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Prepare for Persecution Gloria Copeland

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

2 Timothy 3:12

Did you catch that? He said all who live godly lives are going to suffer persecution. Not just the super-saints, not just the missionaries in hostile lands—but all.

If you’re going to live for God, you’re going to run into persecution somewhere along the line. The devil’s going to make sure of it!

Now I’m not saying that to frighten you or to depress you. I’m saying it because I want you to be prepared.

When you’re wise to the strategies of the devil, it’s harder for him to use them successfully on you to confuse you and get you off track.

Second Corinthians 10:4 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” So stay armed and ready for Satan’s attack. Then, whenever and however it comes, it won’t bring your life to a halt or even slow you down.

That’s especially important right now because we’re living in the last days. The devil’s time is drawing short. He is desperate. He is going to do everything he can to stop the Church. But Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church!

Remember the more we grow to be like Jesus and the more God’s glory is revealed through our lives, the bigger threat we are to Satan’s kingdom. Jesus said, “Rejoice and be glad at such a time, and exult and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is rich and great and strong and intense and abundant in heaven” (Luke 6:23, The Amplified Bible).

So, when persecution comes your way, and you know it will, rejoice and be glad. Take the Jesus cure and begin to leap and jump and praise God! There is no way persecution will hurt you if you do that. I’ve tried it and it works.

Scripture Reading:

Acts 6:1-15

October 10 Live Free From Fear Gloria Copeland

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

Psalm 91:1-3

Is it possible to live free from fear in this dangerous and unpredictable world? Yes, it most definitely is! Because protection is a solid promise of God.

But it’s not a promise that’s offered to just anyone. It is promised to those who abide in the Lord. To abide means “to dwell, to remain and to continue.” To abide in the shadow of the Almighty is to live in continual union with Him, keeping His Word and obeying His voice. Those who abide in the Lord can live without dread of what the devil will do.

Let me make this clear though—God’s promise of protection doesn’t guarantee that the devil will leave you alone! It means that God will give you a way of escape every time the devil rears his ugly face at you.

If you are afraid of the dangers around you, spend more time in the Word and in prayer until your trust in God overcomes your fear. Draw closer to the Lord until you are abiding in the shadow of the Almighty and—no matter how dangerous this world becomes—He shall surely deliver you.

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 91:1-16

Unity of Faith Kenneth Copeland

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-13

Till we all come in the unity of the faith. What this scripture means is simply this: If we’re ever going to become truly powerful in the kingdom of God, if we’re ever going to be any great threat to the devil, we’re going to have to grow up—together.

It won’t be enough for just a few of us to grow up on our own and say, “Too bad” about everyone else. It doesn’t work that way. We’re a part of each other. The Bible calls us one body…the Body of Christ.

Let me give you an example. When I began teaching God’s revelation on the laws of prosperity, I started getting an amazing amount of flack. Preachers started calling me and chewing me out because I wouldn’t borrow money and things like that. Finally God said to me one day in prayer, Don’t teach on the laws of prosperity anymore until I tell you to.

“Why not?” I asked.

There’s strife in the camp, He told me. Other preachers are mad at you and in strife over it.

I didn’t realize then that the level where we stopped would affect us all. I didn’t realize that even I wouldn’t be able to go on and operate in the additional laws of prosperity until the rest of the Body would go with me.

We’re not islands unto ourselves. I can’t do anything without affecting you. You can’t do anything without affecting me. We’re joined together by God but held together by one another (Ephesians 4:16). We can only grow up…together!

Learn to walk in love. Refuse to fall prey to division and isolation. Feed on the Word daily and encourage your brothers and sisters by feeding it to them too, so we can all grow up to be “a perfect [or mature] man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

Scripture Reading:

1 Corinthians 12:13-28

– See more at: http://www.kcm.org/read/faith-to-faith#sthash.8744NyPL.dpuf

September 15 How’s Your Spiritual Maintenance? Gloria Copeland

The cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.

Mark 4:19, The Amplified Bible

Did you know that the seemingly innocent things in your everyday life can suffocate your spiritual life if you allow it?

A friend of mine said the Lord told her in prayer one day that this nation had become a nation of maintenance men. You have so many things to maintain, He told her. You maintain your house. You maintain your car, your yard, your machines, your hair….

It’s true. You can become a maintainer of so many natural things that you don’t have any time left to maintain your own spirit!

When you find yourself in that situation, it’s time to simplify your life. I’ve had to learn that myself. Now when I’m considering something I think I need, I don’t just count the cost in dollars and cents. I think about how much time it will take to maintain it. I check to see if I can spiritually afford it.

Second Timothy 2:4 tells us not to get entangled in the affairs of this life. One thing I’ve learned over the last 45 years: Nothing is as important as spending time in prayer and in the Word with the Father. Absolutely nothing in my life is as vital as that.

Scripture Reading:

Mark 4:18-24

Courage Comes From Faith Gloria Copeland

Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Joshua 1:9

Courage comes from trusting God. It can’t be mentally drummed up. It comes from believing what God says regardless of what the circumstances look like. Courage comes from faith!

Where does discouragement come from? From fear and unbelief. It comes when you listen to the devil’s lies about what God is not going to do for you.

As the people of God, you and I must shake off discouragement and rise up with courage! We must quit looking at our own abilities and failures and limitations and start looking to God. We must rise up in the Name of Jesus and the power of His Spirit and establish the kingdom of heaven upon earth.

If you’ve been discouraged lately, stop listening to Satan’s lies. Stop receiving evil reports. Whenever someone tells you God is not going to deliver you, you just tell them, “He’s already delivered me in the Name of Jesus.”

Once you begin to realize who you are and what you’ve been given by the power of God, you’ll quit letting the devil run all over you. God didn’t suggest that you be strong and courageous. That is His command!

Scripture Reading:

Joshua 1:1-9

Feast on the Word Kenneth Copeland

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4

The Word of God is to your spirit as bread is to your body. When your body feeds on physical food, it produces a physical power called strength. When your spirit feeds on the spiritual food of the Word, it produces spiritual power called faith. And just as you can’t eat one meal and then feed on the memory of it for several weeks, you can’t just remember what the Word says and stay strong in faith. You have to read it. Even if you’ve read it a hundred times, you need to read it again.

Try this: Close your eyes and see yourself slicing a lemon. Now stick that lemon slice between your teeth and when I say, “Three,” bite down on it so hard that the juice squirts into your mouth. One. Two. Three. Bite!

Chances are, you have such a vivid memory of what it’s like to bite on a lemon that your mouth is watering right now. But let me ask you this, “Have you received any nourishment from that memory?” No.

Remembering the Word of God isn’t enough. You must continually feed on what it says. Get it out and read it. Go to church and hear it preached.

One day, you’ll read a familiar verse…a verse you’ve read thousands of times before…and suddenly God will give you the greatest revelation you’ve ever had. A completely fresh revelation from that old familiar verse! And it’s likely to be exactly what you needed to know about your current situation.

Yes, you can feed on the Word that is on deposit in your spirit. But remember this: You can’t get continued results if you don’t spend time in prayer and in the Word of God allowing the Spirit to nourish you daily.

Don’t try to live on the memory of your last spiritual meal. Replenish the force of faith within you. Feast on the Word of God today.

Scripture Reading:

John 6:48-58

Don’t Let Your Faith Slip Kenneth Copeland

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

Hebrews 2:1

Something very serious has been happening to the Body of Christ. We’ve often let the things which we have heard—the message of faith and righteousness—slip.

I’m not just talking about those believers who’ve been so surrounded by religion that they’ve never heard about the power that’s theirs in Christ Jesus. I’m talking about those of us who have heard the Word and have known the thrill of living by faith.

In my own life, for example, there were times when I’d pray for healing. I’d say all the right words, “Thank God, I believe I receive…” and all that. But inside I’d be thinking, I wonder why God isn’t healing me?

You see, even though I’d said that I believed I was healed, I hadn’t really. I’d staggered at the promise of God, believing what my body told me instead of the Word of God.

I don’t care how long you’ve been a believer or how long you’ve been practicing the principles of faith. You can easily slip into unbelief about the promises of God. And, when you do, it will cost you dearly.

“But if slipping into unbelief is so easy,” you may say, “how can we avoid it?”

Hebrews 4:11 tells us: “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

We must labor! Not by working with our hands and feet or struggling to get God to do something, but by spending time in God’s Word—hanging on to the promises of God by faith day after day. We must labor by hearkening to the Word and refusing to let it slip.

Don’t get casual about the Word. Don’t make the mistake of thinking, Oh I know all that faith stuff. I know how to receive my healing. If you do, you’ll slack off and one of these days the devil will catch you unprepared and steal you blind.

Instead, dig more deeply in the Word than ever. Labor! Be diligent to keep your faith from slipping—and you won’t have to fall!

Scripture Reading:

Hebrews 10:23-39