Kenneth Copeland - The Key to Getting Your Confession of Faith to Work
Father, we thank You. Oh, praise God. We receive our hearts flooded with light concerning Your Word. And we’re at that place that You dropped into my heart, and I believe we’re there now. And we’ll step on out there in it, and we give You the praise and the honor for it in Jesus' name. Amen.
Now, we began this study, of course, with the in him, in Christ, in the beloved, and in whom scriptures. So, it’s amazing to me. How can I say that, Lord? That, as we pointed out last week, the Bible says we were first called Christians at Antioch. Well, what were we called before that? Jesus said, «I am the way, the truth and the light». It was called the way. And it was called the great confession, because that’s what he taught. And that’s what Peter taught. And that’s what all of them taught after that, because he’s the one that said it. Now, we’ve established this study, and we won’t attempt to go into all of these different scriptures, because we will make them available, as I said, in the form of notes.
So, it’s time now to move over into the sixth chapter of the book of Hebrews. In this fifth chapter class, For everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the Word of righteousness, for he is a baby. But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those by using of practice or use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Years ago, in studying this, the Lord said, that’s your job. That’s it. Amen. The time you ought to… The time you ought to be teachers, you have one that need to teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God become such as have need of milk and not strong meat, for everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the Word of righteousness. He’s a baby. Doesn’t know how to use it. And that’s what these scriptures are. That’s the reason they’re… I didn’t come up with this. I learned this from Kenneth E. Hagin.
So, what does that mean? Those Rhema students were way ahead of me. Glory to God. Hallelujah. In 1975, at the first graduation, the first graduating Rhema class, I was asked to speak. It blessed me because what I didn’t know, they were about to give me a Rhema graduation ring. So, I graduated from Rhema in 1975 because I got it on the tapes before they got there. And while I was doing that, it was at Sheridan Assembly in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and there was a young man in the choir that was an Oral Roberts University student. And his name was George Pearsons. And my daughter had invited him to come hear her daddy, Terri. Well, they introduced Kenneth Hagin. He said, «Well, no, that’s the wrong Kenneth».
Then they introduced Kenneth Jr. He said, «That can’t be». And they introduced me. He said, «Well, yeah, that’s him». And I spoke about the three honors. The honor of being called a preach, and the honor of being married to a godly woman, and the honor of my peers having, caring anything about what I said. Praise God. And I said, I’m enjoying that. And they walked up and handed me that ring. Glory to God. Hallelujah. Thank You, Jesus. So, go with me now to chapter six. This is what last week was about. This is what this week has been about. And we’re here. All of this was preparation. All of this was foundation. Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, the teaching of Christ, let us go on to perfection. Not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith toward God, the doctrine of baptisms, there’s more than one.
The scripture says we’re baptized into Christ. We’re baptized in water, and baptized in the Holy Ghost. The doctrine of baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Now, class, this is the principle doctrine of Christ. It’s very sacred, and it must not be treated ho-hum. No. This is principle. The doctrine of laying on of hands. Laying hands on the sick, laying hands to separate someone into an office. Praise God. Very special. Jesus did all of these things, except baptizing. He didn’t baptize anybody. John took care of that. His cousin. For it is impossible… this we will do if God permit, for it is impossible for those who were once enlightened.
Now, make a note of this. It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, partakers of the Holy Ghost, tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they fall away, to renew them unto repentance. Seeing they crucified to themselves, the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. That’s the sin unto death. Didn’t say God wouldn’t forgive them. It’s impossible to bring them to repentance. There’s another place in here that backs it up in the book of Hebrews. Here again. Well, yes, thank You, Lord. Glory to God. Hold your place there, because we’re going to that. Let’s go to the book of Philippians, please. Oh, I went right past it.
The book of Philippians, chapter four. Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beseech you, Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. I entreat these also through yokefellow. Help these women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with my other fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your heart and mine through Christ Jesus. But it doesn’t stop there, class. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true.
Well, I’m going to tell you right now, I’m telling you the truth. I’m going to tell you what she did. I’m going to tell you. It’s absolute truth. I know it is, because I heard Brother Doodad say so. Oh, brother. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, that pretty well knocked that one in the head. Whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely. That wasn’t lovely. You see, these things have to be judged. Whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Now, and too, I want to mention one of the… These are my go-to study books, particularly the Richard Francis Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, which says, faith needs corresponding action. We published both of these, but I just wanted to make sure you’re aware of it, and the Classic Amplified is now a Kenneth Copeland Ministries product. I want you to see this from the Classic Amplified, and we’re in Philippians 4. Okay. Now, this says, Be careful for nothing. Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance, in everything, by prayer, petition, definite requests. Don’t just shoot scatter shots. Well, God, you know whatever I need. That ain’t going to get it. No. You need to ask. Huh? Ask, you shall receive. What? Seek, you shall find. Knock, it shall be opened unto you. With thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
Now, listen. God’s peace shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ. So, fearing nothing from God, being content as an earthly lot, whatever sort it is, that peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. For the rest, brethren, whatsoever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence, whatever is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there be any virtue and excellence, if there be anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these and fix your mind on them. Fix it there. Amen.
All right. Now, hold your place in the book of Philippians, and let’s go back to 2 Corinthians. You like this kind of just rip roaring through the Word of God? 2 Corinthians chapter 10. Now, this has come up a lot of times in different ways and different things in the ministry. A couple of times of some very serious things financially. The worst financial situation, there was a time when some different things had happened, and our TV bill began to slip, and we got $6 million behind on that thing. Now, as it came in, we were still paying it and they weren’t kicking us off the stations, but we were on some thin ice. Our board meeting’s coming up, and Pastor George, CEO, would get a report from all the different departments, then give it to me, and then I make the report to the board. I waited to the last minute. I didn’t want to go in for that board, so I went in and got the report.
Now, this is the thing that I want to point out. Oh, best year we’ve ever had. Best year we’ve ever had. Best year we’ve ever had. $6 million in the red. Best year we’ve ever had. Best year we’ve ever had. I went back and the Lord said, the one you tried to carry is the one that’s behind. I fixed my mind on that. I violated what we just read in the book of Philippians. I fixed my mind on it. I couldn’t think about anything else, because $6 million, I mean, you’ve got to be picking real fast, because you’re not only… I mean, the TV bill wasn’t going down. It was still increasing. Back in those days, there’s somewhere around a million a month, and it just kept getting, a little bit at a time, it just kept getting behind and behind, and it wound up in that $6 million mark.
I heard the Lord say, you know better than that. He said, I taught you a long time ago to cast the whole of your care over on me, and if you’d have done it in the beginning, you wouldn’t be in this mess now. What are you going to do? Gloria! She’d already gone to bed. I called her down to my study. I said, «Sweetheart, look at this. Look what I’ve done». We got together, and we prayed, and we went to Matthew, the 18th chapter, and we agreed before the Lord and said, it’s done. Then I’d get to thinking, $6 million, what am I going to do? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Say this. I cannot afford to touch that with my thought life. I must be obedient to Philippians four. Think on those things, not this TV bill.
Second Corinthians chapter 10. Now, I Paul, myself, beseech you by the meekness and the gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you. Absent, I’m bold toward you. But I beseech you that I may not be bold when I’m present and confident. That’s going down to four. All right, verse three. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. They are not human, but mighty through God to the pulling down. I’m going to put a little parentheses. To the pulling down of mental strongholds.
We’ll read it here in a moment. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God or against what you know to be the knowledge of God. Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience. I put a little note. All disobedience of thought when your obedience is fulfilled. And I’d be sitting there and I’d think six million. No, you don’t. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I’ve already… That belongs to God, not me.
If I could have fixed it, I’ve already done it. No, I’m not touching that. Well, after a couple of weeks, I’m telling you, first two or three weeks, it was… I mean, these thoughts were doing their best to get out of jail and get back on me. But after a couple of weeks, it became fewer and fewer to where then it was just gone. I didn’t pay any attention to it anymore. Pastor George then had already taken that up because obviously he knew it was there. He had already taken it up and he was already moving in that direction also. When I got out of the way and I just didn’t touch it with my thought life anymore and I wouldn’t think about it, I’d say, «Glory to God, it’s so great to be out of debt. It is so great, hallelujah».
Class, it was an absolute miracle. I don’t write my partners and say, oh, help me, help me, help me, please. No, no. My spiritual father, the day he commissioned me on Partner Letters, you don’t write these letters to get your needs met. You write your letters to help your partners get their needs met. I don’t mention it. I’m telling you, it came in there in record time.
Now listen to this. We had been paying that bill in two installments each month and for the first time in the history of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, we paid the TV bill in one check. Come on, give the Lord a praise. Now what happened? Let’s go back over here and I’ll show you what happened. We became skillful in the Word of righteousness and that skill was needed desperately, but it worked.
I had to practice it. I couldn’t just say, oh, well, you can’t do that. I can’t get this off my mind. I don’t know why anybody would think you could get $6 million off your mind in the first place. I’m just a country boy to start with. It had the potential of destroying this ministry because we were preaching a debt-free lifestyle and here we were $6 million behind and we’re out of time again today. Let’s give the Lord praise and thanksgiving. Hallelujah. Come on, do better than that. Hallelujah. Thank You, Lord.