Monthly Archives: July 2022

Faith That Gives Glory to God

Faith That Gives Glory to God

 

Do you have faith that gives glory to God or does it question His power and goodness? Find out how to develop fully persuaded faith and take God at His Word.

Faith. You can’t get saved without it. You can’t walk the Christian walk without it. You can’t win the victory without it. You can’t please God without it. Faith is a spiritual force that, when fully developed, subdues kingdoms, works righteousness, obtains promises, stops the mouths of lions, and quenches the violence of fire (Hebrews 11:33-34, NKJV). And faith doesn’t just deliver the victory into your hands—faith gives glory to God.

Not just any faith, but the kind of faith that honors God as trustworthy, faithful, powerful and loving. It means acknowledging His glory—His manifested presence, power and goodness. And it is also connected to love (Galatians 5:6). So, faith in God is expressing love to God. Imagine saying to your spouse or good friend, “I love you, but I don’t believe you.” That doesn’t sound much like love! “Love…always trusts” (1 Corinthians 13:7, EXB). If you aren’t trusting God—taking Him at His Word—are you really loving Him?

Faith works for the people who will put it to work. And it gives God glory in front of a cloud of witnesses. As Jerry Savelle says, “God wants to work wonders for you because it arrests the attention of others—especially nonbelievers.”

Faith that gives glory to God is faith that is fully persuaded, doesn’t consider the circumstances, acts on the Word and stays out of strife. Find out if you fit the bill, and if not, how to get there.

1. Faith That Is Fully Persuaded Gives Glory to God

“Being fully persuaded that what God had promised, He was able to perform.” –Romans 4:21 (MEV)


Society is rife with skepticism these days. Negative sayings abound: “Don’t believe it unless you see it,” and “If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.” Couple that with endless statistics about the low likelihood of success in any given area, and it’s easy to see why people struggle to have faith! So if you’re going to church and hearing encouragement one day each week, but you fill up on cynicism the rest of the week—your faith is in trouble!

You’ll want to believe, and you’ll even feel like you have faith—but you won’t be fully persuaded. If you’re fully persuaded, you don’t have one foot in faith and the other in fear. Fully persuaded faith is all in—there’s no middle ground. When you’re fully persuaded, you aren’t wishing or hoping—instead, you know that you know that you know that what God said is true and for YOU.

As Jesse Duplantis says, “When you expect nothing, don’t be surprised when you receive nothing.”

 

Find out How to Activate Fully Persuaded Faith here.

That seems like a high level of faith, so how do we get there? By renewing our minds. To renew means to “rebuild and re-energize.” It’s a continual process of rebuilding the truth of the Word of God into a mind that is constantly exposed to things of the world. One way you can help is by limiting that exposure!

Fully persuaded faith gives glory to God because it honors Him as trustworthy, faithful, just and final authority. That’s what Abraham did when God told him that he and Sarah would conceive a child in their old age. He could have come up with a lot of “logic” and “common sense” and medical data, family history, what happened to the neighbors, and so much more to counter this promise and let doubt creep in. But he didn’t. Instead, “he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Romans 4:20-21, KJV).

Being strong in faith is giving glory to God by being fully persuaded that He’s able to do what He promised (verse 21). It’s putting more trust in God and His Word than in anything else on this planet. God said, “I have made you the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5, AMPC). For Abraham, what God said was enough.

 

2. Faith That Doesn’t Consider the Circumstances Gives Glory to God

“He considered not his own body….”—Romans 4:19 (KJV)

Abraham “considered” not the circumstances. Consider means “to use the mind.” That’s using reason, natural facts, scientific studies, what happened last time or anything else you can think of. Instead, he chose to tune in to his heart. That’s where belief comes—in the spirit man.

You are a spirit, you have a soul (mind, will and emotions), and you live in a body (flesh). Your spirit is the born-again, re-created part of you with the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Your soul is the intellectual side of your being, and your body is the flesh, or carnal side.

So, when symptoms of sickness, for example, show up in your body, your flesh is very in tune with those symptoms. The spirit knows the truth about the matter, so that leaves your mind. Whichever way your mind goes—it’s two against one. So, if your mind sides with your flesh, you’re going to give more weight to your circumstances than anything else. But if you have a renewed mind—one that has been trained to come into agreement with God’s Word—you have two against one on the other side because your soul is now agreeing with your spirit. That is how you become fully persuaded.

Kenneth Copeland tells a story that illustrates this point:

We were in this prayer line, and I was going along laying hands on different ones. I started to lay hands on this man, and The LORD stopped me. He said, Ask him if he’s healed. Well, you know that’s kind of a funny thing to ask a guy who’s in the prayer line. He’s in the healing line, and you ask him if he’s healed. I said, “Are you healed?”

“No.” He said, “I’ve got this thing right here.” And he started describing whatever it was he had there on his side. And I heard The LORD say just as plain as before, Ask him again, ‘Are you healed?’ He said, “No.”

I said, “The WORD of God says, By His stripes you were healed.”

“Yeah, I know it says that.”

“Well, are you healed?”

“No, I tell you I’ve got this thing right here.”

Well, now I’m into it, you know, and I really don’t know what to do next. But I heard The LORD. The LORD just kept telling me, Ask him again. I said, “The Bible says, By His stripes you were healed.”

“Yeah. I know it says that.”

I said, “Are you healed?”

He said, “No!”

I said, “Well, then you never will be.”

This man’s natural mind was siding with his flesh instead of his spirit. His unrenewed mind was preventing him from having a revelation of his healing, and without the revelation, he couldn’t receive the manifestation.

So, when symptoms show up declaring sickness, lack, decrease, family failure or anything else against the Word of God, faith that gives glory to God won’t consider them. It won’t ignore them, but it won’t give them first place. When you say, “Yeah, but the doctor said…” or “Well, just look at my bank account,” you’ve already fallen off the faith line.

Is Your Faith Real? Find out here.

Kenneth Copeland continues his story.

I said, “If I agree with you, you’re going to keep that thing you’ve got on your side. If you will agree with the Bible, then you have God’s WORD that you’re healed.” Man, you could see the light come on.

“Yeah,” he said. “Praise God! Put your hand on me. I’ll be healed.”

I laid hands on him, and the power of God just knocked him sideways, brother, and he came up healed.

Does your faith honor and praise Him? Or does it question His goodness and His grace? Does it magnify Him, or does it believe symptoms, bank accounts and trouble in this world over what He has to say?

Faith that gives glory to God says to God: “You said it, and that’s enough for me.” Don’t glorify your circumstances—give glory to God!

 

Join Kenneth Copeland as he shares more about faith that gives glory to God.

 

3. Faith That Acts On the Word Gives Glory to God

“They went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.” –Luke 5:19 (NKJV)

Faith without action isn’t really faith at all. Some people might think they have faith, but they’re really just wishing or hoping. Real Bible faith will step out and act like what God says is true. That’s important because if we don’t give authority to His written Word, then even when we need Him to be on the scene right away, there are situations where we have blocked Him from helping us.

That happened in Jesus’ own hometown. He was just as anointed in Nazareth as He was anywhere else, yet “He could do no mighty work” (Mark 6:5, NKJV). Why? “Because of their unbelief” (verse 6, NKJV). Unbelief ran Him out of town. A refusal to believe what He said prevented the miraculous from taking place. They refused to believe Him. They gave His words zero place—none. And He left town and went to Capernaum, where they gave place to His Word and His life.

So, whatever you’re believing for, ask yourself, “Am I acting on that belief?” If you believe you’re healed, do you still tell people what you can’t do because of your condition? If you believe God is your Provider, are you staying up at night worrying about paying your bills? Whatever you’re wanting to receive by faith, find out if you’re really acting on it. If not, start today!

Kenneth Hagin Sr. once said, “Stop trying to make God’s Word work and start acting on the Word.”

When we act on God’s Word, we give Him honor and glory. Faith in the absolute authority of the Word of God requires no other evidence.

What God has already said and what God has already done, believe it in your heart, say it with your mouth, then act like it’s true. That’s faith that gives glory to God.

 

4. Faith That Stays Out of Strife Gives Glory to God

“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” –Proverbs 10:12 (ESV)

What does strife have to do with faith that gives glory to God? Faith won’t work without love (1 Corinthians 13:2), and as long as you’re in strife—any kind of strife—you’re stepping out of love. Is it possible to go through life without strife? Yes! That doesn’t mean you won’t feel frustrated with someone now and then or disagree with others, but it does mean that you will work to keep out of strife. There’s an effort involved.

Why is this so critical to your faith? Strife is a blessing blocker. That’s why if the devil can’t get you any other way, he will work to get you in strife or unforgiveness. It’s how he brings confusion to your life and situation. It distracts you, gets you off that love line and out of position to receive what you’re believing for. “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16, KJV). That doesn’t sound like miracle-working ground!

That’s why the devil pushes strife so hard. Don’t tolerate even a little bit of strife. You don’t want even a tiny bit of dirt in your fuel tank because over time, it will blow your engine. Strife is the same way. One grain of sand, one bit of strife every day or two, will cost you.

Kenneth Copeland says, “Unrepented sins of strife, little grains of it at a time seem so insignificant that you may not even stop and deal with it until your spirit is so clogged up, God’s glory can’t flow through it.”

That’s the reason you have to be on guard—be watching for it all the time. Don’t even get in strife with the news commentator on TV. Don’t sit there and fuss back at the news. If you can’t be trusted with the news, cut it off. As far as it depends on you, stay out strife, stay in peace, stay in God’s rest.

Don’t let other people get under your skin and cause you to lose your love walk. Say, “No. I’m not getting off my love walk.” Then, pray for them right there. It’s worth the effort, and it produces the kind of faith that gives glory to God.

Watch Kenneth and Gloria talk about how faith in the love of God drives out fear.

Now you can develop your faith to the place where you are fully persuaded, don’t consider natural circumstances, act on the Word, and stay out of strife, to achieve the kind of faith that gives glory to God! Living by faith will achieve wondrous and miraculous things in your life. It will bring victory! More importantly, it will give glory to God. Isn’t that worth pursuing?

Related Articles:

3 Confessions to Build Your Faith

Delay or Divine Interruption

Delay or Divine Interruption?

 

4 Notes to Self When the Unexpected Collides With Your Busy

Life’s moving along quite nicely for you…

You made it to work, the store or maybe the airport ahead of the crowd. You’re not rushed, and you just might have a little me-time before the big push of your day.

Or, maybe you finally got the kids off to school, to the grandparents or to bed, and now there’s definitely some me-time in sight.

But what do you do when the dog gets loose, you can’t find your keys, the babysitter cancels, you miss your flight or a Zoom call gets added to your already full schedule?

What goes off in your head when the unexpected collides with your busy, and suddenly, your day is thrown into slow motion, and all that momentum you had gets hijacked? Is it a delay or a divine interruption?

Imagine, for a moment, living a lifestyle where you actually went looking for—even anticipating—those kinds of unscheduled interruptions, with the idea that something extraordinary could come of them.

Take a closer look at the fine print of Jesus’ job description while He was on this earth, and you’re likely to find a disclaimer stating something to the effect: “All plans subject to change!”

In fact, if you randomly pulled a page out of Jesus’ Day Diary, it might look something like Luke 8:

  • Impromptu teaching to large crowd that gathered spontaneously (verses 4-8)
  • Follow-up meeting with disciples to explain teaching they didn’t get (verses 9-18)
  • Mother and brothers showed up unexpectedly; got a little awkward (verses 19-21)
  • Crossed lake with disciples; storm suddenly blew in and they lost it (verses 22-25)
  • Demon-possessed man (naked, violent) immediately approached us (verses 26-30)
  • Demons entered herd of pigs; pigs unexpectedly drowned in lake (verses 31-33)
  • Town’s people spontaneously gathered; afraid, asked us to leave (verses 34-37)
  • Crossed lake; man met our boat, begged for help, daughter dying (verses 37-42)
  • Followed him (Jairus) home; on way, woman healed from bleeding (verses 42-48)
  • Almost to house when messenger met us; Jairus’ daughter had died (verses 49-50)
  • Arrived at house; full of mourners (had them leave); raised girl up (verses 51-56).

To Jesus, it was just another day in the life—a series of interruptions, unplanned events to which He willingly (even readily) submitted and subjected Himself.

To us it would have been a train wreck, a total loss of a day—chaos, even!

But if you study it out, on the backside of each of those interruptions Jesus encountered was significant impact by the Spirit of God, and all because Jesus made Himself available—to His Father, to the Holy Spirit and to the people around Him.

If you’re looking for more of God’s power to manifest in and through your life—to where you’re experiencing and effecting significant impact in the lives of people around you—consider making these 4 Notes to Self for the next time your day is interrupted.

Note to Self No. 1: Welcome Interruptions

“As Jesus went with [Jairus], he was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming upbehind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. ‘Who touched me?’ Jesus asked.

“When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard herexplain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. ‘Daughter,’ he said to her, ‘your faith has made you well. Go in peace.’

“While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, ‘Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.’” –(Luke 8:42-45, 47-49)

Ticktock, lady!

Who would blame a desperate dad like Jairus for thinking something like that (if he did)?

Timing was everything—it was life or death, after all—and Jairus probably felt like he and Jesus were making good time, considering all the crowds.

Then, this happened! And no one saw it coming. Apparently, not even Jesus.

But notice how Jesus handled the interruption:

As soon as the messenger delivered the news about the girl, Jesus told Jairus, “Don’t yield to fear…keep on believing” (Mark 5:36, TPT).

Fear of what?

We’re too late! If it hadn’t been for this interruption! It’s no use now!

How many times has your head exploded with those kinds of thoughts in the middle of an unexpected change of plans?

Jairus could have blamed the woman for his daughter’s death because she interrupted them and slowed things down. But he didn’t. He stayed in faith—and it’s obvious he did, based on Jesus’ instructions to him. Otherwise, his daughter wouldn’t have lived. He wouldn’t have received his miracle.

Understand, breakthrough can happen in the interruptions of life. So, don’t curse your interruptions. Welcome them!

That’s how Jesus lived His life. That’s how He perceived and responded to interruptions at any given moment on any given day—and it resulted in Holy Spirit power.

Note to Self No. 2: Do a Reality Check

“When the truth-giving Spirit comes, he will unveil every truth [reality] within you. He won’t speak on his own, but only what he hears from the Father, and he will reveal prophetically to you what is to come.” –(John 16:13, TPT)

Brother Copeland read this passage for years, and it never really meant much to him, until one day the reality of it exploded on the inside of him:

You mean the Holy Spirit gives me access to everything God knows—and He’s willing to reveal it to me?

That changed everything!

When we get caught up in the busyness of life—and under its pressures—it can be a challenge to think straight and really see matters for what they truly are…what’s fact or fiction, reality or deception.

That’s when we need insight: What’s happening, here? What’s really going on?

The very first semester Brother Copeland started attending Oral Roberts University, he was hired as a pilot for the ministry to fly Oral Roberts and assist in meetings.

One day after a flight back to campus, he was riding in an elevator with Oral Roberts and Billy Graham, who were to be speakers at ORU’s graduation ceremony. On the ride up to the administrative offices, Brother Copeland smiled a big smile and thought to himself…

This is it—I’m going to graduate in four years, continue to work for Brother Roberts and be part of this ministry in Tulsa!

It wasn’t long afterward that God interrupted Brother Copeland’s plans and said, No, I’m ready for you now.

Again, that changed everything!

God’s Spirit is charged with getting over to us the truth of every matter, as well as any information we need to know of what lies ahead. Our responsibility—like Jesus’ and Jairus’—is to flex and go with the interruption, which will get us to where we really need to be so we can release faith and His power.

Note to Self No. 3: Be on the Lookout for God

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…. How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me…. But now it is too late…. Before long your enemies will…. crush you into the ground…. because you did not recognize it when God visited you [the time of your visitation].” –(Matthew 23:37-39; Luke 19:42-44)

As Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time (before going to the cross), He began to weep and cry out. He was grieved because the “chosen people of God” missed their visitation from God. The Son of God had been among them for more than 30 years, most never knew it, and few embraced it.

For nearly 2,000 years, Jews had been waiting, watching, praying for Messiah. Yet, in all their looking and longing, they missed Him.

People are still missing Jesus today.

Jesus says, “Behold, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If your heart is open to hear my voice and you open the door, I will come in to you and feast with you, and you will feast with me” (Revelation 3:20, TPT).

How is it possible to hear Jesus’ voice?

“The one whose heart is open,” He goes on to explain, “let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying…” (verse 22, TPT).

Kenneth Copeland and Pastor Greg Stephens, professor at Kenneth Copeland Bible College®, agree that “the day of your visitation” Jesus referred to in Luke 19 refers to the Holy Spirit—or, as Brother Kenneth Hagin used to say, “God in the now!”

When you learn to listen to and flow with God’s Spirit, He will lead and direct you into ALL truth. And the truth is—every day can be “your day of visitation” if you’re on the lookout for God, willing to allow Him into your day—and even interrupt it if necessary.

Note to Self No. 4: Get in Jesus’ Head—and Stay There

“When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan…. I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God…. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.” –(1 Corinthians 2:1, 4-5, 10)

The power of the Holy Spirit—not the wisdom of man—is what reveals the mysteries of God to us. Those mysteries are knowledge and information that only God’s Spirit knows and only He can reveal.

Again, as we become more experienced in listening to the Holy Spirit and going through life with Him as Jesus did, we get to the place where, as the Apostle Paul describes…

“Those who live in the Spirit are able to carefully evaluate all things…. and we possess Christ’s perceptions [we have the mind of Christ]” (1 Corinthians 2:15-16, TPT).

That’s why—even after having flown aircraft for more than half a century—every time Brother Copeland gets in the cockpit of a plane, he prays…

“In the Name of Jesus, I exercise the mind of Christ to fly because You gave it to me, and called me to do it. So, I will not forget anything. I will not do anything unsafe. YOU trained me. YOU taught me. Now, I plead the blood of Jesus over this aircraft. I bind every evil spirit away from this aircraft, and declare every evil plan of the enemy is thwarted. Ministering angels, lift us up in your hands according to Psalm 91.”

To that, Brother Copeland would also say:

“As I diligently study, train and prepare for whatever it is God would have me do to fly, His power comes on me, and I get into the place of listening to God and responding to His every directive.”

Certainly, there are interruptions we can, and should, avoid in life. But there are those times when you look and look and look…and you just can’t seem to find your car keys!

“The Holy One has anointed you and you know all things” (1 John 2:20, NKJV).

This is why it’s important to pray over everything and seek, search out the mind of Christ in every situation. It’s yours. You have 24/7 access. Use it to get into that place of “listening to God and responding.”

While you’re at it, do what the Apostle John goes on to say…

“The wonderful anointing you have received from God…. remain in [it]” (1 John 2:27, TPT).

These simple 4 Notes to Self are what helped keep Jesus on track and in step with His Father—allowing the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to flow freely—throughout His day. Day after day, they helped Him navigate ALL those interruptions. They turned the potential for aggravation into the possibility of a miracle.

They will do the same for you!

4 Ways To Activate the Spirit of Power

4 Ways To Activate the Spirit of Power

 

Thank God for voice activation! You know, Seri, Alexa, Cortana, Bixby—those all-familiar voices we’ve come to rely on. They are our virtual friends who so amazingly and dutifully help us run the universe—and all hands-free. As long as there’s a smart device nearby, they’re always there for us—waiting for us to speak!

As a believer, you have far more than virtual assistants to get you through your day. You have the Spirit of Power with you 24/7! That’s why, just before He left this earth, Jesus assured His disciples (and us)…

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever” (John 14:16, AMPC).

You have all the creative force of heaven and earth available to you. It’s simply a matter of learning how to activate and effectively use all that power—just like Siri and Alexa. If you’re ready for the power of God to manifest in your life, you’re in the right place.

Below are 4 Ways To Activate the Spirit of Power on your behalf, ensuring that you reach your fullest potential and live your best life, every day.

Activator No. 1: Words Cause Action

“In the beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and an empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.” –(Genesis 1:1-3, AMPC)

The Holy Spirit is always watching, always listening, always ready to move into action (2 Chronicles 16:9). But, notice, God’s Spirit never does anything except but what He hears.

At Creation, the Holy Spirit was busy moving, hovering and brooding; yet nothing happened until God spoke. But the moment He did, the Holy Spirit cut loose, and the universe started expanding at a rate of 186,000 miles per second, the speed of light. (Do the math!)

Within the first 24 hours, the creative force of God’s words traveled nearly 17 billion miles—and science tells us that it still hasn’t stopped!

That’s power. That’s God’s Spirit of Power. And that’s the power of words.

  • Words are powerful; they kill or give life (Proverbs 18:21)
  • God’s words do everything He wants them to (Isaiah 55:11)
  • God’s words bring into being things that did not exist (Romans 4:17)
  • God sustains and expands the universe by the power of His words (Hebrews 1:3).

All power is delegated by God, and all power comes in the container of words. Even Jesus admitted:

“I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say (John 12:49-50).

If the Holy Spirit and Jesus are bound by God’s Word (John 16:13-15), it makes sense that we are, too.

And so Jesus encourages us, as He did His disciples:

“Whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him” (Mark 11:23, AMPC).

What happens next is up to you. So, pick your words wisely!

If you choose to speak God’s Word—in faith—you will activate the Spirit of Power you need to produce the abundance of life you want.

Activator No. 2: Saying Is Believing

“These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” –(Deuteronomy 6:6-7, NKJV)

Seeing is not believing—Jesus made that clear (John 20:24-29).

Rather, the words we continually speak prove what we really believe (Mark 11:23).

Since what we believe is what we say, it’s vitally important we program our hearts and minds with the right words, with life-producing words…with God’s Word:

  • God’s Word on our lips and in our hearts produces life and prosperity (Deuteronomy 30:14-15)
  • God’s Word in our hearts produces a long, prosperous, peaceful life (Proverbs 3:1-2)
  • God’s Word in our hearts produces life, healing and health (Proverbs 3:1-2)
  • Confessing with our mouths and believing in our hearts produces salvation (Romans 10:9).

The process God taught His people thousands of years ago—how to develop faith by using words to program our minds and hearts—still works for us today. It’s a process Kenneth Copeland calls becoming God-inside minded. It’s when we read, meditate and speak God’s Word until it becomes the final authority in our lives—the final word or final say about any situation we might face.

So think about it: When the pressure’s on, when the emotional temperature in the room is high, when things aren’t going your way at all…

What will be the next words out of your mouth?

What will you say that—in the end—proves what you believe?

Activator No. 3: Believing the Love

“By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit…. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” –(1 John 4:13, 16, NKJV)

As promised, once Jesus returned to Heaven, God sent His Spirit to be our Standby (Acts 1:4-5, 8; 2:4). He sent “the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7, TPT).

God loves us, and He sent His Holy Spirit to empower us. He offers us 24/7 access to His Spirit of Power and His Spirit of Love. Our response and responsibility is simply to believe the love God has for us and receive His power. Sounds easy enough, but for many believers it’s not.

The day after Jesus miraculously fed about 20,000 hungry people, He had crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee and a large crowd tracked Him down. They had experienced firsthand this Spirit of Power in action through what Jesus had done the night before, so they asked Him…

“We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” (John 6:28).

“Jesus told them, ‘This is the only work God wants from you: Believe…’” (verse 29).

Activating the power of God always comes down to faith. And sadly, Jesus had to call all those people out that day because they really didn’t believe (verse 36).

When it comes to believing the love of God, know that…

  • The faithful love of the Lord never ends (Lamentations 3:22)
  • God loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3)
  • God loved us even while we were sinners (Romans 5:8)
  • God lavishes great love on us (1 John 3:1).

When it comes to receiving the power of God, know that…

  • The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us (Romans 8:11)
  • We are to be filled constantly with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
  • The unlimited greatness of God’s power to us who believe (Ephesians 1:19)
  • Believe in Jesus and you will do greater works (John 14:12).

When we’re convinced of God’s love and filled with His Spirit, there’s nothing we (He) can’t do!

It’s like Jesus told the crowd, if we’ll just focus on the believing (and receiving) part, God’s Spirit of Power will handle the rest (Mark 11:24).

Activator No. 4: Dressing for Battle

“The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm…. He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion.” –(Isaiah 59:15-17)

Jesus secured the final victory over our enemies—the demons of hell, hell itself and death (Revelation 1:18). But the battle isn’t over and we, as believers, have the responsibility of maintaining that victory while we’re in this world (Romans 8:12-14, 37; Revelation 12:10-11).

Certainly, we can be confident God still has our backs:

  • The Lord Himself fights for us (Exodus 14:14)
  • God redeems His people with His mighty arm (Psalm 77:14-15)
  • God uses His people to display His power in the earth (Isaiah 55:4)
  • The glory of the Lord is our rear guard (Isaiah 58:8).

At the same time, however, Almighty God has full confidence that we’ve got this!

You see, as beloved children of God, we get the final word, the final say in this battle against our enemy, and here’s what the Apostle Paul would advise us to say:

We are strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Ephesians 6:10)!

To do that, and be that, we have to dress for battle—the same as the Lord did in Isaiah 59.

“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies…. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil” (Ephesians 6:11-13).

What’s even better, we, as next generation believers, now have personal access to the ultimate weapon of choice—the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Power Himself.

Though the people of Israel did not have God’s Spirit living inside them, they had the hope of having Him alongside

“He will come in like a narrow, rushing stream which the [Spirit] of the Lord drives [overwhelming the enemy]” (Isaiah 59:19, AMP).

Thank God for the blood of Jesus shed for us, because it affords us what the Apostle Paul calls the better covenant, with better promises (Hebrews 8:6). And one of those “better promises” is the Spirit of Power.

If you could use some hands-free assistance today—remember these 4 Ways To Activate the Spirit of Power. The Greater One (1 John 4:4) is ready to respond to YOU just as quickly, just as powerfully as He did to the Creator on the first day of the world. All you have to do is activate Him…using your words, expressing your faith, believing His love and dressing for battle. On the other side of that, you will find your help!

 

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