Kenneth Copeland - Faith, the Secret to Success
Faith, the secret to success, why preach so much of it? Impossible to please God without it. Can't be saved without it. Can't live the Christian life without it. Can't overcome the world without it. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Faith begins where the will of God is known. So, let's go back over here to the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews. And I want to begin here with the Classic Amplified once more. And we'll go into King James also. Chris, would you put that up on the screen? Look at this. Let me get out of the way. "Now, faith is the assurance, the confirmation, the title deed of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see, and the conviction of their reality. Faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses".
Now, that's the reason faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. It comes, it does, it's guaranteed to come by hearing, and by hearing the Word of God. And actually, I mean, you get it by reading to yourself. But actually, it'll come more quickly when you're hearing it under the anointing of teaching. Jesus did more teaching than anything else. He went everywhere, teaching, and preaching, and healing in that order. Not preaching, not healing first. And there are people, Christian people, that think he just went around and just some fella just had the lucky ticket and he just got healed. Well, I just don't know what makes it work. Well, I had a man, and that man was telling me the truth. He said, "I know he heals, I just don't know what makes it work".
See, he'd never been taught. To him, it was a mystery. It is a mystery. You know that God moves in mysterious ways. That is not scripture, that was a poem. There are people that picked it up and scripted it, so it's a poem somebody wrote. Thank You, Jesus. So, the secret to success. "Now, the just shall live by faith, but any man draws back..." I'm in Hebrews 10:38. The just shall live by faith. "We're not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul". Now, the spirit and the soul are not the same. I thought they were, but it's right there in 1 Thessalonians 5. Spirit and soul and body. Well, it's also here in the book of Hebrews also. "For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear".
Now here and in the next line it says... No, it wasn't anything you could see. It was that. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things that do appear. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, testifying of his gifts, and by it he being dead yet speak. Enoch was translated that he should not see death, and was not found because God had translated him. Before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God, but without faith it is impossible to please him. For he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of the things not seen yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark, the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness, which is by faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive an inheritance obeyed, and he went out not knowing where he went, by faith he sojourned in the land of promise".
Whew! In the land of promise. This just reeks with covenant. This is a covenant book and it really explains all of it right here in the book of Hebrews. "For he looked for a city which had foundation, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, when she was delivered a child of past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised". Whew! Don't you love it?
Therefore sprang there even of one of him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky and multitude, and as the sand of the sea. These all died in faith, not having received the promise, but having seen them afar off, were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better country, that is a heavenly, where God is not ashamed to be called their God. For he hath prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac, and he had received the promise, offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said that in Isaac thy seed shall be called, accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead. From hence also he received him in a figure. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob, and he saw concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshipped leaning on top of the staff. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel, and gave commandment concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child, a special child. And they that were not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Esteeming the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect under the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king. When he endured and seeing him who is invisible through faith, he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he be destroyed and firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea and the dry land, but the Egyptians are saved, to do so were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab perished, not with them that believed not, and she had received the spies with peace. And what shall I say more? The time would fail me of Gedeon and Barak and Samson, Jephthae, David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword. Out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to fight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder.
There were some of them that they just put them in a box and just sawed them in half. You know what started this? It started in the Garden of Eden. God said to that serpent, the devil, there is coming one. He's coming. Well, read it for yourself. He's coming. Well, anybody that came that had anything that looked like God, man, he's after them to kill them. And he didn't find out who it was until he heard. He heard God say, "This is my beloved son, hear ye him". And the fight was on, and he lost. That was the one. That's why he killed the prophets. That was the one. Praise God. But that's what this thing, the whole thing was all about. Now listen to this. "Others are trial of cruel mockings and scourgings and bonds of imprisonment, stoned, sawn asunder, tempted, slain with a sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted and tormented, of whom the world wasn't worthy. And they wandered in deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect".
Glory to God. Us. Us. Whoo. Glory to God. They paved the way for all of us. The secret to success. Now, Hebrews 11:6, it is impossible to please God, without faith. You can't do it. So there it is again. Without faith, it is impossible to please Him. For he that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. A lot of people are just not diligent in that. Lovely people, but not much diligence. Too busy. Too busy to do other things. Impossible to please Him. Cannot be saved without it, Ephesians 2:8. Turn to it and put your eyes on it. Thank You, Jesus. Wait, I'm going to read that. Hang on just one second. 2 Thessalonians. I mean, 1 Thessalonians. "Now we exalt your brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men".
Here's a good checklist. This is a good checklist. "See that none render evil for evil to any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God and Christ Jesus for you". That doesn't mean everything is the will of God, but in everything you give thanks. That's the will of God. "Quench not the Spirit, despise not prophesying, prove all things, hold fast to that which is good, abstain from the appearance of evil, and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. All one piece. I pray, God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus. Faithful is he that calls you and also will do it. Brethren, pray for us".
What a checklist. If you'll check those off, I tell you things will work for you. Well, that's spirit, soul, and body. Now then, and here, let's go on back over to Ephesians. The book of Ephesians. Man. And we've read this, and it's right there in 2:8. "That the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kingdom towards us through Christ Jesus, for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God". The moment you accepted Jesus, you were made a new creature. Well, you believed something when you did it. Now, I didn't know it. I never read that. I just knew it worked. But then I realized from that moment on, that experience really worked for me. And then when I began to read this, I thought, well, certainly. Because I believed when I said that, you come into my heart, I believed he would do it. And he did. So the grace was there, and he graced me. He told me I was going to hell if I didn't get straight, and I knew it. Mama and Terri were praying. And Gloria had been saved two weeks before, and I didn't know that.
But here we are. Ephesians 2:8, and there it is. You can't get saved without faith. You can't live the Christian life without faith. There it is. Romans 1.17, Galatians 3.11, Hebrews 10.38, Habakkuk 2.4. The just shall live by faith. Now, and when he says something one, two, three, four times, it's time to listen. And it's time to obey. What does that mean? Live by faith. That means that your life is sustained by your faith in this Book. Because this is God. Amen. It is sustained by faith in God. So now, let's read first John 4.4. "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you than he that is"... Overcome what? The spirit of Antichrist, all those devils. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
Now 5:4. "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith". If you use it, if you don't... Romans 14:23. Romans chapter 14. Let's go down here to the 22nd. Have you faith? Have it to yourself before... Let's back up here. 17. "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men. Let us, therefore, follow after things which make for peace in the things wherever one may edify another. For meat destroy not the works of God. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for that man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat flesh nor drink wine nor anything whereby another stumbles or offended or made weak. And you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself the things which he allows. He that doubts is damned if he eat, because he eats not of faith. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin".
Now then. Okay, here we are. That's 14:23. "But the man who has doubts, misgivings, and uneasy conscience about eating and then eats perhaps because of you stands condemned before God because it's not true to his convictions. And he does not act from faith. For whatsoever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin. Whatever is done without conviction and approval by God is sinful". Now, I'm telling you, if you walked up to about 95% of the Christian people and say, "Is it not living by faith, is that a sin"?
Oh, no, Brother Copeland. He'll forgive you. I know he'll forgive you. I just want to know what I ask you. There it is. Whatever does not proceed from faith. Why? The just shall live by faith. Now, we'll close this with the 14th chapter of the book of Matthew. No, no, 10th chapter. Matthew 10, excuse me. "And when he had called unto him his 12 disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out and heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now, the names of the 12 are these". Named them. "These 12 Jesus sent forth and commanded them, saying, he commanded them, saying, go not into the way of the Gentiles and into the city of Samaritans, enter ye not. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, cast out devils, freely you have received, freely give". That's the will of God. But it may not be his will in this dispensation. You and your dispensation can go wait in the car. Well, okay. The 10th chapter of Luke then. Thank You, Jesus.
"After these things, the Lord appointed another 70 also and sent them two by two before his face into every city and place where he would come himself. Therefore he said unto them, the harvest truly is great, the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth laborers into the harvest. Go your way, behold, and I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry no purse or script in their shoes and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house you enter, first say peace into this house. And if the Son of peace be there, your peace rests upon it. If not, it shall turn to you again. And then the same house remain, eating, drinking such things as they have, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. Whatever city you enter, then receive, eat such things as said before you. Heal the sick that are therein, and say to them, the kingdom of God has come now unto you. And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you not, go your way outside the street, and the same shall say, the dust of your feet cleaveth on us, we do wipe it off against you. This I say unto you, you'll be more tolerant and fluent, but go heal. Go do it".
That's the will of God. Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today, and forever, and he is the same, and he is still healing, and the people are still being well.