Kenneth Copeland — Be Fervent in Spirit
Fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in
hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant
in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints;
given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute
you: bless, and curse not (Romans 12:11-14).
Never lag in zeal or in earnest endeavor. Be aglow
and burning with the Spirit, always eagerly and faithfully
serving the Lord.
Don’t go around with the corners of your mouth
hanging down. Put on Jesus. Be like Jesus. Do as He
would do.
Rejoice and exalt in hope, says the Apostle Paul.
Be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation.
Be constant in prayer.
In this passage Paul is describing the way we are to
act in the Body of Christ. We are to keep our mouths shut
about our own trials and tribulations, about our own
hurts. We are not to go around rehearsing our problems
all the time, repeating them to every preacher, minister
and counselor we run across—again and again.
One of the reasons that we ministers of the gospel
sometimes have to avoid our fellow Christians
at meetings is because we cannot stay under the
anointing if we constantly and repeatedly are
being burdened with other people’s trials and
tribulations. Many people who do this don’t really
want help. They just want to go over their problems
again and again and again, drawing attention
to themselves. That’s dishonorable.
God has said that our hurts are very important to
Him (1 Peter 5:7). However, they ought to mean little
or nothing to us. We should be paying very little attention
to our own problems and difficulties other than
to take our stand of faith on God’s Word and roll our
cares over on Him and leave them there. He wants us
to be alive with hope, not going around saying that
things are hopeless all the time.
Be alive with hope. Be steadfast and patient in
suffering. Don’t worry about what is coming against
you. Be strong in faith. Belittle your problems in the
presence of others.
Quit carrying your burdens and cares around
everywhere you go. Distribute to the needs of God’s
people. Share in meeting the necessities of the saints.
Pursue the practice of hospitality. Bless those who
persecute you, those who are cruel in their attitude
toward you. Bless, and do not curse.
