"Sharing in Jesus' Success" by Nancy Dufresne

On one particular occasion, I had missed God in something, so I repented. Afterwards, I began to study, and while studying, I had the sense to get on my knees. When I did, Jesus stood in front of me. I didn’t see Him, but by the word of knowledge, I knew He was there. Jesus said to me, “You have failed many, many times (thankfully, He didn’t end with that), but I NEVER have. So, I share My success with you.”

Although Jesus was born the Son of God, He still walked this Earth as a man, and His success came from doing the Word and from relying on the Holy Spirit.

Let’s look at Joshua at the time when Moses died. Joshua was facing the greatest responsibility of his life. He was the leader of a second generation of Hebrews who had been delivered out of Egypt. This generation had been raised by parents who had never arrived into God’s best – the Promised Land. Their parents were a disappointed, unfulfilled people. They had been disobedient and rebellious, and they carried a “slave” mentality. They wouldn’t walk by faith because they wouldn’t change their mentality – they carried a “slave” mentality. And that mentality was, no doubt, passed on to their children. God had brought them out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders – but to get into the Promised Land required their faith. They had refused to enter in by faith – so they lived with what was barely enough in the wilderness – they never arrived at the abundance of the Promised Land.

This second generation had been trained by their parents – and Joshua was to lead them into a place where their parents had refused to go. How could 40 years of doubt, disobedience, and rebellion be turned into a generation of success?

God spoke to him and told him how. “This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success” (Joshua 1:8, AMP). God gives to Joshua the prescription for success. Something that had been going the wrong direction for decades could be turned.

Moses had laid hands on Joshua and imparted the spirit of wisdom into him, but that wouldn’t take the place of the word that God prescribed for him in Joshua 1:8.

This prescription for success didn’t just work for Joshua and the Hebrews, but it will work for every person who will do it – no matter how long their life has been going the wrong direction – no matter what kind of upbringing they have had. God has planned success for us in every arena of life, and He gives a prescription for success in this verse.

Success isn’t automatic – we must DO the right things to experience success. God has a part toward our success, but man also has a part toward success, and this verse spells out our part. When we assume our responsibilities and our duties toward faith in the Word, success is the outcome.

God’s first instruction, “This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth....” This means that we must SPEAK the Word all throughout the day – in the face of tests, oppositions, and difficulties that arise – and when everything is in place. As Dad Hagin taught us, no matter what you face, learn to ask yourself, “What does the Word say about this?” To put it in our mouths, we must feed on it. We have to take in the Word; we are to have a lifestyle of feeding on the Word, so that we live full of it.

Mark 11:23 says, “…He shall have whatsoever he SAITH.” We are to confess what the Word says about us and about our situations. It’s not enough to only BELIEVE it. For faith to work and to have success, we have to SAY the Word. The more we say it, the more we have it – the less we say it, the less we have it. Healing is fulfilled in our lives when we speak it. Prosperity is fulfilled in our lives when we speak it. All that God has blessed us with operates when we speak.

The second instruction God gave Joshua was, “This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but YOU SHALL MEDITATE ON IT DAY AND NIGHT....” To meditate means to think deeply into and to mutter to ourselves. This is dealing with what we allow in our thought lives and what we have our attention on. We are to meditate on the Word day and night – when the sun is shining in our lives or when darkness comes. God is telling us that we are not to have our attention and our thoughts on circumstances, on things we feel, on things that are heard. If we are to have success, we must hold our thoughts and attention on the Word day and night, no matter what circumstances surround us. 

We can’t say one thing with our mouths and something different to ourselves in our thought lives. James 1:7-8 says that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways – don’t let that man think he will receive anything of the Lord. It’s double minded to say one thing with our mouths but something different to ourselves.

Meditation is how you get the Word in you and how you get you in the Word. The only part of the Word that will work for you is the part you get IN you – in your spirit – not just in your mind. Meditation drives the Word down into our spirits. It won’t work to just speak or confess the Word from our minds, but it has to be from our spirits, and meditation is how we get the Word in our spirits. We must spend time in the Word. This is vital to renewing our minds with the Word.

The third instruction God gave Joshua was, “This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and DO according to all that is written in it.” God doesn’t just want the Word to be in our mouths and in our thought lives – the Word must be in our actions and our behaviors. Faith COMES by hearing, but it doesn’t OPERATE by hearing. For faith to operate, it must be released, and it’s released by SPEAKING and by ACTING.

There is a divine order in the prescription of success: speak the Word, meditate on the Word, THEN act on the Word. Don’t try to ACT on the Word until you’ve done the previous instructions – speak it and meditate on it. We don’t do faith acts to try to GET faith, but because we HAVE faith. Faith comes by the Word, not by actions. That’s why we put the Word first in our words and our thoughts – then faith-filled acts will be the result.

The Word must dominate in all 3 places for us to arrive at success – we are to speak faith WORDS, have faith THOUGHTS, and take faith ACTIONS! Prosperity and success are the byproducts of carrying out the instructions of faith lined out in Joshua 1:8. When the Word is in all three places, there will be success in every area of life. Our success is not up to God – it is up to what WE do with the Word.

When God told Joshua what to do, Joshua was in the most difficult circumstances. This was God’s instructions to turn a nation’s failures into successes. When people are faced with great difficulties, they search to know what to do. Here’s the prescription for success – no matter what your situation – SPEAK, THINK, ACT the Word. It will turn failure into success.

"Worship - A Word from God" by Nancy Dufresne

Since Brother Norvel Hayes went home to be with the Lord, God has stirred me to go back through the message that Brother Norvel brought to the Body of Christ. Brother Norvel taught faith and divine healing, but he taught it from the place of worship.

     Years ago, God spoke to Norvel Hayes and stated, “My children basically love Me, but they live in poverty and sickness and defeat. They don’t live in Heaven’s blessings because they don’t worship Me enough. You’re teaching faith and confession, you’re praying for the sick, but you need to worship Me more, and you need to teach My people to worship Me more. I’m their God, and they’re My children. If you’ll teach My children to worship Me more, I’ll do great and mighty things for them.”

Praise Brings the Anointing

     This word from God changed Brother Norvel’s life and ministry. I want to look more closely at what God said to him. God stated that His people don’t live in Heaven’s blessings because they don’t worship Him ENOUGH. He didn’t say they don’t worship Him — they worship Him, but not enough. How long is long enough? 

     I’m reminded of something Kenneth Hagin, Sr. used to say to us, “Praise brings the anointing, and the anointing destroys the yoke.” Psalm 22:3 tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. How does God inhabit our praises? With His anointing. When we praise, His anointing indwells those praises. We understand that under the New Covenant God inhabits His people, but God also inhabits our praises. This helps us understand what God said to Brother Norvel. In light of what Dad Hagin taught us, we could accurately word what God said this way: “They don’t live in Heaven’s blessings because they don’t worship Me long enough for the anointing to come into manifestation and destroy the yoke.” The more time we spend worshipping God, the more time we are giving for the anointing to work on our behalf. We are the ones who determine how long the anointing will work on our behalf. Little worship, little anointing. More worship, more anointing. Much worship, much anointing.

There’s No Substitute for Worship

     In the word God spoke to Brother Norvel, He also stated, “You’re teaching faith and confession, you’re praying for the sick, but you need to worship Me more, and you need to teach My people to worship Me more.” God commended Brother Norvel because he was teaching faith, teaching confession, and praying for the sick. Those things are right to do, but God showed him that worship was being neglected. Teaching faith, teaching the confessing of God’s Word, and praying for the sick are right to do, but they are no substitute for worship. Each of these have their place, but one cannot substitute for the other.

Keep Worshipping

     God went on to say to Brother Norvel, “I’m their God, and they’re My children. If you’ll teach My children to worship Me more, I’ll do great and mighty things for them.” Notice, people have to be taught to worship God and how to worship God. They have to be taught how to keep worshipping, no matter what the circumstances are.

     Psalm 34:1 instructs us, “I will bless the Lord AT ALL TIMES: his praise shall CONTINUALLY be in my mouth.” We are to praise and worship God “at all times” — whether the times look favorable or unfavorable. We must learn how to keep worshipping God no matter what circumstances look like. If we will keep worshipping God when circumstances look unfavorable, it will change the outcome of those times. In this verse, God is giving us the instruction of what to do at “all times” — even times when we don’t know what to do next — praise Him. We are to practice the spiritual habit of having His praises “continually” be in our mouths. We are to practice a lifestyle of praising God.

Great & Mighty Things

     Look at the last phrase of what God said to Brother Norvel. “If you’ll teach My children to worship Me more, I’ll do great and mighty things for them.” Those who worship God will see great and mighty things done for them! This is what God longs to do for His people — great and mighty things! But notice the instruction — it’s when we worship God more that He is able to do great and mighty things for us. Worship brings the anointing, and it’s by the anointing that great and mighty things are worked. 

     But worship is also an act of faith, for faith is dealing with the unseen, and when we worship God, we are worshipping a God we don’t see; therefore, worship is an act of faith. When God finds people worshipping, He finds faith. And where He finds faith, He finds a place where He can do great and mighty things.

"Answer It! Part 1" by Nancy Dufresne

I’m going to teach you the three vital steps to victory. Since I’ve learned and taken these three steps, they have been my exit out of EVERY test I have faced.

STEP #1 – Answer It!

     One of the most important things the believer must learn is how to answer opposition. Many are hoping the devil will just leave them alone, but faith answers what opposes it. 

“One of the most important things the believer must learn is how to answer opposition.”

     Mark 11:12 & 13 reads, “And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found NOTHING but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.” Jesus shows us what to do when we come up to “nothing.” Jesus answered the tree – Jesus  talked to things! By having no fruit, the tree was saying something to Him – “No supply from me!” – so He answered it.
      Verses 14 & 15 say, “And Jesus ANSWERED and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. And they come to Jerusalem....” Jesus answered the tree, then continued on His journey. He didn’t hold His attention on the tree “to see if it worked.” He didn’t slow His pace – He answered it and then continued on with His life. That’s what faith does – it answers the problem and then keeps going.
     Verses 19-23 read, “And when even was come, he went out of the city. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”
     Verse 23 is simply saying that things will obey you – talk to them! Talk to those symptoms, talk to pain, talk to lack – ANSWER THEM – tell them to leave in Jesus’ Name, then continue on your way. Don’t make the mistake of just talking ABOUT the mountain – talk TO it! Jesus didn’t wait for God to do something with that tree – He was authorized! He spoke to it! You’re authorized – speak to things! Don’t wait for God to do it. Jesus authorized us to speak to things. Since we are authorized to speak to the mountain in our lives, it’s wrong to wait for God to do it. He won’t do what He has authorized us to do.

Answer Specifically

     When that tree told Jesus that He wasn’t going to get any fruit from it, Jesus answered specifically – He said, “No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever.” Jesus answered SPECIFICALLY!

     In Luke 4, Jesus was in the wilderness of temptation, and He showed us how to answer a test or temptation specifically. Verses 3 & 4 read, “And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Jesus didn’t answer with, “I’m the Son of God,” or, “I’m anointed.” That wasn’t the specific answer for that temptation. Jesus answered in line with what He was tempted with. Each time Jesus was tested, He answered with what the Word said and gave a specific answer in line with the temptation.
     If the devil were to threaten you with, “You’re not going to have enough money to make your house payment,” don’t answer with, “I love the Lord.” It’s true that you love the Lord, but that’s not the specific answer to that threat. You would answer with, “That’s a lie! I will have more than enough money for my house payment because I’m a tither and a giver, and my God supplies all my needs according to His riches in glory!”

     No one else can answer for you. You must learn to answer for yourself. We not only have to be good at talking to God, but we must be good at talking to the devil. We talk to God in fellowship, but we talk to the devil in authority – we don’t converse with him!

     Answering opposition and tests right affects our homes, marriages, children, health, finances, future, etc....

     As our kids grow older, they must be taught how to answer the devil for themselves. Older kids can’t live off their parents’ faith. When they reach the age of accountability (around 12-14 for most kids), they must learn to answer. If they aren’t taught, the devil will trouble their minds and their lives.

     How does the devil get into and trouble someone’s mind? By them listening to him and turning those thoughts over and over in the mind. You can’t stop the devil from talking to you, but you are to have something to say when he speaks – answer him! Anything that troubles you, makes you fearful, depresses you, puts you down, brings doubt, etc., is the devil – ANSWER THOSE THOUGHTS SPECIFICALLY!

     When the devil speaks and attacks, he produces a feeling to try to deceive you into believing what he says is true. The devil imitates how God moves. When God speaks, there’s an anointing that comes – which helps us recognize and receive what He’s saying, but we still must respond to God to receive what He says. When the devil speaks or attacks, he produces feelings of fear, doubt, panic, etc., that seem so real. This is to try to deceive you into accepting what he threatens as being true. Answer the attack and answer the feelings. 

     Answering the words the devil speaks stops their movement from circling around your mind. You can’t stop thoughts with thoughts – you stop them by answering with words.

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Answer It! (Nancy Dufresne)

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STEP #2 – Tell the Devil To Leave

     Tell the spirit that spoke those words to leave you – tell fear to leave or tell doubt to leave. 

STEP #3 – Worship God

     Worshipping God holds your attention off the opposition and on God. It holds your attention off the mountain and on the Mountain Mover. What our attention is on is what gets the movement in our lives. It holds you out of the mental arena and in the faith arena.

     It only takes a moment to do Step 1 – answer the test specifically. It only takes a moment to do Step 2 – tell the devil to leave. But the bulk of our time should be spent doing Step 3 – worshipping God. Praise and worship brings the anointing, and it’s the anointing that destroys the yoke. Worship till the anointing comes – then the yoke will be destroyed!