bible victory? They all knew the secret: Don’t quit to get to the finish line.

That’s what happened with Joseph when he was first given a dream from God, revealing His plan and purpose for his life, which included reigning and ruling (Genesis 37:1-44). He had faith in that dream because he spoke it to his family. He was probably ready to begin ascending to power and greatness and get on the road to a manifestation. But what happened instead? One detour and setback after another!

Setback No. 1: His family turned on him and threw him into a pit, leaving him for dead.

Setback No. 2: He was sold into slavery.

Setback No. 3: He was framed, betrayed, wrongfully accused and fired.

Setback No. 4: He was sent to prison.

Setback No. 5: He was forgotten by those who had the power to help him get out of prison.

Gloria Copeland teaches you how patience does not give in to pressure:

Every natural circumstance pointed to the opposite of the vision and dream God had placed in Joseph’s heart. He seemed to be getting further and further away from fulfillment rather than closer! There were so many times when Joseph could have given up and thrown in the towel on his faith. But he didn’t. He chose to continue to have faith in God, live with integrity, and let patience have its perfect work (James 1:4).

When you first had a vision from God or set your heart on a dream or a promise in His Word, you may have had the idea that it would come to pass instantly—or at least quickly and easily. Sometimes they do. But when there is an in between time, that’s where many people get stuck.

Find 3 Things to Do When You Feel Stuck here.

How many setbacks are you willing to endure on the road to your victory? Two, three, 10? When will you decide it’s best to just give up?

Giving up will never bring a reward—that’s a Bible fact. The victory is won in the midst—in patience, in persevering, in unshakable faith. That’s why Hebrews 6:12 instructs us to “imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (NKJV). Patience is the vehicle that will drive your faith to the finish line.

So, if the devil is digging you a pit—a pit of sickness, poverty, strife, depression—that’s when you shift into another gear. Joseph had a powerful dream from God. But in the natural, that dream all but died right there in that pit. Ruling over people? He was thrown 10 feet below everyone. That’s going the wrong direction!

Do you feel like you’re going in the opposite direction of your dreams?

The closer you get to the finish line, the tougher things become. The devil is throwing out his last and best shot at getting you to give up. The question is: Will you allow him to succeed or make him sorry he ever messed with you?

Pressing through to the end—that’s going to take Bible patience, which is different than the world’s kind of patience. To the world, patience is just dealing with something or grinning and bearing it. But Bible patience will go after something as long as it takes. For example, if you’re believing for healing and it’s been three weeks, but you haven’t seen a change, patience will come and undergird your faith. It will keep you standing and believing the Word of God until the full manifestation comes.

So, what should you do when you have symptoms, and you pray, and nothing happens? Bible patience knows if you believed you received it—you have it. So, Bible patience won’t call people on the phone and say, “Well, I prayed about it, but I didn’t get anything.” No. You take it when you pray. Don’t give it up until that prayer is fully answered and your healing is fully manifested.

It’s the same way with money. You might be believing for something big— a house, a car—and it’s been a month or two. You can’t tell anything has changed. What do you do? You do the very same thing you did on the first day. You believe you receive it. You don’t give up just because time has passed. Bible patience does not surrender to circumstances. 

Patience will guard you from your own feelings, and from watching the clock. Let patience have her perfect work. Patience comes and holds the door of faith open. Praise God! It won’t let the devil slam it. It won’t let anything shut it. It just keeps calling things that be not as though they were. It keeps acting as though it was already done.

Find 3 Ways to Practice Patience Every Day here.

Now that you know why patience is the vehicle that will drive your faith to the finish line—you can climb in and head straight for your destination! 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. Faith with patience always works. The Word of God guarantees you will receive your reward.

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3 Ways to Practice Patience Every Day