Miracles: Vol. 7, No. 4 by Oral Roberts Ministries

Oral Roberts Ministries • Vol. 7 No. 4 • 2014

Good Tidings of

Great Joy 1

Our Gift to You!

Sign up TODAY for our online School of Miracles courses—available at NO COST as a gift from this ministry to you and your family! Go to www.som.oralroberts.com and get started today! Courses available include: • The Journey Through the Bible • The Healing Ministry of Jesus • God’s Power in You: The Holy Spirit & His Gifts • The Miracle Living Series • And much more!

Inside this Issue

Richard & Lindsay Roberts on the set of The Place for Miracles

Good Tidings of Great Joy

I Got My Miracle

By Richard Roberts

Jeffrey from California shares how agreement in prayer led to his healing.

Finding Jesus in your life.

Your Seat of Authority

The Power of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank Youâ&#x20AC;?

By Lindsay Roberts

We can take dominion over our circumstances.

A reminder of the power of a thankful heart.

Good News in the End Times Marilyn Hickey shares about the prophetic book of Daniel and its relevance to us today.

22 Three Steps Jesus Taught for Getting Your Needs Met By Oral Roberts The biblical principle of sowing and reaping.

Good Tidings of Great Joy

BY RICHARD ROBERTS 4

or many people, the holidays are a time to join together with family and friends. For others, it’s a time to buy gifts or take advantage of seasonal sales. For some, it’s a chance to eat favorite foods. And some don’t celebrate at all. But I think this is an especially good time to remind ourselves of the real reason for the Christmas season.

I love Christmas trees and I love presents. But the gifts and decorations and celebrations we have at this time of year are symbolic of the fact that God gave us His greatest gift. He gave His Son, Jesus, so that men and women would not perish but have everlasting life.

And so as Christians at this time of year, we set aside time to celebrate what Jesus means to us.

Unto Us a Son Is Given If you study Bible history, you can see that the birth of Jesus was nothing short of miraculous. First of all, it took a miracle to get Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem so that Jesus would be born there and that prophecy could be fulfilled. God had promised not only that He would send His Son to redeem us from our sins, but that we could recognize this Son because He would be born in Bethlehem of Judea as an unmistakable sign. As the time for Jesus’ birth approached, Mary and Joseph were nowhere near Bethlehem. Instead, they were in Galilee. But “out of nowhere” God moved the hands of Caesar, the leader of the known world, and Caesar decided to bring forth a census. To accomplish that, Caesar required everyone to go to the town where they came from. Joseph was a descendant of the house of David. So he had to return to the city of David, which is Bethlehem. It’s amazing how God supernaturally orchestrated all this

to fulfill prophecy, so that we believers would be able to recognize the Christ, the Messiah, when He came.

A Second Miracle A second miracle happened when Jesus was born. It’s described in Luke 2:8–14. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Now, the Bible tells us that angels are all around us—ministering and working on behalf of God and His children (Hebrews 1:14). We don’t often get to see them at work. But on the day Jesus was born, shepherds were visited by angels who announced to them—and to all of us—that our Savior, Jesus had come! That’s a miracle!

The Greatest Miracle of All One of God’s greatest desires is that the world would have peace. In fact, the Bible calls Jesus the Prince of Peace. It also tells us that we can have the kind of peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). We can have that peace in our lives and with God Himself, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. When God sent Jesus, He did it so that we could be set free from the power of sin and death, and He did it

Nothing is ever the same once you meet Jesus. so that, through our faith in Him, we might be changed. In Matthew 2:11-12, we see that in the lives of the wise men.

The Bible says that a star appeared in the east, where several wise men saw it. It seemed that somehow in their spirits, they knew that God had done something unusual in the world. They brought their gifts of gold, and frankincense and myrrh to celebrate the new “King” that had been born. They were warned by an angel not to go home the way they came. So, why did they receive this warning? Because in Jerusalem, King Herod was waiting to question the wise men about this new “King” that had been born, so he could put the child to death. The angel warned the wise men, “Don’t go home the same way you came. Go a different way home.”

That message is symbolic of us. When we come to Christ, He changes our lives. We can become new people in Him, where nothing is ever the same once you meet Jesus. Christmastime is the perfect time to celebrate the greatest miracle of all—the salvation of a soul.

So as we are reminded of this “reason for the season,” it can be a miraculous time to make a fresh commitment of our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. What a time to release our faith and believe God for healing and for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives. What a time!

If you’ve never prayed for Jesus to be your personal Lord and Savior…or if you want to make a fresh commitment to Him…I encourage you to consider praying this simple prayer right now: Lord Jesus, I repent of any mistakes or sin in my life and I ask You to cleanse me, set me free, and make me new, make me whole. I give You the gift of my commitment, and I ask You to come into my heart and my life right now as my Lord and Savior. From this day forward, I want to serve You with my whole heart! Amen. If you prayed that prayer, or if you want additional prayer, I want to let you know that you can always call the Abundant Life Prayer Group and allow them to pray for you. Call 918-495-7777 or visit www.oralroberts.com/prayer

Hunger Needs a Voice Update

Thank you for helping these children in Niger… Children are such a precious gift. And with the support you give to Hunger Needs a Voice, we are able to regularly help the Christian School we are building in Niamey, Niger, in West Africa, where many children and their families can hear the Gospel for the very first time. Recently, we sent a container full of supplies to Niger. Over 600 children from many different villages attended the Niamey Christian School’s summer camp, where they learned about the love of Jesus and how precious they are to Him. We were able to supply these children with baby formula, diapers, wheelchairs, prepackaged food, paper, pencils, crayons, lunchboxes, soap, new clothing, and much more…all because of the prayers, love, and generous support of the partners of Oral Roberts Ministries.The container itself was even repurposed and made into a classroom and an office for the school.They sure used everything we sent! And we’re always keeping an eye out for more ways to reach out with the love of Jesus. If you’d like to help us continue to reach families in Niger and other needy areas of the world, you can give through the Oral Roberts Ministries and specify the gift for HNAV. Thank you for making it possible to make a difference and help these children. God bless you! Click here to donate

—Jordan Roberts

connections letters and comments from our viewers around the world

The Power of

Richard and Jordan ministering in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Partnership

I have been a partner with the Oral Roberts Ministries for well over five years. When I first became a partner, I did not understand about God’s healing power, but I knew I needed to seek the Lord. So, I called the Abundant Life Prayer Group whenever I felt sick—and I would get healed as I released my faith over the phone or shortly thereafter. From your teaching materials and letters, I have grown in faith and knowledge of God’s Word to receive healing for myself. Thank you for your teaching and prayer ministry to me and my family. God bless you! —Gwen from Georgia

I Feel Brand New! I just rededicated my life to the Lord through your ministry, and I am feeling like a new person. Praise the Lord! —Yvonne from Kingston, Jamaica

Recently, Richard and his daughter Jordan traveled to Kuala Lumpur Richard & Jo rdan Rober ts to share God’s Word with the with Dr. Cho and h is wife. people of Malaysia. The Revival and Healing Meeting was part of Dr.Yonggi Cho’s Church Growth Conference, where Richard also spoke and Jordan sang. Thousands of people attended these meetings to receive a word of healing!

Richard’s New Book Helped Set Me Free! In the past, I was in an abusive marriage. As I read Richard’s book, When All Hell Breaks Loose, I realized I had not truly forgiven my spouse. As a result, I was able to forgive him once and for all, and to have compassion by seeing him through the eyes of Jesus. Thank you, Richard, for writing this book! —Shirley in Pennsylvania CLICK HERE TO ORDER

Joy!

ABUNDANT LIFE BOOKSTORE

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Read & Pray & then Obey Lindsay Roberts In this devotional, Lindsay 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!

He’s A Healing Jesus 8x10 Print This beautiful “He’s a Healing Jesus” 8”x10” print has three powerful scriptures—Psalm 107:20, 3 John 2, and Isaiah 53:5—synonymous with healing throughout the Bible and in this ministry today. Suitable for framing.

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He’s a

Jesus HEALING

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. —Isaiah 53:5 He sent His Word and healed them. —Psalm 107:20

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. —3 John 2

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Uncompromising Faith Richard Roberts In this CD, Richard Roberts sings many favorite songs to bring in an atmosphere of praise, love and faith in God’s Word.

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Your Seat of

AUTHOR IT Y

BY L I N D S AY RO B E RT S 10

While opening a box of teabags, I read that to make one pound of honey, bees may travel up to 55,000 miles and visit more than two million flowers. I’d never thought about it like that before. Normally, I just put the honey in my tea, and then I drink my tea. It’s that simple—to me, at least. But from the bee’s perspective, honey requires a completely different amount of work.

How Are You Seeing Things?

We may be seeing life from the center of a checkbook that doesn’t have enough in it. Or perhaps we are seeing things from the center of the sickness and disease that is coming against our body. Sometimes we see life from the center of emotional upheaval, doom and gloom news, or people treating us poorly. But whatever we may be facing in our lives, it can be tempting to focus on the problem, when we really ought to be seeing things from heaven’s perspective.

What’s the View from Heaven?

The perspective of heaven is so different from the perspective of the world.

Heaven’s perspective is that Jesus went to the cross, rose victoriously, and now sits at the right hand of God the Father. He is seated in heavenly places. That phrase heavenly places actually means the spirit realm that surrounds our daily present situation. His authority encompasses every age, exceeds every known power, and is present here and now! And according to the Word of God, we are joint heirs with Jesus (Romans 8:17), and we are seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). Picture that! God the Father is seated in His authority. Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father, and He invites us to come and be a part of the supernatural party. Through the cross, Jesus has purchased all the miracles, signs, wonders, authority, glory, and provision that we need to live victoriously on earth. And He gave us His power and authority, according to John 17. That means we have the Bible right to be seated with Him in that atmosphere of power and authority.

But if you’re not living in the fullness of that divine authority, how do you get there?

He’s the Head, We’re the Body

Jesus went to the cross for a purpose. For this purpose, the Bible says, the Son of God was made manifest—that he might destroy the works of the devil. What are the works of the devil? He comes to steal, kill, and destroy ( John 10:10). When Jesus was seated in heavenly places, He became the head of His body—the church. He is the head, and we are the body. Where the head goes, the body is supposed to go as well. Consider this, if the head leans toward miracles, the body should be operating in miracles. If the head is whole and healed, the body should be whole and healed. If the head has more than enough, then the body should not be in lack.

What We Have as His Body

Remember, as the head goes, so goes the body. That means we are to reflect in our lives what Jesus has purchased for us on the cross. And what does the Bible tell us we have? We are supposed to be healed and made completely whole, according to the Word of God, which says, by his stripes we are healed (1 Peter 2:24). For too long, sickness and disease have talked to believers. Now, as believers, we can talk back and say, according to the Word of God, “In the name of Jesus, sickness and disease shall not have any part of me. I have dominion over these things. I will not put up with this, because greater is He that is in me than he

We have a right to walk in the authority of who we are in Christ. And in that authority, we can rebuke sickness and disease. that is in the world.” The Bible says, My God shall supply all my needs (Philippians 4:19). That’s to happen here on earth. We don’t have needs if we’re in heaven. He supplies our needs here on earth. There are provisions in the earth for our finances. All the gold and silver was put in the earth by the Lord (Haggai 2:8), and God told us to take dominion over it. Many times, we think we’re not supposed to have anything. But God said, I gave you the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). And He delights in the prosperity of His children. We have a right to walk in the authority of who we are in Christ. And in that authority, we can rebuke sickness and disease. We can rebuke lack. We can sow seed and expect God to multiply it—good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, according to Luke 6:38.

Are You Looking from Heaven or from Earth?

Now, if we really believe that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places and have access to His power and authority, then what does that mean when we face issues? What does it mean to be seated with Christ when we face sickness, disease, lack, or other challenges?

You see, satan goes around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. But 1 John 4:4 tells us, You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. We are of God. And when we are of God, when we are in Christ, He can rebuke the devourer for our sake (Malachi 3:11). Our part is to look at things from heaven’s perspective. We can see ourselves seated in that seat of authority in heavenly places. And when we do that, 12

we can look at things in a different way. Seeing our circumstances from heaven’s perspective can help us realize that we can declare God’s will and His Word into our situations—spirit, soul, and body. So, are you choosing to walk around with a target on your back, waiting for the devil to hit you one more time? Or are you standing in faith, saying, “In the name of Jesus, by the power that the cross appropriated for me when Jesus shed His blood and by the 39 stripes on His back, I am to be the healed of the Lord! I am to have my needs met by His riches in glory!”

Put Your Faith in Motion

It’s up to us to act according to the power and authority that Christ purchased when He went to the cross. All the oneness and wholeness…nothing missing, nothing broken… That is what Jesus went to the cross to purchase for us. Now, it’s up to us to stretch our faith. And our faith is put into motion when we hear the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

So, I want to encourage you to get into the Word of God and see who it says you are in Christ and what it says you can have in Him. As you begin to read scriptures about your power and authority in Christ, and all the promises of God, you can make a decision about what to do. As you get the Word of God, I encourage you to begin to walk things out according to that Word.

My prayer for you:

According to the Word of God and according to what Jesus did on the cross, I pray for you to be healed and made every whit whole. I pray for you to see yourself by faith, from heaven’s perspective, not from the center of your circumstances. I pray that you can see yourself seated with Christ in heavenly places, and that you begin to take authority over whatever is thrown your way and declare by faith that you receive your healing and wholeness and your needs met according to His Word and His will, in Jesus’ name!

Start taking your Seat of Authority today!

Taking Authority over your circumstances

The Bible tells us that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. But do you realize what that means for you in your daily living?

a great gift for

any season!

In an inspiring new CD message, Lindsay Roberts encourages you to take the seat of authority that Jesus established for us through the cross! We can take authority over sickness, disease, lack, fear, discouragement, and everything else the devil may try to throw your way. Taking your seat with Jesus means we can stand up in faith and expect miracles, just as Jesus intends for us to do!

Order today in our online bookstore. 13

Good News in the End Times Recently on The Place for Miracles, Richard and Lindsay Roberts were joined by Marilyn Hickey for a special week of teaching on the encouraging prophetic words that the Book of Daniel has for Christians. Daniel’s prophecies can help us make wise decisions and stand strong in faith as we await Jesus’ return to earth. Here is some of the revelation Marilyn shared with our viewers.

he Book of Daniel is a very important book in the Bible because we are living in the days it talks about. God wants us—His people—to understand the time we are living in. Now, Daniel was brought as a slave to Babylon when he was a young man. Imagine how hard it would have been to leave your country and your people to be made a eunuch and a slave. The Babylonians even renamed him Belteshazzar—after their false god, Bel.

This is a key thing to understand. When they said, “God is able to deliver us,” that was faith. Then they said, “But if He doesn’t, we still won’t bow down.” That was faithfulness.

Yet the Bible tells us that Daniel had an excellent spirit (Daniel 5:14). He could have had a bad attitude. He could have asked, “Where is God? How could He do this to me?” Instead, he purposed in his heart that no matter what his circumstances were, he was going to serve God. I believe this is a key for having favor with sinners. Daniel purposed in his heart to serve God. He had an excellent spirit. He was not a victim; he was a victor. He was gracious to the four different heathen kings he worked for. And evidently he had great compassion toward them. So, we see him always having favor with these rulers.

Prayer Is a Key to Victory Daniel wasn’t just a man of purpose; he was also a man of prayer. We see the power of prayer in his life many times. At one point, the king, Nebuchadnezzar, had a dream that troubled him, but he didn’t remember it. So he sent for his wise men to tell him what he had dreamed about (Daniel chapter 2). They couldn’t do it, so he started to kill them. Daniel said, “Wait! Give us time to pray.” He and his friends—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—prayed all night. And in the night, they got revelation. Daniel knew what the dream was, because God revealed it to him. He went to Nebuchadnezzar and described a figure with a head of gold, arms of silver, a stomach of brass, two legs of iron, and ten toes made of iron mixed with clay. It was a vision of the kingdoms of the world. In Daniel, these parts of the figure represented Babylon, the Medes and Persians, Greece, the Roman Empire, and finally the nations out of which would come the antichrist in the end times.

pray, God can give us revelation. And when we act on what He reveals to us, it puts us in a position to receive power in unusual places. From that time on, we always see Daniel in power. It is awesome what went on in his life because he served God and was faithful in prayer.

Don’t Compromise Daniel was a man of prayer, and so were his friends, the three Hebrew children— Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were set in high places, but they didn’t compromise. So they eventually got in trouble. King Nebuchadnezzar, a man of pride, set up an idol of himself. At the sound of certain music, everyone had to bow down to the idol. He was willing to let his leaders worship other gods, as long as he was the main one. Anyone who wouldn’t bow would be burned to death. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down. They said, “Our God is able to deliver us.”

But do you like good news? Daniel saw a rock come of out heaven and crush this image. And the rock filled the earth. That is Jesus Christ! Daniel saw the Lord victorious!

This is a key thing to understand. When they said, “God is able to deliver us,” that was faith. Then they said, “But if He doesn’t, we still won’t bow down.” That was faithfulness. So I believe when we feel our faith has failed, it’s important to be faithful to God, no matter what happens.

Nebuchadnezzar was so impressed that he promoted Daniel and his friends. When we purpose to serve God and when we

When the young men were thrown in the fiery furnace, a fourth man appeared in the 15

“There’s something about leading someone to the Lord—turning the light on for them— that turns on a light in you too.”

fire. King Nebuchadnezzar looked in and said the fourth man looked like the son of God. That was Jesus! When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged from the furnace, the ropes that had bound them were burned away. But there was no smell of smoke on them, and none of their garments were burned. Why? Because they stayed in that furnace on purpose. They didn’t compromise, and God made a way for them.

When We Sow, We Reap in Our Own Lives You know, the Bible says when we sow into the lives of others, we reap in our own lives too. As we sow into other people, I believe we’ll get more revelation for ourselves. That’s exactly what happened to Daniel. He was sowing, sowing, and sowing to all these kings, keeping an excellent spirit, staying in a prayer life and a purpose that was out of this world. And then he began to see things to come! He had a vision of the nations and what was to come in the world’s future. Yes, Daniel saw the antichrist. But the good news is, he saw God’s throne coming down, and he saw Jesus in it. In spite of the bad news we may hear around us, the good news is that we’re getting ready to see Jesus. To me, there’s never been better news than that! The name of God that is used most in the Book of Daniel is “the Most High God.” All of the idols that Nebuchadnezzar had…all these different kingdoms that we see in the dreams in Daniel…even the antichrist… They were nothing compared to the Most High God. He’s exalted above everything else.

God’s Great Love for All of Us In this day when things seem so dark, I think people reach out to us because we have the light of the Lord in us. I went out one morning early for coffee. As I was sitting there, a man came in. And he had a teenage son with him. The Lord said, “I want you to talk to him.” I said, “Oh, Lord, I don’t think he will accept me.” But the Lord said, “This is the one.” So I went over and said, “I was sitting here when you came in. I’m a Christian, and the Lord said to talk to you 16

about how much He loves you. Would you mind if I sat down with you?” He said, “No, sit down. Who are you?” I got to lead him and his son to the Lord! The Bible says we’re to shine like stars (Daniel 12:3). There’s something about leading someone to the Lord—turning the light on for them—that turns on a light in you too. And in these end times, the Bible says we are to be like stars that shine forever and ever. God so loved you and me that He gave His Son (John 3:16). When we accept Him as Lord and Savior, Jesus comes into our hearts. He calls us beloved. His love will be unending. Heaven will be soaked and saturated with His love. So, consider the people that Jesus would like you to talk to. Don’t give up on them. Maybe this is the time to pray them into God’s Kingdom!

God doesn’t want us to be in the dark about the future. On The Place for Miracles, Richard and Lindsay Roberts welcomed Marilyn Hickey to talk about how the prophetic words of the Book of Daniel apply to our lives today, sharing on what this book has to tell us about the past as well as God’s plans for the future. This DVD includes all five of these powerful discussions on the Book of Daniel, as well as Marilyn Hickey’s special Study Guide.

For your seed-faith gift of $30 or more! Click here to order.

Miracle Tour in Canada! In September, Richard Roberts visited Toronto to preach and pray for those in need of healing and God’s miracle-working power. People came in faith…and God did great miracles for them. Here are some highlights of these Toronto testimonies!

Pam from Toronto testified, “Richard prayed for me, and I felt my chest pain and back pain go.”

Tina told our team that she couldn’t even move her back when she came to Richard’s meeting. But after prayer and releasing her faith, her back is moving fine!

“I went to your Toronto crusade, and you called out a word of knowledge that God was healing backs.You then laid hands on me. My back was healed after a month of pain!” —Samuel from Brampton, Ontario “I went to your meeting in Toronto and I was so blessed! It was glorious, unbelievable, and so uplifting! And I really enjoyed Jordan’s singing.” —Allison from Toronto, Ontario

Hannah testified that she couldn’t move her arm, but after Richard prayed for those with arm problems, she was healed and was able to raise her arm over her head with ease.

JaLissa shared this good news: “I asked God to heal me of depression I’ve had lately because I’ve had a lot going on. After prayer, I feel better. I feel more alive. And I feel like the depression is gone.”

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. —1 Chronicles 16:8 NLT

The Prayer of Agreement Led to My Healing!

ne day, I was on a plumbing job. We were repairing a sewer that was under concrete, so we had to jackhammer the concrete, put large chunks of it in wheelbarrows, and haul it away. After a period of two or three days of this hard labor, I began to experience pain in the back, and I reported my problem to my supervisor. He advised me to see a doctor. The doctor determined that I had a soft tissue injury. I ended up on disability and could not work because the pain was so debilitating and excruciating. I was not able to sit for long periods of time. I could not walk for long periods of time. I tossed and turned and couldn’t find a comfortable position when I was sleeping, so I was always sleep-deprived. This trouble went on for a number of years. At times, I began to get depressed because I was not able to be myself, and there were certain things I was not able to do. It was very frustrating. As I began to seek God for healing, He led me to Oral Roberts Ministries. Through you, God gave me revelation on the prayer of agreement—If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven (Matthew 18:19). Since those were the words of Jesus, I believed God and took Him at His Word. I called the Abundant Life Prayer Group and asked the prayer partner to pray with me regarding my back injury. I told the

prayer partner that I had this condition for years and that it kept reoccurring. They agreed with me to believe for healing. Soon after prayer, I received my permanent healing—so much so that I tested it out while I was at work as a football coach with a local high school. I was assisting my defensive coordinator and went in as the quarterback for a couple of plays because the defensive coach couldn’t throw the ball. When the center snapped the ball, I caught it and took off running. I was running so fast that I tripped over my feet! Everyone laughed. When I went back to the huddle, the players were amazed. They said, “Coach, you really took off!” I felt fine. I thank God for the power of God’s healing that is flowing through this ministry. It’s been a great benefit to me. I give God all the glory for it. —Jeffrey from California

Share Your Miracle with Us Has God touched your life with His miracleworking power through the Oral Roberts Ministries? If so, we want to hear about it! We want to share your miracle with others to build their faith and remind them that Jesus is still in the business of showing people His love and mercy with miracles to save, heal, and deliver— spirit, soul, and body. Write or call today to tell us what God has done in your life through this ministry. CLICK HERE TO SHARE YOUR STORY. 19

The Power of

“Thank You” BY 20

L I N D S AY R O B E R T S

Have you ever been in a position where you just wanted to hear the words “thank you”?

was in a shopping mall, and I saw there was an elderly woman behind me. I moved over to open the door so she could get through the door too, when a guy in a suit who was bigger than both of us came up and burst through the door, completely ignoring the two of us. Well, I looked at him in surprise. He realized what he did, but he did not turn around and say thank you or excuse me or anything. Then I looked at the elderly woman and said, “It’s a thankless generation.”

Sometimes I wonder: Are we a generation, even as Christians, that doesn’t show enough gratitude for what Christ did? And is it possible that some of us may not be receiving the things that the Bible promises us because of whining, griping, and complaining instead of giving God thanks for His goodness, mercy, and blessings?

Counting Our Blessings Philippians 4:6–7 says, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The Bible is clear about the power of saying thank you to God. In other words, being thankful can be good for us. I’ve read about researchers studying how gratitude impacts our lives. And these studies have found that counting our blessings improves our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Being thankful can even be healthy for you—spirit, soul, and body! Just imagine what a little gratitude can do for your day. It can change your attitude. It can help you focus on who God is and what He has done for you on the cross. Thankfulness can help you enter God’s presence and reach out in faith to Him for the miracles you need!

Saying Thank You to God When Jesus died on the cross and rose again victorious over sin and death, He received all the glory, power, authority, and honor due to Him for that great act. And out of that good stuff, Jesus gave to us in John

chapter 17. We share in His victory with Him…because we are in Him. In John 17, Jesus talks about transferring to us that anointing, glory, power, and authority because He knew we were going to need it in order to survive the world we’re living in. He said that in this world, we’ll have tribulation. We may face hard times. But He also said, “Be of good cheer, because I’ve overcome the world.” We may be in this world, but as Christians, we are not of the world. We are of God. We are joint heirs with Jesus to everything His Word declares for us—which can include healing, wholeness, deliverance, salvation, restoration, and abundant provision. That’s our inheritance because we were adopted into the family of God. The blessings of Abraham are to come upon us because of Jesus (Galatians 3:14). And in John 16:24, Jesus said, Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. We can use the name of Jesus, and by faith, we can tap into the authority that is connected to the name of Jesus. That’s something to thank God for, isn’t it? So as you enjoy this Christmas and the New Year, why not take a moment to say thank you to God for all He has done for you? He is good, His mercies endure forever, (Psalm 106:1), and I believe He has more good things to come for us, in Jesus’ name! 21

Three Jesus Your Needs Met The

Steps

Taught for Getting

A CLASSIC SERMON BY

ORAL ROBERTS

ne day Jesus came to the Sea of Galilee, followed by an enormous crowd (Luke 5:1–11). He wanted to share with them the Good News of the Gospel, heal their sick, give them many miracles, and change their lives. And to do that, He needed something. He needed a place where they could all hear and see Him.

“I want to tell you this story in my own words...”

–Oral Roberts

Jesus saw a group of fishermen nearby—Simon Peter, James, and John—with their empty boats. Jesus walked over to Simon and said, “Have you caught any fish?” “No,” Simon said. “But we worked hard and fished all night long.” “But have you caught any fish?” “No.” “Then change,” Jesus said. Simon must have wondered, “What do You mean, change? We know all the rules. We’ve fished all our lives.” “Well, have you caught any fish?” “No.” “Then change.” “Mister, You don’t look, act, or talk like a fisherman.” Jesus said, “I’m not a fisherman. But if I’d toiled all night after knowing all the rules and fishing all my life and caught nothing, I’d change.” They said, “What would You have us do?” And that was when Jesus gave them three steps that would meet their needs.

1. GIVE WHAT YOU HAVE TO GOD Jesus told Simon, “First, I’d have you give Me your empty boat.” Imagine how that must have sounded! “But if we give You our boat, we won’t have anything to fish with.” “But you haven’t caught any fish. So if you give Me your boat, what have you lost? If you’ll give Me that empty boat, you’ll be uniting yourself with the power of God, and then you can take dominion over these fish.” Then Jesus said, “After you lend Me your boat and I use it, I’m going to give it back to you. But first, I’m going out on

the water with you. I’ll tell you where the fish are, and you’re going to catch more fish than you know what to do with.”

2. EXPECT A MIRACLE After we give to God, the second thing to do is to expect a miracle. Peter said, “Well, I don’t know about this miracle business, but we’ll be glad to let You have our boat.” Jesus said, “Wait a minute. You’ve got to be ready to receive a miracle from God, because the miracle can come toward you if you’re looking for it. But if you’re not looking for it, your miracle can pass you by.”

3. LET GOD CHANGE YOUR LIFE Then Jesus said, “When I’ve given you this miracle, I’m going to change your lives, just like I’m changing your method of fishing. I’m going to tell you how to walk a new path, follow me. I’m going to make you into something different and new.” The fishermen didn’t understand that, but they understood the first part about letting Jesus have their boat. So He took it and used it, because He had a need for it.

HOW COULD GOD HAVE A NEED? In the book of Genesis, God created man in His own image and likeness, and He made him to walk and talk with Him. They were one. Then one day, man rebelled and the devil stole mankind. So, God has a need to get men and women back. It’s stated in John 3:16, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God sent His Son to die and to rise from the dead so that people might come back to Him. He has a need for us. But notice that Jesus didn’t ask Simon and his friends to give just because He had a need. He asked them to give because they had a need as well. 23

“He can give you dominion, when we line up whatever we have with the spiritual power of God and take dominion by faith.” DO YOU HAVE AN EMPTY BOAT? Simon Peter said, “My boat is empty,” but Jesus said, “That’s why I want it. I’m going to take it empty and return it full and overflowing.” If you can understand that when you have a need, you can give out of that need—not because God needs it, but so your need might be met—then you can learn one of the most important things Jesus taught. Simon and his partners needed fish. Your need may be for finances, healing, or something else. But whatever you need, you can see Luke 6:38 and give first…give out of that need. That’s where you can start. And then you can expect a miracle. That’s why Jesus told Peter to expect a miracle, because Peter had planted his seed— he’d obeyed Jesus by lending Him his boat.

TAKE DOMINION God’s Word tells us that we are meant to have dominion over the things in this earth (Genesis 1:26). He can give you dominion, when we line up whatever we have with the power of God and take dominion by faith. THE SEED YOU SOW In Luke 6:38 Christ said, Give, and it shall be given unto you. He didn’t say receive and then give. Many of us have been taught that we owe God. But Jesus paid the debt. Now we don’t have to give to God as a debt we owe, but as a seed we sow. After we give, we can take that second step—expect a miracle. Understand that when you take something you possess and give it to God, you unite it with the power of the Lord, and can expect a miracle. If you don’t expect it, it could pass you by. 24

Peter changed his thinking and began to expect a miracle, and it worked! When the fishermen got out into the deep water, Jesus, who created this world and put the fish in the sea and gave us dominion over them, said, “Throw your net over. The fish are right there.” When Peter threw out the net and pulled it back in, there were too many fish, and the net broke. They emptied the fish into the boat as fast as they could, and then they had no place to stand. They asked their partners to come over. Jesus said, “I’ll fill their boat too.” What He was saying was, “Enlarge your capacity to receive.”

ENLARGE YOUR CAPACITY I believe we can pray, “Lord, make our capacity equal to the miracles You’re going to give us.” We can enlarge our capacity for what God is going to do in our lives. The Lord had the fishermen enlarge their capacity… and there was a miracle.

JESUS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE When Peter saw the miracle with the net-breaking, boat-sinking load of fish, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Leave me, Lord. I’m a sinful man.” How did Peter

know he was sinful? He knew he was sinful because he had seen God perform a miracle. Peter said, “I’m a sinful man.” The word sin in the original Greek means “missing the mark.” When a man or a woman takes a gun and shoots at a target, they are aiming at something. And they miss it sometimes. That’s what sin means. Peter was saying, “I’m missing the mark with my life. And after I’ve seen this great power of God, I don’t know what to do.” Jesus answered, “Yes, you’ve missed the mark. You’ve been missing the will of God. Here’s what you need to do: Follow Me. Follow Me, and I’ll make you a fisher of men. I’ll change your life.”

JESUS STARTS WITH YOUR NEED The fishermen needed to catch fish because that’s how they made their living and supported their families. Jesus started with their problem. Do you have financial problems? Physical problems? Problems in your spiritual life? Do you have other kinds of problems? Then I encourage you to consider doing this: Say, “I’ve got a need, and Jesus tells me to give out of that need. I’m going to give, I’m going to expect a miracle, and I’m going to follow Jesus like He said to do.” You can place your hand on yourself and pray for your greatest need and expect a miracle! You can start by saying this: Dear God, I have missed the mark with my life. You said, “Follow Me,” and You’d make me a fisher of men. Peter said, “Lord, I’m a sinful man,” and Lord, I, too, am sinful. I’ve failed You at times, and I repent. I am deeply sorry that I have missed the mark. Now, Jesus, I commit myself into Your saving grace. I bow my heart and my whole life to You.

I believe we can pray, “Lord, make our equal to the You’re going to give us.”

capacity miracles

Fill me with the Holy Spirit. With Your help, I’m going to be different. I ask You to be my Lord, my Redeemer, my Source. I pray to be a new person, in the name of Jesus! Amen.

Take some time

to encourage yourself in the Lord.... A good Word from God can help us to jumpstart our days and inspire us to live for Him. That’s what Lindsay Roberts’ new weekly blog, Devos and Dishes, is all about. Each week, Lindsay shares: • an encouraging devotional to help you make your days count for the Lord • an easy recipe to add to your family menu Just log on to oralroberts.com/devosanddishes or go to devosanddishes.com. And invite your friends to join in this fun, convenient resource for today’s busy woman!