The Sweetest Victory Kenneth Copeland 03 October If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32One afternoon, as I was studying that scripture, the Lord spoke something to me that nearly knocked me out of my chair. He said, Jesus was not free because He didnt sin. He didnt sin because He was free. I want you to let that statement sink in a moment. Can you see what it means? It means that many times as believers, weve been going at things backward. Weve thought, If I could just kick this smoking habit, if I could just get rid of this disease, if I could just get some money in the bank, then Id be free. But we need to go after the freedom itself. Once we lay hold of real freedom, those cigarettes, that disease and that financial lack will fall powerless at our feet. Theyll have no more ability to bind us than they had to bind Jesus. You may say, Yeah, but people have laid hands on me until theyve nearly rubbed all the hair off my head trying to get me that freedomand I still dont have it. Listen, Jesus didnt say youd have hands laid on you and the laying on of hands would make you free. He said youd know the truth, and the truth would make you free! He said, Continue in My Word and youll be free like Me! Get in the Word and act on it. Then the laying on of hands will work. I know its thrilling to have hands laid on you for healing and feel the power of God go through your body. But let me tell you, theres an even stronger joy that comes when you get your healing or your deliverance by standing in faith in Gods Word. You know youre growing up in Jesus when trouble comes and instead of running to the pastor crying for help, you go into your place of prayer, take your Bible and find the answer. You begin to read and, as you do, you hear God talking to you. Every scripture you find that quickens your spirit, you write down. Then, every night before you go to bed, you read those scriptures againand you believe them. Your body may not feel any different. The devil may be standing by your bedside saying, You wont get healed this time. Ill kill you by the morning. But instead of wilting in fear, you just say, Shut up, Devil, and take your hands off my body. I dont belong to you and I never will. The Word says Im healed and as far as Im concerned, thats the end of it. The next morning, you get your Bible and read those scriptures again. Suddenly you catch yourself and think, Praise God, I got so excited about these verses, Ive forgotten to hurt for the last 30 minutes! That kind of victory is the sweetest kind there is.Isaiah 54-55; Psalm 55I continue in the Word of God, and I am a disciple of Jesus. I know the truth and the truth makes me free. John 8:31-32
Scripture Reading: Luke 8:11-15
