Born to Victory

"I have told you these things so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer...I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, The Amplified Bible)

Jesus said as long as you live in the world, you're going to have trouble. (I can vouch for that!) But you're not just in the world. You're in JESUS in the world, and that makes all the difference. You're in Him and He's overcome every kind of trouble there is.\
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As God's child, you're not the defeated trying to get victory. You're the overcomer, and Satan's trying to rob you of the victory that already belongs to you.\
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Jesus said as long as you live in the world, you're going to have trouble. (I can vouch for that!) But you're not just in the world. You're in JESUS in the world, and that makes all the difference. You're in Him and He's overcome every kind of trouble there is.

As God's child, you're not the defeated trying to get victory. You're the overcomer, and Satan's trying to rob you of the victory that already belongs to you.

When you made Jesus the Lord of your life, you were born into victory... because the Victor came to live in you. Think about it. The victorious Jesus. The Anointed One. The glorified and resurrected Lord. The Ruler of the Universe.

Cheer up, my friend. Have "perfect peace and confidence." That's Jesus who lives in you!

Scripture Reading: John 16:15-33 

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Major on Mercy

"I beseech thee, show me thy glory." (Exodus 33:18)

What would you say is the single, most outstanding thing about God? What's His most important characteristic? Some people would say it's His power. Others, His holiness. But God Himself would give a different answer.

You can find that answer in Exodus 33. There Moses is asking God to show him His glory.

Now the word "glory" could literally be translated "heavy weight." It refers to the heaviest, biggest, grandest thing about someone. It's the sum total of their worth.

What would you say is the single, most outstanding thing about God? What's His most important characteristic? Some people would say it's His power. Others, His holiness. But God Himself would give a different answer.

You can find that answer in Exodus 33. There Moses is asking God to show him His glory.

Now the word "glory" could literally be translated "heavy weight." It refers to the heaviest, biggest, grandest thing about someone. It's the sum total of their worth.

So what Moses was actually saying was, "Lord, I want to see the weightiest thing about You. I want to know Your grandest attributes." What did God say to him in response?

Chapter 34:6-7 tells us, "The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin."

Just think about that! When Moses asked God to show him the most important thing about Himself, God showed him His mercy.

That means if you and I are to imitate God (Eph. 5:1) we must major in mercy too. Mercy, goodness, forgiveness and compassion must mark our behavior above all else.

Major on mercy and others will see the glory of God in you.

Scripture Reading: Exodus 33:7-23,Exodus 34:5-10 

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Remember Noah

"And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." (Genesis 6:7-8)

One of the dirtiest, most damaging lies that the devil ever told you was when he said, "You aren't important." Don't you ever believe that.

You are important! Every born-again member in the Church of Jesus Christ has a part to play in God's plan. God has something for you to do that no one else can do just like you can. If you don't take your place and do your part, things won't be quite right.

I can just hear you thinking, "Oh, Gloria, I'm just one person. What could I possibly do that could be so significant?"

Look in Genesis 6, and you'll see the answer to that question. There you'll see that the people on the earth had gotten so wicked that God had regretted that He'd made them. He was ready to wipe the whole population out--but He didn't. Why? Because of one man: Noah! One obedient man saved the human race.

Think about that. What if Noah had said, "Well, this is just too much pressure for me. I can't live upright before God in the middle of this ungodly generation. I mean, everybody around me is living the other way. Every man around me imagines only evil in his heart. I can't make any difference in this dark world anyway. I'm just one man."

Praise God, Noah didn't say that. He didn't picture himself as an insignificant man whose life didn't matter. According to Hebrews, he saw himself as a man to whom God had spoken and by faith he obeyed God. And because of that he ended up being the only thing that stood between mankind and total destruction.

Next time you're tempted to shrug off the instructions of God and be disobedient, next time you catch yourself thinking, "It doesn't matter what I do"--remember Noah. Consider the fact that, whether you understand it or not, God is counting on you to carry out your part of His plan. Live like you're someone important in the kingdom of God. And sooner or later you'll realize, you are.

Scripture Reading: Genesis 6

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Born to Victory

"I have told you these things so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer...I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, The Amplified Bible)

Jesus said as long as you live in the world, you're going to have trouble. (I can vouch for that!) But you're not just in the world. You're in JESUS in the world, and that makes all the difference. You're in Him and He's overcome every kind of trouble there is.\
\
As God's child, you're not the defeated trying to get victory. You're the overcomer, and Satan's trying to rob you of the victory that already belongs to you.\
\
Jesus said as long as you live in the world, you're going to have trouble. (I can vouch for that!) But you're not just in the world. You're in JESUS in the world, and that makes all the difference. You're in Him and He's overcome every kind of trouble there is.

As God's child, you're not the defeated trying to get victory. You're the overcomer, and Satan's trying to rob you of the victory that already belongs to you.

When you made Jesus the Lord of your life, you were born into victory... because the Victor came to live in you. Think about it. The victorious Jesus. The Anointed One. The glorified and resurrected Lord. The Ruler of the Universe.

Cheer up, my friend. Have "perfect peace and confidence." That's Jesus who lives in you!

Scripture Reading: John 16:15-33

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Don't Answer

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

Be not conformed to this world. If you live like the world, you'll be overcome by the world. It's as simple as that. So don't let the world squeeze you into its own mold.

Instead..."be transformed" by the entire renewal of your mind. Overcome the world by having your mind transformed to think like God thinks. In other words, when you see something in the Word, say, "I agree with that. From now on I'm acting on that instead of what I used to think."

For example, when sin calls your name, don't answer. Agree with the Word instead and say, "I'm dead to that, Devil. You can't pull me into it anymore!"

As you do that, you'll find yourself changing. You will find yourself living like a world overcomer!

Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1-11 

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Know Him as Daddy

"For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption--the Spirit producing sonship--in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba! [That is,] Father!" (Romans 8:15, The Amplified Bible)

One night after a worship service a friend of mine and I stepped outside and were suddenly awed by the beauty around us. It was one of those crisp, clear winter nights when the brilliance of the moon and stars nearly takes your breath away. I said to my friend, "Tommy, will you look at that!" Then he looked up with one of those Holy Ghost whole face smiles and with a voice full of tenderness said, "My Daddy made that!"

"My Daddy...." I'll never forget the way he said that.

Some people might think he shouldn't have been talking in such familiar terms about God, but they'd be wrong. It's scriptural to talk that way about Him. In the New Testament there's a Greek word for father-- Abba. The most accurate translation for that word in English is Daddy. It's a word that signifies closeness. It speaks of a relationship that's been developed through time spent together.

Father is one thing. Daddy is another.

Growing up, my father was sometimes my Father and sometimes my Daddy. When we were out duck hunting, he was Daddy. When he gave commands he meant to be obeyed instantly, he was Father.

God is like that too. He's your Father and He's your Daddy. There are times you'll be very serious and down to business with one another. Other times you'll be more lighthearted. But either way, once you fellowship with Him enough to get to know Him, I guarantee, you'll want to be close to Him all the time.

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:14-18

Look Up!

"Consider [Jesus] that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." (Hebrews 12:3)

Look up...because in times like these, your very life may depend on it.

Some time ago, the Lord showed me that a spirit of weariness is trying to work its way into our lives these days through all the pressure and bad news that surrounds us. It's working to get our eyes off the Word of God by bombarding us with negative forces. It's trying to get us to look down at defeat instead of up at Jesus.

If you let that happen, your spirit man will begin to lose his dominion. And the Word tells us what the results of that is. It says you will "be wearied and faint in your minds."

Jesus put it this way in Mark 4. He said that when the cares of this world enter into your heart and mind, they'll choke the Word and cause it to become unfruitful. And since your faith is the product of the Word, that means your faith will wither. Once that happens, you're headed for disaster.

What can you do to stop this chain reaction of weariness?

Look up! Get your eyes back on Jesus. I remember on the field of athletic competition that when an opponent allowed himself to drop his head, he was no longer dangerous. He could be very easily defeated. So keep your head up. Keep considering Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith. Consider Him instead of the cares of this world. Consider what God says in His Word. Be moved by the thoughts of God. Let His thoughts become your thoughts.

Look up! Get your eyes off the circumstances around you and onto your heavenly source. Don't be afraid you're going to lose everything. God is your Source, not the world. He can take care of you regardless of what happens around you.

If you've gotten weary lately, begin to lift your eyes. Raise your head up instead of looking down. God is up. Jesus is up. The devil is down--under your feet. Look up!

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:21-31

Good Success

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt...have good success." (Joshua 1:8)

Good success is a way of life that comes from being established in the Word of God. It comes from spending so much of your time and your thought life on the Word that it becomes what you and I could call "second nature." It comes from hearing and obeying the Word so consistently that it begins to guide your actions even when you're not consciously thinking about it.

When I started flying airplanes, I learned to train myself by getting the handbook for a certain airplane and reading it over and over again. In my mind's eye, I'd visualize everything that could occur in that airplane. I trained myself by meditating on what I needed to do.

And that's exactly what I started doing with the Word of God. I thought about it day and night. Before long, I started getting excited about what I was reading.

I'd sit at home and think about how I'd apply the Word in different situations. I'd see myself praying for the sick and having them recover. The Word became "second nature" to me.

Practice meditating on the Word that way. Let it become part of you. See yourself obeying it in every possible circumstance. It will guarantee you "good success."

Scripture Reading: Psalm 1

Go When You're Ready

"With long life will I satisfy [you], and shew [you] my salvation." (Psalm 91:16)

Did you know that it's not God's will for you or anyone to die young? His will for you is to live the full number of your days. You ought to live 70 or 80 years, and if you are not satisfied, live a while longer! The Bible says that when Abraham died, he died at a good old age, full of years. That's the way it ought to be with all of us.

Some believers don't realize that and they've gotten themselves in a mess. When they get sick instead of just believing for healing, they start wondering if it's God's will for them to die. "Maybe He's ready to call me home," they think.

Don't ever entertain thoughts like that. If God has His way, He won't call you home until you're good and ready to come. The Apostle Paul understood that. In 2 Timothy 4:6-7, he said, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." Paul didn't die until he and Jesus were ready for him to go.

Regardless of your age, if the devil is telling you God isn't going to heal you because it's time for you to go home, he is lying to you. God promises in Psalm 91:16 that if you are living under the shadow of the most High, He will satisfy you with long life. (That means that you are abiding in Him as Jesus taught in John 15.)

If you're not satisfied that you have finished your course yet on this earth, it's not time for you to die. So ignore the devil and keep right on living. Resist sickness and disease in the Name of Jesus. Stand on God's promise!

Then, when you're ready to go on to heaven, go! But go satisfied, healed, and ready! Go in victory shouting the words of that old joy-filled song--"Heaven is near and I can't stay here. Good-bye world, good-bye."

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 34

Don't Just Sit There...Arise!

"Now four men who were lepers were at the entrance of the city's gate; and they said to one another, Why do we sit here until we die.... So they arose." (2 Kings 7:3,5, The Amplified Bible)

No matter how bad the problem is you may be facing today, no matter how far under the circumstances you may be, in 24 hours you can be back on top!

"Oh, Brother Copeland, that would be impossible!"

That's what the Samaritans thought in 2 Kings 7. Their land was being ravaged by famine. Enemy troops had surrounded them and cut off all source of supply. Mothers were eating their own children just to survive.

But right in the middle of that, the Lord told the prophet Elisha that in 24 hours the whole situation would change. Flour and barley would sell for just a few pennies and there would be abundance for all.

What did God use to turn that situation around?

Four lepers! Four lepers who, instead of sitting around feeling sorry for themselves and waiting to die, decided to arise and take their chances in the enemy camp. When they got there, they found it abandoned. All the warriors had been frightened away by the angels of God, and they'd left enough food behind to feed all of Samaria!

Sometimes you and I are like the officials in that story. We get problem-centered instead of Word of God centered. We let ourselves be so surrounded with the loud voice of the world that the vision of our victory is pushed out of sight.

When that happens, faith and power begin to subside and life caves in on us from every side.

If that's happened to you, stop crying about it. Stop looking at your problem and feeling sorry for yourself. That won't change anything!

Just like He did for Elisha, God's given you a word. He's promised you victory. He's promised to make you an overcomer.

So don't just sit there till you die. Don't accept defeat. Rise up in faith. Stand up on God's Word and fight for your life. Get mad at Satan. Cast him out. Get mad at that sickness. Get angry with poverty and start giving.

Rise up and receive the deliverance of the Lord!

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 6:24-33, 2 Kings 7:1-20

Stick to Your Calling

"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God.... Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." (2 Timothy 1:6,9)

Are you doing what God called you to do?

If you haven't ever thought about it before, that may sound like an odd question to you. You may be tempted to shrug it off and say, "Oh, I'm not really called to do anything. I'm not a pastor or a teacher or a minister of any kind...I guess I'm just what you might call a little finger on the Body of Christ."

Let me tell you something: No matter who you are, God has put a holy calling in you. He's designed you and called you to meet a need in the Body of Christ that nobody else can meet quite like you can.

You may be called to be so successful in business you can finance the gospel worldwide. You may be called to a ministry of prayer and intercession. You may be called to a ministry of healing right there in your own neighborhood. But no matter what that calling is, it's important and you need to follow it!

If you're like many believers I know, you may have let your life become so overgrown with other things that you just don't have time to pursue your calling. You may be so overwhelmed with the cares of life that you can't imagine how you can fit in anything else.

Over the years, a pastor friend of mine got involved in so many different areas of ministry that he was about to fold up physically under the strain of it. The overload was actually about to kill him. Finally, the Lord spoke to him one night and said, "John, it's not your calling that's nearly killed you. It's everything else you've added to it."

I've had to deal with that in my own life. I've had to quit doing things just because they need doing. I've had to discipline myself to sticking to what I'm called to do.

Make up your mind to prayerfully trim away the extra things you've added to your life. Stir up the gift God has placed inside you. Get back to what He has called you to do.

After all, that calling is vital. It's holy...and it's yours. Don't ever let it slip away from you.

Scripture Reading: Acts 9:1-20

Don't Answer

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

Be not conformed to this world. If you live like the world, you'll be overcome by the world. It's as simple as that. So don't let the world squeeze you into its own mold.

Instead..."be transformed" by the entire renewal of your mind. Overcome the world by having your mind transformed to think like God thinks. In other words, when you see something in the Word, say, "I agree with that. From now on I'm acting on that instead of what I used to think."

For example, when sin calls your name, don't answer. Agree with the Word instead and say, "I'm dead to that, Devil. You can't pull me into it anymore!"

As you do that, you'll find yourself changing. You will find yourself living like a world overcomer!

Scripture Reading: Romans 6:

A Little Bit of Heaven on Earth

"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another...even as Christ forgave you." (Colossians 3:12-13)

Living in a home filled with the love and the peace of God Himself is almost like living in heaven right here on earth. We all know that's true. And we long to live in such a home. Yet, time and time again, we shortchange our families. We spend our kindest words and our most winning smiles on those beyond our front door.

Have you ever wondered why?

The answer is simpler than you might suspect. Spiritually speaking, your family is under attack. You see, it is not only one of your most precious gifts, when it's operating in harmony, it's one of your most powerful resources. Satan knows that even if you don't--and he's out to destroy it.

His battle plan is simple. He will do everything he can to create strife in your home. He'll stir up feelings of self-pity and jealousy. He'll encourage you to nurse resentments and harbor bitterness. And through it all, his purpose remains the same, to divide and destroy your home.

When God's people get in harmony with each other, miracles start to happen. Their agreement creates an atmosphere in which God's supernatural, miracle-working power is free to flow! So Satan is constantly tempting us to spoil that atmosphere, to foul things up by being at odds with each other. All too often we fall prey to his tactics simply because we don't realize just how dangerous strife really is. One close look at the Word of God will solve that problem, however. James 3:16 says, "Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."

Don't open the door of your home to Satan by allowing your family the "luxury" of a few quarrels.

Stop the destruction before it starts. Anchor yourself to God's Word. Find out what He has to say about the power of agreement. Stop looking at your family from your own limited perspective and start seeing it as God sees it--as a powerhouse! That way you won't drift helplessly into an argument every time a gust of emotion blows through your home.

Determine right now not to let the devil have your family. Instead, pray for them, support them and love them. Bring them together, so you can all enjoy a little bit of heaven on earth.

Scripture Reading: Colossians 3:12-25

Don't Settle for Second Best

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." (James 1:2-3)

I admit, it's tough to be enthusiastic about going through tests and trials. But can you get excited about being totally supplied in every way, in want of nothing? Well, according to the Word of God, if you'll use your trials to develop patience, you're going to be in precisely that position!

You see, patience doesn't mean what you thought it meant. It does not mean settling sweetly for second best. It does not mean standing meekly by while the devil romps all over you.

No, patience is a powerful word. The New Testament meaning of it as translated literally from the Greek is "to be consistently constant or to be the same way all the time, regardless of what happens."

To understand how much power is involved in that, you have to realize that it's one of the most outstanding attributes of God Himself. The Bible says He's the same yesterday, today and forever.

Think about that for a minute. The guy who absolutely cannot be changed by anyone or anything is an extremely powerful fellow, wouldn't you say? Obviously, God has that much power.

But you know what? You do too!

By the power of the Holy Ghost working within you, you can be the same every day no matter what happens. If you'll put your trust in the Word of God and let patience go to work, it won't matter what happens. You won't ever have to accept anything less than victory again.

Now that's something to get excited about.

Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

Extremely Blessed

"A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth." (Proverbs 17:8)

If I could give you a gift this Christmas, the Word is what I'd give you. I'd rather give it to you than a check for a million dollars. Because you can run through a million dollars real quick, but the truth of God's Word never quits--and it will get you out of situations a million dollars can't get you out of.

Ken and I are just ordinary people. But when we latched onto God's Word, we latched onto something out of the ordinary, something that changed our lives. Every area of our lives.

Nothing that's happened to us has happened because of us. It's happened because of God's Word. In fact, I don't even have to know you to promise you this: If you'll give God's Word your full attention--and not be afraid of His will for your life--you're going to be happier and more prosperous than anything you could ever dream up.

Of course, if you do that, people may call you extreme. They say that about us all the time. But we don't mind. We are extreme. And if you'll set your faith on the Word of God, you can be extreme too. Extremely well. Extremely prosperous. And extremely blessed. Merry Christmas.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:56-65

Major on Mercy

"I beseech thee, show me thy glory." (Exodus 33:18)

What would you say is the single, most outstanding thing about God? What's His most important characteristic? Some people would say it's His power. Others, His holiness. But God Himself would give a different answer.

You can find that answer in Exodus 33. There Moses is asking God to show him His glory.

Now the word "glory" could literally be translated "heavy weight." It refers to the heaviest, biggest, grandest thing about someone. It's the sum total of their worth.

What would you say is the single, most outstanding thing about God? What's His most important characteristic? Some people would say it's His power. Others, His holiness. But God Himself would give a different answer.

You can find that answer in Exodus 33. There Moses is asking God to show him His glory.

Now the word "glory" could literally be translated "heavy weight." It refers to the heaviest, biggest, grandest thing about someone. It's the sum total of their worth.

So what Moses was actually saying was, "Lord, I want to see the weightiest thing about You. I want to know Your grandest attributes." What did God say to him in response?

Chapter 34:6-7 tells us, "The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin."

Just think about that! When Moses asked God to show him the most important thing about Himself, God showed him His mercy.

That means if you and I are to imitate God (Eph. 5:1) we must major in mercy too. Mercy, goodness, forgiveness and compassion must mark our behavior above all else.

Major on mercy and others will see the glory of God in you.

Scripture Reading: Exodus 33:7-23,Exodus 34:5-10

Dare to Take Your Place

"But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared...Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs." (Titus 3:4,6-7)

A covenant of grace. That's what you and I have with Almighty God. If you could truly grasp the significance of that, you'd never be the same again.

What exactly is a covenant of grace? It's a relationship of favor that gives you access to someone else's power.

An illustration of a covenant of grace is the covenant the old Sicilian "family" members have with the "godfather" of the "family."

In that group, a weak person might come in and ask the Don for a favor. The Don would say, "I will grant this favor and I will ask a favor of you, and when that time comes, I will collect it."

Once that was said, the weak person would become excited. Suddenly he knew he would no longer have this problem because anyone who tried to rough him up would now have to face the godfather, the one with all the power. Suddenly, that little guy's attitude would change. He would leave the presence of the head of the family in the full assurance that he didn't have a thing to worry about. He was no longer small and powerless in his own mind. He had gained favor (grace) with the powerful.

He'd walk out thinking, "Everything is handled. All I have to do now is whatever the Don asks me to do--and the Don knows I don't have anything, so whatever he asks me to do, he'll provide the wherewithal to do it."

That's grace. God's willingness to enter into blood covenant with you and give you everything He has in exchange for everything you have.

He took your sin to give you His righteousness. He took your sickness to give you His health. He took your poverty in order to meet all your needs according to His riches in glory. Whenever He asks you to do something, He provides everything you need to carry it out.

The great Jehovah, God of heaven and earth, is your Father God. Can you understand that? If you're under the blood of Jesus, you've been made a covenant child of the most powerful being in the universe.

Dare to take your place in the family!

Scripture Reading: Luke 4:14-21

Run Him Out of Town

"Stand therefore...having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace." (Ephesians 6:14-15, The Amplified Bible)

Preparation. When it comes to fighting spiritual battles, that's a word you'd do well to remember. Most believers don't pay much attention to it. They don't prepare themselves in advance. They fiddle around until the devil makes his move, then they jump up and try to fight him with the Word... and they usually lose.

I used to do the same thing until the Lord taught me differently. I used to wait until my meetings began to pray for their success. As Satan would come against them from one direction, I'd fight him there. Then he'd move around and attack them in another area, and I'd fight him there.

One day the Lord showed me that by waiting until the last minute to take my stand, I was giving Satan time to build up his forces against me. And consequently, I was losing many of my battles. Then the Lord said something to me I'll never forget. He said, "If they had kicked Al Capone out of Chicago when he was just a small-time operator, he wouldn't have been so hard to handle; but they waited until he became a first-class criminal with his forces built up around him. Then it took an army to bring him down."

When I heard that, I made up my mind never to be caught unprepared again. I started praying about those meetings weeks in advance, getting the stage set spiritually before they ever began. Instead of letting Satan get his forces entrenched, I started throwing him out before he got a single foothold. When I did, I saw more victories than I ever had before.

Don't let the devil catch you off guard. Be prepared! Start praying and speaking the Word of faith now over your family, your business, your church. Get your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Then if Satan causes trouble, you'll be well equipped to run him out of town.

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 17:12-51

A Carefree Christmas

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6)

Can you really have a merry Christmas even when you have a thousand and one pressures bearing down on you? Yes, you can--and you don't have to leave the country to do it. No matter how intense or how trivial the problems are that you're facing right now, you can have the most wonderful, most carefree Christmas season you've ever had in your life; and you can start having it today.

As a believer, you're probably familiar with that scripture that says to be anxious for nothing. But, have you ever taken it seriously enough to put it into action? There's a good chance you haven't because you haven't understood just how dangerous those anxieties are. You probably haven't realized that they're a deadly part of the devil's strategy against you.

That's right. Worry is one of the chief weapons of his warfare. If he can get you to worry about them, he can use the financial pressures and family pressures and scheduling problems that are just a "normal" part of everyday life to weigh you down and drag you into more trouble than you think possible.

Medical science tells us that a high percentage of the people hospitalized in the U.S.A. are there with ailments caused by worry and tension. Yet, a great many believers worry without even thinking about it. They'll worry about being too short or too skinny. They'll stew over this and that and not even realize they've been sinning.

"Sinning, Brother Copeland?"

Yes! For the born-again, Spirit-filled believer who owns a Bible--worrying is a sin. So, even if the Christmas cards are late and 45 people are coming to your house for Christmas dinner, don't worry.

Instead, do what the Bible says to do. Pray, making your request known to God...and praise Him for the answer. Then you'll have peace.

Now, go ahead and have a truly merry Christmas, you carefree thing you!

Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:24-34