Articles

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

It's happened to all of us. We get a little of the Word of God under our spiritual belts. We have a few victories. Our lives are going great for the first time in years. Then suddenly we slip and it all falls apart. We find ourselves having to start all over again.

That's what happened to the people the book of Hebrews was written to. They made such great spiritual progress that they got to the place where they should have been teachers. Then they slipped back so much, they needed baby food again. (See Hebrews 5:12.)

What caused them to fall so far? They let other things get in the way of their faith. They let the promises of God slip, so they slipped.

That's happened to a multitude of believers in the last several years.

"Well, Brother Copeland," they said, "we're tired of that faith stuff." Or, "We just don't have time to spend that much time in the Word."

They've turned their attention away from the promises of God. It's not that they didn't believe them anymore. It's just that they directed their attention to other things. They let their Word level drop and since low Word level equals low faith level, they soon began suffering defeat in areas where they once had victory.

Don't let that happen to you. When things are going well, don't just ride the tide of God's blessing. Dig deeper into what God has for you. Give more earnest heed to the promises of God. Concentrate on moving ahead, on becoming so strong in the Spirit you can not only get your own needs met, you'll meet others' needs as well!

Remember: Low Word Level = Low Faith Level = Slip.

Don't get so busy enjoying today's victory that tomorrow ends up in defeat. Look into the things you've learned. Give the Word more of your attention—not less. Keep moving from faith to faith. Instead of trying to trip you up, Satan and his bunch will be crying, "Oh no, that faith man is coming after us again!"

Scripture Reading:
Hebrews 5:11-14, 6:1-12

Kenneth Copeland

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 15:7

That word abide is so important. When Jesus told us to obey His commandments and keep His Word, He wasn't just telling us to follow a bunch of religious rules and regulations.

He was telling us to allow His Word—which is a living thing!—to make its home within us. He was telling us to spend time with it, to meditate on it, to fill our minds and our mouths with it, and to let it guide our every action.

The Apostle Paul put it this way, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..." (Colossians 3:16). Most believers don't have any idea what that means. That's one of the reasons they're so short on power.

Oral Roberts once said that when the Word is really abiding in you, when it's alive and producing like it should, you can hear it. You know what it's like when you get a song on your mind and you just keep hearing it over and over inside you? Well, when you start abiding in the Word, you're probably going to hear it in much that same way.

Many times, I've been in desperate situations, wondering what I was going to do when suddenly I'd hear a scripture down on the inside of me. Suddenly, I'd know exactly what the answer to my situation was. I'd be delivered by the Word of God that was dwelling in me.

So, invite the Holy Spirit to go to work on your behalf. Just keep telling Him, "Whatever You bring to my remembrance from the Word is exactly what I'm going to act on. I'm going to be obedient to every command of Jesus that You bring to mind."

Make a quality decision to abide in the Word. You'll soon discover that the Word is abiding in you.

Scripture Reading:
Colossians 3:1-16

Kenneth Copeland

Remember your leaders and superiors in authority, [for it was they] who brought to you the Word of God. Observe attentively and consider their manner of living...and imitate their faith.
Hebrews 13:7, The Amplified Bible

Apart from the Word of God itself and prayer, nothing can do more for you than watching and imitating a real man of faith. I found that out in a big way many years ago when I was a student at Oral Roberts University. As co-pilot on the airplane that transported him and his staff to his healing meetings, I had the opportunity to study Oral Roberts up close. I followed him around. I heard him preach. I watched him lay hands on the sick.

I'll never forget the day I had the opportunity to put some of what I'd learned from him into action. I'd just been to a few of his meetings. Spiritually, I was still as green as a gourd. But I'd been assigned to help the people in the "invalid room" get ready for Brother Roberts to lay hands on them. I was standing there for the first time surrounded by every kind of sickness and disease you can imagine. And when Brother Roberts came in, instead of laying hands on the people himself, he caught me by the coat sleeve and said, "You're going to do the praying. You're going to lay hands on them."

I know all the blood must have drained out of my face because I'd never prayed for anything like that in my life. I might have considered praying for a headache or maybe a serious hangnail, but that's it!

The first lady we came to had cancer of the stomach. She weighed less than 80 pounds. She was just the picture of death. I walked over toward her and before I could open my mouth, I heard a voice from behind me say, "In the Name of Jesus, take up your bed and walk." She instantly spit that cancer out on the floor. Then she jumped off that bed and screamed, "I'm healed," and started running around the room.

Let me tell you, that moment changed me. When I stepped up to the next person and raised my hands, I could see the healing coming. I'd seen Jesus heal through Brother Roberts, so in my mind's eye, I could see Him healing through me.

You can do the same thing. Find someone who's operating in more faith and power than you are and learn from him. Watch Jesus in him and then copy him. Sooner or later, others will start seeing Jesus in you.

Scripture Reading:
2 Kings 2:1-15

Kenneth Copeland

And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.
Deuteronomy 28:2

"Well, brother, in the end I'm sure you'll see these financial problems are actually a blessing in disguise." Have you ever heard anybody say that to someone who's hurting financially? Chances are, you have. It's a popular idea. The problem is, it's a lie used by the devil to keep believers down.

As a result, many believers today are suffering one financial defeat after another. So let's go to the Word of God today and get the issue of prosperity and poverty straight. Let's find out, once and for all, which is the blessing, which the curse.

You can find the answer to that question in Deuteronomy 28. What God describes in verses 1 through 14 is the blessing—prosperity. In verses 15 through 31, God describes poverty—and He has called it a curse.

The curse is meant to destroy. Not to teach people a lesson. Not to make them more spiritual. But to destroy them.

Regardless of how intense the lack is, the nature of poverty remains the same. It is, and will always be, a curse.

Satan has gone to great lengths to convince God's people that poverty is a blessing in disguise. But poverty is something the devil contrived!

Don't buy into his lies. Get your thinking in line with the Word of God. If you're a born-again child of God, you no longer have to live under the curse of poverty or any other curse for that matter. You've been redeemed!

Scripture Reading:
Deuteronomy 28:1-31

Kenneth Copeland

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:13-17

The Bible teaches that as believers, you and I are to occupy until Jesus comes. Occupy is a military term meaning to hold possession, or control, of conquered troops and territory. If we're to do that effectively, most of us are going to have to change our attitudes. We're going to have to recognize that Jesus has already won the victory.

That's right. Satan is already defeated. He was whipped at Calvary. We're not on the defensive—he is!

What's more, Jesus has given you His very own armor and sword to use to keep that defeated devil in line. You may be a 90-pound weakling on your own, but if you'll put on God's armor, the devil will never know it. He'll run from you just like you were Jesus.

Think about it. What would you do if you were the devil and you came face to face with some fellow wearing God's armor and God's helmet with God's weapons in each hand? As long as that fellow only spoke God's words, you would think that must be God inside there!

Don't neglect any of the armor you've been given. Wear it all. Keep the devil on the defensive—and occupy till Jesus comes!

Scripture Reading:
Luke 12:35-44

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