by Vikki Burke | Apr 30, 2026 | Enriching Life Daily
When we become Christians, God deposits in our hearts forces the Bible calls the fruit of the spirit. Notice what these fruit consist of:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self -control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
(Gal. 5:22- 25)
Just like fruit originates from within a tree, so the force of peace is generated from within our recreated human spirits. It’s our job to learn to yield to these forces instead of continuing to lean on our own understanding and reasoning. Instead of living by the impulses of the flesh, we must learn to live by the spirit.
Drawing on the force of peace from within our spirits doesn’t happen automatically ? it takes practice. When we sense the urge to succumb to the flesh, we must choose instead to yield to the force of peace.
This process is accelerated when we begin to recognize and guard our hearts from intruders that would steal our peace. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (NKJV). What are some of the major intruders that try to steal our peace?
One intruder that threatens our peace is the emphasis the world puts on outward appearance. Many people give more attention to their appearance than to the well-being of their inward life, their heart. We must resist the lure the world places on outward appearance.
The focus on outward appearance has created deep-seated feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness for many. It causes people to compare themselves with others in order to determine whether they “measure up.” That feeling can steal joy from an otherwise good life. When appearance is the focus, important inward issues of the heart are left unattended and peace is sacrificed.
This problem will be solved when we begin seeing ourselves from God’s perspective instead of man’s. When God sent Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint one of his sons as king, He said,
Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
(1 Sam. 16:7 NAS)
The Apostle Peter reveals God’s attitude toward outward appearance when he said:
Let not yours be the [merely] external adorning with [elaborate] interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes; but let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.
(1 Peter 3:3-4 AMP)
Peter was prompting us to look beyond the shallow issues of appearance to the more important “inward adorning.” He said that a gentle, peaceful heart is very precious in the sight of God. And if it’s precious to God, then let’s be sure it’s precious to us.
Dennis Burke Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
by Kenneth Copeland | Apr 30, 2026 | Pursuit of His Presence
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purges himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. 2:20-21).
You are destined for greatness! God’s plan and desire is for you to be so full of His anointing, that it overflows to others, changing their lives forever!
“Well, now, Brother Copeland, you know not everyone is destined for greatness in the kingdom of God. As the Bible says, some vessels are gold and silver…others are soil and earth. I guess I’m just one of those little mud vessels.”
If you are, it’s your own fault! God isn’t the one who decides if we’re to be vessels of honor or not. We make the decision ourselves.
If you want to be a vessel of honor in the house of God, you can be. According to 2 Timothy 2:19-21, you simply have to purge yourself from iniquity and dishonor. Notice I said purge yourself. God won’t do it for you.
He cleansed you from sin the moment you were born again, but it’s your responsibility to keep yourself pure. It’s up to you to confess your sins and walk in holiness day by day. God will give you power, certainly, but you’re the one who must put that power to work.
The Bible doesn’t say Jesus will drag you away from iniquity, it says you are to depart from it. You are to cleanse yourself from sin as well as to cleanse yourself from the phony faith tactics and other subtle dishonorable practices many believers use.
Don’t ever be like the fellow who went down to the altar and knelt down right next to the richest man in the church and began praying in his finest Elizabethan English: “Oh, God, Thou knowest how we’ve suffered in our house with no washing machine. You know, Lord, how my little babies have to wear dirty diapers because I don’t have any way to wash them. Oh, God, You know I’ve given away all I have for You….”
When the rich man yielded to the pressure and gave him a washing machine, that fellow said he got it by faith. That wasn’t faith! It was a religious con and that’s the worst kind of con there is.
We must back away from such dishonorable ways. We need to be a people of honor who would rather wash our clothes out by hand than do something like that. We need to be the kind of people who get off in a corner where no one can hear us and pray to our Heavenly Father in secret, believing He will reward us openly!
Then, we can fulfill all of His plans for greatness, plans for us to overflow into other people’s lives with the fullness of His Anointing!
Speak the Word: I am a vessel of honor, sanctified, and fit for the Master’s use. (2 Tim. 2:21)
For Further Study: Matthew 6:5-8
Daily Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 12-14; 1 Corinthians 4-5
Excerpt permission granted by
Eagle Mountain International Church, Inc.
aka: Kenneth Copeland Ministries
by Mark Brazee | Apr 30, 2026 | 365 Days of Healing, Devotions
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:2-4).
Notice in Verse 4 that James didn’t say, “Let those tests and trials have their perfect work.” He said, “Let patience have her perfect work.”
You see, tests and trials don’t perfect you. It is what you do with them that counts. You are not perfected because a bunch of problems come along. You are perfected because you stick with the Word of God in the midst of those problems and patiently endure. That’s when patience has its perfect work.
Patience is consistent endurance. When you walk in patience, you remain consistent all the way through situations, no matter what comes along. You aren’t up and down like a yo-yo. You base everything on God’s Word. You don’t get up in the morning and ask yourself how you are. You get up in the morning, open your Bible and tell yourself how you are according to the Word!
I’ve seen people grow in their spiritual walks as a result of using their faith against tests and trials. I’ve seen other people go under when they faced the same tests and trials. It’s what people do with their problems that makes the difference.
Faith thrives in the midst of a trial. That doesn’t mean we enjoy the trial. But when it comes our way, we don’t shrink away from it either! We stand on God’s Word and say, “Thank God, I know and trust the One whom I have believed!” Even when the going gets tough, we just dig our heels in and say, “I don’t care what it looks like, seems like, sounds like, or feels like. I believe what the Word of God says!”
Confession:
My faith thrives in the midst of a trial. When symptoms come, I tell my body, “You’re healed because Jesus bore your sickness!” I’m not the sick trying to get healed. I am the healed, and in Jesus’ name the symptoms have to leave!
Source: 365 Days of Healing by Mark Brazee
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
by Terry Nance | Apr 30, 2026 | Devotions, Featured Devotions
As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.
(1 Corinthians 12:20–22 NIV)
In the Old Testament, the armorbearer’s main function was directly related to combat. This has not changed at all between the Old and New Testaments. What has changed greatly is the type of combat in which the New Testament armorbearer is to engage as he serves his officer.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). In this passage, we clearly see that we are not engaged in battle against the Philistines as the children of Israel were in the Old Testament. Under the New Covenant, we do not do battle against flesh and blood at all, but against demonic powers.
God calls men and women to do great things and to accomplish wondrous tasks for Him. Preaching the Word of God to all nations is no small undertaking, and it is impossible for one person to accomplish it alone. That’s where the Body of Christ comes in.
God places His vision inside a person and His anointing upon him to carry it forth. Then He surrounds that individual with other members of the Body of Christ to support and work with him toward the fulfillment of that vision. The Lord begins by sending armorbearers to assist the man of God and to take his spirit upon them. Their function is to do spiritual warfare for their leader and to take the load off him. They also help to impart his vision to the people. These individuals are the “indispensable” members of the Body of Christ that our text refers to. The leader cannot fulfill his mission without them.
Epaphroditus is a good New Testament example of what I am talking about. Paul acknowledges that Epahroditus is his brother, his fellow worker, and his fellow soldier in the faith. He also acknowledges that the Philippian church had sent Epaphroditus to take care of his needs, or we could say to serve as his armorbearer. (Phil. 2:25)
As strong in faith as the apostle Paul was, he still had need of those whom God sent to assist him. What a privilege it is to serve God’s anointed. You are indispensable.
Developing the Spirit of an Armorbearer
- Be encouraged that you are an indispensable part of your leader’s team. It is a divine calling to help take the load off him. What is something you can do today to lighten his load?
- Be able to verbalize your leader’s vision to the people he is called to minister to as well as to any other armorbearers.
- Take seriously your assignment to pull down demonic strongholds. Continually take authority over them and forbid them to operate against your leader and his ministry. Surround your leader with a prayer covering of protection at all times.
Heavenly Father, what a wonderful vision You have given to the leader I serve, and I thank You for calling me alongside him to help fulfill it. I will be faithful to wage war in the spirit, to pull down the stronghold that would try to stop Your plan. I ask the Holy Spirit to help me remain vigilant and to recognize the first trace of demonic involvement. Not only will I pray, but I will be faithful to assist my leader in any way he needs it. I serve at the pleasure of my King and for the good of my leader. Amen.
Source: God’s Armorbearer Devotional by Terry Nance
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
by Kenneth E. Hagin | Apr 30, 2026 | Health Food
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
(John 16:23-24)
The word “ask” comes from the same Greek word that is translated “demand” and means to demand something due. In other words, Jesus was saying, “Whatever you demand in My Name, I will do it.”
In Acts chapter 3, a crippled man was sitting at the gate as Peter and John were going into the temple. The crippled man was begging for alms.
Peter said to him, “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” Peter took the crippled man by the hand and lifted him up. Peter demanded that the man get up in Jesus’ Name.
Whatever you ask in Jesus’ Name, He will do it! Our faith in the Name has been weak, but whatever we demand as our right in His Name, He will do it!
You have the right to use the Name of Jesus. If pain comes, you have the right to say, “In the Name of Jesus Christ, pain, leave my body!” The pain must go because you are master of your own body. You rule it!
Confession:
I ask in Jesus’ Name, demanding my rights. And Jesus said that whatsoever I demand in His Name, He will do!
Source: Health Food Devotions by Kenneth E. Hagin.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
