You may remember that God told Moses something very similar in the book of Exodus when Moses claimed he wasn't qualified to go before Pharaoh and demand Israel's freedom. He felt he was personally inadequate for the task.

"Lord, who am I to go and do these things?" he said. But God answered, "Certainly I will be with thee" (Ex. 3:12). In other words, "It doesn't matter who you are, Moses. It matters Who I am. For I am with you!"

That's the great thing about God's success formula. It's not based on our abilities, it's based on His abilities. We may be inadequate in a dozen different ways, but the One Who is with us is more than enough.

Although it's great to know God is connected with you, that He never leaves you nor forsakes you, before He can release His power on your behalf, you have to be connected with Him in return. The way you do that is by obeying His Word.

Joshua 1:7 says:

Only you be strong, and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.

Do you realize that obeying the Word is an act of courage? It really is because when you obey the Word and believe God in a situation, you're swimming upstream. You're going against the current of the world.

When most of the people and all the circumstances around you are screaming unbelief in your ears, it takes courage to stand on God's Word and to be moved. But once you make the decision to do it, you'll be ready to activate God's three-part formula for success.

You'll find it spelled out in Joshua 1:8:

This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.

There they are. Three simple steps directly from the mouth of God. Steps that enabled Joshua to conquer the land of Canaan and bring Israel into their inheritance. Steps that will enable you to live like the conqueror God designed you to be. Let's look at them one by one:

Success Step 1
"This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth." That's the first element of supernatural success God gives us in this verse. I like to say it this way: Talk the Word.

When I say talk the Word, I don't mean just every now and then when you're feeling spiritual. I mean continually. In Deuteronomy 6:7, God said you should talk His Word, "when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up."

That's pretty much all the time, isn't it? At home, at work, in the grocery store - wherever you are, keep the Word of God in your mouth. Some people find it hard to talk the Word that much. If you're focusing most of your attention on natural things - watching secular television, going to the movies, thinking about worldly matters, worrying about your job and family - then that's what is going to be in your heart in abundance. And that's what you're going to talk about.

To change what's coming out of your mouth, you must refocus your attention. Turn it toward God's Word and keep it there. Fill your heart with an abundance of the Word and your mouth will get in line.

Success Step 2
That brings us to the second step of God's success formula. "You shall meditate on the Word day and night."

When you meditate God's Word, you're going to do more than just read it. You're going to take it into your heart in a very personal way and apply it to your own situation.

If you've been reading the Bible like a history book, make a change and begin to see it as God talking directly to you. Take time to meditate on it. Think about it. Digest it. Take it so personally that it moves from your head to your heart, and it will become powerful and active in your life.

Success Step 3
The final step of God's success formula involves action. We must act as though the Word we've been talking and meditating is true - even when circumstances seem to say otherwise.

If that puzzles you, read what Jesus said in Mark 11:

Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
(vv. 22-24)

Notice Jesus didn't say we should believe we've received what we ask for when we see it. He said to believe you receive when you pray. Now, if you follow His instructions, you aren't going to walk around all depressed and joyless. You're going to rejoice and praise God for the answer to your prayer. You're going to act like you've already received it.

Right there is where many people miss it. They fail to act on it. And it is "acting on the Word" that actually develops the fruit of the Spirit in your life.

Each time you choose to act on and obey God's way of doing and being right, you will flow in the wisdom of God. As you do, you'll tap into a fountain full of unbeatable forces with you - the fruit of the Spirit.

Excerpt permission granted by
Eagle Mountain International Church, Inc.
aka:  Kenneth Copeland Ministries