Kenneth Copeland Devotional 12 July 2024 – Be Skillful
Topic: Be Skillful
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. – Psalm 34:10
Scripture Reading: Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Did you know that, according to the Word of God, there is no lack in the Body of Christ? Everything we could ever need, every problem we could ever face has been covered by the blood of Jesus. His exceeding great and precious promises have supplied it all.
Why then do many of us keep on suffering lack? Because we haven’t, as Hebrews 5:13 says, become skillful in the Word of righteousness.
It takes skill to apply the Word of God. Most of us don’t realize that. We just sling the Word around and try to use it any old way. We pray some ignorant prayer and then say, “Oh well, God knows what I mean” and expect it to be answered.
It’s funny though. We’d never stand for that kind of carelessness in the natural realm. If our doctor came in and just threw a bottle of pills at us and said, “Here, take that,” without even trying to find out what’s wrong with us, we’d leave his office and never come back. Yet, we’re shocked when that same careless attitude in the spiritual realm keeps our prayers from being effective.
We live in an “instant” society where everything is quick and easy. And too many of us are letting that instant mentality leak over into our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. When someone needs healing, we bust through the hospital door, dab a little oil between their eyes and say, “Glory to God!” and out the door we go. Sometimes it doesn’t take any longer than “In the Name of Jesus be healed!” But sometimes there is something else that must be done.
The time has come for us to shake off that “instant” mentality and realize that there are situations where we’re going to have to take some time and pray in the Holy Ghost. Times when we’re going to have to sit there and listen for God’s instructions.
If you’ve come up short in any area of life—whether it be healing or finances or anything else—determine to develop your Word skills where that area is concerned. Get out your Bible. Read all through the healing scriptures. Read all through the miracle scriptures. Read all through the promises of God. Read all through the blessings of Abraham.
Meditate on them. Ask God to speak to you through them and to enlighten you about the situation you’re facing. Don’t just sling the Word around. Dig in to it. Fellowship with your Father over it. Let Him show you how to apply it skillfully, and eventually, you’ll lack no good thing.
This message was written by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, the leader of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries that specializes in teaching principles of bible faith – prayer, healing, salvation and other biblical topics.
