Monthly Archives: December 2024

5 Gifts of Covenant at Christmas

December 16, 2024

Discover renewed joy for the Lord by unwrapping 5 Gifts of Covenant at Christmas to enjoy this season and every day for the rest of your life!

The famous poem that begins, “’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse,” goes on to say, “the children were nestled all snug in their beds.” If you have ever been around children the night before Christmas, it is difficult to get them nestled in bed because of their excitement about Christmas morning. They are looking forward to one thing—unwrapping their presents!

God has provided gifts for you; they are part of your covenant. Like presents hidden under a Christmas tree that you didn’t even know were there, you may not realize you have gifts from the Lord that are available to you right now. You can rejoice like a child as you discover renewed joy for the Lord by unwrapping 5 Gifts of Covenant at Christmas to enjoy this season and every day for the rest of your life!

Gift #1: Covenant Anoints You

“His anointing teaches you about all things.” –1 John 2:27 (NIV)

Because of your covenant with God as a believer, you don’t have to have it all figured out in life; you have an anointing that teaches you. No situation is hopeless when you factor in the anointing. The anointing factor is the power of God at work in your situation.

Think back to those in the Bible who needed wisdom from God. Joseph had to learn how to run Potiphar’s house and eventually ended up in charge of everything Potiphar owned (Genesis 41). The Lord was with Joseph, “giving him success in everything he did” (Genesis 39:3). David is another example of someone who needed wisdom. He received wisdom from God to defeat Goliath (1 Samuel 17), to become king (1 Chronicles 18:14), to defeat the Philistines (2 Samuel 5), and to do all God called him to do. Because of your covenant with God, you can ask Him for wisdom to teach you the things you need to know, to do the things He has anointed you to do. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.” Open the gift today and discover that your covenant anoints you to receive wisdom from God.

Learn 4 Ways To Be Led by the Spirit of God

Gift #2: Covenant Promotes You

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor, when you embrace her.” –Proverbs 4:7-8 (NKJV)

Being in covenant with God and doing things His way will promote you even when you aren’t qualified in the natural. It will promote you when the world says you aren’t enough. It will promote you when you’ve had one setback after another. It will promote you when you’re surrounded by enemies who want to keep you from ever reaching your destination.

So many times, Christians feel the need to fight their way to the top. However, as someone who is in covenant with God, you don’t operate in worldly ways but in ways dictated by the kingdom of God.

Jesus said, “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28).

Let your covenant promote you by humbling yourself before God, and seeking Him and His wisdom; He knows just how to get you where you need to be.

Feeling like you aren’t moving forward in life? Find out 3 Things To Do When You Feel Stuck

Gift #3: Covenant Defends You

“The LORD is your mighty defender.” –Deuteronomy 32:4 (GNT)

When you’ve been wronged, slighted or even betrayed, do you spring into action to defend yourself? It can be tempting to rise up and take action when you’ve been wronged, and sometimes the Lord will tell you to do just that. However, you shouldn’t defend yourself without His backing.

Joseph never defended himself against Potiphar. He didn’t spend time fighting to get out of prison (Genesis 39:20-23). He waited and let God defend him. It didn’t happen overnight, but God avenged him in every way possible (Genesis 41). There is no defender greater than God! You don’t have to fight your own fight. You don’t have to defend yourself because “the LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm” (Exodus 14:14). God is working on your situation, making sure your covenant defends you. To learn how the birth of Jesus we celebrate at Christmastime sealed your covenant, watch Kenneth Copeland:

Gift #4: Covenant Makes You Rich

“The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” –Proverbs 10:22

In this verse, the word sorrow means “to toil”; that doesn’t mean you don’t have to work. The Bible says, “If you don’t work, you don’t eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10, MSG). Work is a requirement for advancement, and the Bible is clear that diligence is required for promotion, increase and wealth (Proverbs 12:27). However, there is a difference between work and toil. Work is putting your hands to something, so God can prosper and increase you (Deuteronomy 28:8). Toil is taking the responsibility and pressure of provision on yourself. The blessing of the Lord is what makes you rich; God makes you rich because of your covenant with Him. Do your work as unto the Lord, and shift your mindset to believing your income will far exceed your salary because God, not your salary, is your Source. Your covenant makes you rich so that not only are your needs met, but you are also able to meet the needs of others!

Gift #5: Covenant Preaches the Gospel

“And then he told them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.’” –Mark 16:15

You enjoy all the blessings of the covenant you have with God because someone at one time preached the gospel to you. All the benefits of your covenant are available to you because you gave your life to the Lord. Are you unsure if you’ve given your life to the Lord? Read A Prayer To Unwrap the Gift of Covenant at Christmas HERE.

The covenant you have with God enables you to preach the gospel to a lost world. You are able to minister to others with your time, energy and money; and you’re an example of what it looks like to be a child of the Most High God. When you are walking in your covenant rights as a believer, you shine light into a dark world. People will naturally be drawn to you—they’ll want what you have! Your covenant preaches the gospel as you are the witness God has called you to be in the world.

These 5 Gifts of Covenant at Christmas are just a sampling of what God has provided for you through that covenant. Knowing what belongs to you because of the covenant you have with God is vital to enjoying your life. Take the time this Christmas to unwrap more of the gifts God provided for you through Jesus Christ by spending time in the Word of God. As you begin walking in your covenant rights, you’ll discover a renewed joy in your life, much like the joy you experienced as a child the night before Christmas! Watch Kenneth Copeland explain more of what belongs to you as a Christian HERE.

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How To Pray Powerful Prayers Using the Name of Jesus

December 4, 2024

Strengthen your prayer life by learning How To Pray Powerful Prayers Using the Name of Jesus.

Have you ever prayed and then wondered if your prayers are being effective? You might feel as if your prayers are just “hitting the ceiling,” meaning you feel as if they aren’t getting to God. There could be many reasons for this, including unforgiveness or the devil lying to you. But another reason could be that you simply don’t know how to pray powerful prayers according to the Word of God.

God took care of everything and put together a plan for you to overcome any adversity in this life, by sending Jesus to the earth, then giving you His Name. God elevated Jesus “to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

The Name of Jesus is above every other name in heaven and on earth; that covers everything in your life! What is the “name” of that adversity in your life? Write it down on a piece of paper. Whatever difficulty you are facing, you can apply the following 3 steps and learn How To Pray Powerful Prayers Using the Name of Jesus.

Step 1: Find out what the Name of Jesus will do.

“Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.” –Acts 4:10 (NKJV)

The Name of Jesus will make you whole—in every area of your life. For you to exercise faith in the Name of Jesus and pray powerful prayers, you have to find out what the Name of Jesus will do. If you are saved, you already know that the Name of Jesus will save you. Romans 10:13 says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”

What else does the Name of Jesus do? The Name of Jesus will heal you. Acts 3:16 tells us that “faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.” You can exercise faith in the Name of Jesus for your healing.

The Name of Jesus will protect you. Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the [consistently] righteous man [upright and in right standing with God] runs into it and is safe, high [above evil] and strong” (AMPC). You can run to the Name of Jesus for protection against evil. In addition to salvation, healing and protection, the Name of Jesus will also baptize you, give you authority, answer you, deliver you, give you boldness and help you in every area of your life. As you find out what the Name of Jesus will do, you can pray powerful prayers that will avail much (James 5:16).

Read 10 Ways You Can Call on the Name of Jesus HERE

Step 2: Believe on the Name of Jesus

“Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before.” –Acts 3:16

Once you have identified what the Name of Jesus will do, you can believe on the Name of Jesus when you pray, just like you did when you were saved. The Apostle John, writing to believers, said, “And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us” (1 John 3:23). Believing on the Name of Jesus is not a one-time thing at the moment of salvation; believing on the Name of Jesus happens every day in a believer’s prayer life.

Your prayer life should include faith in the Name of Jesus. After all, powerful prayers aren’t prayed by wishing and hoping. Powerful prayers are prayed in faith, believing on the Name of Jesus to change the situation to line up with the Word of God.

Step 3: Speak the Name of Jesus

“Peter said, ‘I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!’” –Acts 3:6

Paul spoke the Name of Jesus to a lame man and he went away walking, leaping and praising God (Acts 3:8)! As a believer, you have access to speak the Name of Jesus over your life; God gave you that access and privilege when you were born again. Speaking the Name of Jesus will make tremendous power available in your prayers.

To understand the rights and privileges you have as a believer to speak the Name of Jesus, it’s important to look at an example of those who tried to use the Name of Jesus but had no relationship with God; they were not born again.

In Acts 19, “a group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!’ Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, ‘I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?’ Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered” (verses 13-16). The evil spirit knew Jesus and knew Paul, but didn’t know who these men were; they were not believers.

Jesus made it clear when He said, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:17-18, NKJV).

Throughout the book of Acts, men of God who believed spoke in the Name of Jesus and healings, miracles, signs and wonders occurred. Peter spoke to a man in the Name of Jesus and he got up and walked (Acts 3:6). Philip preached about the Name of Jesus, and as a result, many men and women were baptized (Acts 8:12). Paul cast a demon out of a girl in the Name of Jesus (Acts 16:18). When you know who you are as a believer, and that the Name of Jesus has been given to you to overcome any adversity in life, you will speak that Name boldly in prayer, knowing that every evil spirit has to bow to the Name of Jesus. They recognize who you are in Christ, and they recognize the power you have to speak the Name of Jesus!

Watch How to Release the Power That’s in Jesus’ Name:

Now that you’ve learned How To Pray Powerful Prayers Using the Name of Jesus, look back at that piece of paper with the name of the problem on it. Whatever name is on it, the Name of Jesus is higher. God has made a way for you to be effective in your prayers by giving you the Name of Jesus, which is above every other name (Philippians 2:9). As you stand on God’s Word in the Name of Jesus, you can pray with confidence knowing that your prayers are effective in Heaven’s throne room.

Related Articles:

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3 Steps to Change Your Destiny

November 26, 2024

Words have power, so follow these 3 Steps to Change our Destiny for the better with those words!

The old adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” used to be something that parents taught their children, in the hopes that they would respond with indifference to an insult, rather than fight. It may be a catchy phrase, but it is not true; anyone who has been the recipient of an insult knows that words do hurt!

Words have power. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (NKJV). You will experience the fruit of your words, whether good or bad. The good news is that no matter what anyone has said to you, or even what you have already said about yourself, you have the ability to change the trajectory of your destiny today. Follow these 3 Steps To Change Your Destiny for the better with the words of your mouth.

Step 1: Put Right Words Into Your Heart

“What you say flows from what is in your heart.” –Luke 6:45

From the very beginning, God created the world with words. “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). Romans 4:17 says, “…God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (NKJV). God not only created the world this way, but He also expects you to shape your world this way.

Read The Power of First Words

You don’t have the ability to change the way God set up the system of the world—that the world responds to words. But you do have the ability to choose what words you put into your heart. Galatians 6:8 says, “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (NKJV). You can’t watch movies or spend your time on social media all day and expect to fulfill your destiny. Instead of sowing to the flesh, you can sow to the spirit by taking the time to put the right words into your heart.

How do you get good words into your heart? You spend time with your heavenly Father by reading the Bible and listening to good faith teachings. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). And whatever is in your heart in abundance is going to come out of your mouth. When you choose to put right words into your heart, you are changing your destiny to line up with God’s perfect will for your life.

Step 2: Choose To Speak Right Words

^“I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.” –Mark 11:23

Contrary to what many people think, you can’t just speak empty words and expect something to happen. Your words must be filled with faith. And the way you get faith into your heart is by listening to and meditating on the Word of God. Whatever you put into your heart is what will come out of your mouth. Matthew 12:34-35 says, “For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.”

Even when you know the truth about speaking the right words, choosing to speak those words can sometimes be difficult. Jerry Savelle, a renowned minister of faith, used to compare it to paddling upstream. The whole world is going in one direction; it’s drifting downstream in a negative direction where people are sick and broke and eventually die. He says you have to build yourself a spiritual canoe with God’s Word. You have to grab your faith oars, get yourself turned around, and start rowing the other way.

Watch Jerry Savelle share about faith-filled words:

You will have what you say. Your words have authority to create every time you speak. The Lord told Charles Capps, another minister of faith, “I have told My people that they can have what they say, and they are saying what they have.” Start today by saying what you desire to happen in any situation you’re facing today. Choosing to speak the right words by making everything you say agree with what God says, will usher God’s wonderful destiny into your life.

Step 3: Don’t Change Your Confession

“But when you ask him, 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.” –James 1:6-7

Make the decision that you are not going to change your confession of faith. This will require you to cast down any thoughts that are contrary to what you are believing. “Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NKJV).

Satan has one tactic in mind—to get you to doubt the Word of God. He wants to trick you into saying something contrary to what you are believing. James 4:7 says, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Resist his thoughts and suggestions.

Choose not to waver like a wave of the sea. If you waver, you won’t receive. With your words, you either resist or comply with Satan’s demands. With your words, you either resist or comply with God’s Word. It’s your choice. You are in charge; the decision is yours. If you stay steady and don’t change your confession of faith, even in the midst of difficult circumstances, you will see your God-ordained destiny unfold before your eyes.

Read 10 Confessions to Change Your Destiny

God’s destiny for you lies within your heart and your mouth, and by following these 3 Steps To Change Your Destiny, you are moving your life in the right direction, and your words are setting your future—your destiny—in motion (James 3:1-12). Instead of speaking the doubt-filled, fear-filled words you may have heard growing up, or the familiar sayings and phrases of your family, you can choose to fill your heart with the Word of God, speak out in faith, and not only change your destiny but the lives of those who come after you!

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