Dear Partner,
First, I want to thank you for standing with Gloria and me as our Partners in the calling of this ministry. At the time of this writing, I have just returned from a great meeting at Canaanland, in Nigeria, and will be leaving the day after tomorrow for Lima, Peru.
During a ministers’ conference in Faith Tabernacle on the grounds of Canaanland, I taught 4,000-5,000 ministers from all over the world, including many from other African nations. A number of them pastor churches of 5, 10, 20 and even 30,000 members. You can see why a conference of this kind is so very important to the kingdom of God. Friday evening, I was the first speaker to a packed house of 50,000 people, plus those in the overflow areas. That Sunday morning, I preached the first two of five services that were also packed out at more than 50,000 people. The total attendance count for last year’s Sunday services at Faith Tabernacle was 320,000! This is happening all over the African continent.
The meeting this week at our 2017 Peru Victory Campaign in Lima, will run 2500 in the morning services and 3,000-4,000 in the evenings—or more. That’s the kind of attendance we saw last year, and we are believing this year will be even larger and greater. And you were there! Your offerings paid the bills. Your prayers were heard!
Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote to his partners in Philippians 1:19:
- For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
That’s the way things work in the realm of the spirit. Faith works! The WORD works! But they only work when they are put to work. It’s knowledge acted on that brings results—that and never, ever giving up.
Now that brings me to this: I’ve been to that place where it seemed like I just hit a wall. That’s when the devil will try to get you to let go of your faith. He’ll say things like, “Aw, this faith stuff doesn’t work. They told you all the time it wouldn’t work.” Well it sure won’t if you quit.
You might be thinking, LORD, what do I do now? HAVE FAITH IN GOD, and begin to praise Him! Jesus said in Mark 11:22, “Have faith in God.”
“But Brother Copeland, what about my children?”
HAVE FAITH IN GOD!
“What about my health? I can’t seem to receive my healing.”
HAVE FAITH IN GOD! When all else seems lost, HAVE FAITH IN GOD, and begin to praise Him. Obey 1 Thessalonians 5:18, whether you feel like it or not:
- In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
I remember Kenneth E. Hagin saying, “If you praise God long enough, a
spirit of worship will come on you. Then as you worship Him, the glory will come.”
Look at Acts 16:23-26:
- And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
- Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
- And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
- And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
I know it was actually midnight when this happened, but it can also be the midnight hour in your situation. It’s NEVER too late! I learned from Bishop David Oyedepo, pastor of the great church I mentioned in Nigeria, to dance before The LORD until the victory comes—however long it takes! You can be lying flat on your back, and yet see yourself in your spirit dancing before the throne of grace. How? BY FAITH!
Let’s look at Hebrews 13:15:
- By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Notice, it’s called the sacrifice of praise. One of the reasons it’s called a sacrifice is because your flesh doesn’t ever “feel” like doing it, especially when it comes to dancing before Him. The keyword in that verse is continually. When you feel like griping and complaining, don’t yield to it. That’s what Ephesians 5:4 is talking about:
- Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
“But Brother Copeland, it’s so hard!”
Sure it’s hard. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. In fact, you can’t do it, but the God in you can!
“But, I just cain’t!”
If you’re under 80 years old, don’t tell me you “cain’t.” I still struggle with this. In the natural, I’m not where I want to be. But BY FAITH IN GOD, I am. Face the fact that this is the way battles are fought and won. This is the good fight of FAITH! THE VICTORY IS YOURS. THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S. That fight in 2 Chronicles 20 was a praise fight. Some people are never going to receive their victory breakthrough any other way.
I’m giving you your sowing assignment this month. Take your financial seed in your hand, and dance before The LORD with it. Lay it at His feet, and like David did in 2 Samuel 6:14, praise Him with all your might, declaring your victory and your harvest!
- And David danced before The LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
Writing this letter to you has ministered to me in a very special way today. We are Partners together in this calling. You are very special in our eyes. You’re one in a million! We love you very much and pray for you every day.
Love,
P.S. SOW IT FORWARD! Be a blessing. Pass this letter on to a family member or friend.
