The Successful Life

 

 

The Successful Life
By Rev. Elbert Willis

 

The subject of this book is the successful life. First of all, we want to look at the world’s concept of success. The world has a concept of success that may not be correct. The world tells you what it thinks you ought to do to be successful. God also has a concept. I want to talk to you about meditating upon the Word, which is the basis for a successful life. If you do not meditate in the Word of God, you will never come to the place where you live a successful life.

1. The World’s Concept. What is the world’s concept? What does the world say that you need in order to be successful? The world says if you are successful, it is either through education, hard work (if you don’t have the education maybe you are not as smart as the next guy, then you can work hard to make up for it), or intelligence. I personally believed in hard work. I used to make this statement, “A lot of men are smarter than I, but I work harder and longer and I’ll make up for it and pass them.” This is the world’s concept: education, hard work, intelligence. Get the right kind of breaks and you can do it. You can be lucky in the world, but with God there is no such thing as luck. God guarantees you success if you learn His Word. The breaks may come as far as the world is concerned, but you don’t have to depend upon breaks; you don’t have to depend upon luck, you don’t have to depend upon education, and hard work, and intelligence.

Out there in the world, to be successful you have to have that drive. You have to have that push, that ambition, that determination. And, of course, the world’s concept in order to be successful is that you must be ambitious, you must want to reach out and make that million, etc., etc. This is what the world tells you. If you don’t do it that way, the world says you have to have wealthy parents. If you don’t have wealthy parents, marry somebody who has a lot of money.

The world has all of its aspects of how to be successful and have a lot of money. And most people today, even the Christians, are looking at what the world promises them for success. Most Christians who become successful the world’s way end up dried up because, the next thing you know, their business or whatever it is begins to control them. It pushes them ten, twelve, sixteen hours a day. It pushes them to work just as much on Sunday as they do any other day.

I just don’t believe God ever ordained any business to run a man, and work him seven days a week. I think the only business that should work seven days a week is the work of God. Anything else, I don’t accept. If you accept the world’s system, you are going to be hooked up on it, you are going to be geared up with it; but God will give you something better.

2. God’s Concept. What does God say is the way to be successful? I want to refer you to some verses of Scripture to see what God says. I’ve come to the place where I firmly believe what God says about it, because God guarantees it. Joshua 1:8, “THIS BOOK OF THE LAW SHALL NOT DEPART OUT OF THY MOUTH; BUT THOU SHALT MEDITATE THEREIN DAY AND NIGHT, THAT THOU MAYEST OBSERVE TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL THAT IS WRITTEN THEREIN: FOR THEN THOU SHALT MAKE THY WAY PROSPEROUS, AND THEN THOU SHALT HAVE GOOD SUCCESS.” The world tells you how to be successful. The Bible doesn’t say anything about what the world says about good success. It says to meditate upon His Word, both day and night, then your way shall be prosperous and successful.

Let’s observe God’s concept in Psalm 1:1-3. (If you and I don’t believe what God says about it, then we call God a liar!) “BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT WALKETH NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY.” Do you know what that means? Blessed is the man who doesn’t listen to the advice of the ungodly, or the heathen. “…NOR STANDETH IN THE WAY OF SINNERS, NOR SITTETH IN THE SEAT OF THE SCORNFUL. BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD (in the Word of God); AND IN HIS LAW (or in the Word of God) DOTH HE MEDITATE DAY AND NIGHT. AND HE (the one who does this) SHALL BE LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY THE RIVERS OF WATER, THAT BRINGETH FORTH HIS FRUIT IN HIS SEASON; HIS LEAF ALSO SHALL NOT WITHER; AND WHATSOEVER HE DOETH SHALL PROSPER.”

He says your leaf shall not wither, you will not dry up, you will not wither up, you will not be defeated, for God has given you His formula. The world has presented its formula (the things discussed in the first point). Now we are seeing what God recommends. Because we are born of man and also have been born of God, we can choose which one of the two we prefer.

Now, 99% prefer the first method. Continually the world puts before your face some man or some woman who had nothing and ended up with a lot. Just about every secular company has somebody there who started at the bottom and is now at the top. If you stick around long enough, any place, you can get to the top. The world will always be showing you these particular people, to encourage you to drive and push along that particular pattern. The world offers you a way to live a successful life; however, it is not what God says about it.

Let’s read Psalm 19:14, “LET THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH, AND THE MEDITATION OF MY HEART, BE ACCEPTABLE IN THY SIGHT, O LORD, MY STRENGTH, AND MY REDEEMER.” He says the words of your mouth should be acceptable in His sight. Psalm 37:31, “THE LAW OF HIS GOD IS IN HIS HEART; NONE OF HIS STEPS SHALL SLIDE.” He will not be defeated, he will not be knocked down. Proverbs 4:20-23, “MY SON, ATTEND TO MY WORDS; INCLINE THINE EAR UNTO MY SAYINGS. LET THEM NOT DEPART FROM THINE EYES (He says keep my Word before your eyes); KEEP THEM IN THE MIDST OF THINE HEART. FOR THEY ARE LIFE UNTO THOSE THAT FIND THEM, AND HEALTH TO ALL THEIR FLESH.” He says, “My ways, My methods, My program, are life unto those who find them.

Many people live their entire Christian lives and never find God’s pattern. Your mouth and your action reveal what is stored in your mind. What you say and the way you act reveal what you are depending upon and what you are trusting in to bring you success in life. Your mind is like a computer. What you think about, your opinions and your beliefs, all will show in your mouth, and they will show in your actions. All anyone has to do is listen to you talk, and see what you walk, and they can find out who you believe in to put you over.

I can listen to any individual for a few minutes and find out whose path he has determined to travel. It will reveal what is in your mind. The way you talk, the way you walk, and the way you act is going to reveal what you have stored in your computer. It will reveal who or what you believe is going to make you successful in life — your education, your hard work, your intelligence, your luck and breaks, your driving ambition and wealth, or your wealthy relatives. If the Word of God is going to be the foundation for spiritual, physical, mental and financial success, then saints, you are going to be talking more Word and acting more Word than anything else. It is time God’s people stop trying to fool everybody, because the only ones they are really fooling are themselves. The key to a successful life is, do it God’s way.

3. Word Meditation. Let’s discuss some results of meditating in the Word of God. We observed in Psalm 1:2 that God says the way to make your way prosperous is meditating in the Word, meditating day and night. He says, “then I will make your way prosperous.” If you try to continually put other things first and tie on a little of God’s Word, then you will never come to the place the Word is settled in your heart. Be it financial, physical, mental, with your family, on your job, at school, if you don’t put Him first then there is no way that He can flow through you and give you total victory.

By your actions (of not meditating the Word) you postpone victory, year after year, and you will live in bondage. Fear, frustration, worry, defeat, sickness, discouragement, or disappointment, all will attack you, because you lack a knowledge of the foundation principles. God’s people need to recognize that God lives in them.

Meditate in the Word, and get your faith working in the world. Your faith will move for you and knock the mountains down that are in your way, and you will walk on smooth ground. If the mountain is still there, your faith will put so much strength in your legs that you will run the mountain like it is flat ground. When a man knows Who his source is, or a woman knows Who her source is, and have purposed in their lives that they are going to put God first, success is guaranteed. God says you are “THE HEAD, AND NOT THE TAIL.” He says you are “above only” and “not beneath.” You can’t receive the blessings if you don’t meet the conditions. You are going to have to meet God’s conditions in order to be prosperous.

Remember that the results of Word meditation lay the foundation for the successful Christian life. First of all, it says to meditate both “DAY AND NIGHT.” What you ought to do when you wake any time during the night hours is meditate upon the things of God. Drive out any other thoughts and say, “Glory to God, praise God, Jesus is Lord, and I am going to meditate on God’s Word.”

You will come to the place that when you wake up at night, a Scripture will be going through your mind. Do you know what? You won’t want to go back to sleep, you will desire to meditate a while. I have awakened with the Scripture going through my mind: “THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT, THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU” (John 15:12). I woke up with that Scripture going through my mind.

I have awakened and He was saying: “TRUST IN THE LORD…AND LEAN NOT UNTO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS” (Proverbs 3:5,6). It is only as you begin to discipline yourself and keep your mind meditating on the things of God.

I. CHARGED WITH SPIRITUAL LIFE

This is one of the things that meditating in the Word does: It will charge you with spiritual life. The Word draws you into His presence. If you want to walk in the presence of God, if you want to know more of the presence of God, if you want to experience more of the presence of God, then you have to keep your mind upon the Word of God. As your mind continues to meditate on the Word of God, then you are meditating on God Himself, and that begins to control your entire being.

If you are continually thinking about life and your troubles and your problems, and how you are going to get ahead, etc., etc., that is what controls you. Whatever you mind feeds upon controls you. If your mind is on the problems of tomorrow, then those problems control you, dominate you. If your mind is on defeat or frustration, that is what is going to control you. But if your mind is on the Word of God, that Word will lift you into His very presence, and you will walk in victory.

Just as I keep my hand away from fire, I keep my mind away from thoughts that are depressing; I keep my mind away from thoughts of defeat, fear, frustration, and confusion. They come, but it’s my mind, and I refuse to think on those things. My mind meditates on the Word of God because that is where real life is.

There have been times, as I looked at the circumstances and situations, that I could see no way out. Then I would take my mind off of the circumstances and situations that had me down, and put my mind in the Word of God. I would start confessing and meditating in the Scriptures and next thing I knew I was standing tall because I was in the presence of God, because I was meditating His Word.

Saints, the way to live in the presence of God is through meditating His Word, and you will be charged (like charging a battery) with spiritual life because you will live in His presence as your mind continues to meditate His Word. The more your mind meditates His Word, the more you are going to live in His presence.

Here are some exceptional Scriptures to meditate upon. Isaiah 41:10 says, “FEAR THOU NOT; FOR I AM WITH THEE: BE NOT DISMAYED (be not disturbed, be not disappointed); FOR I AM THY GOD: I WILL STRENGTHEN THEE; YEA, I WILL HELP THEE; YEA, I WILL UPHOLD THEE WITH THE RIGHT HAND OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS.” This kind of Scripture will give spiritual life to you.

When you are walking through the valley, and the troubles and problems of life are causing confusion, and you don’t know what to do, take your mind off your problem and put your mind upon the Word of God. God says, “FEAR THOU NOT; FOR I AM WITH THEE.” “FOR I AM THY GOD: I WILL STRENGTHEN THEE; YEA, I WILL HELP THEE.”

I believe God is going to strengthen me and God is going to help me. No man can promise me that, no circumstance can promise me that. Then God says, “I WILL UPHOLD THEE WITH THE RIGHT HAND OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Many times when I’ve been going through things, I needed to be charged with spiritual life. If you are always looking to the things of the world, they won’t charge you with spiritual life, they charge you with spiritual death. They will charge you with defeat, discouragement, frustration and confusion. Continue to keep your eyes upon the Word of God.

Isaiah 43:1-7. “BUT NOW THUS SAITH THE LORD THAT CREATED THEE, O JACOB (put your own name in here), AND HE THAT FORMED THEE, O ISRAEL, FEAR NOT: FOR I HAVE REDEEMED THEE, I HAVE CALLED THEE BY THY NAME; THOU ART MINE. WHEN THOU PASSEST THROUGH THE WATERS (there is a lot of water out there sometimes, and it gets deep), I WILL BE WITH THEE; AND THROUGH THE RIVERS (sometimes the current is so strong you don’t think you can swim up stream, you can’t make it, but He says), THEY SHALL NOT OVERFLOW THEE: WHEN THOU WALKEST THROUGH THE FIRE (sometimes the troubles and problems of life get hot, you get the hotseat), THOU SHALT NOT BE BURNED; NEITHER SHALL THE FLAME KINDLE UPON THEE.” Why? “FOR I AM THE LORD THY GOD, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, THY SAVIOR: I GAVE EGYPT FOR THY RANSOM (He says, “I gave the heathen for your ransom”), ETHIOPIA AND SEBA FOR THEE.”

Let’s go a little further. “SINCE THOU WAST PRECIOUS IN MY SIGHT (Glory to God), THOU HAST BEEN HONORABLE, AND I HAVE LOVED THEE: THEREFORE WILL I GIVE MEN FOR THEE (He says, “If I have to give up a nation I’ll give them up to get thee”), AND PEOPLE FOR THY LIFE.” (He will trade a lot of people for my life.) “FEAR NOT: FOR I AM WITH THEE: I WILL BRING THY SEED FROM THE EAST, AND GATHER THEE FROM THE WEST; I WILL SAY TO THE NORTH, GIVE UP; AND TO THE SOUTH, KEEP NOT BACK: BRING MY SONS FROM FAR, AND MY DAUGHTERS FROM THE ENDS OF THE EARTH; EVEN EVERY ONE THAT IS CALLED BY MY NAME: FOR I HAVE CREATED HIM FOR MY GLORY, I HAVE FORMED HIM; YEA, I HAVE MADE HIM.”

Praise God, this passage will energize you with spiritual life. When you are walking through the situations and circumstances of life and you allow them to control, you can’t be successful. You must look at and meditate upon His Word. You will have to concentrate and discipline yourself to meditate the Word, because your mind will want to wander. The devil is always trying to keep your mind off the Word, because he knows if your mind stays on the Word you will be charged and energized with spiritual life. If he can keep you from meditating the Word long enough, you will be singing the blues. When the enemy attacks you, begin to meditate His Word.

Let’s read another Scripture. I am sharing these verses with you because they have especially ministered to me in the past. Isaiah 50:4 and 7, “THE LORD GOD HATH GIVEN ME THE TONGUE OF THE LEARNED,” (that’s the kind of tongue I have, I don’t know what kind you have. Confess that God has given you the tongue of the learned.) “THAT I SHOULD KNOW HOW TO SPEAK A WORD IN SEASON TO HIM THAT IS WEARY:” (He’s given me the tongue of the learned, I know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. Sometimes in that season I find myself weary, so I have the tongue of the learned, so I speak a word to myself.) “HE WAKENETH MORNING BY MORNING, HE WAKENETH MINE EAR TO HEAR AS THE LEARNED.”

Listen to the seventh verse. The Lord quickened this Scripture to me one day. “FOR THE LORD GOD WILL HELP ME; THEREFORE SHALL I NOT BE CONFOUNDED (or confused): THEREFORE HAVE I SET MY FACE LIKE A FLINT (that means hard stone), AND I KNOW THAT I SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED.” When defeat comes your way, you can say, “Oh, glory to God, I’ll not be confounded, I’ll not be confused, I have set my face like a flint and I shall not be put to shame. Defeat is shame, so I’ll not be put to shame.” The Word of God will charge you with spiritual life.

Let’s look at Isaiah 51:11-12. A heart knowledge of the Word of God is essential for a successful life. “THEREFORE THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SHALL RETURN, AND COME WITH SINGING UNTO ZION; AND EVERLASTING JOY SHALL BE UPON THEIR HEAD: THEY SHALL OBTAIN GLADNESS AND JOY; AND SORROW AND MOURNING SHALL FLEE AWAY. I, EVEN I, AM HE THAT COMFORTETH YOU: WHO ARE THOU, THAT THOU SHOULDEST BE AFRAID OF A MAN THAT SHALL DIE, AND OF THE SON OF MAN WHICH SHALL BE MADE AS GRASS.” What is God saying here? He is saying you should have everlasting joy. The eleventh verse says, “EVERLASTING JOY SHALL BE UPON THEIR HEAD: THEY SHALL OBTAIN GLADNESS AND JOY; AND SORROW AND MOURNING SHALL FLEE AWAY.”

Let’s look at Isaiah 54:17. “NO WEAPON THAT IS FORMED AGAINST THEE SHALL PROSPER; AND EVERY TONGUE THAT SHALL RISE AGAINST THEE IN JUDGMENT THOU SHALT CONDEMN.” How do you condemn it? By the life that you live. “THIS IS THE HERITAGE OF THE SERVANTS OF THE LORD, AND THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS OF ME, SAITH THE LORD.” No tongue that shall rise against you shall prosper. So when tongues begin to talk, I just say, “God, you said no weapon formed against me shall prosper.” I pray for people who talk about me, because they are in trouble; they need prayer. I know the Word. When they begin to talk about me, I pray for them. No matter what circumstances or situations are, if you know the Word and you meditate on it, it will charge you with spiritual life.

Keep your eyes on those Scriptures. When the troubles and problems of life come you’ll have a successful life, because you know success is based on keeping your eyes upon the Word of God.

II. CONFIDENCE INCREASES

Your confidence shall increase as you begin to meditate the Word and become a spiritual success. Philippians 1:6 says, “HE WHICH HATH BEGUN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL PERFORM IT.” As you meditate the Word, it develops boldness, it develops assurance.

Begin to meditate Romans 8:37 and say, “I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus;” Philippians 4:13 and say, “I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me;” Philippians 4:19 and say, “My God shall supply all my needs;” II Corinthians 2:14 and say, “He always causeth me to triumph.”

As you meditate and feed upon the Word of God and keep your eyes just on the Word, you will become as bold as a lion. You have been eating the Word of God, and it does something to you. The world looks at you and says, “Well, who do you think you are?” They don’t know what you’ve been eating. This is much more than Wheaties or Cheerios. The world offers certain things for you to eat to make you a big runner and a big star. If you will eat the Word of God it will give you a confidence in the Word that will astound people.

The Word of God will charge you, and give you vitality that the world can’t give you — life, strength, help, victory, love, joy, peace, success. Where is it to be found? In studying and meditating on the Word of God. Isaiah 43 says, “WHEN THOU PASSEST THROUGH THE RIVERS…AND FIRE.” As you grow you will see the rivers and the fire, and you will say, “Glory to God, I’m going through.” You can’t have that kind of confidence unless you are feeding on Word food. You can’t do it if you don’t meditate the Word. If you feed on Word food, if you meditate the Word, it will increase your confidence. It only works for those who do it.

The world says, “Be realistic and realize things like that don’t work.” Be realistic like them? Be realistic and be sick, worried, in trouble, in fear, frustrated? That is unrealistic to me. Meditate the Word of God day and night.

III. COMPREHEND HOW TO LIVE PEACEFUL IN HECTIC TIMES

This is another result of meditating the Word. You will comprehend how to live peaceful in hectic times. You won’t have to have the jitters. Psalm 25:15 says, “MINE EYES ARE EVER TOWARD THE LORD:” Most people’s eyes are toward their troubles and problems, and their fears and frustrations. Your eyes have to be ever toward the Lord, toward His Word, “FOR HE SHALL PLUCK MY FEET OUT OF THE NET.” The Word of God will produce, and you can comprehend how to live peacefully in hectic times, because you know that Someone is there with you, and He said you are going to pass through, if you keep your eyes on the Lord.

I realize it’s a battle to keep your eyes and mind on the Word, fixed on Jesus and not circumstances. Allowing your mind to stay on your troubles and problems is as foolish as sticking your hand in fire. Be a doer and not a hearer only, because it won’t work until you become a doer. Is it easy to do? I didn’t say it was, but the Bible says, “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHICH STRENGTHENETH ME” (Philippians 4:13).

IV. COMPLETE SURRENDER TO THE WILL OF GOD

Another result of meditating the Word will be complete surrender to the will of God. Psalm 24:1 says, “THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S, AND THE FULLNESS THEREOF; THE WORLD, AND THEY THAT DWELL THEREIN.” Psalm 37:23 says, “THE STEPS OF A GOOD MAN ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD.” Where are you looking? At your steps, or ever on the Lord? Are you looking at your steps, your troubles, circumstances, or are you looking to the Lord? Man doesn’t know when to turn right or left unless he is looking to the Lord. You must continually be looking to Him to receive directions.

But a complete surrender to the Word of God is necessary. Whenever situations come your way, God will always make a way to escape. I Corinthians 10:13, “THERE HATH NO TEMPTATION TAKEN YOU BUT SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN:” Many let the common things whip them. They are being defeated all the time by common, simple things. “BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL, WHO WILL NOT SUFFER YOU TO BE TEMPTED ABOVE THAT YE ARE ABLE; BUT WILL WITH THE TEMPTATION ALSO MAKE A WAY TO ESCAPE, THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO BEAR IT.”

The Word says God will make a way to escape. There is always a way out for His people. The Word will help you to completely surrender your will to the will of God. Yield to God, and this trust will keep you out of bitterness. When troubles and problems come your way and you’re tempted to be bitter, that’s a common thing. When you are tempted to be confused, that’s a common thing. When you are tempted to get frustrated or angry, all that is common to man.

Most of us have had all those experiences ever since we were born. They have become so common, until they are just accepted as an everyday way of life. When you continually look to the Word, you will be able to pass through the rivers of water and fire. You will be aware that things are coming against you and problems are coming your way, but glory to God, you will not get bitter and resentful because you will be continually submitting to the Word of God, which is the will of God. When you don’t know what God’s Word says, and you don’t meditate in His Word, then you won’t submit to His will, and you can become resentful and bitter and discouraged.

V. CONTROLLED SPEAKING

Another result of meditating the Word is that it controls your speaking. Revelation 12:11 says, “AND THEY OVERCAME HIM BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, AND BY THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY.” Saints, when you meditate the Word all the time, you are filled with glowing words. You have the tongue of the learned, you encourage your brothers and sisters in the Lord. But if you are not meditating on the Word all the time, you always have a lot of negative things to talk about. You talk about your problems and your troubles. But when you meditate the Word all the time, you just refuse to think troubles and problems. When you get around people, all you desire to talk about is the Word. People will begin to think you are strange if you don’t talk about your troubles and problems. You say, “I cast them on the Lord; He carried them for me.” Only men and women who meditate on the Word can control their mouths. If you’re not meditating in the Word, you will find somebody’s ear to bend. You will find somebody to tell your problems to.

If you take your eyes off the Word you have your eyes on the trouble, the problem, or the circumstances, and that is not walking in faith. Faith cannot operate under those circumstances. The only way faith can operate is when you have your mind upon the Word of God. Meditate His Word day and night, and your way shall be prosperous.

IV. COME TO A REALIZATION OF THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S PLAN

As you meditate the Word, the fullness of God’s plan for your life will be unfolded. II Peter 1:3, “ACCORDING AS HIS DIVINE POWER HATH GIVEN UNTO US (given unto me, that’s how I read it) ALL THINGS (how many? All things) THAT PERTAIN UNTO LIFE AND GODLINESS, THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM THAT HATH CALLED US TO GLORY AND VIRTUE:” According as His divine power hath given, or will give? Hath given, unto whom? Unto us, the children of God, all things that pertain unto life and godliness. As you meditate the Word you will begin to comprehend and realize the fullness of God’s plan for you, that all things have been given unto you, that Jesus has put all things under your feet. Jesus is the head, and everything put under His feet is put under our feet, because we are His body today.

John 1:16, “AND OF HIS FULLNESS HAVE ALL WE RECEIVED, AND GRACE FOR GRACE.” Of whose fullness? Jesus’ fullness, have we all received. It is only as you meditate the Word that you will begin to realize that you have received the fullness of God. But, you see, if you haven’t done a lot of meditating in the Word, you can’t comprehend that. When you begin to meditate the Word you will begin to understand that you have become a partaker of His divine nature. You have participated in the nature of God, you are in union with God, when you are born of God. When you were born of Him you partook of His nature, you participated in God. God has participated in you, you’re in union with God, and God lives in you. God’s power dwells in you so that you might live successfully.

Colossians 1:13 says, “WHO HATH DELIVERED US FROM THE POWER OF DARKNESS, AND HATH TRANSLATED US INTO THE KINGDOM OF HIS DEAR SON.” So saints, if you’ve been delivered out of the power of the devil and translated into the kingdom of God, that means you have no reason to let the devil defeat you. He has no legal right to do it anymore. The only way he can do it is through deception and your ignorance. And the only way he has is if you are not continually meditating in the Word. You have been delivered from the power of darkness. It says, “hath been” delivered, in Colossians 1:13.

Colossians 2:10 says we are complete in Him. “AND YE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM, WHICH IS THE HEAD OF ALL PRINCIPALITY AND POWER;” He says you and I are complete in Him. I Corinthians 3:21-23 says, “THEREFORE LET NO MAN GLORY IN MEN. FOR ALL THINGS ARE YOURS;” Regardless of what you think about it, God says all things are yours. Well, what are you believing for? All things, or some things? Victory or defeat? “WHETHER PAUL, OR APOLLOS, OR CEPHAS, OR THE WORLD, OR LIFE, OR DEATH, OR THINGS PRESENT, OR THINGS TO COME; ALL ARE YOURS;” That means all the knowledge that Paul or Apollos or Cephas had is ours. “AND YE ARE CHRIST’S; AND CHRIST IS GOD’S.”

So God says all things are mine. I belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God, so there is a chain of command. It’s all God’s, and He turned it over to Jesus, and Jesus turned it over to me, so all things are mine. If you don’t meditate that Word, as troubles and problems face you, you won’t be saying “all things are mine.” You will say, “Defeat is mine, fear is mine, frustration is mine, confusion is mine, disappointment is mine, and resentment is mine.”

II Corinthians 1:20 says, “FOR ALL THE PROMISES OF GOD IN HIM ARE YEA, AND IN HIM AMEN, UNTO THE GLORY OF GOD BY US.” All God’s promises in the Word are yes already. Meditating the Word will help you come to realize the fullness of God’s plan for your life.

VII. CAUSE FAITH TO OPERATE GREATER

Meditation leads you to confession, and consequently you will find your faith operating greater, and greater, and greater. The word “meditate” means to chew the cud. How often does the old cow chew the cud — just one time? That old cow chews all day. God says to take your mind and chew the cud, of the Word, all the time. The old cow never gets tired of chewing the cud. God says to take your mind and chew the cud; take your mind and meditate the Word.

The word “meditate” in Hebrew means “to mutter.” You take your mind and mutter, “He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world. I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ. I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me. He will never leave me nor forsake me. He is my strength; He is the Lord my God, my Savior, my Baptizer.” When you wake up during the night, chew the cud a little bit. The Bible says meditate on the Word both day and night. “Oh, but Brother Willis, I don’t think He means it.” Why don’t you tell God that? Why don’t you say, “God, I know You said it, but I don’t believe that’s necessary?” If you don’t do much meditating, you won’t do much muttering, and you won’t do much with your circumstances and situations. They will defeat you; you will be under and not over. But God has decreed for you to be over, and to walk in victory.

The successful life is based on meditating the Word, because the Word of God will charge you with spiritual life; it will cause your confidence in God to increase, and you will be able to comprehend how to live peaceful in hectic troubles and times. You will be able to completely surrender to the will of God, because you will be meditating so much until you will simply trust God every time. You will be able to control your speaking. You will come to realize the fullness of God’s plan, and you will find that your faith is operating greater, and greater, and greater, until in reality you are walking in all of the fullness that the Lord Jesus Christ has provided.