(Part 2 – continued from same day; part 1 here)
Then on Jan 11 the KCM devo talked about BUILDING OUR FAITH MUSCLES:
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The Household of Faith
Kenneth Copeland
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. – Galatians 6:10
“According to Galatians 6:10, if you are born again, you are a member of the household of faith. “But, Brother Copeland, I just don’t think I have any faith.” You have to! You couldn’t possibly be of the household of faith unless you had faith! And you can’t be born again and not have faith.
Settle it right now in your mind and your heart that God has given you His faith. He hasn’t shortchanged you. He has put in you enough faith to blast through every mountain that gets in your way. He expects you to use it, and He will develop it to the point where it can keep your body healed and your family prosperous and blessed. He expects you to use it to get your kinfolk saved and obtain every other promise given you in the Word of God.
If you haven’t had much success in those areas, it isn’t because you don’t have enough faith. It’s because what you have has never developed. You’ve been lying around on your sofa, eating spiritual junk food and watching videos all day. So when the devil kicked your door in and announced he was taking over your household by bringing sickness and calamity to it, you didn’t have enough strength to stop him. But don’t let that discourage you. Come over to God’s gym with the rest of us and start working out. Start studying your Bible, listening to tapes, fellowshiping with the Lord and exercising your faith until you’re a spiritual Schwarzenegger. Then, the next time the devil comes bursting through your door, you can stand up, flex those faith muscles and say, “Stop, thief! You’re not taking over this household. It belongs to me and don’t you touch one thing in it. I’ll cut you up one side and down the other with the Word of God. Now, get out and don’t let me see your ugly face on this block again!”
Now that’s what I call acting like who you are…a member of the household of faith! Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:4-10
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The next day (1-12), I KNEW all the more that the Lord was truly emphasizing this to me when our pastor said the exact phrase – “THE GIANTS ARE OUR BREAD” – (He said it that Sunday and again the following Wed.)! When our pastor talks about this, he also often uses the analogy of going to the gym ~ clarifying that we go to the gym TO GET STRONGER (fit/in shape) ~ and that this requires WEIGHTS and RESISTANCE! He talks about how his physical trainer is not there to coddle him and take it easy on him. In fact, he often feels that his sole purpose is to make his life more difficult ~ certainly more challenging. His trainer’s job is to push him further than he thinks he is able to go. Of course, he doesn’t do this to be cruel, but because his job is to help him get in shape and get STRONGER…. (selah)
Somehow we “get this” in the natural, but when it comes to our development in the Spirit we don’t make the same connection. We want God to demonstrate His Fatherly love for us by swooping in to rescue us and do everything for us. We know it would be so easy for Him to do. We’ve seen Him do it for us and others on other occasions, and I will still ALWAYS tell people to believe God for miraculous deliverance FIRST. BUT… He also wants us to know that when the miraculous deliverance we want doesn’t happen the way we want it to, His DIVINE POWER has STILL provided us with EVERYTHING WE NEED for LIFE and GODLINESS through our knowledge of HIM and HIS GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES! Sometimes He leaves us in a challenging situation to learn to OVERCOME by the power and authority of His Word, His Name, and His blood. We don’t get to make excuses for not overcoming and learning to walk in the victory He has provided. As a good trainer/coach, He will not allow more to come on us than what we can bear; He makes sure before He allows us to face a challenge that we have all we need through Him in us to overcome and conquer. But BECAUSE HE LOVES US His primary concern is not to always instantly rescue us out of every challenge. He’s looking out for our best interest by allowing us to encounter weights/challenges that require RESISTANCE and will produce the growth and development necessary for us to fulfill our destinies. I knew God was reminding us that He has not miraculously intervened to rescue us out of this battle in the way we desired (though He has certainly miraculously intervened in many ways) because, as He’s been saying, He’s trying to stir up that WARRIOR spirit in us again (as mentioned previously). He wants us to rise up, put on the full armor He’s supplied, and fight with His Word~ KNOWING our victory IS GUARANTEED as we walk in the obedience of faith. And as a result, we will develop our faith muscles back to where they once were and TO NEW DIMENSIONS BEYOND WHERE WE’VE EVER BEEN.
WE MUST CHANGE OUR PERSPECTIVE, realizing the same mindset we must embrace to successfully train at Gold’s Gym must also be applied to God’s Gym. When our Trainer allows us to face a battle that He does not supernaturally deliver us from, we must recognize that we are TRAINING FOR REIGNING. THE GIANTS ARE OUR BREAD ~ this battle is meant to nourish and strengthen us, not only for our own personal breakthrough, but for us to be prepared to fulfill our destiny to help many others.
I’m going to make this a “to be continued” message so it doesn’t get overwhelmingly long… (Part 3 here)
Blessings and Prayers, Laura
