Abraham’s obedience was promoted by his faith! Because he believed God he was able to hope when, in the natural, there was no hope that he would become the father of many nations. He didn’t consider his own body, even though naturally speaking it was too old to produce children. Or that Sarah was not only past childbearing age, but also that she had never been able to bear children.

But God gave Abraham a promise. God made a covenant with him and that is what Abraham believed. In other words, Abraham didn’t believe what he saw, but he believed what God said. The Word says he did not “stagger at the promise of God.” He did not give place to unbelief. He was strong in faith and fully persuaded that God was able to perform what He had promised.

Throughout his life, God appeared to Abraham at different times and told him exactly what to do. Genesis 17:1-2 says:

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect [upright]. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

So Abraham obeyed God’s voice and followed His directions. The following passage from The Amplified Bible is a picture of Abraham’s total obedience to the Father:

[Urged on] by faith Abraham when he was called, obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to go. [Prompted] by faith he dwelt as a temporary resident in the land which was designated in the promise [of God, though he was as a stranger] in a strange country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs with him of the same promise. For he was waiting expectantly and confidently, looking forward to the city which has fixed and firm foundations, whose Architect and Builder is God (Hebrews 11:8-10, The Amplified Bible).

By the supernatural power of God Sarah bore Abraham a son named Isaac. God gave Abraham the ultimate test as a father: to offer up his son Isaac on the altar. Look at this through Abraham’s eyes for a moment. Isaac was the son through whom he was to be the father of many nations. How could he do it? There was only one way—by faith.

By faith Abraham, when he was put to the test—that is, while the testing of his faith was still in progress—had already brought Isaac for an offering; he who had gladly received and welcomed [God’s] promises was ready to sacrifice his only son, of whom it was said, Through Isaac shall your descendants be reckoned. For he reasoned that God was able to raise [him] up even from among the dead. Indeed in the sense that Isaac was figuratively dead (potentially sacrificed), he did [actually] receive him back from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19, The Amplified Bible).

Gloria Copeland

And Enoch walked [in habitual fellowship] with God; and he was not, for God took him [home with Him] (Genesis 5:24, The Amplified Bible).

Enoch diligently heeded the voice of the Lord. In the New Testament book of Hebrews, he is described clearly:

By faith Enoch was conveyed to another place [namely, heaven], with the result that he did not see death, and he was not found because God had conveyed him to another place [heaven]. For before his removal [from earth to heaven] he had witness borne [to him], that testimony still being on record, to the effect that he pleased God (Hebrews 11:5, Wuest).

Enoch walked with God. He pleased God. And then God took him! Did you get that? Enoch walked so closely with God that one day he just didn’t come back! He was so close to God, because of his obedience to God, that he didn’t die a natural death. He was lifted right into heaven.

Can you, as a new creature in Christ Jesus, say you have pleased God and walked with Him so closely that you could be lifted right up to heaven? If you are born again and alive when Jesus returns, that is what is in store for you. Enoch, being translated out of an evil world, typifies the saints (the glorious Church) who will soon be removed from this earth, who will be changed from mortality to immortality, without their bodies passing through the grave (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).

Enoch is an inspiring example of walking with God.

Gloria Copeland

“This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth.” That’s the first element of supernatural success God gives us in this verse. I like to say it this way: Talk the Word.

When I say talk the Word, I don’t mean just every now and then when you’re feeling spiritual. I mean continually. In Deuteronomy 6:7, God said you should talk His Word “when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (NIV).

That’s pretty much all the time, isn’t it? At home, at work, in the grocery store—wherever you are—keep the Word of God in your mouth.

Romans 10:17 tells us that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” So when you’re continually talking about what God says, what He’ll do and what His promises are, you’re going to be growing in faith because you’re hearing the Word from yourself all the time.

Some people find it hard to talk the Word that much. They just can’t seem to do it! If you’re one of them, let me tell you why that is.

Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh (Luke 6:45). If you’re focusing most of your attention on natural things—watching secular television, going to the movies, thinking about worldly matters, worrying about your job and family—then that’s what is going to be in your heart in abundance. And that’s what you’re going to talk about.

To change what’s coming out your mouth, you must refocus your attention. Turn it toward God’s Word and keep it there. Fill your heart with an abundance of the Word, and your mouth will get in line.

Gloria Copeland

The Body of Christ needs to major in mercy. It is what
gives us the proper spiritual perspective on the minors. We
must see that the problems in the natural, physical realm
cannot be solved with just natural realm solutions. It takes
a spiritual answer to solve a natural problem.

However, trying to answer a spiritual problem with
a natural answer is even more impossible. We cannot get
rid of demons with aspirins. That natural answer will
not work, yet this is what has been happening in church
so frequently. We have gathered committees to take care
of spiritual problems and dealt with them in the natural
realm. We have asked the person who upsets the church
service to leave, instead of getting a prayer group together
and interceding for them.

We have attacked cancer the wrong way too. We have
approached it as if it were from the natural realm. We
have failed to understand that all diseases are not on the
same level in the spirit realm. Some infirmities are more
natural than others, but cancer is not natural and neither
is arthritis or leprosy. Bitterness is their root cause.

Therefore, when it comes to curing cancer and other
such spiritual problems, we are not limited to natural
means. We can attack the spirit that is causing them with
the mercy and compassion of God. In the power of God, we
can stand on the Name of Jesus and His redemptive blood.
We can take His Word and drive that spirit out.

We must learn not to be governed by the minors in the
natural realm. Evangelist Smith Wigglesworth said, “I am
not moved by what I feel; I am not moved by what I see; I’m
moved by what I believe.” And I like to add: “I believe the
Word of God, and with the Word of God, I can change the
way I feel and what I see.” This is the proper perspective.

The earthly ministry of Jesus is our example of mercy
in operation. His was a ministry of mercy and comfort. He
said, “I did not come to destroy the law; I came to fulfill
it (Matthew 5:17).” And He did by extending His mercy
to us. The Church has not always recognized the mercy
of God. They have been approaching God like He is able
to heal them, but are unsure that He will.

That would be the same as if your child came to you
and said, “Dad, I want to go to college and I know you
love me, and I know you would help me if you could. I am
just not sure whether you can afford it or not.” But if that
child said, “Daddy, I want to go to college and I know you
can help me, but I don’t know whether you will or not.”
That is an outright insult.

We do not have to approach God either way. We do
not have to wonder about His will concerning salvation,
healing or prosperity. We already have His will written
down in the Word of God for us to know.

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

The first important truth the Word reveals
about the kingdom of God is that it is
sovereign, or superior, to all other kingdoms.
It is chief, the greatest, the most supreme in
power, rank and authority.

Actually, the very word kingdom comes
from the joining of two other words: king and
dominion. A kingdom is the place where the
king has dominion. Therefore, the kingdom
of God is where God has dominion.

Since God owns everything in heaven and
in earth, He could take dominion everywhere.
But He has chosen to exercise that dominion
through man. He gave Adam authority over
the earth in the Garden of Eden. That’s why
Jesus had to come into the earth and become
flesh. To exercise God’s dominion over Satan
in the earth, He had to do it as a man.

The second important truth the Word
reveals about the kingdom of God is the one
we’ve already mentioned. The kingdom of
God is present here and now. It occupies the
same space this natural world occupies. You
may not be able to see it, but it is here and
very real, nevertheless.

I think one of the best illustrations of that
fact is found in 2 Kings 6, where the prophet
Elisha and his servant were surrounded by a
great army sent to take them captive:

Elisha’s servant said to him, Alas, my
master! What shall we do? [Elisha]
answered, Fear not; for those with us
are more than those with them. Then
Elisha prayed, Lord, I pray You, open
his eyes that he may see. And the
Lord opened the young man’s eyes,
and he saw, and behold, the mountain
was full of horses and chariots of fire
round about Elisha (verses 15-17,
The Amplified Bible).

Those angelic horses and chariots were
there to protect Elisha and his servant the
whole time—even though most of that time
they were not visible to the natural eye. The
angels occupied the same space the enemy
army occupied. Since the angels were from
a superior kingdom, Elisha wasn’t afraid. He
knew God’s kingdom would prevail.

If you’ll just grasp that one fact, it will
enable you to walk in great joy and peace in
the midst of this messed-up world. If you’ll
just realize the kingdom of God has dominion
and control over the natural realm, then you
won’t be afraid. You can rejoice knowing that
because you belong to God’s kingdom, you can
take dominion over every natural circumstance
the devil tries to use against you.

Glory to God! Isn’t that thrilling?

Gloria Copeland