S1E6. Acting on the Word

Speaker A 00:00:00 Now we've been talking about the integrity of the eternal Word of God. Speaker A 00:00:07 God's blessed us by showing us some different avenues of the integrity in His Word, the bond of His Word, the reality of His Word. Speaker A 00:00:18 We talked about the fact that God releases His faith with His Word. Speaker A 00:00:23 And that this written word of God is still filled with the faith of God. Speaker A 00:00:29 And when we add our faith and receive this Word into. Speaker A 00:00:34 Into the very center of our beings, then our faith is fed by his faith. Speaker A 00:00:41 And there comes an action, a power is released. Speaker A 00:00:46 That power is a spiritual power. Speaker A 00:00:48 That's called faith. Speaker A 00:00:49 Great things are wrought by it. Speaker A 00:00:52 But now let me tell you something. Speaker A 00:00:55 Integrity can just only go so far. Speaker A 00:01:00 Integrity is not worth very much until somebody receives it. Speaker A 00:01:08 Your being a man of your word won't do much good until somebody believes the word that you're good for. Speaker A 00:01:17 The only way that you and I fellowshipping together can ever grow in our relationship with one another is when we begin to believe one another's words. Speaker A 00:01:31 You may be a good old boy. Speaker A 00:01:33 You may have the best reputation in. Speaker A 00:01:35 In this county. Speaker A 00:01:37 Your Word may be absolutely strong and solid, but you and I will never have any kind of relationship that will go beyond just being acquainted with one another until I begin to believe what you tell me is true and exercise my faith in your words. Speaker A 00:02:00 Now, you know that's true between a man and his wife. Speaker A 00:02:05 A man and his wife that do not have any faith in the other one's words do not have any relationship in their marriage. Speaker A 00:02:14 There's doubt and fear and no power between a man and his wife. Speaker A 00:02:20 For there's no depth of relationship until they begin to what? Speaker A 00:02:24 Trust one another? Speaker A 00:02:27 Integrity is worthless until somebody believes your word. Speaker A 00:02:33 Now, the same thing is true with God. Speaker A 00:02:35 His integrity is not worth a whole lot to you or to me until you take him at his word. Speaker A 00:02:43 Until you believe his word. Speaker A 00:02:45 You see people every day that say, well, we're trusting God and never get anything. Speaker A 00:02:52 You're really not trusting God. Speaker A 00:02:53 You can't trust God without believing His Word. Speaker A 00:02:57 How are you going to trust me if you don't know what I said? Speaker A 00:03:03 There's no way you can't do it. Speaker A 00:03:07 Somebody said, we're going to trust Brother Copeland for this. Speaker A 00:03:09 The next thing that I want to know is what Brother Copeland say. Speaker A 00:03:14 Somebody said, well, we're going to. Speaker A 00:03:15 We're going to trust Brother so and so over here for our rent to be paid this month. Speaker A 00:03:20 Well, I want to know if Brother so and so said he'd pay my rent. Speaker A 00:03:24 If he said he Would, and I expect him to do it. Speaker A 00:03:27 If he didn't, or if we don't know quite what he said, we better go to digging up some rent, hadn't we? Speaker A 00:03:35 You can't trust him unless you know what he said. Speaker A 00:03:38 Now, I want you to notice something here in Hebrews, chapter one. Speaker A 00:03:41 This very simple statement in. Speaker A 00:03:44 In verse three, who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, or upholding or supporting all things by the power in his word. Speaker A 00:04:10 Now, I said, this gets rid of our traditions. Speaker A 00:04:12 How does this get rid of our traditions? Speaker A 00:04:15 We need to be very cautious about the reasons why we do things. Speaker A 00:04:23 When we begin to move into a church service, or we begin to go out in the streets and witness, or we start into a business deal, or we're going into a new relationship with a new company, or we're going into a new relationship just very simply with another Christian or with a person in the world that we're trying to win to the Lord. Speaker A 00:04:44 Why are we going to be motivated to do the things that we do? Speaker A 00:04:49 What should I do with you, for instance, if I'm going into a business deal with you? Speaker A 00:04:54 If I want God to uphold this business deal, looks to me like the first thing I ought to do is get it over on the word. Speaker A 00:05:01 If he's upholding all things by the power of his word, first thing I need to do is get over on his word. Speaker A 00:05:08 I know I've personally done this. Speaker A 00:05:10 I've been sitting around, I'd think, well, now, let's see here. Speaker A 00:05:14 I believe if I sing this song just this way, and I believe if somebody comes in and plays the piano right there at that spot. Speaker A 00:05:24 And I believe that if maybe we manipulate this way, and maybe we go over this way just a little bit, or maybe maybe we hadn't been shouting loud enough. Speaker A 00:05:34 Maybe that's it. Speaker A 00:05:36 I believe. Speaker A 00:05:36 Maybe that's it. Speaker A 00:05:38 Or maybe I believe more people would receive the Word. Speaker A 00:05:41 I believe more people would get healed if we'd do that way. Speaker A 00:05:44 Or maybe if all of us get up and run around the building four or five times, we'll be free. Speaker A 00:05:51 Now, see, all I'm doing now just. Speaker A 00:05:53 I'm just mentally conjuring. Speaker A 00:05:55 I'm just. Speaker A 00:05:56 I. Speaker A 00:05:56 I'm just kind of throwing things around. Speaker A 00:05:58 And I haven't even stopped to consider the word of God. Speaker A 00:06:03 Jesus said, continue ye in my word and you will be my disciples indeed. Speaker A 00:06:08 And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. Speaker A 00:06:11 There's A lot of times when we got into a service, I know I'm talking to me as much as I am a lot of you other preachers and a lot of you Sunday school superintendents and so forth. Speaker A 00:06:21 You got to church one Sunday morning and boy, it just felt like somebody just got there about two hours before you did and throwed cold water on the whole place. Speaker A 00:06:30 And it was just, oh, like that. Speaker A 00:06:33 I've walked into services sometimes that I'd think, lord, is there any way out of here? Speaker A 00:06:40 This is the tightest, naughtiest, drawn upest bunch I've ever been in front of. Speaker A 00:06:46 Now, I'm not talking about you. Speaker A 00:06:47 You. Speaker A 00:06:48 You've been everything but that all week long, thank God. Speaker A 00:06:52 And I'd think, well, now what can I do? Speaker A 00:06:54 Maybe I believe if we sing this song and we get up there and sing that song, and it got worse, they just stood up and sung it, you know, like how great thou art. Speaker A 00:07:11 They really didn't stick their tongue out at me like that. Speaker A 00:07:13 But I felt like it's going to, you know, just any minute. Speaker A 00:07:17 Some of you preachers know what I'm talking about. Speaker A 00:07:20 You think, well, bless God, let's sing another verse and sing it a little louder. Speaker A 00:07:25 You know what I learned to do right in the midst of that, right in the middle of it, just cut off everything and turn on the word of God I found in my own home, right in the midst of all the pressure. Speaker A 00:07:43 When I get to thinking, maybe if I'd go fishing, I'd feel better, or maybe if I'd go out and run up and down the road a couple of times, maybe I'd feel better. Speaker A 00:07:53 Maybe if I'd go over here and ice skate a couple of rounds, maybe I'd feel better or this or that or other. Speaker A 00:07:57 And there's not anything wrong with all that. Speaker A 00:07:59 You can enjoy that and love God and fellowship with the Lord and he'll go right along with you. Speaker A 00:08:03 But right at those moments when you're just under all kinds of pressure, it'd be a whole lot better if you'd go get the word of God and turn it on. Speaker A 00:08:12 Go get your tape recorder and put your Bible tape on there and turn it on. Speaker A 00:08:16 Or go get your tape recorder and put some preacher preaching faith on there. Speaker A 00:08:19 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Speaker A 00:08:22 And he's upholding all things by the power of his word. Speaker A 00:08:25 Glory to God. Speaker A 00:08:26 Hallelujah. Speaker A 00:08:27 Now, most of the time I just get segusted up before I get here. Speaker A 00:08:30 Don't make any difference what you do just kind of just sail over it, you know? Speaker A 00:08:34 And then after the word of God gets in you, you get up here with me. Speaker A 00:08:38 But now, what about the businessman? Speaker A 00:08:41 What's he going to do? Speaker A 00:08:42 I know one man that went into a business deal like this. Speaker A 00:08:48 He said, see, now, this is what I'm saying to you is confidence in God's word, having strength enough to put you over. Speaker A 00:08:56 Now, it doesn't look like anything as simple as what God has said will put you over, but it will. Speaker A 00:09:02 The Bible said if you'll exalt wisdom, it will exalt you. Speaker A 00:09:06 It'll win for you. Speaker A 00:09:08 Right when it looks like it's the worst thing you could do, or if God's word said one thing, it looked like it might be just absolutely the worst thing in the world you could do, but do that in preference to everything else and see if God doesn't have the integrity of to back his word. Speaker A 00:09:26 Now, this particular businessman went into this proposition on a television station. Speaker A 00:09:31 The man that he's doing business with was a Jew. Speaker A 00:09:35 And the first thing that this preacher told this Jew was this. Speaker A 00:09:40 The word of God says, before he ever did anything, they just got acquainted one day. Speaker A 00:09:47 He hadn't. Speaker A 00:09:48 They hadn't any kind of business, exchanged hands. Speaker A 00:09:51 He didn't. Speaker A 00:09:52 They didn't even know one another. Speaker A 00:09:53 This Jew didn't know him. Speaker A 00:09:54 He didn't know him. Speaker A 00:09:55 He just knew he was Jewish. Speaker A 00:09:57 He said, the word of God states that if I bless you, God will bless me. Speaker A 00:10:07 The word also says that if I cheat you, that God will punish me for it. Speaker A 00:10:16 He said, I want you to be good to me now because going into this business deal, I'm going to have to see to it that you get the best end of the deal. Speaker A 00:10:24 And that guy's mouth kind of fell open. Speaker A 00:10:26 He said, that beats all I ever heard, and nobody ever did me that way. Speaker A 00:10:30 He said, well, I just want you to know when we go into the deal that you're going to get the best end of the deal. Speaker A 00:10:34 And I'm going to see to it that it's done that way. Speaker A 00:10:36 Whatever business we do, if we come to any kind of terms and we do any business, I want you to know before we get into this thing that. Speaker A 00:10:43 That you're going to get the best end of the deal. Speaker A 00:10:44 Now, your head would first off tell you, now that's the worst thing in the world you can do. Speaker A 00:10:48 He's going to cheat me for everything I'm worth. Speaker A 00:10:53 Well, in the first place, ding a ling. Speaker A 00:10:55 You didn't have to take the deal, you could say no, you know, you don't have to just sit there and be cheated. Speaker A 00:11:07 In the second place, this is where God's word has to uphold. Speaker A 00:11:13 Now men that have nerve enough to do this and it takes some spiritual nerve to do it, I'll tell you things of this nature. Speaker A 00:11:20 Just stand on the word of God and believe God when it looks like it's the worst thing in the world you could do. Speaker A 00:11:26 Like Abraham did when he put his own son on the altar. Speaker A 00:11:32 Looked like the worst thing he could do. Speaker A 00:11:35 But you know, he had God's word. Speaker A 00:11:38 Did you know, I didn't know this until I got to reading the Bible. Speaker A 00:11:40 That Abraham actually was disappointed in the way that deal turned out. Speaker A 00:11:46 You know why he had his son up there on that altar? Speaker A 00:11:51 He was going to kill him and offer him as a burnt sacrifice. Speaker A 00:11:55 But you see, he already had God's word for it. Speaker A 00:11:59 That that boy was the seed of a mighty nation. Speaker A 00:12:03 And that that boy would be the father along with him of as many as the stars in the heavens and the sand is the sea. Speaker A 00:12:11 And he fully intended to see that boy raised up out of those ashes. Speaker A 00:12:16 He had God's word for it. Speaker A 00:12:17 Didn't bother him a bit because he told the guys down at the foot of the mountain when he went up there to make that sacrifice, he said, we'll be back. Speaker A 00:12:25 He didn't say, I'll be back. Speaker A 00:12:27 Poor old me got to go kill my boy. Speaker A 00:12:29 He said, we'll be back. Speaker A 00:12:33 You see, he took God bluntly at his word and dared act upon it. Speaker A 00:12:39 Now I could just see that old man saying, lord, boy, I sure intended to see that boy raised up. Speaker A 00:12:44 But I'll take the ram you provided. Speaker A 00:12:48 And instead of this Jewish man cheating him for everything he's worth, he went into business with him. Speaker A 00:12:53 And his most profitable business situation in this particular area that this man had ever gotten into. Speaker A 00:12:58 It worked. Speaker A 00:12:59 Why? Speaker A 00:13:00 Because God was in control. Speaker A 00:13:03 God was in control. Speaker A 00:13:05 The integrity of the word of God means nothing until you get over on it. Speaker A 00:13:11 And when you get over on it, I'll be right frank with you. Speaker A 00:13:14 There's going to be some times when it looks like that if absolutely that there's no way that this thing can come out in any way but your doom. Speaker A 00:13:26 Now this is where we begin to walk by faith and not by sight. Speaker A 00:13:32 And tonight I'm going to take this thing apart and show you the way the parts of it work so that you can put this to work in your life. Speaker A 00:13:41 There's a lot of you here tonight, I know that have tried this and failed at it. Speaker A 00:13:45 Now, the word of God didn't fail. Speaker A 00:13:48 And it wasn't God's will for you not to have it. Speaker A 00:13:51 The devil sold you that line. Speaker A 00:13:54 It wasn't. Speaker A 00:13:55 It wasn't God's will. Speaker A 00:13:56 His word and his will are one. Speaker A 00:14:00 You can't will one thing, say another. Speaker A 00:14:01 One of them got to be a lie. Speaker A 00:14:05 What has happened most of the time. Speaker A 00:14:10 Most of the time it is through not knowing how to apply it and not knowing how to stand in protection of the word that you're using and not knowing how to use your shield of faith and protect yourself against the wiles of the devil. Speaker A 00:14:30 And the pressure will get so great that you'll fall. Speaker A 00:14:34 Jesus said in the fourth chapter of Mark, beginning with the 14th verse, the Sower sows the word. Speaker A 00:14:40 Satan cometh immediately to take that word out which was sown. Speaker A 00:14:44 Then he said, and they that have heard the word receive it gladly. Speaker A 00:14:49 But persecution and affliction arises for the word's sake, and they become offended. Speaker A 00:15:01 Now, see, they were glad to hear the word of God believed that it would work. Speaker A 00:15:04 Satan came immediately to take it out of their heart. Speaker A 00:15:08 And it said that persecution and affliction arise for the words sake. Speaker A 00:15:13 Now, if you don't know right there, when that persecution of the devil and the afflictions of the devil come against you, somewhere down the line you'll drop your guard and he'll take another bite out of you and then another bite out of you and then another bite out of you. Speaker A 00:15:29 And after a while you'll fall back on your back and go to crying for help. Speaker A 00:15:33 And that's all right. Speaker A 00:15:34 God's got a way to help you, but it would be better for you to stand firm. Speaker A 00:15:39 The apostle Paul said that God was not pleased with those in the wilderness because they fell. Speaker A 00:15:48 What he's pleased in is what you call me, Lord. Speaker A 00:15:52 Lord, and do the things which I say. Speaker A 00:15:54 Hallelujah. Speaker A 00:15:55 Let's turn to that scripture over in the book of Luke. Speaker A 00:15:58 I want you to see it. Speaker A 00:15:59 It's in the sixth chapter. Speaker A 00:16:04 Let's find out how the system works. Speaker A 00:16:11 Verse 46, Luke 6:46. Speaker A 00:16:13 Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say. Speaker A 00:16:17 Whosoever cometh to me and hears my sayings and does them, I will show you to whom he is like. Speaker A 00:16:23 He is like a man which built an house and digged deep and laid the foundation on a rock. Speaker A 00:16:30 And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house. Speaker A 00:16:35 And. Speaker A 00:16:35 And could not shake it, for it was founded upon a rock. Speaker A 00:16:39 But he that heareth and doeth it not is like a man that without a foundation built a house upon the earth against which the stream beat vehemently and immediately it fell. Speaker A 00:16:51 And the ruin of that house was great. Speaker A 00:16:53 Now, the first thing I want you to realize in acting on the word of God. Speaker A 00:16:58 The time to act on the word of God is not after the flood has hit. Speaker A 00:17:04 The time to act on the word of God, folks, is now. Speaker A 00:17:07 Let's get over on it by faith, not by pressure. Speaker A 00:17:14 Now the just will live by faith. Speaker A 00:17:16 Did you know that's not only a statement from the Bible, it is also prophetic. Speaker A 00:17:23 There's going to come a time in your life you're going to need your faith, brother. Speaker A 00:17:27 I can promise you that faith. Speaker A 00:17:30 Don't wait to develop that faith. Speaker A 00:17:34 Don't wait to get over on that faith after the tragedy, sickness, disease, poverty or whatever else strikes. Speaker A 00:17:44 Don't wait until then. Speaker A 00:17:46 Now some of you are in that position right now. Speaker A 00:17:49 Your house has fallen down, you're in the flood, and now you got to go hunt a new foundation. Speaker A 00:17:55 Well, God will get you out. Speaker A 00:17:58 God will get you out and he'll do the miracles that it takes to get you out. Speaker A 00:18:04 Now follow me carefully. Speaker A 00:18:07 Let's get out here where I can illustrate this. Speaker A 00:18:11 Let's say that a man's lifespan is represented by a line from where I'm standing to the edge of this stage right here. Speaker A 00:18:21 Now, that's that man's lifespan. Speaker A 00:18:26 The floods of life brought on by Satan are going to strike that man's lifespan from here to there in one form or another. Speaker A 00:18:37 And they're going to strike in every way Satan can find an opening to strike. Speaker A 00:18:43 Now, I can live this thing in either one of two ways. Speaker A 00:18:49 This is the way that most of us have been trying to live it. Speaker A 00:18:53 We start walking that we love God, filled with the mighty spirit of God, do anything that God says, but have neglected to walk. Speaker A 00:19:04 This thing based and founded on a renewed mind to the New Testament. Speaker A 00:19:11 I've had men say to me, I don't understand how come the devil was able to rob me of everything I got. Speaker A 00:19:16 I love God. Speaker A 00:19:18 I've dedicated everything I have to God. Speaker A 00:19:21 I prayed and asked him to get the devil off of me. Speaker A 00:19:25 Well, now you see, that's not what the New Testament said. Speaker A 00:19:27 The New Testament says you put on the whole armor of God. Speaker A 00:19:30 You stand against the wiles of the devil. Speaker A 00:19:33 In the name of Jesus, you cast him out. Speaker A 00:19:35 If he'd have started doing that back here, before he had anything to lose, it been a lot easier. Speaker A 00:19:42 By the time he had anything to lose, he'd have been strong in the Lord, had his armor up here in front of him, and it had been a lot harder for Satan to get in there on him. Speaker A 00:19:50 Can you follow what I'm saying to you? Speaker A 00:19:52 Huh? Speaker A 00:19:53 All right. Speaker A 00:19:54 Now, the way we've tried to live that is like this just going on along. Speaker A 00:19:58 Just kind of take things as they come. Speaker A 00:20:01 Just kind of, you know, hope we make it again today. Speaker A 00:20:07 And Satan comes sliding in there on one way or the other. Speaker A 00:20:12 And what do you do? Speaker A 00:20:14 Lord, I need a miracle. Speaker A 00:20:18 That's one way to live. Speaker A 00:20:19 It's a dangerous way to live. Speaker A 00:20:24 That man is living purely on the grace of God. Speaker A 00:20:29 Now, grace has provided more for us than just miracles. Speaker A 00:20:35 In fact, miracles are not God's best. Speaker A 00:20:40 Did you know that? Speaker A 00:20:42 The definition of a miracle is a divine intervention of God on the normal course of nature or the normal travel of life. Speaker A 00:20:54 Now, what God had rather you do would be start back here, you see, accept the miracles of God and said, now straighten this mess up, get this thing all straightened up. Speaker A 00:21:05 And from this moment on, I'm walking this thing. Speaker A 00:21:08 I'm going to build this house on this rock on your word and begin to reach out there ahead of you with the word of God. Speaker A 00:21:18 Not just, oh, my God, if you don't do something, I'm never going to be able to pay these notes. Speaker A 00:21:28 You need God's pure grace, brother. Speaker A 00:21:32 But what you'd be smart to do is say, father, wipe this debt out in the name of Jesus. Speaker A 00:21:38 And I'm beginning my confession now. Speaker A 00:21:41 I'm reaching out for the future. Speaker A 00:21:43 And I'm saying in the name of Jesus that I'm reaching out for the day when I owe no man anything but to love him. Speaker A 00:21:49 And I've got my sight pointed in that direction. Speaker A 00:21:52 I. Speaker A 00:21:52 I see that coming and I'm shooting my faith off out there Now I'm putting it off out there now. Speaker A 00:21:57 I'm acting on your word. Speaker A 00:21:59 Now I'm planning on the thing, now I'm walking on it. Speaker A 00:22:02 Now I'm well and I'm whole. Speaker A 00:22:04 And I believe you daily for my divine health. Speaker A 00:22:08 It's a lot easier to get healed when you feel good. Speaker A 00:22:12 And then the first sign. Speaker A 00:22:16 Now what Jesus say, He said, the spirit of truth will show you things to come. Speaker A 00:22:22 I tell you, I've been driving down the road just feeling just as good. Speaker A 00:22:26 And the voice of the Lord come to me. Speaker A 00:22:28 See, I believed him that morning when I Got out of bed. Speaker A 00:22:31 I believed him for my healing all day. Speaker A 00:22:34 This is the only day I'm interested in anyway. Speaker A 00:22:37 Tomorrow's got trouble enough of its own. Speaker A 00:22:39 Jesus said, well, my heavenly Father knows I have need of help. Speaker A 00:22:44 Jesus bought and paid for it for me and I'm thanking him for it today. Speaker A 00:22:48 I'm growing in it today, developing my faith in it today while I feel good. Speaker A 00:22:53 And I've been driving along now and the Lord would speak to me just as plain and said, exercise your faith. Speaker A 00:22:57 Satan's going to try to put a cold on you now. Speaker A 00:23:01 I'd say, well he can't do that. Speaker A 00:23:03 And when I feel good, it's, it's, that's no trouble at all. Speaker A 00:23:07 I'm some kind of fighter when I'm feeling good till I wait until after, I have a headache, a runny nose, a fever, my throat hurts and, and like one of them commercial says, you know, my throat hurts, my head hurts. Speaker A 00:23:21 And this other guy says, yeah, I understand, but if you've got your house built on the rock, you can take authority over that thing and not allow it to get in. Speaker A 00:23:35 Just run, grab the word, run, run, grab your Bible, run grab up the word of God and say, lookit here, I'm believing you Lord, I'm believing you. Speaker A 00:23:42 That, that, that rat not gonna put the thing on me. Speaker A 00:23:44 And in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, I stand before you. Speaker A 00:23:47 I lie not. Speaker A 00:23:48 My wife and me and my children have not been sick in five years. Speaker A 00:23:56 Now that's a lot easier than wait til you get sick and then try to believe. Speaker A 00:24:00 What now? Speaker A 00:24:00 We had a lot of chances. Speaker A 00:24:02 Somebody asked my wife, they said, you mean telling me you all never get sick? Speaker A 00:24:05 She said, we had a lot of opportunities, but we pass. Speaker A 00:24:09 See, we were ready for it. Speaker A 00:24:11 We were ready for it. Speaker A 00:24:13 What had we done? Speaker A 00:24:14 We had gotten over on God's word and being aware of it every day, not aware of the disease, aware of the word that says by his stripes you were healed. Speaker A 00:24:25 Are you following what I'm saying to you? Speaker A 00:24:27 You shoot your faith out there in front of you. Speaker A 00:24:29 That's what that faith is called, a shield for. Speaker A 00:24:33 Get it out in front of you. Speaker A 00:24:34 You don't wear a shield up here like this and try to get it in between you and the darts as they come. Speaker A 00:24:41 And it isn't a surgical instrument that you dig the darts out with. Speaker A 00:24:46 It's something you hold out in front of you and protect yourself with it. Speaker A 00:24:50 Shoot your faith out there, praise God, we start believing God for the finances and everything on these meetings Weeks before we ever come, weeks before we ever get in. Speaker A 00:25:00 We don't wait till we get halfway through and say, if you folks don't give, we ain't going to make a budget. Speaker A 00:25:07 Used to. Speaker A 00:25:08 But, boy, what a sweat that was. Speaker A 00:25:10 I found out we could believe for that. Speaker A 00:25:12 Weeks out in front of it, you see. Speaker A 00:25:14 Shoot that faith off out there. Speaker A 00:25:16 There may be something else coming along I need those miracles for. Speaker A 00:25:20 Amen. Speaker A 00:25:21 Are you following what I'm saying to you? Speaker A 00:25:23 All right. Speaker A 00:25:23 Now, faith, you see, believing demands action. Speaker A 00:25:28 If you believe it, you'll act on it. Speaker A 00:25:31 If you believe it, you'll act on it. Speaker A 00:25:33 Now, we see men that act, but then something else occurs. Speaker A 00:25:40 In the middle of acting on the word of God, a man takes the Word, puts it up before him. Speaker A 00:25:46 I've seen this happen to a lot of preachers that preach healing. Speaker A 00:25:48 And the whole congregation gets sick. Speaker A 00:25:51 And immediately he'd withdraw. Speaker A 00:25:53 People just start pounding him over the head. Speaker A 00:25:55 That stuff you preach must not be so. Speaker A 00:25:58 And he begins to withdraw. Speaker A 00:25:59 Well, the only thing that's just a real good sign, brother, you preaching the word. Speaker A 00:26:04 Satan's come immediately to take the word out, which was sown. Speaker A 00:26:07 Now that it's out, you need to stand for it. Speaker A 00:26:11 Now that it is out, you need to protect your heart to keep you from getting over into an area what that we will call mental ascent. Speaker A 00:26:23 Mentally ascending to the fact that the Word's true, but acting on something else. Speaker A 00:26:30 Now, watch this. Speaker A 00:26:32 Faith is a spiritual force. Speaker A 00:26:36 Here is a man that acts on the word of God. Speaker A 00:26:39 Maybe he's sick in his body. Speaker A 00:26:40 And he comes to the Word and he says, now this is what we've learned from the Word. Speaker A 00:26:45 Your word is good, and I'm going to act on it. Speaker A 00:26:47 And I expect my healing to come. Speaker A 00:26:49 And he starts confessing his healing. Speaker A 00:26:51 And two or three days goes by, and finally he comes to me and he says, brother Copeland, I don't want to make a bad confession, but I'm sick now. Speaker A 00:27:00 Why is the thing not producing for him? Speaker A 00:27:04 Let me put it to you this way. Speaker A 00:27:06 Mental ascent says, yes, the word of God says, we're healed. Speaker A 00:27:10 Yes, we believe the Bible is true. Speaker A 00:27:12 Yes, we believe it just as it's written. Speaker A 00:27:15 Yes, we're Bible believers. Speaker A 00:27:17 We believe every word of it. Speaker A 00:27:19 Are you healed? Speaker A 00:27:20 No. Speaker A 00:27:23 That's mental assent. Speaker A 00:27:25 It looks and sounds like faith, but it isn't. Speaker A 00:27:28 When it comes to action, it won't act. Speaker A 00:27:30 It just agrees and admires when somebody else acts. Speaker A 00:27:32 But then it'll say, that doesn't work for me. Speaker A 00:27:36 Now, why does Mental assent not work. Speaker A 00:27:39 Because mental power isn't enough in those hard spots like that to get the job done. Speaker A 00:27:48 It takes spirit power. Speaker A 00:27:50 It takes the power of the force of faith. Speaker A 00:27:53 It takes the power in the word of God to get a thing like that done. Speaker A 00:27:57 And you can't get the power that's in this word out of it by just playing with it with your head. Speaker A 00:28:04 Now, what normally happens in a situation like that is this. Speaker A 00:28:07 This man steps out on the word of God, there's a surge of faith in him. Speaker A 00:28:11 He believes God. Speaker A 00:28:12 He thinks in his heart this thing works. Speaker A 00:28:14 This is great. Speaker A 00:28:14 I know it in my heart. Speaker A 00:28:15 And then the next day Satan pounds him again and said, yeah, but you hadn't got it and not going to get it. Speaker A 00:28:20 And then the next day he comes at him again and just keeps pounding at him and pounding at him until after a while the guy's staggering around, he hurts worse than he ever did. Speaker A 00:28:31 You call his pastor on the phone, chew him out for preaching it, and tell you to be careful because, brother, it might not work for you. Speaker A 00:28:42 Now why was it that way? Speaker A 00:28:44 Because all of the spirit force within him had been expended and not replaced. Speaker A 00:28:54 Proverbs, chapter 4, verse 20. Speaker A 00:28:58 My son attends to my words. Speaker A 00:29:02 Incline thine ear unto my sayings. Speaker A 00:29:06 Do not let them depart from thine eyes. Speaker A 00:29:10 And right there is where he made his mistake. Speaker A 00:29:12 Right there is where he made his mistake. Speaker A 00:29:14 Right there. Speaker A 00:29:15 You know probably what he's doing in the midst of all this everything, but continuing to feed on the word of God. Speaker A 00:29:23 You can get in some spiritual combat, brother, that is second to nothing you've ever experienced in your life. Speaker A 00:29:29 The things I'm preaching to you are things that will draw you into spiritual combat like you've never seen before. Speaker A 00:29:35 But you've never seen victories like you've seen till you get into this either. Speaker A 00:29:40 I'll tell you, there's not victory on earth that's as great as living from day to day shielded by the faith of God. Speaker A 00:29:49 And you know Satan's just a gunning at you from every direction. Speaker A 00:29:52 Praise God. Speaker A 00:29:53 And you, instead of you being drug around by the nose, you drag he him around with the point of the sword. Speaker A 00:30:00 And the confidence in you builds and builds and builds and builds. Speaker A 00:30:05 The force that the Bible calls patience builds and builds and builds and builds to the point to where you see something down the road coming at you. Speaker A 00:30:16 You can see the thing coming. Speaker A 00:30:18 You can see a financial situation out there developing that doesn't look too good. Speaker A 00:30:22 And somebody else comes around and says, what Are we going to do about this over here? Speaker A 00:30:26 And somebody else says they're bringing sister so and over here today and she's got cancer. Speaker A 00:30:31 What are we going to do about that? Speaker A 00:30:32 And then over here some other bad news hits you. Speaker A 00:30:35 And instead of getting weak kneed about it, you've got this thing built up on the inside of you. Speaker A 00:30:40 You're on God's word, thinking on God's word, talking on God's word, revived on the inside with the word of God. Speaker A 00:30:47 And you know without a doubt when you move that, you're going to one by one shoot these things down before they ever get to you. Speaker A 00:30:54 And God gets glory hallelujah. Speaker A 00:30:58 Because nobody else can do that but Jesus. Speaker A 00:31:03 Isn't it true? Speaker A 00:31:06 So what happens? Speaker A 00:31:08 A man takes God at his word, but then he doesn't continue therein. Speaker A 00:31:14 Now listen to what Jesus said. Speaker A 00:31:16 If you abide, live abide in me and my words abide or are living in you, ask what you will and it be done unto you. Speaker A 00:31:35 He didn't say when you just feed on it once, twice a week and then watch television the rest of the time. Speaker A 00:31:42 He didn't say when you read the Word of God just once in a while. Speaker A 00:31:44 What? Speaker A 00:31:44 I'm, I'm talking about grown up stuff folks. Speaker A 00:31:46 I'm not talking about play toys, talking about stuff that changes governments and changes the courts and the history of nations. Speaker A 00:31:56 I'm talking about men that, that bite into things that absolutely change the spiritual complexion of the world. Speaker A 00:32:08 I'm talking about David and Goliath. Speaker A 00:32:12 I'm talking about Jesus and Calvary's cross. Speaker A 00:32:16 These men stood on the Word. Speaker A 00:32:20 Were these special men? Speaker A 00:32:21 Of course Jesus was special. Speaker A 00:32:23 What made him special? Speaker A 00:32:25 Because he'd walk on the word of God. Speaker A 00:32:28 The Bible said he whom God sent spoke the words of God, therefore God gave him his spirit without measure. Speaker A 00:32:34 Sure he was the son of the living God, certainly born of a virgin, certainly so. Speaker A 00:32:40 But what made his ministry so special was the fact that he would not bow his knee to any other God before him. Speaker A 00:32:48 And what his father said that he said and whether it looked good, bad or indifferent didn't make any difference what politics thought about it or what religion thought about it. Speaker A 00:32:57 He stood on the Word and you hear David saying things like this. Speaker A 00:33:03 I will say of the Lord and then he will deliver me. Speaker A 00:33:07 He will deliver me. Speaker A 00:33:09 He says, king, don't worry about it, no sweat. Speaker A 00:33:16 I'll take your giant for you. Speaker A 00:33:19 17 year old boy. Speaker A 00:33:21 Just a little, little red faced boy. Speaker A 00:33:26 Sounds like some of these 17 year olds I know now I'll take your giant for you. Speaker A 00:33:31 No sweat. Speaker A 00:33:33 Now listen to him. Speaker A 00:33:34 He's no different than the bear or the lion. Speaker A 00:33:41 He is an uncircumcised Philistine. Speaker A 00:33:45 In other words, he does not have the word of God any more than that lion or that bear does. Speaker A 00:33:50 And I do. Speaker A 00:33:51 And I'll take you giant. Speaker A 00:33:54 And then he had nerve enough to holler out there at that giant and tell him what he's going to do to it. Speaker A 00:34:01 Now how would you feel about it? Speaker A 00:34:03 Here you are, General, Mr. Speaker A 00:34:05 Big standing out here, you know, big man, over 300 pounds of man standing out here, all this big. Speaker A 00:34:13 And here come a 17 year old boy running at you. Speaker A 00:34:17 He wasn't sneaking up behind the trees or anything. Speaker A 00:34:19 And you got a spear here that's bigger than him. Speaker A 00:34:23 Your shield and spear bearer is bigger than the boy that's running at you. Speaker A 00:34:27 But it said he took off after him in haste. Speaker A 00:34:29 He's running after the guy, he's got that sling in his hand and he's. Speaker A 00:34:32 And he goes to telling him, I'm going to take your head from your shoulders. Speaker A 00:34:36 How dare you come against the Lord God of hosts. Speaker A 00:34:41 He knew whose name in which he spoke. Speaker A 00:34:43 He knew the guy didn't have a chance. Speaker A 00:34:46 Why? Speaker A 00:34:47 Because he depended and stood and acted on the covenant he had with God. Speaker A 00:34:52 His word. Speaker A 00:34:53 His word. Speaker A 00:34:54 God had not spoken to this little boy in some special way in some burning bush. Speaker A 00:35:00 He just knew what was written in the word. Speaker A 00:35:03 And he took him, come running down there and climbed up on his chest and cut his head off. Speaker A 00:35:09 Can't you just see that kid got that old guy's head? Speaker A 00:35:14 That thing probably big as a milk bucket, huh? Speaker A 00:35:20 He got that guy's head in his hand. Speaker A 00:35:22 He got him by the hair and got it up again. Speaker A 00:35:23 You just see him running. Speaker A 00:35:24 I got him, I got him. Speaker A 00:35:25 I got him. Speaker A 00:35:26 That's what he did. Speaker A 00:35:27 He shouted and hollered and ran the rest of them off. Speaker A 00:35:31 He's got that guy's head in his hand, man. Speaker A 00:35:33 There's blood and eyeballs and everything else running down all over him. Speaker A 00:35:38 No, that isn't a very pretty sight. Speaker A 00:35:39 But bless God, it's victory when no substitute. Speaker A 00:35:46 You can belly ache and squall and bawl and you can protect one another. Speaker A 00:35:51 Afraid you're going to lose or get hurt by stepping out on faith. Speaker A 00:35:55 Don't you ever be caught discouraging somebody from stepping out on faith. Speaker A 00:36:01 I don't care if you figure he's fixing to get lose everything he's got. Speaker A 00:36:05 If he has a Desire to step out on God. Speaker A 00:36:07 Help him get out there. Speaker A 00:36:09 God will see him through. Speaker A 00:36:11 Who do you think you are anyway? Speaker A 00:36:13 Telling some young preacher, you better not, you will get hurt. Speaker A 00:36:17 Why, man? Speaker A 00:36:18 Tell him he'll win. Speaker A 00:36:22 I've been guilty of that and before God, I've repented for it. Speaker A 00:36:26 Help him get out there. Speaker A 00:36:29 I don't know. Speaker A 00:36:30 You may get him just enough money to get him out there and he just get plumb up to here and go to screaming help. Speaker A 00:36:34 If he does go help him. Speaker A 00:36:38 Might say, well, them preachers always hollering money all the time. Speaker A 00:36:41 You know how to stop that? Speaker A 00:36:43 Give them some help. Speaker A 00:36:47 Them. Speaker A 00:36:48 Be some help. Speaker A 00:36:50 Not hindrance. Speaker A 00:36:51 Be some help. Speaker A 00:36:52 Be some help. Speaker A 00:36:55 Have the spiritual nerve to look a man in the eye and instead of answering all of his whine and babying questions, do him like some faith man did me. Speaker A 00:37:07 And like some faith man probably did, you don't even answer them. Speaker A 00:37:12 Just smile at him sweetly and say, jesus will get the credit, son. Speaker A 00:37:16 Walk by faith. Speaker A 00:37:17 Walk by faith. Speaker A 00:37:18 Just keep swinging. Speaker A 00:37:20 Just keep swinging. Speaker A 00:37:22 I read a little book one time, I never will forget it. Speaker A 00:37:24 It's had a great deal to do with my life. Speaker A 00:37:26 Read it before I ever got saved and God's used it since then. Speaker A 00:37:29 Little old bitty book about that big said, don't be afraid to fail. Speaker A 00:37:34 And I didn't know then that Babe Ruth holds the all time strikeout record for major league baseball. Speaker A 00:37:40 But that's not what he's famed for, is it? Speaker A 00:37:43 Huh? Speaker A 00:37:44 And one guy, in fact the man that wrote this book asked him one day, said, babe, why don't you ease up on your swing? Speaker A 00:37:50 Man said, you struck out three times today. Speaker A 00:37:53 And he said, or yesterday you struck out three times. Speaker A 00:37:56 He said, and every time you swing, you swing so hard you fell in the dirt. Speaker A 00:37:59 So why don't you ease up on your swing, get hit in the ball and get back up, get. Speaker A 00:38:03 And so, you know, get your eye back on the ball. Speaker A 00:38:06 He said, hey, look, Frank. Speaker A 00:38:08 Frank Betcher's the guy's name, wrote the book. Speaker A 00:38:09 He said, frank, don't pity me, pity them pitchers. Speaker A 00:38:14 He said, it don't take but one. Speaker A 00:38:18 And he said that afternoon in that ball game, he struck out the first three times he came to the plate and swung so hard he fell in the dirt every time he swung, failed three times, but fourth time he came up, bases were loaded and he knocked the ball into the first row of houses, right out over the right center field wall. Speaker A 00:38:38 That's the reason they paid him more than anybody in baseball. Speaker A 00:38:41 Not for his striking out. Speaker A 00:38:44 But he didn't win but one out of four. Speaker A 00:38:49 But when he won, it was victory. Speaker A 00:38:54 Now, that is basically true in the word of God. Speaker A 00:38:56 With this exception, you can grow and grow and grow and grow. Speaker A 00:39:06 And stretch your faith. Speaker A 00:39:07 And stretch your faith. Speaker A 00:39:09 And stretch your faith until you don't mind swinging at anything. Speaker A 00:39:13 Anything the devil brings down the road at you. Speaker A 00:39:16 You just smile sweetly and drop your armor down in place and tell him, come on. Speaker A 00:39:22 Well, after all, I've got Jesus. Speaker A 00:39:27 When you begin to rely on the fact that he's upholding you with his word, you'll get to the point to where you'll dare tie into anything. Speaker A 00:39:37 Just like David was with Goliath. Speaker A 00:39:38 You tie into anything and you'll get to where he'll bless your mistakes. Speaker A 00:39:46 You may strike out three times and Jesus walk up there and the devil say, yeah. Speaker A 00:39:50 Jesus says, no, we change the rules. Speaker A 00:39:52 He gets four. Speaker A 00:39:55 We ain't playing by his rules. Speaker A 00:39:57 We're not playing his game. Speaker A 00:39:58 Glory to God. Speaker A 00:39:59 This thing don't end in nine innings. Speaker A 00:40:01 We just play till we win. Speaker A 00:40:04 Just keep on swinging. Speaker A 00:40:06 Praise the Lord. Speaker A 00:40:06 We got the deck stacked. Speaker A 00:40:08 We go into it, winner. Speaker A 00:40:10 The battle is the Lord's. Speaker A 00:40:11 The victory's ours. Speaker A 00:40:12 Hallelujah. Speaker A 00:40:13 But you better get the word under you. Speaker A 00:40:16 Better get his word under you. Speaker A 00:40:18 You don't go stumbling into this thing, thinking the Bible says this, hoping the Bible says that. Speaker A 00:40:22 Why Brother Copeland said it, said this. Speaker A 00:40:24 You're kidding yourself. Speaker A 00:40:25 You don't believe it. Speaker A 00:40:26 Cause I said it. Speaker A 00:40:27 Bless God. Speaker A 00:40:27 You go get it and believe it. Speaker A 00:40:29 Cause the Bible said it. Speaker A 00:40:30 Cause the Bible said it. Speaker A 00:40:31 Cause the Bible said it. Speaker A 00:40:33 Cause the Bible said it. Speaker A 00:40:34 And you get to the point, you feed on that thing. Speaker A 00:40:37 Somebody asked me one time, said, what? Speaker A 00:40:38 Do I throw my medicine down? Speaker A 00:40:40 Throwing your medicine down won't get you healed. Speaker A 00:40:43 If that's all it took, that'd be easy, wouldn't it? Speaker A 00:40:47 What is it? Speaker A 00:40:49 It's when you go to this word, you make up your mind that this is the living word of the eternal God right here before me. Speaker A 00:41:00 And it's as real today as it ever was in the history of mankind. Speaker A 00:41:05 And it's got my name in it. Speaker A 00:41:06 That's my Bible branded on the front page. Speaker A 00:41:09 It's God speaking to me. Speaker A 00:41:13 And I read in there, by his stripes, you were healed. Speaker A 00:41:15 And right down in here, it says, no, you're not. Speaker A 00:41:19 And you kind of get a shiver run up down your spine. Speaker A 00:41:23 You think I'm probably not. Speaker A 00:41:27 You read it again, by his stripes, you were healed. Speaker A 00:41:30 Why don't you feel and see if you're healed. Speaker A 00:41:36 By his stripes, you were healed. Speaker A 00:41:38 And you take your eyes off of the way you feel, off of the way you look, off of what you think, off of what's going on on the inside of you. Speaker A 00:41:48 And your Bible said, don't let this word depart from your eyes, for it is health to those that find them, and it is life to their flesh. Speaker A 00:41:59 It is health to their flesh. Speaker A 00:42:00 You'll live. Speaker A 00:42:01 It is life. Speaker A 00:42:03 And you start feeding on it. Speaker A 00:42:06 And you get up in the middle of the night, and you walk around the floor feeding on this. Speaker A 00:42:11 You don't feed on, what in the world am I going to do tomorrow? Speaker A 00:42:13 You feed on this. Speaker A 00:42:15 For by his stripes, ye were healed. Speaker A 00:42:17 You say, brother Copeland, I know somebody that did that. Speaker A 00:42:20 And they died. Speaker A 00:42:21 Well, that's none of your business how God dealt with somebody else. Speaker A 00:42:27 But it wasn't God that failed. Speaker A 00:42:31 It was not God's Word that failed. Speaker A 00:42:35 Jesus said the highest form of faith is faith in his Word. Speaker A 00:42:43 That's the highest. Speaker A 00:42:44 And if God. Speaker A 00:42:45 If you think that some angel or something has shown you a revelation that is higher than acting on the word of God, my friend, I dare say your revelation is an angel of light and not an angel of God. Speaker A 00:42:58 Jesus said, it's the highest form of faith. Speaker A 00:43:03 The greatest faith, he said, is when the centurion said, speak the Word only and my servant will be healed. Speaker A 00:43:10 This man walks the floor. Speaker A 00:43:12 He thinks, he meditates. Speaker A 00:43:13 He absolutely disciplines his mind and will not think on anything but God's word. Speaker A 00:43:19 He stays before it. Speaker A 00:43:20 He listens to it. Speaker A 00:43:21 If anybody says anything other than that, he just keeps them turned off. Speaker A 00:43:25 He plays it on tape. Speaker A 00:43:26 He listens to it night and day and day and night and night and day and day and night. Speaker A 00:43:32 He totally submerges himself in the Word of God. Speaker A 00:43:36 He listens to the word. Speaker A 00:43:37 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Speaker A 00:43:40 And before very long, you'll notice there's a force rises up on the inside of you. Speaker A 00:43:45 And there will come a day when that on the inside of you says in a small but very strong, very vivid voice, you don't need your medicine anymore, and you'll have no trouble walking off and leaving it. Speaker A 00:44:07 That's the way you get it. Speaker A 00:44:10 When you start confessing it and feeding on it and feeding on it and feeding on it and feeding on it and feeding on it and feeding on it and. Speaker A 00:44:20 And feeding on it. Speaker A 00:44:20 You get addicted to it. Speaker A 00:44:21 You get to where you can't do without it. Speaker A 00:44:23 You get to where you eat it and live it every day. Speaker A 00:44:26 Every day. Speaker A 00:44:27 There's a lot of you preachers that are cab drivers, Sunday school sweepers, every other thing you can think of. Speaker A 00:44:33 You ought to get off of that mess and get you somebody in that church that'll mind you and get them in there and do it. Speaker A 00:44:37 Believe God if you have to, for the money to pay them to do it. Speaker A 00:44:40 And you tend to the word of God in prayer and be the bishop over the souls that are in that church. Speaker A 00:44:45 And you people that are in that church, quit grappling and bellyaching at him. Speaker A 00:44:48 You go get in the Word of God and pray for him. Speaker A 00:44:51 And you'll see your church turn your block upside down. Speaker A 00:44:54 And then it'll turn the neighborhood upside down. Speaker A 00:44:57 And the next thing you know, it'll have this old city up on its ear. Speaker A 00:45:00 It's not hard to get revival, but it has to be done on the Word. Speaker A 00:45:06 You can bring in all the hot rod preachers you want to bring in, my friend, and it won't last till he leaves town. Speaker A 00:45:13 But you get your congregation turned on to the Word. Speaker A 00:45:16 And I want you to know you get them bit into the Word and get them so far out on God they'll drown if they get off. Speaker A 00:45:23 Oh, there's a lot of them squall. Speaker A 00:45:24 And you're going to have to baby a bunch of them. Speaker A 00:45:27 There's a bunch of them in that nursery, been in there for 30 years. Speaker A 00:45:32 Some of you may have to stand up before your congregation. Speaker A 00:45:34 Say, folks, we're going to change things around here. Speaker A 00:45:36 I've been preaching a bunch of sticks and hay, but from now on, I'm preaching you the meat of the Word of God. Speaker A 00:45:41 And we're going to get in or get out. Speaker A 00:45:42 We're going to have a revival or a riot. Speaker A 00:45:44 We're either going to have a revival or fill this thing full of grain. Speaker A 00:45:49 When you make that kind of a choice decision, God will explode in his power. Speaker A 00:45:54 And the angels of heaven will will do a running dive to get into that church and go to work because they hearkened to the word of God. Speaker A 00:46:02 Ah, I didn't say you in for an easy time, old boy. Speaker A 00:46:05 You in for the toughest. Speaker A 00:46:06 You in for the toughest time you ever had in your life until you get that house built on that rock. Speaker A 00:46:13 But I'll tell you, once you get it established on that rock, there's not anything in this world any more comfortable. Speaker A 00:46:20 When the flood's coming, run getting the house and sit there and watch the rafters that you Put up there with the power of God, knowing that that slat of healing there and that beam across there that I put up there financially. Speaker A 00:46:34 We quit borrowing money and got this place paid for. Speaker A 00:46:40 Will hold, though the flood beats vehemently against it. Speaker A 00:46:46 And it will, you can count on it. Speaker A 00:46:51 But that house was not shaken. Speaker A 00:46:53 Jesus said, why? Speaker A 00:46:55 Because they heard his word and did it, acted on it. Speaker A 00:47:06 Businessmen that can weather the storms of inflation, squabble legislation, taxation and all of the horrors that keep men awake at night and make little bumps in their stomachs. Speaker A 00:47:24 Know what I mean? Speaker A 00:47:27 And that man has a shelter made out of the rock of God. Speaker A 00:47:32 Revealed Revelation, knowledge. Speaker A 00:47:34 When you get to digging in that word like that, you begin to hear things from God you never heard before. Speaker A 00:47:40 You begin to see things in that word you never saw it say before you begin, you get to a place where you, you can't do without it. Speaker A 00:47:48 You're walking around during the daytime. Speaker A 00:47:49 It stands me sometimes I'll be walking along. Speaker A 00:47:52 I just. Speaker A 00:47:53 I get to running through the word. Speaker A 00:47:54 I get thinking as I'm walking along. Speaker A 00:47:56 Things that I've read you seeing, it's running through my consciousness, running through my consciousness. Speaker A 00:48:00 And all of a sudden there's an answer to something that I've been wondering about over here in my daily life. Speaker A 00:48:05 Didn't have anything to do. Speaker A 00:48:06 Didn't look me like with the word of God. Speaker A 00:48:07 But all of a sudden there's the answer. Speaker A 00:48:08 And I think, well, that's the simplest thing. Speaker A 00:48:10 Look at that. Speaker A 00:48:10 Look at that and just go put it into motion and it'll work. Speaker A 00:48:14 It is the mind of Christ. Speaker A 00:48:16 But brethren, if you won't feed on it, if God's integrity is not real enough to you to feed on it, you're never going to get two bits out of. Speaker A 00:48:27 Takes a quality decision. Speaker A 00:48:30 The decision I'm talking about, it takes the kind of decision you made when you got saved. Speaker A 00:48:35 The decision to be a believer, the decision to walk for God the rest of the born days of your life. Speaker A 00:48:40 It takes that kind of quality of a decision to live this kind of thing that I'm talking about. Speaker A 00:48:46 Some of you in this room will never make it in the frame and attitude of mind you're in right now. Speaker A 00:48:54 There are others of you right now that are making the decision that I'm talking about right now. Speaker A 00:48:58 And it won't take you long. Speaker A 00:49:00 You're going to be spiritual giants. Speaker A 00:49:01 But I want you to know giants get shot at. Speaker A 00:49:07 You know why? Speaker A 00:49:08 They make good targets. Speaker A 00:49:10 They stand up bigger than anybody else. Speaker A 00:49:13 They're easy to see. Speaker A 00:49:14 And they're dangerous. Speaker A 00:49:20 Would you like to win for change? Speaker A 00:49:24 You're on the winning team.