Oral Roberts Ministries • Vol. 6 No. 5 • 2013
Merry Christmas! For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. —Isaiah 9:6 nkjv
Christmas Did Not Just Happen:
It Was Made to Happen! B Y
T
hings do not just happen; things are made to happen. And that includes the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
When God created mankind, it was His intention that all people would be saved. It’s interesting to note that at one time the whole world was saved—the world of Adam and Eve. But all that changed with the Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Yet it was still God’s intent that all mankind should be saved. So through a direct command upon the life of a young virgin by the name of Mary, God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, into the world— not to condemn it, but that the world through Him might be saved (see John 3:17). Why did God send His Son? Because only the life of Jesus was valuable enough to pay for the redemption of mankind. Only Once in the History of Humanity… The birth of Christ was made to happen. Only once in the history of humanity has there ever been such a time as this. In order for Jesus to be born at the precise time He was, God made time converge upon the single event of His birth in such a dramatic way that it would capture the imagination of all mankind and nothing would compete with it. There was only one government in the world at that time. The Roman Empire was a world empire. And because Rome ruled the world, no wars were taking place anywhere on the earth when Jesus was born. 2
O R A L
R O B E R T S
Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem! It was no accident that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. God made it happen. While Augustus believed it was his idea to tax the world, it was actually God’s idea that he tax the world at that time. Because of the tax levied by Augustus, each member of the family of Israel was required to return to the home of his or her ancestors to pay their taxes. And since Mary and Joseph were both descendants of David, they were required to travel to the little town of Bethlehem at the exact time the baby was to be born. As a result, to fulfill the Scriptures, Jesus was born in Bethlehem rather than in Nazareth where His mother lived. (See John 7:42.) Born of the Holy Spirit Jesus Christ of Nazareth was made to live as the Son of God in a human body. He was dispatched to the earth by God the Father, and He was made flesh when God placed the holy seed inside the womb of Mary, a virgin, who had great faith. Mary voiced her willingness to endure the hardship and embarrassment of bearing a child before marriage when she said to the archangel Gabriel, Be it unto me according to thy word (Luke 1:38). At the time of her conception, Mary was engaged to Joseph, a man whose heart was also open to God. Being a just man, Joseph was also willing to suffer embarrassment in his engagement to Mary, in obedience to the command of the angel of the Lord, who appeared to him in a dream, saying, Fear not to
“Accepting Jesus as Savior is the real meaning of Christmas, and it happens when we make it happen.” take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20).
Jesus Lived for a Purpose At the age of thirty, Jesus’ ministry was made to happen. Facing the world of lost, suffering humanity, Jesus went into action. With a bold eye, a strong faith, and a loving heart, He… • was baptized by John the Baptist in the river Jordan, • was driven into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted of the devil, • turned water into wine, • opened blind eyes, • raised the dead, • healed the vilest cases of demon possession, and • forgave sins. Through His strong, dynamic spirit and faith, He made these things happen. Jesus Lived so that He Would Die Jesus’ death was made to happen, as much as His birth was made to happen. There was only one way that He could save the world, and that was to be crucified and die. In fact, the only end to a life such as Christ’s was crucifixion. And He never veered one iota from His purpose. Knowing full well that He would be crucified, Jesus went straight toward the goal. Why? Because John 18:14 says that it was expedient that one man (Jesus) should die for all of us.
Jesus’ Resurrection Was Made to Happen Just like the birth and death of Jesus were made to happen, His resurrection was also made to happen. Jesus was left in the grave for three days, but that was all! When the final seconds of the last hour of the third day expired, the powers of the eternal God were flung toward that tomb, and God raised His Son from the dead, who then proclaimed, Because I live, ye shall live also (Colossians 3:1). After His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven, where He sits today at the right hand of the Father, purposely and willfully interceding every moment of every hour of every day for each and every one of us (see John 14:19). It was made to happen.
A note from Richard: I thank God that Christmas was made to happen and I pray that the purpose of Christmas becomes personal to you, so if you have never accepted Jesus as your Savior, or would like to renew your relationship with Him, I encourage you to pray this prayer… Heavenly Father, I thank you that Christmas was made to happen so mankind could live abundantly here on earth and eternally with you in Heaven. I ask Jesus to come into my heart and forgive my sins. I believe Jesus died on the cross, rose from the dead, and sits at the right hand of God the Father. I accept Him as Savior of my soul and Lord of my life. I ask you to teach me to walk in Your ways and Your will for my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Christmas Must Be Made to Happen All that is good has been made to happen, and that includes salvation of the soul. Romans 10:9 says, If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. No one can confess our sins or do our believing for us. We must pray. We must have faith in God. We must make a decision about our own eternal salvation. Accepting Jesus as Savior is the real meaning of Christmas, and it happens when we make it happen. 3
Announcing a brand new series...
A sweep of the Bible– its highlights and principles! Join Richard and Lindsay Roberts in their new series, Journey through the Bible–a sweep of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Video sessions include key insights about each book of the Bible and how these scriptures can apply to your life today. These courses are FREE online for a limited time.
Registering is easy! Visit our website,
som.oralroberts.com, to start this life-changing journey today. 4
Purchase the first course, The Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) on DVD for your home library—and as a special introductory offer, the workbook is free! Click here to order.
The Richard Roberts School of Miracles is expanding! People from all over the world, including countries such as Afghanistan, Australia, China, Colombia, Finland, France, Indonesia, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and the United Arab Emirates have enrolled in the School of Miracles. Now with over 10,000 enrolled, we’re hearing reports of people being healed and receiving miracles while watching these online classes! You can begin this journey today in the comfort of your home and at your own pace!
Richard Roberts
School of DVDs ($49.95) and Workbooks ($19.95) are available to purchase for each course! Abundant Life Prayer Group: 918-495-7777
som.oralroberts.com
Living FOG in the
(Favor of God)
BY RICHARD ROBERTS
R
ecently, I was looking at a picture of my dad that was taken in 1971 in North Carolina. In this picture, my father stands in a thick, overshadowing fog. I thought to myself, “That fog overshadows my father just like the favor of God overshadows God’s children!” And I began to think about what it means for us as believers to abide in God’s unlimited, unmerited favor.
“Favor” means that we receive assistance, advantages, and special privileges. That’s a good place to be, isn’t it? When we enjoy God’s favor, we can enjoy His protection, provision, and blessings. Psalm 5:12 says, For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield. Proverbs 12:2 says, A good man obtains favor from the Lord.
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God’s ability to make the impossible possible goes beyond our human reasoning.
Favor that comes from God Luke 2:52 says, Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. As Christians, we can obtain the favor of God because He desires to give it to us and because of what Jesus did on the cross to redeem us. Do you want the favor of God in your life? If you do, then as you release your faith in God, His Word and promises, there are some things you can do to put yourself in a position to begin to receive from God.
1: Renew your mind daily. Romans 12:2 says, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. How can we transform our minds? We can do it through the power and help of the Holy Spirit, who reveals God’s Truth to us and illuminates God’s Word to us. The Word that God speaks is alive, full of power, and effective (Hebrews 4:12). And when the Word gets in you, your faith can come alive and equip you to do mighty exploits for God. But the Word must get in you, where it can renew your mind and strengthen your faith.
scripture, God placed within us the faith that we need. But we must use it! As we act on our faith in God, He can show us His favor in our circumstances. Remember, God’s ability to make the impossible possible goes beyond our human reasoning. In this life, we may not get all the answers we want, but we can believe God and expect His favor to come upon us.
3: Don’t let worry overtake you. Philippians 4:7 says, The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. To me, this verse means we can accept His peace into our heart and mind, let go of worry, and leave, the miracle part of our circumstances in His hands. Isaiah 46:9–10 says He knows the end from the beginning. He knows where we’ve been and where we’re going. And He can lead us as we trust in Him.
4: Let God teach you. If we want to enjoy the favor of God, we need a pliable, teachable spirit. In Bible days, people kept wine in skins made of animal leather. After a long period of time, the skins became brittle and hard. People would take oil and water, which are symbols of the Holy Spirit, and they would rub the oil and the water on the skin. And once again the skin would become pliable and useable. I believe that’s why we must have the anointing of God upon our lives, for that is how He makes us pliable and useful in His hands.
2: Use your faith in God.
5: Let God choose the timing of His blessings.
God has given to every person the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). So according to
Sometimes people have a tendency to get ahead of His timing, because they are in a hurry. If we want His bless-
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ing, then shouldn’t we wait on Him and let Him be in control? As I read the Bible, I believe that God knows the best way to get us what we need, and He knows the right time to do it.
6: Seek God first. Matthew 6:33 says, But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness [His ways of doing and being], and all these things [the things His children have need of ] shall be added to you. Remember, as we seek God, His favor can open doors of opportunity to us, and the things we have need of are to be added to us according to God’s ways and plans.
...when you follow
God’s principles, you can put yourself in position to receive God’s favor.
Back in the 1980s, I was the guest of President Mobutu in Zaire. God opened a door! President Mobutu gave me a personal invitation to preach in his nation. God gave me favor in that nation. And we saw thousands accept Christ as their personal Lord and Savior! You see, when you follow God’s principles, you can put yourself in position to receive God’s favor. And God can begin to supernaturally open doors for you!
As you are seeking the Lord, I encourage you to pray this prayer right now:
Father God, I want to live in Your will and have Your favor upon my life. I commit to doing my part. Help me to pray, renew my mind through Your Word, use my faith, obey You and trust You to work in my life according to Your will, Your Word, and Your perfect timing. I release my faith to You to protect me, provide for me, and open up doors of opportunity to me. Help me to honor You as I walk out Your will for my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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More than 140,000 people have reported receiving a miracle from God while watching The Place for Miracles®. We encourage you to tune in and release your faith in God’s promises, expecting a miracle ! For a station near you or to watch online: www.oralroberts.com/theplaceformiracles
For prayer anytime, call 918-495-7777
55 Years of Powerful Prayer… and Still Going Strong! On January 1, 1958, Oral Roberts set aside a special room in his ministry office building in Tulsa, OK. In that room, ministry employees took turns praying throughout the day for the prayer requests that came in to the ministry. A little over two months later, the Abundant Life® Prayer Group officially went on duty. Since then, our prayer partners have answered more than 24 million phone calls from people wanting prayer. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year… We are still going strong, and we are here to pray with you according to God’s Word for miracles. Contact us anytime! | 918-495-7777 | www.oralroberts.com/prayer
®
“I was there when the first phone call came in to the Abundant Life® Prayer Group. There are no words to explain the emotions my Dad was feeling at that time. Now over 55 years later, we are proud to pray for people through the Abundant Life® Prayer Group.”
connections letters and comments from our viewers around the world
Viewer said he was healed instantly! Michael from North Carolina was watching The Place for Miracles broadcast when Richard had a word of knowledge from God about healing of back pain. Michael stood in faith, placed his hands on the TV, felt the power of God come over him, and reported that instantly the stiffness was released. He says he can do things now that he couldn’t do in years! Click here to watch The Place for Miracles online.
Born Again through Online Classes!
A-right-ontime word!
Abdul, born in Sierra Leone, was watching the Richard Roberts School of Miracles classes online and prayed to receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
You have sent me encouraging words from God at the right time when I needed them the most!
Click here to learn more about the School of Miracles.
Richard Roberts
School of
–Shon from Texas
Happy 65th Birthday, Richard, from the Oral Roberts Ministries Staff! 11
With God, nothing is impossible! TOUR The Richard Roberts Miracle Tour Arrives in Canada
Recently, The Richard Roberts Miracle Tour visited St. John’s, Kitchener, and Montreal. The rooms were filled with people ready to receive a touch of God’s power! One of our team members spoke with many people who testified to receiving their miracle from God after they released their faith for the healing they needed from the Lord. “When Richard put his hands on me and started praying, immediately I had tingles all throughout my body. And now I can tell that my head is fully healed!” —Stephanie
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Facebook is talking about the Miracle Tour! “Richard, thank you so much for coming to Canada! We really enjoyed your ministry. The teaching was sooo awesome. Thanks for putting feet to our prayers and going to places we could never go. We all need to catch your vision! God bless you!” —Helen via Facebook
You can be a part of what God is doing… Sow a seed to help Richard travel where the Lord leads through the Miracle Tour. And if possible, you can make plans to attend. Visit our website or call 918-495-7777 to find out where the Miracle Tour is going next!
www.oralroberts.com/events. “As Richard was coming down the line to pray for people, he had a word of knowledge from God that someone had a leg problem. I said, ‘I do!’ He prayed for me, and I am pain-free. My knee feels 100 percent. I’m just feeling thrilled! I got my miracle, and my other knee is also pain-free now, so I got a bonus!” —Gail
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Rice Pilaf Relationships B Y
L I N D S A Y
B
ack in the 1950s, my in-laws, Evelyn and Oral Roberts, became close friends of Rose and Demos Shakarian, founders of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International. The Shakarians, who started out in Downey, California, as dairy farmers with 20 acres and 3 cows, and the Roberts, traveling evangelists from Tulsa, Oklahoma, soon discovered a mutual love for good food, good fellowship, and good conversations about the Lord. Their friendship spanned several decades and three generations of serving God. Over the next 60 years, these two ministries covered the globe. The Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International is now in 142 nations, ministering to countless millions of people. The Oral Roberts Ministries continues to minister to millions and millions around the world. What many people don’t know, however, about this beautiful relationship between Christians is that it had some of its roots in rice.
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Yes, rice.
R O B E R T S
The story was told to me when I fell in love with a marvelous rice pilaf that Evelyn served on special occasions. It was a hit every time and certainly a huge favorite of Oral. Needless to say, I asked for the recipe. To my surprise, Evelyn was extremely reluctant to share it with me. This was strange territory, because Evelyn had always willingly shared her many favorite recipes with me. As I wondered why she was so hesitant, she began to chuckle. It was apparent that something was really funny to her, and my curiosity rose to an all-time high. So, I told her she had to spill it. “Out with it!” I said. “What’s the deal?” Here’s what Evelyn told me: She had been given this amazing, flavor-filled idea for super rice from Rose Shakarian, who was known for her tasty dishes. But Evelyn was reluctant to share the rice pilaf recipe because it was so simple…literally boxed-soup simple. This family favorite was simply rice mixed with a box of chicken soup. So, now the cat was out of the bag. Evelyn’s Rice Pilaf Supreme was a snap to make. No painstaking hours in the kitchen. No teaching tricks at the stove to be passed down from her to her children
and grandchildren. It was rice and soup mix—so simple yet so amazing. And that’s why Evelyn found it so funny. She kept it a secret and let others think this recipe for Rice Pilaf Supreme was an intricately developed creation generously shared between friends. As often as I think of this rice, I laugh at Evelyn’s “secret recipe.” It was so much like she was…so simple in so many ways and yet so amazing. Simple yet amazing… That’s a good way to describe the essence of the Bible too. And Evelyn’s life definitely reflected the simplicity and beauty of God’s Majesty. She liked to say that God talked to her in simple terms…what she called the “everydayness of life.” I don’t believe God wants to complicate our lives but instead He sent Jesus to simplify our lives and to make our lives full of the flavor of Heaven. As Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” With one taste of Evelyn’s rice pilaf, we instantly knew it was good. Yet, so many people miss out on the goodness of God and His Word because they aren’t willing to give it a try in the everydayness of their lives. We don’t have to use a fancy, complicated way to talk with God. We can have a regular conversation with Him about the everyday things we go through in life. But I think He loves it when we approach Him in a simple way. In my experience, every time I have even the smallest taste, the tiniest bite of God’s Word, I always find His goodness. My prayer for you today is that you find the greatness and goodness of God in all things…big things, little things, great things, small things, in the tough things and even in the easiest things. I pray that you see Him in ALL things, and that His goodness and mercy follow you always.
Lindsay and Evelyn on the set of Make Your Day Count in 2002
I don’t believe God wants to complicate our lives but instead He sent Jesus to simplify our lives…
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalm 34:8
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Plan Your Future Giving Now Proverbs 6 tells us to consider the way of the ant, which gathers food and prepares for the future—a choice that the Bible calls wise. Planning for the future is always a wise decision. And ORM Home Ministries can help you make your future financial plans today. Our Home Ministries website at www.ormgift.com has great information about the many ways you can prepare for your financial future and maximize your gifts to the Oral Roberts Ministries as we join together to reach more people for the kingdom of God. You can go online today to use our online guide to planning your will. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get financial tips and read the stories of donors like you who are successfully planning for their financial future. And don’t forget to request our FREE step-by-step estate planning guide! And it’s all online at www.ormgift.com! Visit us today. We look forward to answering your questions and helping you find ways to plan for your future and make the most of every gift you give into the Oral Roberts Ministries.
Christmas Gift Ideas
It’s Your Time by Richard and Lindsay Roberts Build your faith for Biblical success and prosperity in every area of life with this inspiring scriptural CD! Richard and Lindsay read scriptures about how God can help you to prosper according to His Word, and they encourage you to speak God’s Word over your life as a point of contact to release your faith to Him. $10
Read & Pray & then Obey
Uncompromising Faith
Best Loved Tent Sermons
by Lindsay Roberts In this 31-day devotional, Lindsay Roberts shares 31 days of encouraging Biblical inspiration that you can use in your personal study time, prayer time, and other areas of your life. Give your day a power boost from God’s Word! $10
by Richard Roberts In this CD, Richard Roberts sings many favorite songs to help usher you into the presence of our good, loving, and faithful God! Song titles include: Jesus Paid It All, The Old Rugged Cross, Try Again, The Touch of Jesus, How Great Thou Art, I Want to Spend My Life Mending Broken People, It Is Well With My Soul, When Nothing But a Miracle Will Do, He’s a Healing Jesus, Sinner Come Home, One Step Away, and It Is Finished. $10
by Oral Roberts This book is a collection of six sermons from the days of Oral Roberts’ tent crusades, which includes such loved classics as The Fourth Man, Samson and Delilah, and If You Need Healing, Do These Things. $7
To order, go to oralroberts.com/bookstore or call 918-495-7777.
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“Could It Happen to Me?” B Y
P A S T O R
D A N
W I L L I S
Recently on The Place for Miracles, Richard and Lindsay were joined by Pastor Dan Willis of The Lighthouse Church of All Nations, the largest multicultural church on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. Pastor Dan shared his powerful testimony of how God healed him of growths on his head when he got into agreement with Richard’s healing prayer during a healing service.
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W
e have four services back to back at our church, and Richard Roberts came for a weekend to preach for us. At the final service, he was ministering on healing and said that wherever you have a need or affliction, lay your hands there and he was going to speak pray.
Now, I’m a pastor. When someone needs healing, I have faith for that. I believe it with all of my heart. I preach healing with conviction. But as I was faced with my own need for healing, I admit that I wondered, “Could it happen to me?” At the time, I had two growths of some kind on my left temple for about a year. And I was very conscious of them because I do television six nights a week, and my hair had begun to fall out where the tumors were. The growths started off small, but kept getting larger and larger. Eventually, I went to see some doctors. They said, “Let’s watch things for a few months, and then we’ll do a biopsy.” My biopsy was scheduled to take place right after Richard’s visit to our church. So when Richard said that he was going to pray for healing, I got into agreement with him. I took my hand and laid it on my head where the growths were. Richard led us in a prayer and I repeated it. I rebuked the devourer and cursed the tumors from the roots up, in the name of Jesus. After the prayer, I remember thinking, “Okay, well, the growths are still there. Nothing has changed.” And we went on with the church service. But Richard said that some of us would have the manifestation of our miracle as we went about our lives. So, as I left the service that Sunday, I just kept believing God that I was going to have a healing. Later on that night, I asked my wife to look at the growths, just as she’d been doing for months. They were still there, and they stayed there, unchanged, on Monday and Tuesday night. Then came Wednesday night—three days later. I got home from our midweek church service and asked my wife to take a look at me. Then I put my hand up to touch the location of the tumors, and realized they were gone! I started weeping, jumping, and shouting.
Pastor Dan Willis on The Place for Miracles with Richard and Lindsay
“Then I put my hand up to touch the location of the tumors, and realized they were gone! I started weeping, jumping, and shouting.”
My wife jumped up and came over. She pulled my hairline back, examined me, and said, “Your scalp is pink! The hair has already grown back!” There was no mark to even show where there had ever been any growths on my head. I said, “Are you sure? They’ve got to be there somewhere!” Isn’t that crazy? But God was so gracious. Months have gone by since that day, and I am completely whole. There is no discoloration on my skin, and the tumors are gone. You can’t even tell where anything was. It was as if nothing ever happened in my body. God healed me 100 percent! I stand totally amazed at the power of God! God is no respecter of persons! You can reach out and release your faith for the healing you and your loved ones need right now. And the Abundant Life Prayer Group is ready to pray, anytime of the day or night, at 918-495-7777.
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and tune into MYDC this Holiday Season! Click here to watch MYDC on demand, or check your local TV listings for the latest dates and times.
Join Lindsay for an uplifting word, along with her special guests, and great tasting recipes from the MYDC kitchen!
Click here to read the latest issue of MYDC magazine in our online archives. Chloe and Jordan cooking up some fun in the MYDC Kitchen!
Instead of Counting Sheep
If you or someone you care about has trouble sleeping…I encourage you to look to God’s Word and see what it has to say about rest and sleep. Here are some verses on sleep and rest… You can speak them over yourself and your loved ones. You might find God’s Word better than counting sheep!
I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.
—Psalm 16:7–9 nlt
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
—Psalm 23:2–3 nkjv
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. —Proverbs 3:24 nkjv
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle…and you will find rest for your souls. —Matthew 11:28-29 nkjv …He gives His beloved sleep.
—Psalm 127:2b nkjv
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
—Psalm 4:8 nlt
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Staying Strong in the
Lord 8 scriptures that can give you strength through Christ
I
n 2005, my dad began memorizing eight particular chapters of the Bible in order to pray them over his life every day. He found that as he memorized them and prayed them out loud each day, a kind of supernatural strength began to flow into him that he had never ever experienced in the same way before.
Even though he had studied and preached the Bible for more than 70 years, Dad said nothing impacted his life the way this experience did. This excerpt is from the interview with Dad about staying strong in the Lord. 22 
Dad, what first prompted you to begin memorizing large portions of the Bible after all these years of studying it? Richard:
Oral: Well, there was a critical period in my life—a time when I didn’t know which way to turn—when the Lord impressed me that having the strength of His Word in my heart would give me the strength to come through that particular crisis. He impressed me to let my mind go through the Bible to various verses and chapters which I had used from time to time during my life and ministry to give me strength. 1. The Lord led me first to Psalm
1, which I was very familiar with and had received comfort and strength from time after time. It begins, Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly… but his delight is in the law of the Lord (vv. 1–2 NKJV).
2. Next,
the Lord led me to the 23rd Psalm. It’s my favorite chapter in the Bible and begins, The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (v. 1 KJV).
3. From
there, the Lord gave me the first part of the 40th Psalm, which is a powerful psalm of reassurance. Part of it says, I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock (vv. 1–2 NKJV).
4. The
next passage the Lord gave me was the 91st Psalm, which is one of the greatest chapters in the Bible that have meant the most to me, and probably to many other people: He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty; I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust” (vv. 1–2 NKJV).
5. From
there, my mind went to the 103rd Psalm, which, again, is one of the most powerful Scriptures in the Bible to give strength to me as I face life: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits (v. 2 NKJV).
6. The
Lord then sent me on to Isaiah 40:31, where Isaiah talks about waiting on the Lord, which God evidently wanted me to do in this particular crisis. Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.
7. Then
my mind left the Old Testament and began to move to the New Testament. I remembered very distinctly Romans 8, the Scripture where it says, For I am persuaded that…[nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (vv. 38–39 NKJV). When I read that, I began to feel strength flowing into my entire being. I felt myself strengthening, rising up on the inside as well as the outside.
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. —Ephesians 6:10 nkjv 8. And
finally, the Lord led me to Ephesians chapter 6, the portion where the apostle Paul says, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God (vv. 10–11 NKJV).
The Lord impressed me to memorize these eight Scriptures He had given me—some whole chapters, some passages from chapters—and use them every day, particularly every time I went to bed. The moment my head hit the pillow, I was to start reciting those Scriptures. Well, to my surprise, it took me a while to complete the full memory of that group of Scriptures. But as I was able to pray them all out loud from memory, I began to feel strength build up in me. And now, even though I’ve done it many times, I continue 23
to pray those Scriptures every day and night. I still read and study the entire Bible, but that’s in addition to this particular process that I will continue to do every day of my life. Do you think that memorizing and praying God’s Word would have similar everyday strengthening benefits to other people? RR:
OR: Well,
it’s certainly had strengthening benefits to my life. When Evelyn went home to be with the Lord on May 4, 2005, it was a grievous time in my life. I don’t think I can put into words what my heart went through when I fully realized that, after 66 years together, my lifelong companion was gone from this earth. Evelyn is in all my memories of the past 66 years together, and now it’s over. All I can say is that I’m a work in progress. I’m not quite through it, but I am making progress. And the best way that I have made progress is through these eight particular Scriptures. I pray them all day long. I pray them when I go to bed. If I wake up during the night and I’m hurting or have difficulty going back to sleep, I immediately start my Scriptures. And most of the time, I go back to sleep before I’m finished.
“I don’t think I can put into words what my heart went through when I fully realized that, after 66 years together, my lifelong companion was gone from this earth.”
I literally have these Scriptures embedded inside myself. I feel that as I say them, the Lord is really speaking to me as if we were face-to-face. I often pick up my Bible—sometimes I just start where the Bible opens—and I will find a verse or several verses that speak to me. I use a yellow marker and underline most of the verses that stand out to me. My Bible is heavily marked—virtually wherever I turn in it, there’s a part of the page that I have marked. Sometimes I’ll read an entire book or just a portion of a chapter, or maybe just a verse or two. I constantly refer to my Bible. But in my life and my entire walk with the Lord, there’s nothing comparable to saying these eight chapters and verses without stopping. Perhaps it’s because of the pattern God gave me to read these Scriptures together. I know that they clearly illuminate my mind, reach my heart, and strengthen and help me through anything I’m going through that’s not easy.
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“I literally have these Scriptures embedded inside myself. I feel that as I say them, the Lord is really speaking to me as if we were face-to-face.”
RR: If some other person wanted to do something like this, how would you recommend they begin? OR: Well,
if they would like to memorize one or more—or all of the eight that I use—I would suggest that they read them through a few times. See if any part, or all, sticks to their minds, or if they find some particular strength from them. And whichever Scriptures stick in their heart and mind—along with any others the Lord may give them—they can memorize those verses and start praying them daily.
These eight scriptures can be the base where they start building a foundation in the Word of God for the rest of their lives. Even though I’ve prayed these Scriptures countless times, each time they come alive all over again, because as Hebrews 4:12 AMP says, The Word of God… is alive and full of power. I pray that as the Word of God gets deep into the hearts of our Partners and begins to flow up over their lips, their lives will be strengthened every day—as mine has been—with the presence and power of God.
STAYING STRONG
IN THE LORD This booklet contains all 8 Scripture passages that the Lord impressed Oral to begin memorizing and praying over his life daily. To order your copy of this Oral Roberts booklet: Call: 918-495-7777 Write: Richard Roberts PO Box 2187 Tulsa, OK 74102-2187 Log on to: oralroberts.com/bookstore
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Vol. 6, No. 5, 2013. Copyright © by Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association. No part may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Your copy of MIRACLES© is made possible by seed-faith offerings to Oral Roberts Ministries. No subscription price. MIRACLES© is electronically published bimonthly by Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association, P.O. Box 2187, Tulsa, OK 74102-2187. For more information, call (918) 495-7777, or contact us on the Internet at www.oralroberts.com.