Years ago, God spoke a phrase to Gloria's heart that I've never forgotten. She'd been asking Him to teach her to walk in the spirit, to operate more fully in the supernatural power of God.

In consistency lies the power, He said.

That revelation was tough for me. In the natural I'm anything but consistent. My human nature tends to be up one day and down the next. But, praise God, I don't have to depend on my human nature to get me by. I have Jesus Christ living within me and He's the same yesterday, today and forever!

Jesus isn't fickle. He doesn't change His mind from one day to another. He's constant, and if you'll press in to Him, He can cause you to be that way too.

Most believers don't do that. That's why there are so many "faith failures" around. They stand on the Word one day and fall off of it the next.

What we need to do is "continue." Jesus said if we'd continue in His Word, then we'd be His disciples. He said if we'd continue, we would know the truth and that truth would make us free (John 8:31-32). There's a revelation of God that comes from consistency that the inconsistent person will never see.

Determine today to be consistent. Don't try to base today on yesterday's Bible study. Base today on today's Bible study. Start with the Word today, stay on the Word all day, and end the day with the Word. Then tomorrow get up and do it all again!

There's power in constant consistency. So don't be an "off again, on again" Christian. Continue in the Word every day.

Scripture Reading:
Colossians 1:14-23

So many believers are unsure of their ability to hear God or know His voice. They're always afraid that they won't be able to tell when the Spirit of God is talking to them.

What they don't realize is this: Hearing the voice of the Spirit is a privilege that the Bible says belongs to every believer (Romans 8:14). All we have to do to exercise that privilege is to receive it by faith and put ourselves in a position to hear.

Next time the devil tries to tell you that you can't hear God's voice, remember that.

Jesus said His sheep will know His voice and a stranger's voice they will not follow. That is a promise of God to you today. You see, the Spirit of God will never guide you in opposition to the written Word of God (John 16:13). So, if you're not familiar with what the Word says, you'll find it more difficult to discern His leading.

Get familiar with God's voice by meditating and studying the Word of God. Follow God's instruction to Joshua and meditate on it day and night. Act on what you find in the Word, not just when it's easy but every time. Be obedient even in the slightest things.

That continual obedience to the written Word will bring you into maturity and tune your inward ear to the voice of the Spirit. You'll soon be able to recognize it as easily as you recognize the voice of your dearest friend.

So, instead of wondering about it, start expecting to hear from Him.

Then start sharpening your spiritual ears by spending time in the Word.

Scripture Reading:
John 10:1-9

Praise precedes victory!

You can see a graphic example of that in 2 Chronicles 20. There, the Bible tells us that a multitude of forces was marching against Israel. The army of Israel was so outnumbered, they literally didn't know what to do. So they fasted and prayed until they received a word from God. "Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's" (2 Chronicle 20:15, The Amplified Bible).

Do you know what they did in response to that word? They put together a praise choir! That's right. They appointed singers and praisers and sent them out in front of the army! And when that choir began to sing, the Word tells us that "the Lord set ambushments against the men...who had come against Judah, and they were [self-]slaughtered" (verse 22).

When it was all over, not one Israelite had fallen—and not one of their enemies had escaped. What's more, when they came to take the spoil, they found so many cattle, goods, garments and other precious things, it took them three whole days to haul it all home.

Now, that's victory! And it all began with praise.

Are you looking for that kind of victory today? Then stand up and shout, "Glory!" After all, you're in the same situation those Israelites were in. You have an army marching against you, but Jesus has already defeated it. He won that battle for you on Resurrection morning.

All that's left for you to do is trust Him and begin to praise. Sound out those praises today. Speak them, sing them, declare them in the face of your enemy. Once he hears them, he'll know he doesn't even stand a chance.

Scripture Reading:
2 Chronicles 20:1-22

Acts 10:38 says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

What did God do? He anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power. Then Jesus went about doing good. What is the good that Jesus did? He healed people.

It is a fact that God is a healing God. Jesus said, "For he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). If you want to see God at work, look at Jesus.

What did Jesus do? He went about doing good and healing. Whom did He heal? All those who were oppressed of the devil. And since all those He healed were oppressed of the devil, we know that sickness is satanic oppression.

So it is not the will of God that the children of God be oppressed by the devil, and we know that sickness and disease come from Satan; he is the author of them.

Satan is the destroyer. He is the oppressor. Jesus is the Deliverer. He is the Healer. God doesn't want us to be oppressed or destroyed. He wants us to be delivered and healed.

Confession
Jesus is my Deliverer and my Healer. He was anointed by God to destroy the works of the devil, which include sickness and disease. I believe that Jesus delivered me from sickness and disease.