"The Power of God" by Nancy Dufresne

On one occasion, Jesus appeared to Kenneth E. Hagin and said, “When I was on the earth, I was the power of God. If people needed power, they had to get to Me – that’s why the people thronged to touch Me. But now that the Holy Ghost is on the earth, He is the power of God, and He is present everywhere. That’s why power is present everywhere.”

     Power is present in your home, your car, your workplace, and everywhere right now. You can get healed anywhere – you don’t have to wait to come to church. Anyone can get saved, healed, and delivered anywhere because God’s power is present everywhere. 

     The Holy Ghost was not always on the earth – God’s power has not always been present everywhere. But on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to the earth and is now present everywhere. On the Day of Pentecost, the Church and the earth got wired with power. When you were born again, you got wired with power because the Holy Ghost is in you. 

     Jesus went on to say to Brother Hagin, “There’s enough power in every sick room and in every hospital room to raise up that sick one if they only knew it was present and would give it action.”

     So Jesus said two things that are required for that power to work: 

1) We have to know it’s present. 

2) We have to give it action.

     How do we give it action? Just because the power is present doesn’t mean it’s in manifestation or flowing. That power that is within you is just waiting for you to flip the switch – then it will come into manifestation and begin to flow. How do we give it action or bring it into manifestation? By speaking words of faith. 

     The best way to illustrate this is like a piñata at a child’s birthday party. It’s full of candy and treats, but until someone hits it with a stick and opens it up, nothing in it flows. Once it’s struck just right, everything inside flows out and everyone can gather up the goodies. 

     Likewise, the power of God that’s present must be released so that it can flow. When that power is flowing and is in manifestation, then people can gather up what they need – they can receive their healing, their miracle, and the help they need. Words of faith are the stick that strikes the power. Faith brings it into manifestation. Don’t wait for God to bring it into manifestation – you’re authorized to bring it into manifestation through speaking words of faith. That power flows when faith words strike it. 

     Years ago, our family was with us when we were preaching at a church in Maui. A storm came and the power went out on our side of the island for days. The things that usually worked didn’t work any longer without power – kitchen appliances, hairdryers, irons, cell phones, computers, etc. The church was on the other side of the island, and that side still had power. When people went to church, you could tell what side of the island they lived on. Those without power looked different – their clothes were more wrinkled and the ladies’ hair didn’t look like it usually did. 

     Since God’s power is available to us, we need to access that power with our faith. We don’t want our lives to look like we haven’t been accessing the power that is available to us.  

     Power makes life better! Just naturally speaking, electrical power makes life better and easier. Likewise, it’s also true spiritually. When the power of God is flowing and manifesting in our lives, it makes life better and easier.

     If there’s an arena of your life that is lacking, don’t just wait for God to do something – turn on the power!

     I have been using a hairdryer every day for years. Every day I have to flip the switch to turn on the hairdryer because that power doesn’t flow automatically. I’ve never wondered why the hairdryer didn’t come on automatically just because I need it every day – I know I have to flip the switch.

     Likewise, the power of God is present, but just because we have a need, power doesn’t flow automatically – we have to flip the switch. Speaking words of faith flips the switch. We should give the same faithfulness to flip the switch of God’s power as we do to flip on the hairdryer.

     It doesn’t matter whether or not you can feel the power of God – it’s always present. Power can be unseen and unfelt. 

     At the dentist, when they do x-rays, they will put a protective apron on the patient and leave the room to flip the switch on the machine. The radiation is unseen and unfelt, but it’s still flowing – that’s why they leave the room when they flip the switch.

     Every day, remember that the power of God is present, whether you feel it or not – believe that and give it action by speaking words of faith. 

     If you find yourself or a loved one in a sick room or a hospital room, remember that there is enough power in that room to raise up that sick one. Speak words of faith and give action to that power and it will flow.

     Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 2:4 & 5, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but IN THE POWER OF GOD.” 

     Learn to declare in the face of every need, “I believe in the power of God that is present, and I believe it flows right now to meet my need!”

"The Prescription for Success" by Nancy Dufresne

A few months ago, I wrote about how on one particular occasion, I had been talking to God, repenting about some things — not things I had done wrong, but things I had failed to do — things I could have done better. 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, but I NEVER have. So, I share My success with you.”

     As new creatures in Christ, the life of God, the power of God, and the ability of God are in us. But also, the success of God is in us. We share in His success because we are made in His image, and God has never failed at anything!

     The success of God is in us, so we don’t have to try to achieve success on our own with our natural ability, but we can draw on the divine success that is within us. 

     The Word instructs us how to draw on that success and put it to work for us. “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). 

     This verse gives us the three-step prescription for success:

1. This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth. We must have a lifestyle of speaking the Word, no matter what the circumstances look like.

2. Meditate on the Word day and night. Meditating on the Word deals with our thought lives and what we are holding our attention on every day. Meditation is also how we drive the Word down into our spirits, and it’s when the Word flows from our spirits that it becomes effective.

3. We are to DO according to the Word — act on the Word. We are not to endeavor to act on the Word until we have taken time to do steps 1 & 2 — that’s when we will get results.

     One of the best ways to illustrate these three steps that we are to take is by looking at how an old-time musket rifle works. To make one of those rifles work, the first step is to pour gun powder down the barrel, load it with a bullet, and then put in a wad of paper. The second step to take is to pack it all down with a long rod. By packing it down, you improve the musket’s accuracy. The third step is to fire the musket.

     When we speak the Word, that’s like loading the rifle with gunpowder, the bullet, and the paper wad. To meditate on the Word day and night is like packing it all down, which ensures accuracy. To act on the Word is like firing the rifle. It won’t do any good to pull the trigger until it’s been loaded and packed down. 

     It won’t do any good to try to act on the Word without taking the time to speak the Word and meditate on it — that would be like pulling the trigger on a rifle that hasn’t been loaded. This is where many misunderstand faith. They think if they take actions of faith that it will work, but actions of faith must be backed up by words of faith and thoughts of faith. That’s how we arrive at success. 

     Success belongs to us, but it won’t automatically show up — we have to take the steps prescribed in the Word. That’s what will activate the success of God in us. 

"Take Off the Limits!" by Nancy Dufresne

Joshua 1:8 instructs us, “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” (Amplified).

     The Word IN you is the fountain of your success. Our success is not by willpower and self-effort. Our effort and work is to get the all-conquering Word in us and dominating us – it’s then we experience the success the Word gives.

     This verse gives us three instructions: keep the Word in our mouths, meditate on the Word day and night, and do the Word.

     One way for us to keep the Word in our mouths is by meditating 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. 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.

     Meditating on the Word takes the limits off small thinking. Small thinking limits God and limits the degree of success we will have. We will have everything we are okay with – but if we will reach for more, God will back us up. Meditating on the Word is how we ENLARGE our spirits to lay hold of the greatness of His plan. We have to lay hold of things with our spirits first before we will ever see them come to pass. If you think, “I can’t have that,” you’re right, you can’t. Break off those limiting thoughts by meditating on the Word.

     First Kings 4:29-30 read, “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and LARGENESS OF HEART, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. The Amplified translation reads, “And God gave Solomon exceptionally much wisdom and understanding, and BREADTH OF MIND like the sand of the seashore.”

     Solomon had no limits on the way he thought, and he had a large spirit that could accept and lay hold of the wealth God blessed him with. He had no limits on his thinking and his believing. This verse said his largeness of heart and breadth of mind was “like the sand of the seashore” – unlimited. Where did that largeness come from? God gave it to him.

     I appreciate that the Word listed his wealth for us, for in seeing it, it helps break small thinking off of us. 

     King Solomon ruled from 970 BC to 931 BC, and during this time he received 25 tons of gold for each of the 39 years of his reign. That’s 50,000 pounds of gold each year, which totals almost 2 million pounds of gold over the 39 years. In today’s calculations, King Solomon’s net worth was $2.2 trillion. His wealth didn’t bother God – He was the one who blessed him with it.

     Second Chronicles 9:13-29 lists his wealth. “Every year King Solomon received over twenty-five tons of gold, in addition to the taxes paid by the traders and merchants. The kings of Arabia and the governors of the Israelite districts also brought him silver and gold. Solomon made two hundred large shields, each of which was covered with about fifteen pounds of beaten gold, and three hundred smaller shields, each covered with about eight pounds of beaten gold. …The king also had a large throne made. Part of it was covered with ivory and the rest of it was covered with pure gold. Six steps led up to the throne, and there was a footstool attached to it, covered with gold. There were arms on each side of the throne, and the figure of a lion stood at each side. Twelve figures of lions were on the steps, one at either end of each step. No throne like this had ever existed in any other kingdom. All of King Solomon's drinking cups were made of gold, and all the utensils…were of pure gold. Silver was not considered valuable in Solomon's day. He had a fleet of ocean-going ships. …Every three years his fleet would return, bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys. King Solomon was richer and wiser than any other king in the world. They all consulted him, to hear the wisdom that God had given him. Each of them brought Solomon gifts—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. This continued year after year. King Solomon also had four thousand stalls for his chariots and horses, and had twelve thousand cavalry horses. …He was supreme ruler of all the kings in the territory from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border. During his reign silver was as common in Jerusalem as stone, and cedar was as plentiful as ordinary sycamore in the foothills of Judah. Solomon imported horses from…every other country” (Good News Translation).

     I’m not saying that everyone will amass the wealth of King Solomon, but I am saying that we are settling for far too less of what God has made ours! Since God’s blessing on Solomon enabled him to amass such a great natural wealth that is fleeting, just think of the wealth of the true riches that belong to us! How do we access that? We must allow the Word to enlarge our spirits and minds and break off small thinking and limited believing. We must engage in extravagant asking and extravagant receiving. 

     Meditating on the Word plays a big role in helping enlarge our spirits and minds and removing those limits that hinder us from receiving all God offers us. We have an end-time harvest to fund, so let’s take off the limits!