One of the greatest enemies of real faith is a thing I call mental assent. People who operate in mental assent read the Word and think they believe it, but when pressure comes, they don’t act on it.

Mental assenters say, “I believe the Bible from cover to cover. I believe I’m healed by the stripes of Jesus because the Bible says so.”

But when sickness actually comes and attacks their bodies, they stop saying, “By His stripes I’m healed,” and start saying, “I’m sick.”

Real faith believes what the Word says even though your eyes and your feelings tell you something different. Faith doesn’t care what the symptoms are. It doesn’t care what the circumstances look like. It’s not moved by what the banker or the doctor or the lawyer or the bill collector says.

Faith in God’s Word will change the symptoms. It will change the bank. It will bring the money to get the bills paid. Faith will turn every defeat into victory. It is God’s success formula!

But you have to give that faith an opportunity to work. You have to keep God’s Word in your mouth and meditate on it in your heart “that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success” (AMP).

Gloria Copeland

The final step of God’s success formula involves action. We must act as though the Word we’ve been talking and meditating is true—even when circumstances seem to say otherwise.

If that puzzles you, read what Jesus said in Mark 11:

Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall
have them (verses 22-24).

Notice Jesus didn’t say we should believe we’ve received what we ask for when we see it. He said to believe you receive when you pray.

Now, if you follow His instructions, how do you think you’re going to act? Are you going to walk around all depressed and joyless? Are you going to stand around wringing your hands worrying?

No! You’re going to rejoice and praise God for the answer to your prayer. You’re going to act like you’ve already received it.

Right here is where many people miss it. They know God’s Word works, but they fail to act on it.

You may have been studying the Word for 20 years. You may know how to live by faith better than anyone around. But, remember, it’s not what you know that will bring you through in victory—it’s what you do.

You can walk in faith consistently through 10 trials that come your way and experience great success. Yet on the 11th one, if you neglect to act on the Word, you’ll fail. Although the string of victories in your past is a wonderful thing, it’s what you do today that will get you through today’s test or trial.

Gloria Copeland

Although it’s great to know God is hooked up with you, that He never leaves you nor forsakes you, before He can release His power on your behalf, you have to be hooked up with Him in return. The way you do that is by obeying His Word. Joshua 1:7 says: “Only you be strong, and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go” (AMP).

Do you know obeying the Word is an act of courage? It really is, because when you obey the Word and believe God in a situation, you’re swimming upstream. You’re going against the current of the world.

When most of the people and all the circumstances around you are screaming unbelief in your ears, it takes courage to stand on God’s Word and not be moved. But once you make the decision to do it, you’ll be ready to activate God’s three-part formula for success.

You’ll find it spelled out in Joshua 1:8: “[1] This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, [2] but you shall meditate on it day and night, [3] that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success” (AMP).

There they are. Three simple steps directly from the mouth of God. Steps that enabled Joshua to conquer the land of Canaan and bring Israel into its inheritance. Steps that will enable you to live like the conqueror God designed you to be.

Let’s look at them one by one.

Gloria Copeland

Once you’ve set your mind on things above and you’ve begun to talk the victory, simply continue to do the things you’ve learned. In other words, keep marching!

Keep reading and meditating on the Word. Keep acting in faith. That’s really all it takes to win even the most complicated battles.

You don’t have to know all the answers to your situation. You don’t need a great amount of talent or ability. God has all the ability you could ever need and knows all the answers, so all you have to do is trust Him and continue doing what you know to do.

Notice, I said continue doing. Just thinking about it won’t work. Just knowing it won’t get you through. It is not what you know that counts in this fight of faith—it is what you do!

James 2:26 says that faith without corresponding action is dead. So take action! Don’t just say you believe God’s Word, act like you believe it.

If you will do that, you’ll suffer no defeat. You might experience a few temporary setbacks, but you will triumph in the end. And when your life in this earth is through, you’ll be able to say those glorious words once written by the Apostle Paul: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7)! You’ll be able to stand tall for eternity as a victorious soldier of the Lord. And Jesus will be able to say to you, Well done, good and faithful servant!

Gloria Copeland

Jesus didn’t intend for those breakthroughs
to stop at the end of His earthly ministry,
either. He commissioned His disciples to
continue His ministry. He told us to go about
healing the sick and bringing other heavenly
breakthroughs, saying, “The kingdom of
God has come close to you” (Luke 10:9, The
Amplified Bible).

Jesus commanded us to:

Go ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel [the good news that the
kingdom of God is here] to every
creature. He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned. And
these signs [or heavenly breakthroughs]
shall follow them that believe; In
my name shall they cast out devils;
they shall speak with new tongues;
they shall take up serpents; and if
they drink any deadly thing, it shall
not hurt them; they shall lay hands
on the sick, and they shall recover
(Mark 16:15-18).

It’s the responsibility of the Church to
manifest the kingdom of God in this natural
realm. It’s our job to exercise the dominion of
that kingdom, and demonstrate it so others
can experience its reality and become citizens
of God’s kingdom themselves!

Until now, the Church hasn’t been getting
that job done nearly as well as it should. Why
is that? Primarily, it’s because most believers
have become so busy with the natural affairs
of life, they haven’t had time to learn much
about how to operate in the kingdom of God.
They’re so busy seeking the things of this
world—food, clothes, houses, cars, money to
pay their bills—they don’t even give much
thought to the things of God’s kingdom.

Actually, that’s not very smart. Why should
we invest ourselves so much in this natural
world? Its systems are limited. When we face
impossible situations, this natural world has no
answer for us. It can’t help us with an incurable
disease or an insoluble financial crisis.

Gloria Copeland

Mark 11:22-24
Once you have planted God’s healing Word in
your heart, you can pray with confidence, knowing you
will receive your healing. Yet, to get results, you must
believe you receive when you pray. That is when God’s
healing power is released in your body.

KJV—And Jesus answering saith unto
them, Have faith in God. For verily I say
unto you, That whosoever shall say unto
this mountain, Be thou removed, and be
thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt
in his heart, but shall believe that those
things which he saith shall come to pass; he
shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore
I say unto you, What things soever ye desire,
when ye pray, believe that ye receive
them, and ye shall have them.

Amp—And Jesus replying said to them,
Have faith in God (constantly). Truly, I tell
you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted
up and thrown into the sea! and does not
doubt at all in his heart, but believes that
what he says will take place, it will be done
for him. For this reason I am telling you,
whatever you ask for in prayer, believe—
trust and be confident—that it is granted to
you, and you will [get it].

Moffatt—Jesus answered them, “Have faith
in God! I tell you truly, whoever says to this
hill, ‘Take and throw yourself into the sea,’
and has not a doubt in his mind but believes
that what he says will happen, he will have
it done. So I tell you, whatever you pray for
and ask, believe you have got it, and you
shall have it.”

NEB—Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith in
God. I tell you this: if anyone says to this
mountain, “Be lifted from your place and
hurled into the sea”, and has no inward
doubts, but believes that what he says is
happening, it will be done for him. I tell you,
then, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe
that you have received it and it will be yours.’

Mark 6:5-6
KJV—And he could there do no mighty
work, save that he laid his hands upon a
few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled
because of their unbelief.

Amp—And He was not able to do even one
work of power there, except that He laid His
hands on a few sickly people [and] cured
them. And He marveled because of their
unbelief—their lack of faith in Him.

Moffatt—There he could not do any miracle,
beyond laying his hands on a few sick
people and curing them. He was astonished
at their lack of faith.

NEB—He could work no miracle there,
except that he put his hands on a few sick
people and healed them; and he was taken
aback by their want of faith.

Gloria Copeland

John 14:12
KJV—Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
believeth on me, the works that I do shall he
do also; and greater works than these shall
he do; because I go unto my Father.

Amp—I assure you, most solemnly I tell you,
if any one steadfastly believes in Me, he
will himself be able to do the things that I
do; and he will do even greater things than
these, because I go to the Father.

Moffatt—Truly, truly I tell you, he who believes
in me will do the very deeds I do, and
still greater deeds than these. For I am going
to the Father.

NEB—In truth, in very truth I tell you, he
who has faith in me will do what I am doing;
and he will do greater things still because I
am going to the Father.

Mark 6:7, 12-13

KJV—And (Jesus) called unto him the twelve,
and began to send them forth by two and
two; and gave them power over unclean
spirits…And they went out, and preached
that men should repent. And they cast out
many devils, and anointed with oil many
that were sick, and healed them.

Amp—And He called to Him the twelve
[apostles]; and began to send them out [as
His ambassadors] two by two, and gave
them authority and power over the unclean
spirits…So they went out and preached
that men should repent [that is that they
should change their minds for the better,
and heartily amend their ways with abhorrence
for their past sins]. And they drove
out many unclean spirits, and anointed with
oil many who were sick, and cured them.

NEB—On one of his teaching journeys
round the villages he summoned the Twelve
and sent them out in pairs on a mission. He
gave them authority over unclean
spirits…So they sent out and called publicly
for repentance. They drove out many devils, and
many sick people they anointed with oil and cured.

Mark 16:14-18

KJV—(After Jesus’ resurrection) he appeared
unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and up
braided them with their unbelief and hardness
of heart, because they believed not
them which had seen him after he was risen.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall
be saved; but he that believeth not shall
be damned. And these signs shall follow
them that believe; In my name shall they
cast out devils; they shall speak with new
tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt
them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and
they shall recover.

Amp—Afterward He appeared to the
eleven [apostles, themselves] as they reclined
at table; and He reproved and reproached
them for their unbelief (their lack of faith)
and their hardness of heart, because they
had refused to believe those who had seen
Him and looked at Him attentively
after He was risen (from death).
And He said to them, Go into all the world
and preach and publish openly the good
news (the Gospel) to every creature (of the
whole human race). He who believes—[that
is, who adheres to and trusts in and relies
on the Gospel and Him Whom it sets
forth—and is baptized will be saved [from
the penalty of eternal death]; but he who
does not believe—who does not adhere to
and trust in and rely on the Gospel and Him
Whom it sets forth—will be condemned.
And these attesting signs will accompany those
who believe: in My name they will drive out
demons; they will speak in new languages;
They will pick up serpents, and [even] if they
drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them;
they will lay their hands on the sick, and
they will get well.

Luke 9:1-2, 6

KJV—Then (Jesus) called his twelve disciples
together, and gave them power and authority
over all devils, and to cure diseases. And
he sent them to preach the kingdom of God,
and to heal the sick…And they departed, and
went through the towns, preaching the gospel,
and healing every where.

Amp—Then Jesus called together the twelve
apostles, and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases, And
He sent them out to announce and preach
the kingdom of God and to bring healing…
And departing they went about from village
to village, preaching the Gospel and restoring
the afflicted to health everywhere.

Moffatt—Calling the twelve apostles together,
he gave them power and authority
over all daemons as well as to heal diseases,
sending them out to preach the Reign of
God and to cure the sick…So they went
from village to village, preaching the gospel
and healing everywhere.

Gloria Copeland