The answer is yes! God cares about you, and He wants you to be healed, healthy, and well! The Bible answers this question very clearly. Exodus 15:26 says, “I am the Lord who heals you.” First Peter 2:24 says that by the whipping Jesus received, “you were healed.” Psalm 107:20 tells us, “He sent His Word and healed [us].”

The best Bible picture of God’s desire to heal people is Jesus. By studying Jesus, we can see a clear picture of what God is like. As the Gospels describe the ministry of Jesus, it seems Jesus was always either on His way to heal someone, or He was there in the process of healing someone, or He had just finished healing someone. This tells us that God is a healer by nature. Healing is a part of who He is.

Matthew 14:14 is a good illustration of the healing ministry of Jesus: “And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.” Jesus was and still is moved to heal because of His love and mercy for you and me. When He sees people sick, He wants them to be well. His entire life on earth was devoted to seeing people healed and made completely whole—spirit, soul, and body.

Acts 10:38 says, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Remember, Acts 10:38 says He went about to heal “all who were oppressed by the devil.” This reveals what sickness really is. It’s not a blessing from God to teach us something. Nor is it a punishment from God. If God were the source of sickness, then He wouldn’t have sent His Son Jesus to bring us healing.

Don’t think for a moment that God has caused you to be sick. Sickness is not from God. It’s not a fact of life that God expects us to accept and live with. No, sickness comes from the devil, who uses it to steal our potential to do good things in life. And God is a good God, who loves us and wants us to be healthy. God wants us to fulfill our potential in life.

The truth is, God sent Jesus because He wants us well. And He wants us healthy in every area of life. He wants us healthy spiritually, physically, emotionally, financially, and in our relationships. He is unlimited in His power, and completely able and willing to heal us. Once this truth saturates your mind and heart, you will be on your way to knowing, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Jesus wants to heal you.

Oral Roberts has said, “During my ministry, I have personally laid hands on over a million people in prayer, thousands of whom had been given up because there was no known medical cure. And I am convinced that no disease is hopeless—none is incurable—for God can heal all sickness. His power has no limits or barriers when we center our faith in Him.”

Does sickness come from God or the devil? Does God sometimes send sickness to punish us for some sin or wrongdoing?

Sickness is not placed in your body by a loving and good God. Jesus never told anyone that sickness was God’s punishment or God’s will. God wants to heal your body, not afflict it, a truth backed up by many Scriptures. (See the list of healing Scriptures.) The author of both sickness and sin is the devil, and Jesus rebuked both sickness and sin whenever he confronted them. The Apostle Peter made this plain when he preached the Gospel to Cornelius and his household. He said, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38 NKJV). God does not send sin or oppression. He delivers. He does not send sickness or disease. He heals.

Should we exhaust all other resources before going to the Lord for healing? Is it okay to use doctors and medicines?

There is nothing in the Bible that indicates a Christian can’t use doctors and medicine in order to be healed. James 1:17 NKJV says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights.” All healing power is of God. The ability of doctors and medicines to help us is a God-given ability, and much healing is brought about through medical skill. God’s power doesn’t diminish when we use medical science. His ability to do miracles doesn’t negate the power He has given to doctors and medicine. But God is always the final authority for anything in our lives. We always have the privilege of going to God first, last, and always. The important thing is the right use of our faith. Whether we receive healing through medical science or through a miracle, we should give the glory to God, who is our Healer.

What is the best way to pray for my own healing or someone else’s healing?

The effectiveness of our prayers does not depend on the words we use or how often we repeat them, but rather on meeting God and the conditions set out for us in the Scriptures. To receive healing, we must have faith in God’s power and in His desire to heal us. Once we are ready to release our faith to God, we can pray for healing according to the Word of God. John 14:14 NKJV says, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” When we release our faith for healing and pray in Jesus’ name, we know that God has heard us, and we know we have the answer. At this point, we can stop asking God and begin thanking Him for the answer.

Do I need to go to a special healing service or have someone lay hands on me and pray for me in order to be healed?

No, you do not have to go to any special place or have anyone lay hands on you for you to be healed. It is Christ who heals, and Christ is everywhere present at the same time. It is not important whether you are first in the prayer line at a healing crusade or last in line. It doesn’t matter whether you are sitting at church, driving your car, or resting at home. To receive healing, the important thing is to make contact with your Healer, Jesus Christ, who is everywhere. Healing comes when you have faith for healing and when you reach out to God with that faith. You can believe God and receive healing right where you are.

What is the significance of anointing a person with oil or using a prayer cloth?

The anointing oil is used as a point of contact to help a person release his or her faith. This is taught in James 5:14–15 NKJV: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” Use of the oil is symbolic of our dependence on God. The important thing when you are anointed with oil is to release your faith to God for your healing.

Like anointing oil, a prayer cloth can be used as a point of contact to release faith for healing. The Apostle Paul sometimes made use of prayer cloths. This is described in Acts 19:12 NKJV: “Even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.” The thing that counts is not the prayer cloth itself, but rather our faith in Jesus Christ. Anointing oil and prayer cloths simply help some people to release their faith for healing.

What do I do if my healing seems slow in coming?

Many times, healing is a gradual process. It doesn’t always come instantly. When healing seems slow in coming, you may be tempted to get discouraged or to think you don’t have the faith for healing. Perhaps it is simply taking time for your body to heal. Or perhaps there’s still something you must do before God’s healing power can be fully released to work in your life. If your healing seems slow in coming, these suggestions may help you to receive your healing.

1. Let the Word of God become real to you. Sometimes, we hear the Word and know it’s true in our heads, but it hasn’t become real in our hearts yet. If that is your struggle, you can build faith in your heart by reading, listening to, and meditating on God’s Word about healing. Faith comes by hearing and receiving the truth in God’s Word. You may need to spend more time with God’s Word than you usually do. You can also be encouraged in your faith by reading and listening to stories of people who have been healed.
2. Don’t become discouraged when you don’t see immediate results to your prayers. It doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with your faith if an answer doesn’t come instantly. Continue to pray, continue to thank God, and ask others to pray and agree with you.
3. Ask yourself if there is a spiritual or emotional issue that could be affecting your physical health. It’s important to open up every area of your life to God so He can heal your entire being. Ask God if there is something blocking your healing. If He reveals an issue to you, deal with it through repentance and whatever else you need to do to make it right.
4. Continue to resist the devil. He is the source of sickness, not God. And he will try to deceive you into doubting God’s healing power. So put the devil in his place. Refuse to accept negative thoughts or doubts, and replace them with God’s Word.
5. Let God direct you about how to receive your healing. Many times, when we are sick, we get it in our minds that God will heal us in a certain way, and we get disappointed when it does not happen as we thought it would. Often, we block God’s healing power simply because we are not open to the many means God uses for healing. Your healing may come to you by prayer, by medicine, or by both. Be open to all of God’s healing methods.
6. You may need to see a physician. It is not wrong for a Christian to seek medical care. Medicine is a gift God has given us. Doctors are a means through which God can bring you your healing, so be open to it and visit a doctor if you haven’t already done so.
7. You may need to simply receive. Many Christians have not learned how to receive from God through simple faith. If you believe this is an area where you are struggling, ask God to help you learn how to receive from Him.

What should I do when I’m tempted to doubt my healing? How do I keep my healing?

The devil comes to all of us to try to steal whatever blessings we receive from God. He attempts to introduce doubts into our minds. If we are experiencing doubts about a healing we have received, we must recognize that the source of the doubt is the devil. It’s also important to realize that healing is something we receive and keep by faith. You can combat doubts by reminding yourself of the moment you released faith for healing. Surround yourself with people who believe in the power of God. Read the Bible and encourage yourself with God’s promises of healing. Pray daily to stay close to God, and keep your mind fixed on Jesus. All these things can help you push doubt out of your life so that you can hold on to your healing.

Why isn’t everyone healed?

Romans 12:3 says, “God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.” According to this Scripture, everyone has faith. The capacity to believe is under the control of each individual. But not everyone directs his or her believing toward God. For instance, one person may put his faith in himself and his own ability. Another person may direct her faith toward money and what it will get her. Many people who need healing believe that their sickness is more than a match for them and that they are going to suffer defeat. This is fear—a belief that God’s power is not enough to beat sickness. If a person believes in the power of sickness more than the power of God, it will be hard for that person to receive God’s healing.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

By Richard Roberts

Now, I think I’m a pretty good husband. But I also think my wife would be the first one to tell you, there’s room for improvement. That means there is another level to my relationship with her that I could work toward.

The same concept works in the spiritual realm. There’s another level that God wants you and me to arrive at. Now, I don’t know about you. I don’t know exactly all that you’ve been through. But I’ve been to hell and back in my life many times. I’ve been through problems. I’ve had ups and downs. I’ve been in times when we’ve had finances, and times we’ve had no finances. I know what it’s like to feel discouraged, lonely and hurt on the inside. I know what it’s like to walk the floor and pray and feel like you’re not getting any answers.

I understand. I know what people have been through, because I’ve been through many things myself. But I’ve got news for you, no matter where you are in life, God wants you to have a better life. That means there is another level that we can reach.

I believe God wants every principle in the Bible to come alive in your life, for healing, wholeness, for wellness, for all that God has for you.

What does it mean to have a better life? A better life is a closer walk with God. A better life starts with a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. A better life is having the power of the Holy Spirit active in your life on a daily basis.
It’s having an abundance in every area of your life, and having your needs met. A better life is seeing miracles in your life on a regular, daily
basis and trusting God in every area of your life.

A Closer Walk with God

Now, my father was Oral Roberts. If anyone lived in a Christian home, it was me. And yet I rejected God. I didn’t want God in my life. But I came to a time in my life when I was 19 years old that I realized I would never be able to achieve what I dreamed of without getting on that better road, and having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. My mother actually said to me on the day before I prayed the sinner’s prayer, “Richard, you’ll never be fulfilled in your life. You’ll never have all and achieve all that you want without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.”

I’d heard those words before. But on that day, they got down on the inside of me. And I realized she was right, so I committed my life to Christ. You see, the better road — the better life — that God has for you begins with a commitment of your life to Christ. And then it continues with the active daily participation of the Holy Spirit in your life.

The Presence of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit’s daily participation is important if you want to have a better life. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is a source of power and transformation in your life. If you’re a Christian, the Holy Spirit is in you. He came into you on the day you were born again. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). And He’s at work within you right this very moment.

What does the Holy Spirit do in you and for you? The Bible says in Romans 8:26 that He intercedes for you. Even when you don’t know how to pray for what you need, He knows. He’s reaching down into the depths of your being, and He’s pulling up all that you have wanted to say to God. He pulls up all the stuff that’s on the inside of you for which you have no words. And He’s taking it up to God and then He’s bringing down answers and ideas and new insights and concepts, new and innovative ways of doing things as you pray in the spirit. (* See The Baptism in the Holy Spirit on our website.)

Financial Provision

Your better life also includes your generous giving unto God, and also receiving from Him. Jesus said that when you give, God will give back to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38). There is an eternal principle: whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap (Galatians 6:7). If you give generously unto God, then God blesses it. God wants you to have more than enough to meet your needs and bless others.

Abundant Health

Not only does God want to bless you and give you abundance spiritually and financially, but He also wants to bless you in your body. God doesn’t get any glory in your being sick. He said in 3 John 2, “Beloved I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” God wants you well in every area of your life. That’s why I pray for the sick.

I received a praise report recently from a man who had stage 4 cancer. He called the Abundant Life Prayer Group, and we all prayed, and now the doctors can’t find any trace of cancer in his body. You see, a better life includes healing from sickness and disease.

Deliverance and Freedom

The better life God has for you also includes freedom from fear, doubt, demonic activity, and anything that’s unlike God. The devil comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy, while Jesus comes to give you abundant life, a better life (John 10:10).

Yes, a better life in the Lord is having the blessings of God in every area of your life — spiritually, physically, financially, emotionally, in your family, in every area of your life.

Whatever it is that would bring about an improvement in your life, I pray for God to bring it about for you according to His will.  I believe God knows exactly what you need, and right now I am asking Him to do whatever He would like to do in your life. I pray for you to be blessed physically, financially, emotionally, in your spirit, in your thinking, and in your walk with God, so that you would experience a spiritual uplift and rise up to a higher level. In Jesus’s name, amen.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

I believe God has a plan to move you forward into the greatest days you have ever experienced in Him. No matter what you may be facing today, God is a God of salvation, healing, and deliverance. He doesn’t want you to be stuck in hard times or buried beneath a load of trouble.

God is a good God! He wants to see you living free and victorious in Him. With His help, you can move forward in your health, your family, your finances, your relationship with Him, and every other area of your life.

Moving Forward Begins With a Decision Only You Can Make

There are two types of people in this world…those who are moving forward and those who are not. Jesus, our example of godly living, was always moving forward. He didn’t rest on past victories. He didn’t run from hard times. He faced life with boldness.

I believe that you and I are to have that same, strong determination to move forward in all God has for us, fulfilling His purpose for our lives, and doing it in the victory He has provided for us through Jesus.

First John 4:4 says, You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Through Christ, God has made you an overcomer. You can rise above your circumstances. But you have to believe that. You have to act on it.

The only person who can make the decision to move you forward is you. God can’t choose it for you. You must choose it yourself. But when you do, He can help you move into a new freedom with Him.

Don’t Be Surprised When You Face Opposition

Ephesians 6:12 says, We do not wrestle against flesh and blood [people], but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age…

I believe, as you move forward in the Lord, you face opposition from the devil. Remember, the devil hates God, and he hates the children of God. He will try to steal from you, kill your dreams, and destroy the blessings God has given you.

But I have good news! Jesus defeated the devil through the Cross. The blood of Jesus beats the devil every time.

As a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit within you to help you defeat the devil’s tricks and strategies. You can succeed against difficult circumstances and overcome in hard times through the truth in God’s Word.

Leave the Past Behind

To move forward, you begin by letting go of things in your past that don’t help you focus on where you are going in life. This isn’t people; it’s things, situations or circumstances that pull you back into the tricks and strategies of the devil. I believe that’s why the apostle Paul talked about leaving things behind in Philippians 3:13–14:

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul had many things behind him—some good and some bad—but he didn’t dwell on the past. He constantly pressed ahead, as Jesus did. So I encourage you to follow Paul’s example, and refuse to stay comfortable where you are.

Fear Doesn’t Have to Hold You Back

We live in challenging times, with our world consumed by fear, worry, and troubles. I tell you this: I believe there is nothing happening in your life that God can’t handle as long as you are anchored in Him.

So, don’t let fear keep you from stepping into new victories in the Lord. Hebrews 13:5–6 says, For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.”

When fear comes, remember that the Lord is with you. He isn’t abandoning you. He can help you, as He has promised in His Word.

Resist the temptation to let fear dominate your thinking and your actions. Instead, go to God boldly in prayer with your needs. Expect that He will give you good ideas, favor with others, and the answers you need.

As you focus on Him, the Bible says you can have a peace that passes all understanding, and guards your heart and mind through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). This supernatural peace is not based on your circumstances. It’s an enduring peace that helps you press forward, no matter what comes against you.

Believe What God’s Word Says About Your Situation

Everything we choose to do starts as a thought in our mind. That’s why we must make sure our thoughts line up with what God says about the situations we face.

Let God give you a vision for where you are going in life. He has given you His Word to show you what He thinks about you and your future. As we renew our mind with His Word, we can look at our future as He does.

Don’t allow the world to mold your way of thinking. And don’t let circumstances dictate what you believe. Instead, determine that you will be transformed as you renew your mind…as you get rid of wrong beliefs, fears, and doubts by choosing to believe God’s truth (Romans 12:2).

Put Action to Your Faith

God sees you as an overcomer who can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13). But it’s important for you to see yourself that way as well.

You see, no matter what you can do through Christ, you won’t actually do it unless you start acting on your faith that allows you to do it. But here’s the good news: Your faith can propel you forward in any area of life (1 John 5:4).

As soon as you know what God’s Word says about your circumstances, it is up to you to act on it. You have to put action to your faith and do something to move forward.

Even if it seems like you have a long way to go, a journey begins as you put your feet on the road and start moving. So, take the steps you can take right now, and expect God to fulfill His promises to you.

Use Your Words as a Weapon

One powerful way to put action to your faith is to speak and pray God’s Word over your circumstances. Mark 11:22–23 tells you to speak to the mountains in your life and cast them into the sea with your words.

So, instead of going by what you see with your natural eye, keep speaking God’s Word over your circumstances.

Always remember, God’s Word has His life in it. It can bring life to dead situations and health to sick bodies…restore broken hearts and damaged relationships…bring about prosperity to those who have suffered loss… As you speak His Word over your life, you make a way for His power to shape the situation you are in.

Continue to Expect Your Harvest Until It Arrives

The Bible tells us that we inherit, or receive, the promises of God through faith and patience, working together (Hebrews 6:12). Patience doesn’t simply mean waiting. It means holding onto your faith and refusing to quit.

It’s important to hold onto God’s promises to you with confidence that He will do as He said.

Some things come quickly. Other things take time. Many things in life happen through the process of time. So, moving forward won’t always mean an instant miracle. That’s where Galatians 6:9 comes in and says, “Be not weary in your well doing, for you shall reap in due season if you faint not.”

You may have to keep pushing ahead for a while before you see all the results you are looking for. But as you take steps forward with God, you can be making your way toward the miracle that is waiting for you.

Determine in your heart that you are going to grow in Him! Decide today that you are going to learn more about His Word, and that you are going to be transformed even more into His likeness.

Let God lead you into a fresh season of miracles, filling your life with His power and abundance…so you can walk in victory over every issue of life that concerns you and your loved ones.

By Oral Roberts

Whenever you begin to believe for a miracle in your life or the life of someone you love, you’re sure to meet opposition. But don’t give up! Keep believing! Hold on to the vision of your loved ones being healed or saved because faith knows that if it holds on, God can answer.

Someone Held On for Paul

In Acts 9:22–25, Saul of Tarsus was in Damascus shortly after his dramatic conversion. He was testifying of Jesus so strongly that the religious leaders got mad and decided to kill him.

They watched the gates of this great walled city day and night so that Saul couldn’t escape. But the Christians in Damascus helped him escape one night by letting him down over the wall in a basket. At great personal danger to themselves, they held on to the rope that freed the man who would become Paul the Apostle.

These Christians held the rope at night. You know, night time is a wonderful time to slip out of bed and be on your knees in prayer. Long after I was healed of tuberculosis as a teenager, my mother told me, “Oral, many nights I got up after midnight and walked the floor,

praying for you. I called your name to the Lord because I wanted you to be saved and healed. I didn’t want you to lose your soul.”

If the Lord should awaken you and slip a spiritual rope in your hand to hold for some lost soul or some member of your family, consider just going ahead and slipping out of bed to pray.

You May Be the Only One

Those men holding the rope for Saul were the only ones in the city who held the rope that night.

You may be thinking, Brother Roberts, I’ve held the rope so long. It gets so lonely and the burden is so heavy. I just don’t know if I can hold the rope any longer. But consider this: you may be the only one in the world holding that particular rope.

Think of those men in Damascus. Their lives were in danger. If they had been caught, not only would Saul have been killed—they would have been killed also.

But they knew they were the only ones holding the rope. The only way Saul was going to get out of that city alive and become the great Apostle Paul was for someone to hold that rope.

You may not know right now how great a person is on the end of your rope—that child, that son or daughter, that loved one you’re praying for. As you lift them up in prayer, you may not know what that prayer is going to mean. If you’re discouraged and feel like you want to quit, I encourage you to hold on a little longer! Don’t give up! Hold on to that rope and keep believing God for miracles.

Don\’t Give Up!

You may be holding the rope for yourself. Maybe you’re sick, or you’ve gotten some bad news and you’re afraid. Maybe you feel like you can’t hold on any longer. But don’t turn loose because your healing basket may be about to touch the ground!

You may have lost your job, or be worried about inflation and debt and finances. But hold on to the rope. Your prosperity basket may be about to touch the ground. Don’t give up. Stay in faith until your answer from the Lord comes.

You are not reading this article by accident today. God is concerned about you. He’s interested in your healing. He’s interested in supplying your finances. You don’t know how close you may be to your answer! Your basket may be just about to touch the ground, so don’t let go of the rope! I want to pray for you now:

In the Name of Jesus, be healed and set free in every area of your life. God strengthen you in your inner man, in your soul. God heal your body, your family, and your circumstances beginning this moment. I pray and believe in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Recently, I had a visitation from God. I was in my hotel room when I felt God’s presence. I began walking the floor with my hands outreached toward Him, saying, “My heart is open, Lord. Speak, and I will obey.”

God flashed six words into my mind like six sharp blasts of thunder: It is later than you think!

Over and over, God made these words ring in my brain. The time for Jesus’ return is much nearer than the world realizes!

For over an hour, I was listening to Him with my heart as the Scriptures opened up to me, revealing things I never knew before.

Jesus’ First Coming Was “On Time”

The Bible says, But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman (Galatians 4:4). There was a time—a precise time—for Jesus’ first coming. God ordained the birth of Jesus to occur in Bethlehem. Because Caesar taxed the land and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem, she arrived “in time,” which made it possible for Jesus to arrive exactly “on time.”

A Time for Jesus’ Earthly Ministry

There was a time for Jesus’ first appearance to the world. And just before it happened, God revealed it to a few of his most trusted servants. He chose John the Baptist as His messenger and gave him the sign whereby John would know who was the Christ: The Holy Ghost, in the form of a dove, would light on His head (Luke 3:22).

John appeared amidst the world’s confusion and began to preach that One was coming who was mightier than he. Therefore, the people must prepare themselves by repenting of their sins and getting their lives right with God (Matthew 3:1–12).

“Prepare ye the way of the Lord,” John cried. “Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance.” His message angered the religious leaders, stirred the soldiers, and convicted the people of their unpreparedness for the coming of the Son of God.

A Strange Feeling in the World

There must have been a strange feeling in the world just before Jesus appeared. Mankind can often feel something deeply on the eve of some event that shakes the world and affects their destiny.

What is it we can feel so deeply and cannot shake off? I believe it is the outreach of the soul for its Maker…the Spirit’s warning that the return of Christ is closer than we realize…the red light that says, “Slow down; it is later than you think!”

While, according to the Bible, no man knows the exact date for Jesus’ return, God the Father does. The time is known and events are shaping up. Last-minute warnings are being given to us by God.

How the “Time” Is Determined

God knows the day and hour of Jesus’ return. He has set the time. But how is that time determined?

I often wondered about this until that evening in my hotel room where God opened my eyes and let me see:

The time is determined by man himself through the crystallization of human opinion.

What does crystallization mean? When I was a boy, Mama used to make wild plum jelly. She would cook it, then take it off the stove, and put it in a jelly dish to “jell.” When it jelled, it was ready to eat.

Likewise, concrete is poured into a mold to “set,” until it becomes hard and permanent.

Throughout the generations, human opinion and thought have been taking shape. Now man is reaching the apex of all human thought. The grand finale is perhaps beginning to come into reach right now.

In the Days Before the Flood

Only once before has man reached a point in his thinking and believing. It is described in the book of Genesis: And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on earth and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth…for it repenteth me that I have made them (Genesis 6:5–7).

The crystallization of human thought and action in the days before the Flood resulted in what God described as scenes of mass-violence and human corruption. Genesis 6:11–12 says, The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence…for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

The Saints Will Rise to Meet Him

The Bible says that when Jesus returns for His bride, those whose faith in God has crystallized, becoming permanent, will rise to meet Him in the Rapture of the saints. Those whose decision to live apart from God has crystallized, becoming permanent, will be “left” in a world without Him.

The World Will Be Changed

The Rapture of the saints will remove them from the sphere of Satan’s power in this world (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

It is God who is bringing things to a point. How? By giving a worldwide revival of signs and wonders—pouring out His Spirit on all flesh.

Today, many people have reached the place where only a supernatural power can cause them to make any change in their thinking. The Bible refers to that power as the miracle-working power of the Spirit of God. Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:6).

Time Is Running Out

If we knew all God has for us, I believe most of us would begin to alter our lives. Perhaps we would right our wrongs…pay our tithes…keep the Sabbath day holy…believe the message of Bible deliverance…accept all God has for us…and send the Gospel to the ends of the earth so that others would have the same chance to know God as we have.

Perhaps we would no longer compromise our convictions, but rather, we would stand up for healing, holiness of heart and life, the Holy Spirit and His anointing.

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

In the first chapter of the Book of Psalms, God sets out several basic principles to follow in order to have a blessed and happy life. I believe we ought to pay particular attention to this chapter because it shows that God intends for us to be blessed.

What to Avoid, What to Pursue

The first thing God tells us in Psalm 1 is what to avoid in order to be blessed (one translation uses the words happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable). He says that we are not to seek or to follow the plans of those who do not serve God. Nor are we to hinder them from coming to Him by living an ungodly lifestyle while claiming to follow the Lord.

We’re also told to avoid becoming scoffers and critics—that is, becoming the kind of people who are so miserable that nothing ever suits them.

After God tells us what to avoid, He tells us what to pursue in order to keep His blessing on our lives. He says that we’re to delight ourselves in His Word and meditate on the Scriptures day and night.

Remember, we live in a world that is constantly pulling on us to do ungodly things that cannot be blessed. It is essential to choose to do right. And when we meditate on God’s Word, Psalm 1:3 says that we shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither. His Word directs us in what is right, and it gives stability to our lives in what can be an unstable world.

God Can Divinely Place You

Psalm 1:3 says that we can be planted. In other words, God can place us where He wants us to be. That’s an important point.

Many Christians don’t know that there is a particular place where God wants them. They’re doubtful and wandering, always asking, Should I be here or somewhere else?

But God says that if we delight ourselves in His Word, He would not only plant us but He would plant us by the rivers of water—that special place of richness where many rivers come together, where there will always be an abundance of life-giving water.

Nature’s Power Source

A tree needs an abundance of water to live, grow, and produce fruit. And that’s the next promise. God says that the godly man bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither (v. 3).

I recently made a study of leaves with biologists and botanists, and discussed with Jewish rabbis what the phrase his leaf also shall not wither means in the Hebrew. I discovered that the leaf of a tree is like a little green factory that produces food for the tree. It is actually the power source of the tree. The leaf connects itself with the water source, scoops up the water, and spreads it throughout the tree. In other words, the leaf keeps the tree alive.

God’s Power Source

What keeps us alive spiritually is the living water Jesus referred to in John 7:37–38.

The Bible says that on the feast day called the Day of Pentecost, the people overturned barrels of water and let the water run down the temple steps. Then they danced in it, rejoicing and praising God for a successful harvest.

Watching the people celebrate, Jesus said, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me…out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water (vv. 37–38).

Then the Bible says, This spake he [Christ] of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified (v. 39).

In other words, Jesus planned from the beginning that when we believe on Him, we would receive the Holy Spirit to live inside of us as our Helper. And with the Holy Spirit in us, out of our bellies—our inner man where speaking in tongues begins—would flow rivers of living water.

In essence, Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans. When I am sitting at My Father’s right hand and you’re here on the earth with unanswerable questions, not knowing what to do, I will send you another Comforter to take My place. It will be as if I am there with you in the flesh.”

People often ask me why I pray in tongues. I pray in tongues because the mysteries of life are too much for me and the problems are overwhelming. I pray in tongues because I don’t know how to pray as I ought every time, but the Holy Spirit knows. He knows the mind and will of God, and Romans 8:26 says that He intercedes for us with groanings for which there is no equal in human speech.

Godly Prosperity

The next line of Psalm 1 is amazing to me. It says, Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Time and time again, people take this verse out of context and confess it over their lives. But it won’t work that way. According to this Scripture, true prosperity only comes when we do what God is telling us to do.

Are we refusing to base our decisions on the advice of ungodly people? Are we avoiding being a stumbling block to sinners? Are we choosing not to be a gossiper, a scoffer, a critic, or a worn-out, miserable person? Are we delighting ourselves in God’s Word and meditating on the Scriptures day and night?

Godly prosperity only happens when we do what God’s Word tells us to do…and this includes planting our seeds of faith to God and expecting Him to multiply them back to us in the way we need it the most.

Blessed Is the Man…

If you are basing your life on the Word of God and following all that He tells you to do, according to Psalm 1, I believe we can make this declaration of faith right now:

Thank You, Lord, that You have planted me by the rivers of living water. I bring forth fruit in my season, and my leaf—which is my power source—does not wither. Furthermore, I have the Holy Spirit living in me, and I’m taking up the living water of the Spirit and letting it spread throughout my being. And because I am a child of God who follows Your Word, all that I do can prosper.

Anyone who watches television and hears reports about what certain movie stars are doing in their careers, has probably heard the expression that he or she is “re-inventing” himself or herself. The idea is that they are taking on a challenge to show how fresh and varied their talents are; that they’re not stuck in a “rut” of portraying just one kind of character, or acting in just one kind of storyline over and over again.

From time to time, all of us feel the need to have a chance to “start over”…to “re-invent” or “re-write” something about our lives.

The other day I was in a store in Tulsa, and as I was looking around I picked up what looked like a deck of playing cards…only the cards were blank. When I turned them over, there were no numbers on them. I thought to myself, “Well, I can’t play solitaire with these!”

I started to lay the cards down. But as I did, I felt the Lord impressing me to pick them up and look at them again. “Wouldn’t it be nice,” the thought came to my mind, “if you could take your life, and everything you’re going through, and get a clean slate like these cards have…and just start over again?”

It made me think of the song Richard sings, called You Can Start Over Again. You can leave the past behind, it says, and have a brand new life.

But is it really possible to do that…to begin again and write the new story of our lives? It almost sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

But it is true! The good news of the Gospel is that God gives us that very opportunity every day…because as Lamentations 3:23 tells us, His mercies are new every morning.

Behold, I will do a new thing, God says in Isaiah 43:19, Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. So not only can we start over again, God will help us do it!

What Is Our Part To Play?

I don’t believe God wants our lives to be stuck, or landlocked, or caught in a rut with no way out. In fact, He’s willing to help us change, as I’ve said. But how do we get there from where we are right now? What is the “transportation system,” so to speak, to transport us?

I believe the answer lies in Romans 12:2 NKJV, where the apostle Paul tells us, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Paul is telling us not to be in harmony, or in agreement, with the practices of others, as people follow other people in this world’s system. But we are to let the Word of God transform us. Being transformed is more than just being changed superficially. It actually means that we can be “morphed,” or completely transformed from the inside out.

Think of a butterfly that goes through a metamorphosis that changes it from one way of existing into something completely different. That’s what Paul says that the Word of God can do in our lives if we allow it to. And that’s not accomplished by copying other people. God wants us to think like Him, to act like Him, and to become like Him, as we allow His Word to transform us.

The Way Out

Let me ask you a question. Are you stuck in a rut in your life? Do you feel like you’re just going through the motions…following what you’ve seen other people do and getting the same no-win results that they’ve gotten?

It’s important where we allow our mind to “dwell” or to live every day. As a man thinks, so he is, Proverbs 23:7 tells us. Whatever we think about affects what actions we take and that makes a difference in what we become, because what we think about and focus on will develop in our lives.

So, what are you dwelling on right now? Perhaps you’re even re-living something in your mind over and over that you need to release and get rid of.

Remember that God said He would do a new thing in our lives (Isaiah 43:18-19)…but if we’re still holding on to our past, we might not even notice what God does.

So let’s make the decision to start over right now. Let’s wipe the slate clean and begin feeding our mind on the right thing. Begin spending time in the Word of God and letting it transform our minds until it begins to transform our lives, as well.

My mother-in-law, Evelyn Roberts, had a saying I will always remember. She said God talked to her in the everydayness of life. She came to this revelation after talking with the Lord about how her husband, Oral, got to go all over the world in ministry while she stayed home. You see, she always wanted to be a missionary, yet Oral was the one who got to travel.

The Lord said to her, “No, Evelyn, you don’t go like Oral goes, but I will speak to you in the everydayness of life. And you will take what I say into your day-to-day activities.”

That word set Evelyn free! She would take the Gospel and her faith to the grocery store. She would take it to the front door, the telephone, and the post office. She became a little missionary in her community and never stopped taking the Gospel everywhere she went.

I believe we all have a place to be sent. It may be to a family member or a neighbor. We can take the Gospel into the local hospital, our apartment building or street, or wherever God tells us to go.

Part of our Greater Works Campaign includes helping believers to take the Gospel into their communities. We want to share the same materials with you that we are sharing with ministers in undeveloped nations through our Greater Works tablet.

The Oral Roberts Ministries started in 1947, and over the years, Oral created an amazing volume of books, Bible commentaries, sermons, teaching notes, and so much more.  And before he went home to be with the Lord, he told Richard and me to get as much of these resources as possible into the hands of people, to get the Gospel around the world.

As I began to look at everything Oral, Evelyn, Richard and I created over the years, I realized we couldn’t keep it just to ourselves. These resources are so powerful in the Word! They contain biblical teachings that can continue to set people free until the Lord comes.

Sometimes I’m on television, sometimes I’m at home, sometimes I’m at the grocery store, and sometimes I’m in another country. So why would I want to talk about the Greater Works in your everyday life? Because I feel that it is not about where we go or what we do. I believe it’s about obedience. It all comes down to obeying God in the big things, the small things, and the everydayness of life.

I see people who are in need of miracles and believe that God wants believers in some way to be His hand and His heart extended to reach others in need in the everydayness of their life. And just as I feel so passionate about this, I want you to read what happened when an Oral Roberts Ministries Partner named Virginia, in the everydayness of her life, took these biblical teachings and how God led her to minister in the everydayness of her life.

I believe God is no respecter of persons and what happened to Virginia can happen to anyone who is willing to be led by God.

Compelled by the Holy Spirit

“I heard a radio commercial advertising ‘The Healing Ministry of Jesus,’ a class at the Richard Roberts School of Miracles. I’m so thankful I attended the class. As I studied, I was compelled by the Holy Spirit to minister to people in various ways that I had not done previously.

An elderly lady named Nellie lived in our building, and she was not a Christian. I had the opportunity to lead her to Christ, and she prayed the sinner’s prayer with me.”

–Virginia Covington, Oklahoma

Have you ever faced a situation that caused you to say, “I just can’t do this?” Perhaps you’ve told yourself, “I’m defeated. I don’t have the capability. I don’t have enough of what I need.” And you feel like you’re outnumbered — like there are more things against you than are for you.

Second Kings chapter six tells of a time when an enemy army was trying to attack Israel. But every time they went to do something, the prophet Elisha knew of it through the Spirit of God and sent word to Israel’s king to prevent the attack. The Bible says this happened time and time again (v. 10), until the enemy king thought there was a spy in the camp, giving away his secret plans to Israel.

But one of his men said, “No, there’s no spy. There’s a prophet of God in the land. His name is Elisha, and every time you go to make a move, God reveals it to Elisha, and we’re defeated” (vv. 11-12).

So the enemy king sought to kill Elisha. Elisha’s assistant Gehazi got word that this whole army of enemies was now coming against the two of them! And he started to have a panic attack.

How Are You Seeing Your Situation?

Then Elisha said something very interesting to Gehazi. He said, “Lord, open his eyes that he might see.” Now, obviously Gehazi’s eyes were physically open, because he was seeing the army coming against him. But what Elisha was saying was, “Lord, open his spiritual eyes.” Because you see, it was by seeing in the spirit, not in the flesh, that was giving the prophet all the inside information so to speak.

The Bible tells us that Gehazi looked up to the hills and saw chariots of fire and the hosts of the living God. He saw God’s army of angels sent to protect them. He saw God’s ability. He saw God’s supernatural power. He saw there were more with them (Gehazi and Elisha) than against them.

And I believe that’s just as true for us today as it was for Gehazi and Elisha with God. There are more with us than against us. But sometimes we have to be reminded of it. Sometimes we have to be reminded not to get into a panic…reminded not to see the situation through the eyes of worry and concern or griping and complaining, but rather to see the situation through the eyes of faith.

Four times in the Bible, it says the just shall live by or according to their faith. And as believers we have the ability to take our faith and use it for good or for bad. We can use it to focus on fear and doubt and worry and unbelief. Or we can use it in a godly way and say, “Okay Lord, how do I look at this according to Your ways of doing and being, Your ways of operating in the Kingdom of God?”

As soon as Gehazi saw what was happening in the spirit, he understood there were more with them than against them. And when he got a revelation of how God operates in the spirit realm, how God operates in His kingdom, everything changed. And Gehazi changed. And the battle plan changed, and they were victorious against their enemy.

Strengthen Your Faith, Not Your Fear

You see, according to what the Bible says in Romans 12:3, I believe God has given to every person the measure, the substance, the stuff of faith. Now what you do with your faith — how you exercise it, how you use it — depends on you.

If we have a muscle and we exercise it, that muscle grows stronger. If we exercise our faith muscle, it can grow stronger. How? Romans 10:17 tells us, Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. In other words, our faith gets stronger. Our faith “muscle” gets developed by hearing the Word of God over and over until it gets into our spirits and becomes alive inside of us.

In the same respect, I think fear gets developed. We can hear negative things. You hear worry. You hear doom and gloom. And what happens? If you hear it enough, it begins to develop. And then we hide it in our heart. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it eat the fruit thereof (Proverbs 18:21). People can walk out fear and worry and doom and gloom, because they’ve developed faith for it.

But God has given to every person the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). We can live by and according to our faith. And faith is the substance of things that we are hoping for, as Hebrews 11:1 tells us. There’s something tangible in the faith realm, in the spirit realm, that we can hold onto until we get the things that God has set for us to be believing for.

I believe it’s possible for every Christian to see things according to the spirit and to live this life by faith in God. Why? The Bible says God is our heavenly Father, and we are made in His image (Genesis 1:27). And He said that we can do the things He said we can do if we get into living by faith.

He said in 1 John 4:4, Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. And that creates the outnumbering.

So in the name of Jesus, I pray that God opens your spiritual eyes so that you can see how He has provided for you and you can say, “There are more with us than against us.” I pray that the Lord opens the eyes of your understanding through faith in Him and lets you see His plan for you. The Bible says His plans for you are good. They are for your good and not for evil (Jeremiah 29:11). I pray for God to touch you right now and that you may be healed physically, financially, emotionally, in your family, in every area of your life, in the name of Jesus.
Amen.