Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

A Strange Thing Happened on the Way to the Promised Land

Chapter 2

Speak to the Mountain!

Chapter 3

Little by Little We Can Take the Land

Chapter 4

Lord, Open Our Eyes!

Chapter 5

Don't Let Fear Get a Grip on You!

Chapter 6

If You Want to Make Room for the Impossible, You've Got to Swallow Your Pride

Chapter 7

'Let It Be to Me According to Your Word'

Chapter 8

It's Time to Turn Our Value System Right Side Up!

Introduction

Seven years ago, when I was first elected President of Oral Roberts University, all the tremendous things that are happening at ORU today seemed to be impossible. Many people predicted that ORU would fail and that certainly I would fail. But they forgot that God specializes in the impossible!

While God has been working incredible miracles, we've been making room for the impossible. How? First of all, we've been getting ourselves out of the way. And we've also been learning how to be less analytical, how to trust in the Lord, how to hear His voice, and how to obey.

As a result, ORU's debt has been drastically reduced and our enrollment has skyrocketed. It seems impossible by human standards, and yet God has done it!

Friend, God is no respecter of persons. If He'll do the impossible for me, He'll do it for you too! And I've got good news. Jeremiah 32:17 declares that NOTHING is too hard for the Lord!

No matter what kinds of troubles the devil has thrown across your path, God has a supernatural plan for your deliverance. So put your trust in Him and open up your heart! YOU CAN BEGIN TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE!

Chapter 1

A STRANGE THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE PROMISED LAND

The Bible is filled with stories of men and women who made room for the impossible by getting themselves out of the way and allowing the power of God to move. I remember how Moses made room for the impossible after God spoke to him from a burning bush.

The Lord said, "I have heard the cry of My people. I have seen their afflictions by reason of their cruel taskmasters. Go tell Pharaoh to let My people go." (See Exodus 3-14.)

Now this is the classic story of good against evil. It's the classic story of God against all the forces of hell. It's the classic story of Moses against the ruler of Egypt.

One day Moses went strolling into town with a word from the Lord for Pharaoh. Moses told him, "The God of the Hebrews says, 'Let My people go three days into the wilderness that they might have a feast unto their God!'"

But Pharaoh said NO. And, friend, just because you get a word from the Lord, just because the Holy Spirit gives you a vision, just because God speaks to you in an audible voice, it doesn't mean that everything is automatically going to turn out all right. Believe me, satan will come after you with everything he's got!

You can pray in tongues and get the interpretation. You can get a word from the Holy Spirit. You can have peace in your heart, and you can be absolutely sure that the way is going to be paved with rose petals. But the very next instant, the devil may knock you over the head with a lead pipe!

What do you do when you run into a stumbling block? You check in with headquarters. You go back to the Lord and say, "Did I hear from You right? I'm checking out my Bible. I'm praying in tongues. Lord, I'm opening myself up to hear from You."

Remember, you cannot expect the devil to cooperate with God's Word in your life. He will not cooperate!

GOD KNOWS HOW TO PUT THE PRESSURE ON THE DEVIL!

When Moses delivered the word of the Lord to Pharaoh, he said NO! Then he demanded, "Show me a sign that God has really spoken to you."

So God told Moses, "Throw down your rod before Pharaoh." When Moses threw down his shepherd's rod, it turned into a snake and slithered across the floor. But Pharaoh was not impressed.

Immediately he called for his magicians, and they threw down their rods too. Their rods also turned into snakes, but Moses' snake swallowed up their snakes. Pharaoh still wasn't impressed.

Then Moses told him, "If you don't let my people go, God will send plagues upon Egypt, the likes of which you've never seen before." Once again Pharaoh turned a deaf ear to Moses' threats, and the plagues began to rain down upon the land—frogs, lice, locusts, death of cattle, boils, hailstorms, darkness, and even the rivers turned to blood!

At last God sent one final, death-dealing plague. He unleashed the angel of death to destroy the firstborn of every house in Egypt.

Before that plague struck, God gave the children of Israel a way of escape. He told them to take a lamb that was without blemish and kill it and smear the blood on the doorposts of their houses. Then He said, "Roast the lamb and eat it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. Eat it in remembrance of the four hundred years of bondage that you've endured."

The lamb was a symbol of the Lamb which was to come—Jesus, the Lamb of God whose blood was shed from the foundations of the earth. When the death angel saw the blood on the doorposts of the children of Israel, he had to pass over their homes. And the devil has to pass over us, too, because we've been washed in the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus!

GOD WANTS YOU TO LEAVE THE DEVIL STANDING IN THE DUST!

That night the death angel visited all the houses in Egypt, and a great cry arose as the firstborn in every house perished. The death angel also visited the houses of all the children of Israel, but every time the angel saw the blood on the doorposts, he passed over that house!

The next morning the stench of death filled the land. It even reached to Pharaoh's own household. In a fit of rage, he called for Moses and growled at him, "Go! Leave my sight!"

In your mind's eye, I want you to picture the children of Israel, some two million strong, marching out of town. Can you hear them praising the Father? Can you see them dancing along their way, singing and rejoicing? What a cloud of dust they must have left behind them as they went!

You talk about leaving somebody standing in the dust. They left Pharaoh standing in the dust! And God wants you to leave the devil standing in the dust too!

SATAN NEVER GIVES UP!

When the children of Israel reached the shores of the Red Sea, all at once they glanced up and saw Pharaoh's armies charging after them. It looked as if they were going to die on the shores of the sea!

In Exodus 15:9 Pharaoh declared, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

Friend, even when you're obeying Jesus and walking in His path, satan will still try to pursue you. But don't let his threats shake you up!

When Moses saw Pharaoh's armies thundering toward him, he did what many of us do when we're faced with an alarming situation. He began to panic! He started to whine and gripe and moan and complain to the Lord. But God said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Quit your whining and griping and moaning and complaining. Tell the people to go forward!"

God asked Moses, "What do you have in your hand?"

All he had in his hand was his shepherd's rod. Then God commanded him, "Lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it."

When Moses stretched out his rod, a mighty east wind began to blow, and a huge wall of water rolled back on the left and on the right. As the winds howled, God parted the waters of the sea. All the men of Israel, along with their wives, their children, their livestock, and all of their earthly goods, stepped down into that dry seabed and began to cross over to the other side.

I can just imagine how the wheels in Pharaoh's mind were turning as he watched those Hebrew slaves slipping out of his grasp. He must have thought to himself, I will enter into this miracle too! Just as the Hebrews were disappearing out of sight, he sent his men charging after them, down into the midst of the sea.

But God had a surprise for Pharaoh that day. And the Lord always has a surprise for satan when he tries to enter into God's miracle flow in your life! Suddenly He caused the wind to change direction. With a deafening roar, the gigantic walls of water came crashing down on Pharaoh's army, covering the chariots and the horsemen. They all drowned at the bottom of the sea!

MOSES USED WHAT HE HAD IN HIS HAND

What did Moses do to make room for the impossible? He used what he had in his hand.

Friend, I'm sure you must have some dreams and visions for your life, and perhaps you've been wondering, God, how on earth can I ever do this? It looks so impossible!

I declare to you that nothing is impossible with the Lord! The dream that He's placed in your heart CAN become a reality. YOU CAN MAKE ROOM FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE IF YOU'LL BEGIN TO USE WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HAND AS GOD DIRECTS YOU!

Chapter 2

SPEAK TO THE MOUNTAIN!

There's a powerful scene in Mark 11:12-14 where Jesus commanded a fig tree to wither and die. The Bible says that one day He and His disciples passed by a fig tree on the side of the road. The Lord must have been hungry, because He walked over to see if there were any figs on it. When He found nothing but a handful of leaves (because it wasn't fig season yet), He spoke to the tree, saying, "You shall never bear fruit again!"

Notice that Jesus' word became a word of faith. He spoke a word of faith to an inanimate object, a tree.

When the disciples heard what He had said, no doubt they must have strained their eyes, looking to see if the tree would shrivel up and die right there on the spot. But nothing happened ... at least not on the outside.

And isn't that the way it is for us as Christians many times? We get a word from the Lord, we bow our heads and pray, but when we open our eyes again, the problem is still staring us in the face. When nothing seems to change on the outside, we think that nothing is happening on the inside.

It's important for us to realize that we look at situations from the outside, but God looks on the inside. We look at the exterior, but God looks behind the scenes. And when change comes, most of the time it doesn't start on the outside. It usually starts on the inside, where we cannot see.

It would be wonderful if everything we prayed for happened instantaneously, but it doesn't always turn out that way. During the transition time—the time between when you pray and when the manifestation comes—that's the time to use your faith! Faith is what you hold on to until you receive what you're believing for!

JESUS SEES YOU AND ME AS MIGHTY POWERHOUSES FOR GOD!

After Jesus had cursed the fig tree, He went into the city of Jerusalem and preached the Gospel and prayed for the sick. No doubt He performed many wonderful miracles. The Bible also tells us that while there He overturned the tables of the money changers and cast them out of the temple. He said, "My house shall be called a house of prayer" (v. 17). In other words, Jesus was about His heavenly Father's business.

The next morning, on their way out of Jerusalem, the Lord and His disciples passed by the same fig tree. Peter must have been curious about what had happened to it, because he went over to investigate. When he realized that the tree had dried up from the roots, he cried out, "Master, look! The fig tree You cursed has withered!" (v. 21).

Really, he was saying, "Jesus, only a short time ago You spoke to this fig tree and nothing happened. But now look at it! It's dried up from the roots!"

Jesus didn't tell him, "Yes, Peter, isn't it great what I did?" Instead, He replied, "Have faith in God" (v. 22). That phrase can literally be translated, "Have the God-kind of faith." In other words, He was saying, "Peter, you can do what I have done."

I want you to let that thought sink down deep into your spirit. Jesus was telling the disciples that it's possible for us to solve our problems the same way He solved His problems!

Someone might say, "Well, that word was strictly for the disciples." But John 8:31 tells us that if we continue in God's Word, we ARE Jesus' disciples. We have just as much right to access the Word of God in our lives as the original twelve disciples had!

Others might say, "But we're only human beings. It's not possible for us to have the God-kind of faith."

If Jesus Christ said that we can have the God-kind of faith, then we can have the God-kind of faith. You see, He has put within each one of us a believer—a homing device, a spiritual satellite dish —which allows us to hook up with God's heavenly satellite. It's called our faith.

When the Lord told the disciples, "Have the God-kind of faith," He wasn't telling them to do something strange or far-fetched. He was telling them to be what God had created them to be— faith-talking, faith-walking believers!

I can just picture Peter and the others looking at the Lord in utter shock and amazement when He told them they could do the same thing He had done. They must have looked back at the fig tree and shaken their heads in disbelief.

They had seen Jesus perform all kinds of miracles on human beings, and they had seen Him calm the storm-tossed waters of the Sea of Galilee. But now the Man had spoken to a tree and it had obeyed His Word. The fig tree had died! Not only that, but He'd had the nerve to tell them, "You can do what I've done!"

Friend, the disciples did not see themselves as men who could speak to a tree and have it obey them. BUT THAT'S THE WAY JESUS SAW THEM! AND HE ALSO SEES YOU AND ME AS MIGHTY POWERHOUSES FOR GOD!

TELL YOUR MOUNTAIN TO GET OUT OF THE WAY!

When the Lord told His disciples, "Have faith in God," or, "Have the God-kind of faith," He continued by saying, Verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea ... shall have whatsoever he saith (v. 23 KJV). Now Jesus wasn't talking about a mountain in the sense of Mount Everest or Mount McKinley. He was talking about a mountain of problems, a mountain of sickness, a mountain of fear, a mountain of bills piling up, a mountain of marriage problems—whatever kind of mountain you're facing.

He said, "You can speak to your mountain." What do you say to it? You tell it to be removed and be cast into the sea!

It's so important for you to speak directly to your mountain of need and tell it what to do. Many people spend their entire lifetime talking about their mountain. They talk about their problem. In fact, some Christians wouldn't have anything to talk about if they didn't talk about their problem.

Jesus never told us, "Talk about your problem." He said, "Speak to it." And not only speak to it, but tell it what to do!

"Jesus, do You mean I can talk to my gallbladder? Do You mean I can talk to this cancer that has tried to attach itself to my body? Do You mean I can talk to this money shortage I'm experiencing? Do You mean I can talk directly to this problem?"

Yes! He's saying to us, "Speak to that mountain." But He's not telling us to have a conversation with it. Some people say, "Hello, sickness. I've been expecting you. Come on in."

Friend, don't talk about your mountain, and don't try to have a conversation with it either.

♦    Speak directly to the mountain.

♦    Tell it to get out of your way.

♦    Tell it to line up with the Word of God.

I believe that if you will follow the principles I'm giving you in this book, it won't be long before you'll look back at the mountain you've been facing and declare, "Are you the one that threatened me? Are you the one that made me think I would go under so many times?"

I believe you will laugh when you look at it. You'll find it hard to believe that you felt so threatened by such a small thing. YOU SEE, NO MATTER WHAT MOUNTAIN OF NEED YOU’RE FACING, IT'S SMALL IN COMPARISON WITH THE WORD OF GOD!

REFUSE TO DOUBT IN YOUR HEART!

I want you to notice that the Lord put a little proviso in Mark 11:23. He put a clause in the faith contract when He said, "Whoever shall say unto this mountain [of need], Be removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he says."

Did you notice that little clause, And shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe what he says? That one little phrase is so easy to miss, but many times that's exactly where our difficulty lies. You may be thinking, Okay, God, I can speak to my mountain, but believing that it will obey me is the hard part.

Let's suppose, for example, that you're having a problem with high blood pressure. You speak to the mountain. You say, "Blood pressure, in the Name of Jesus, I command you to line up with the Word of God. I command you to be normal." But the next time you have your blood pressure checked, it's still high.

All of a sudden you slip back over into the natural realm. You begin to wonder, O dear Lord, I hope this faith stuff works!

We're so full of faith when we're in our church services or crusades, watching the praise and worship team with their hands raised in the air. We're so fired up. We're so charged up in our faith. But the instant we walk out the door, we begin to say to ourselves, I wonder if anything is going to happen? And suddenly we begin to cancel out our faith!

You can't speak to your mountain and then step back and exclaim, "I wonder if this is going to work!" You've got to believe that those things which you say will come to pass, and then you must refuse to doubt in your heart.

You can't believe in your heart and have doubt in your heart at the same time. Your belief is either going to drive out your doubt, or your doubt is going to drive out your belief.

You have to make up your mind to believe

God. You have to believe that when you speak to something, although it may not change instantly on the outside, God is changing something on the inside. And the outside is going to catch up with the inside.

That's what happened to the fig tree in Mark 11. Nothing changed on the outside when Jesus first spoke to it. But later—after a period of time—it dried up from the roots.

Why does God allow what we're believing for to take a period of time? Perhaps it's to help build up our faith. Perhaps it's to see what we're made of. Perhaps it's to help us get into a position so we can believe a little faster the next time.

I don't know all the reasons, but God has given me a powerful revelation that I believe will help you with this. I'm going to share it in the next chapter, so read on.

Chapter 3

LITTLE BY LITTLE WE CAN TAKE THE LAND

If you want to make room for the impossible, you've got to recognize that the impossible doesn't always appear overnight. Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. I am not trying to discourage you from believing for an instant miracle. I've seen the Lord perform many great miracles in the flash of a second.

But there are times when God does not deliver us from something overnight. Why? Because He knows that we might slip right back into the same bondage if we don't make some changes in our lives.

He not only wants to give us the miracles we're believing for but also He wants to help us MAINTAIN our miracles! I have a story to share with you from Exodus 23 that illustrates what I'm talking about here.

When the children of Israel were camped in the desert before they entered the Promised Land, God gave them a strong word, which I believe is an important word for you and me today. He said, "Little by little I will drive them [your enemies] out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land" (Exodus 23:30 NIV).

God said that He would give them the land "little by little." And most of us would say, "That's the part I hate the most—little by little!" But God does things according to His time schedule, and sometimes it's little by little, bit by bit, one day at a time!

GOD WANTS TO MAKE SOMETHING MORE OUT OF OUR LIVES!

When I was first elected President of Oral Roberts University, I had hoped and prayed that there would be no debt, that there would be an ever-increasing student body, that all the "decks would be cleared," and I would be able to do everything that was in my heart. But that's not the way it happened!

Instead, all hell broke loose! Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. The whole thing "went south," as we say in Oklahoma.

It was not the plan of my father, Oral Roberts, for there to be debt against Oral Roberts University when he stepped aside as President. My dad fully intended for all debts to be paid before I became President. But God had something else in mind.

After they wrapped the academic robe around my shoulders, hung the medallion around my neck, and handed me the multimillion-dollar debt and rapidly declining student enrollment, I thought to myself, Surely God will perform some kind of overnight miracle! But God did not do an overnight miracle. Instead, little by little, bit by bit, He has been driving the obstacles out before me until I am increased enough to take possession of the promise.

I believe God wanted to make something more out of me. He wanted to increase me. He wanted my faith to be increased. God is interested in making something MORE out of our lives!

I remember how the Lord told Peter, "Follow Me, and I will make you a fisher of men" (see Matthew 4:19). If you recall the story as told in Luke 5:1-11, Peter was a commercial fisherman who had been out fishing all night and had caught nothing. As he was washing and mending his nets on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he looked up and saw Jesus walking toward him with a great crowd of people following Him.

The Lord asked Peter if He could preach from his boat, and after He had finished preaching, He told Peter, "Now launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."

At first, Peter argued with the Lord. And how many times do you and I argue with Jesus?

"Lord, are You really sure about this? Don't You know what I'm going through? Are You sure You want me to plant this great big seed right NOW?"

Peter must have sighed in exasperation as he explained to the Lord, "Master, we've fished all night and haven't even gotten a bite! Nevertheless, because You say so, I will let down the net."

So Peter launched out into the deep waters that day, and when the fishermen reached a certain spot, Jesus said, "Now throw out your net." The Lord spoke to the fish, and when they hit the net, it began to bulge and break as Peter and his partners hauled in a net-breaking, boat-sinking catch!

Peter was so overwhelmed by the miracle catch of fish that he fell down on his knees before Jesus and cried out, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" (v. 8).

But Jesus replied, "No, Peter, you get up. Do not be afraid. From now on I'll MAKE you a fisher of men." Now Jesus wasn't merely talking about Peter becoming a soul winner. He was interested in the making of the man, Peter.

Peter had been a rough, rugged fisherman. But when you read about him in the book of Acts, he was a completely different man from the man who had fished along the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Praise God, I'm not the same man I was when I first became President of ORU either! God is increasing me. He is showing me how to use my faith. Little by little, bit by bit, He's driving all the roadblocks out from before me until I'm increased enough to possess the land!

SIX STEPS THAT CAN HELP YOU TAKE THE LAND FOR GOD

1.    Emphasize the positive side. If you want to make room for the impossible, you've got to emphasize the positive side of life. Instead of saying the glass is half empty, start talking about it being half full.

When I first took on that debt, all I could talk about was how much money we owed. But as we began to sow 10 percent of our ministry income as a seed unto God, the debt started to go down.

Suddenly I began to talk about how much we had paid off instead of how much we owed. The more I talked about what we had paid, the more excited I became about what was coming in the future. And I'm still excited about it because I know something good is coming from God! And I know all the debt will be removed!

The more I've emphasized the positive side, the more the debt has gone down and the more the student body population has grown. The debt has been significantly reduced, and we have the largest enrollment of students in the history of the school!

2.   Get your orders from headquarters. If you want something impossible to happen in your life, you've got to do what God has told you to do. It's time to stop thinking about it and stop asking other people about it. Just do it!

Learn how to hear from the Lord. Read His Word and study it. Meditate on it, and pray in the Spirit. Pray in tongues. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak through you. (See I Corinthians 14.)

After you pray in tongues, you can stop and pray in English. Suddenly your humanness will begin to get out of the way, and the Holy Spirit can take control. You'll begin to receive divine revelation. And when you receive divine revelation, you can become unstoppable for God!

If you've never prayed in the Holy Spirit, why don't you call the Abundant Life Prayer Group (918-495-7777) and let one of our Holy Spirit-anointed prayer partners pray with you. They can help you release your prayer language in the Spirit!

3.    Guard the words you speak. What is the declaration of your mouth today? Is it, "I'm sick, and I'm never going to get well"? Is it, "I'm in debt, and I'm never coming out"? Is your attitude, "I'm down, and I'm never going to get up"? Jesus said in Mark 11:23 that you can have whatsoever you say (if it's within His will).

Not a day goes by that I don't confess, "By faith ORU's debt is going down. I confess that every bill is paid. I confess a major multimillion-dollar endowment for the University." I confess it by faith. And you can confess God's Word over your life too!

4.    Control your thoughts. The Bible says in Proverbs 23:7 that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. It's important for you to guard your words, but it's equally important for you to control your thoughts. That's why the Bible tells us what we should think about. Philippians 4:8

KJV says, Whatsoever things are true . . . honest. . . just. . . pure . . . lovely . . . of good report . . . think on these things. And Romans 12:2 also says, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You've got to get your words AND your thoughts lined up with God's Word!

5.    If you want to make room for the impossible, you can't afford to have pity parties. I'm talking about something that I know about here, because I've had some pity parties in my life. But I've got good news for you today. The trials and troubles we are facing did NOT come to stay.

The Bible says in Isaiah 43:2 that we will pass through the waters, but they will not overtake us. We will walk through the fire, but it won't kindle a flame on us.

Yes, I've got some blood on me from the spiritual fight, and there's probably some blood on you too. Why don't we just get up, wipe it off, and go on for the Lord!

6.    Take responsibility for your own actions. Do you remember the story of the man at the pool of Bethesda who had an infirmity? (See John 5:1-14.) He complained to Jesus that there was no one to help him into the healing waters when they were stirred. He said, "While I'm trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."

Now you would think that after thirty-eight years the man could have gotten somebody to shove him into the pool! But his real problem was the fact that he always blamed his troubles on everybody else.

I know people who blame somebody else for everything that happens to them. Nothing is ever their fault. They refuse to take responsibility for anything that goes wrong. It's time for us to stand up and say, "God, I take my part of the blame, AND I’M GOING TO CHANGE."

I BELIEVE THERE'S A PALACE WAITING FOR YOU!

I remember the story of a man in the Bible who had to be increased before he could inherit the promise God had given him. I am talking about the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-41. You see, God had spoken to Joseph in a dream and shown him the great things He had planned for his life.

Later Joseph must have wondered if his dream was really from the Lord or not. After all, his own brothers threw him into a pit and nearly killed him because of it. Then they sold him into slavery to some Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt, where he was accused of a crime he did not commit.

Finally, Joseph wound up in Pharaoh's prison. But the day came when he had increased enough, and God promoted him to the palace.

I believe there's a palace waiting for you, too, my friend! But you're going to have to take your stand by faith if you want to enter the palace. You're going to have to make room for the impossible. You're going to have to trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

That's when the increasing comes. That's when God begins to move His mighty hand! THAT'S WHEN HE DRIVES ALL THE OBSTACLES OUT OF YOUR PATH SO YOU CAN TAKE POSSESSION OF THE LAND!

Chapter 4

LORD, OPEN OUR EYES!

Four times the Bible says, The just shall live by faith—Habakkuk 2:4, Hebrews 10:38, Galatians 3:11, and Romans 1:17. But most people live by their sight.

I am much more concerned about what I can see with the eyes of my faith than I am about what I can see with my natural eyes, because what I can see with my natural eyes often deceives me. That's what the apostle Paul was talking about in II Corinthians 4:18 KJV. He declared, We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal [subject to change]; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Paul was telling us not to focus our attention on the negative circumstances that we can see with our natural eyes. Of course, we don't try to pretend those circumstances aren't real.

Instead, we keep our spiritual eyes focused on the TRUTH of God's Word, which is greater than the circumstances. And His Word is able to CHANGE our circumstances!

DON'T BE DECEIVED BY WHAT YOU SEE!

There was a man in II Kings 6 who was deceived by what he saw with his natural eyes. I'm talking about the servant of the prophet Elisha.

If you recall the story, the king of Syria had gone to war against the king of Israel, and every time the Syrians made a move, God revealed their battle plans to the prophet Elisha. Then Elisha told the king of Israel about it, and they continually escaped from Syria's clutches.

Finally the king of Syria shouted out, "Who's the spy who has been telling all of our battle secrets? Who's the Benedict Arnold who has been telling our plans to the king of Israel?"

"Nobody in our camp has been telling anybody your secrets!" his men assured him. "But the prophet Elisha tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in your own bedroom."

"Tell me where he is," the king cried, "and I'll send my troops to capture him!"

When his scouts reported that Elisha was in the city of Dothan, the king sent out a large company of troops to capture the prophet. They marched straight to Dothan and pitched their camp around the entire city.

The next morning, Elisha's servant went out to get some breakfast, and he almost collapsed from fright when he saw the Syrian forces encamped around the city. Everywhere he looked, there were troops and horses and chariots.

Immediately fear flooded his heart. He was so panic-stricken by what he saw with his natural eyes that he forgot about the unseen realm. He forgot about the miracles of God. No doubt he had seen God perform many miracles through Elisha's ministry. But all of a sudden the only things he could think about were enemies and chariots and horsemen and soldiers.

Perhaps you're facing a situation right now where the armies of satan are coming at you from every direction—armies of sickness, armies of financial crisis, armies of family problems, problems in your marriage, or problems on your job. Just remember what the apostle Paul said in II Corinthians 4:18 KJV: We look not at the things which are seen . . . for the things which are seen are temporal. That means they are subject to change! Why? Because there's a greater report than the report of your circumstances —it's the report of God's Word!

His Word declares, By whose [Jesus'] stripes you were healed (I Peter 2:24). His Word declares, My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). And His Word also declares, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper" (Isaiah 54:17).

If Elisha's servant had known the Scripture in II Corinthians 4:18, he might have looked at those armies a little bit differently. He might have understood that the terrifying scene in front of him was SUBJECT TO CHANGE!

Instead, he went wild with fear. He rushed back to the prophet and blurted out, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

I can just picture Elisha wrapping his arms around the young man, walking him back over to the door, and then telling him quietly, "Son, do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

No doubt the servant blinked his eyes in disbelief. Then he must have sputtered and shaken his head as he looked outside again. The prophet prayed, "Lord, open his eyes," and what the young man saw almost took his breath away!

The mountain was full of thousands of horses and chariots of fire—the angels of God— encircling the city. And isn't that what the Bible says in Psalm 34:7? The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.

The point I want to drive home to you is this. When Elisha prayed for the Lord to open his servant's eyes, those angels were already there in the spirit realm.

God didn't suddenly transport a whole host of angels to that hillside when Elisha prayed for the man's eyes to be opened. Those angels were already there!

Elisha's servant had been so fearful that he couldn't SEE the angels. He couldn't sense their presence. He had no idea that God had a plan of deliverance for him and Elisha. He thought they were goners. He thought it was all over and they were about to be carried away captive.

Now that may be the way you feel today, but I have a word for you from the Lord. Jesus Christ has a plan of deliverance for you and your loved ones! But you've got to make room for the impossible by asking God to open your spiritual eyes!

'BELIEVE THAT YOU RECEIVE THEM, AND YOU SHALL HAVE THEM!'

When the Lord declared in Mark 11:24 KJV, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them, He was really saying, "The instant you pray the prayer of faith, what you're believing for is already done in the spirit realm."

Remember, those angels already existed in the spirit realm, waiting to deliver Elisha and his servant. And the things you have need of are only a hand's reach away, just waiting for you to reach out and grab hold of them in the spirit realm!

Several years ago, the Holy Spirit revealed a great truth to me about the Scripture in Mark 11:23,24. He said, "Receive it by faith. Believe that you already have it in the spirit realm, and the manifestation will follow." Now the answer may not always come the way we want it to or in the timing we want. That's why we must trust God no matter the outcome and believe He will work all things for good (see Romans 8:28).

That word is so important for your deliverance that I cannot stress it enough. God wants us to pray a prayer that's in line with His Word and receive the answer by faith. Then we must believe that we already have the things that we prayed for in the spirit realm. Remember, our miracle is as real in the spirit realm as those angels were that surrounded the prophet Elisha.

When we pray,

♦    The Word of God says that the work is already done.

♦    We must count it as done.

♦    We must call it done by faith.

♦    Then begin to thank God for the answer.

When we believe like that, we can expect our miracles to be manifested in the natural realm!

Even if we don't see anything change right away on the outside, we've got to hold on to our faith until the miracle is manifested. In other words, we've got to hold on to our faith until the outside catches up with the inside!

Let me give you an example of what I'm talking about here. Let's suppose that you have just received a diagnosis of cancer. You've prayed the prayer of faith and cried out to God for a miracle. You've spoken to the mountain of cancer and commanded it to be removed from your body.

Then you've declared what the Word of God says in Isaiah 53:5. You've said, "With the stripes of Jesus I am healed."

You are refusing to doubt in your heart. You believe the things that you say will come to pass. You believe you've received your healing in the spirit realm.

The next time you go to the doctor, you're full of faith, expecting to receive a good report. But your heart sinks when he tells you that the cancer is still there. You truly believe that you are healed, BECAUSE GOD'S WORD SAYS THAT YOU ARE. But suddenly the doctor's report says that you're not. What do you do next?

First of all, I want you to think about that cancer, that sickness, that problem you've been grappling with, in the same way you would think about a limb or a branch that you've chopped off a tree. The limb falls to the ground, completely severed. It's dead. It will never be attached to the tree again.

But when you look at that severed limb, it still looks alive. It still has green leaves on it. It looks exactly like the rest of the branches that are still attached to the tree.

Sometimes we speak the Word of God in faith to our circumstances, and yet some of the green leaves are still dangling there in front of us. Friend, I encourage you to hold on to your faith. It may take time, but if you refuse to give up, those green leaves are going to turn brown because they 're already dead in the spirit realm!

You must learn how to see those green leaves as already dead and brown and shriveled up in the spirit realm. And then you've got to stick to your faith declaration. Be bold about it and don't back up!

No matter how terrible the circumstances may appear to be, you've got to take your stand on the Bible and proclaim, "God, I believe what Your Word says. Therefore I speak to my mountain, my problem, my difficulty, and I command it to be cast into the sea. I refuse to doubt in my heart, but I believe that those things which I say shall come to pass. I receive the answer by faith, and I believe I already have it in the spirit realm. Now I'm expecting You to bring it into manifestation, and I call it forth by faith in the mighty Name of Jesus! Amen."

After you've made your faith declaration, it's important for you to know what to do during the transition time—the time between when you pray and when the manifestation comes. In the next chapter, I'm going to share some exciting principles that I believe will help you with this. You won't want to miss this revelation from God!

Chapter 5

DON'T LET FEAR GET A GRIP ON YOU!

What do you do when the bottom falls out of your life? How can you get from the place of that initial shock when something bad happens to the place of receiving a miracle?

I want to draw your attention to a story in Matthew 14:22-33 that describes how Jesus saw the disciples toiling and rowing on the Sea of Galilee. It was the fourth watch of the night (about three o'clock in the morning), and the men were fearful and struggling because of a contrary wind.

The Lord had just come down from the mountainside where He had been praying, and when He saw their struggle, He began to walk on the water toward their ship. Suddenly they looked up and saw this shadowy figure walking toward them through the mist, and they were startled and frightened. They cried out, "It's a spirit!" They were deeply troubled by what they saw.

Isn't it amazing that the disciples did not recognize Jesus when He came walking toward them? They thought He was an evil spirit, a ghost, and they cried out in fear.

When you and I get hurt and angry and frustrated, when we're panic-stricken, we may not recognize the Lord either, even when He's standing right in front of us. We may not recognize the hand of God when He's already at work in our lives.

But Jesus has a way of handling us when we panic. Verse 27 says, But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." Let's read that last thought again: "Do not be afraid." The disciples were in a state of fear. That's why they thought Jesus was an evil spirit!

It's so important for you to realize that when you're gripped with fear, it distorts your perception of reality. Actually, fear has its own reality, which is not based upon any outward reality, and it's certainly not based upon the truth of God's Word.

Fear tells you that your body is eaten up with cancer when, in reality, there may not be one single cancer cell in your body.

Fear tells you that your children are hooked on drugs when, in reality, they may be good kids who simply have a different style of dressing. Fear tells you that your husband is having an affair when, in reality, he may be working long hours so he can afford to take you on a second honeymoon!

Fear paints a picture in your mind of things that are NOT TRUE. If you meditate on that picture long enough, it can warp your attitude, distort your outlook on the future, and destroy your health, your relationships, and your whole life.

When we become frightened, we frequently act like the disciples did. We're apt to think of the devil and evil spirits. But the very instant fear strikes, there is Someone who is speaking to us just as He spoke to the disciples that night on the Sea of Galilee.

His Name is Jesus, and He's saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I. Don't be afraid. I'm the Lord. Take My hand." I tell you, the Lord's hand means everything!

YOUR FAITH CAN OPERATE THE SAME WAY JESUS' FAITH OPERATED!

I want you to notice what happened next. The Bible says that Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. "

Peter wanted proof, and the Lord did not rebuke him for it. Not only that, but Jesus gave him the proof he was asking for! He said, "Come," and Peter walked on the water toward Jesus.

Here was a normal, natural, earthly human being, someone just like you and me, walking on the water! Peter must have really been flying high when he took those first few steps out onto the sea. Can you imagine what an exhilarating feeling that must have been? Think about how the disciples must have felt as they watched Peter step out across the waves!

But the very next instant, Peter's thrill turned to terror. Why? HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF THE LORD!

Now he knew he was supposed to be concentrating on Jesus. He knew how faith works. He had been in the "fundamentals of faith" class when Jesus Himself was the teacher. He had been there when the Lord had cursed the fig tree, and he had seen it wither and die from the roots.

He knew what faith could do, and Jesus had told him that his faith could operate the same way that the Lord's faith operated. Praise God, it did . . . at least temporarily!

It's important for you to realize that it wasn't some other kind of faith that was operating in

Peter when he walked on the water. It was the same kind of faith that had operated in Jesus when He walked on the water. AND THAT'S THE SAME KIND OF FAITH THAT GOD HAS IMPARTED TO YOU AND ME!

PETER WALKED ON THE WATER WITH LITTLE FAITH!

What was it that caused Peter's faith to falter? Way over on the horizon a storm was brewing. Satan was stirring up the waters of the sea.

The devil stirred up a storm to distract Peter, and satan has a deadly ability to distract you and me also. When we listen to the voice of the devil, to the voice of the howling storm, that's where fear and trouble are. But God has a voice, too, and when we listen to His voice, that's where the miracles are!

Matthew 14:30 says, When he [Peter] SAW that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid. Uh oh! There's the fear again! And, remember, fear and faith cannot coexist in the same heart!

Suddenly Peter SAW the storm clouds looming on the horizon. He SAW the waves rising. He SAW the winds boisterous. He HEARD the rumble of thunder in the distance. All at once he lost his focus on the Lord, and he began to sink.

Did you notice that Peter had to take his eyes off Jesus to see the storm in the first place? The instant he took his eyes off the Savior and focused his eyes on the problem, he began to sink.

Friend, keep your eyes on Jesus because

♦    That's where your help is.

♦    That's where your hope is.

♦    That's where your redemption is.

But if you take your eyes off your help, your hope, and your miracle and you begin to focus on your problems, your shortcomings, and your circumstances, your faith is going to vanish into thin air!

Think about it for a moment. One minute Peter is faith-walking on the water. The next minute he sees something that frightens him, and he begins to flounder.

What did he do? He cried out in terror, "Lord, save me!" (v. 30). Now in order for Peter to cry, "Lord, save me!" he had to take his eyes off the storm and focus his eyes on Jesus again.

What did Jesus do? He stretched out His hand and grabbed hold of Peter's hand. After He had rescued Peter, He asked him, "Now, where is your faith?"

I'll tell you what happened to Peter's faith! When he took his eyes off Jesus and put his eyes on the storm, SATAN FILLED HIS HEART WITH FEAR, AND HIS FEAR DROVE ALL FAITH OUT OF HIS HEART.

I want you to pay close attention to what Jesus said next. He asked Peter, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (v. 31).

Did you catch that? Peter walked on the water with LITTLE FAITH!

You may feel as if you don't have enough faith to do anything for the Lord. But if Peter could walk on water with little faith, just think what you and I can do with our faith! IF WE'LL MAKE ROOM FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE BY REFUSING TO FEAR, WE CAN EXPECT GOD TO SEND US A STEADY STREAM OF WALKING-ON-THE-WATER MIRACLES!

Chapter 6

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE, YOU'VE GOT TO SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE

General Naaman was commander in chief of all the expeditionary forces of Syria, a great and courageous man, a man who was mighty in battle. When he was at the height of his career— the king's right-hand man—he was suddenly struck with some alarming symptoms in his body. I want you to picture this scene from II Kings 5.

At first Naaman must have noticed some whitish splotches on his face and ears. Then he probably began to experience some numbness in his hands and feet. When the doctor examined him, no doubt he was afraid to give Naaman the diagnosis. After all, who would want to tell a great man like General Naaman that he had leprosy?

You see, in those days, leprosy meant that you were separated from your family and isolated from the community. It meant the end of your career. Sometimes it meant the loss of a hand or a foot. Leprosy is a deadly, destructive disease.

Perhaps you have received some kind of devastating diagnosis in your life and it seems as if your whole world is toppling upside down. I know how it feels to receive bad news. But, thank God, when you and I receive an evil report, we can cling to the Lord with all of our might!

Now Naaman didn't even know the Lord. He didn't know there was Someone he could run to when he was surrounded by troubles. But sometimes even those of us who know the Lord find ourselves floundering just as Naaman did. Sometimes we're bound by what we've done in the past, and it's hard for us to hear what God is saying to us about our deliverance TODAY.

Thank God, the Lord, in His goodness and mercy, reached out to General Naaman just as He reaches out to you and me today. The Bible says there was a Jewish servant girl in Naaman's household who knew about the prophet Elisha. She had been taken captive during one of Naaman's military campaigns.

This girl told his wife, "If only my master [Naaman] were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy" (v. 3). Suddenly Naaman's life was changed forever!

SEVEN THINGS NAAMAN DID TO RECEIVE HIS DELIVERANCE

1.    Naaman heard the message of the Gospel, and he believed it. The general heard the good word about God's healing power, and he believed it could happen to him personally. That sounds like such a simple thing, but so many of us stumble right there.

Many unbelievers know that God can heal, but they're afraid it might not be His will to heal them personally. Thank God, Jesus settled that issue once and for all when the leper said to Jesus in Matthew 8:2,3, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Healing is the will of God!

2.    Naaman acted on the word he received. James 2:26 tells us, Faith without works [or corresponding action] is dead. You can receive a healing word from the Lord, but if you don't act on it, it will not produce results in your life.

Naaman heard about a prophet in Israel who could heal his diseased body, and he acted on that word. Taking with him a letter from the king of Syria and gifts of silver, gold, and fine clothing, Naaman gathered up all of his horses and chariots and set out for Israel to receive his deliverance.

3.    Naaman went to a place where he could tap in to God's healing power. He had to go where they believed in God's power, where they preached about it, and where they practiced it. And, friend, if you're not hooked up with somebody who believes in God's healing power, you need to find some people who really believe in the power of the Lord—that He confirms His Word with signs and wonders following!

4.    Naaman had to go to the right power source. Naaman made one near-fatal mistake in his search for healing. He tried to get healed his own way. Instead of going to the prophet of God, as the servant girl had told him to do, he went to the king of Israel. He went to the wrong power source.

Many people today go to the wrong source for the answers they're seeking. They go to sorcery or tarot cards or to a psychic or spiritual guru. They go to the occult, witchcraft, or some other type of demonic medium. They go to the wrong place, and if they go to the wrong place, they're going to get the wrong answer every time.

When the king of Israel found out that Naaman was expecting him to heal his leprosy, he was horrified. "Who do you think I am?" he exclaimed. "Do you think I'm God that I can heal you?" He was so upset that he tore his clothing!

Really, he thought that Naaman and the king of Syria were trying to trick him and probably start a war with Israel.

When Elisha heard about the king's dilemma, he sent him a message, saying, "Tell General Naaman to come to Samaria. Then he will know there's a prophet in Israel." Finally Naaman got hooked up with the right power source!

5. Naaman discovered that we must not limit God. When Naaman arrived at Elisha's house, the man of God didn't even go out to greet him. Instead, Elisha sent his servant with a message for the mighty general.

The servant told Naaman, "The prophet says for you to go down to the Jordan River and dip seven times in the water, and you'll be healed."

At first Naaman became furious when he heard those words. I can just imagine his eyes flashing as he sputtered, "Are you crazy? If I had wanted to take a bath, I would have taken one in Syria! Aren't the Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus cleaner than all the rivers in Israel?" Then he whirled around and stomped off in a rage!

You see, Naaman thought Elisha would come out to him and wave his hand over the leprosy, call on the name of his God, and perform some spectacular miracle to heal his body. Many times people get the idea there is only one way that God can heal them. They believe that someone has to lay their hands on them or that someone with a special healing anointing has to pray for them.

Naaman's story tells me that we must not limit God. He has many different ways for us to receive our deliverance. Our job is to stay tuned in to His Spirit and do exactly what He tells us to do.

If you aren't sure what the Lord is saying to you about your healing, then follow after peace as the Bible teaches in Psalm 34:14. God will give you peace about the right action to take.

6. Naaman listened to the godly advice of his friends. Before we go any further, it's important for you to realize that Naaman's whole future hinged upon the way he responded to Elisha's instructions. If he had rejected them, he could have been in danger of remaining a leper for the rest of his life.

Can you grasp just how close Naaman came to being a leper forever? There's often a very

fine line between defeat and success.

But, thank God, Naaman decided to listen to the godly advice of his friends! And it made the difference between life and death for him, as we can see when we read the rest of his story.

Just as Naaman was about to ride off in an angry fit, one of his military aides confronted him, saying, "General, I've been with you in many military campaigns. We've fought together in countless battles. We've stood side by side in combat, up to our ankles in blood.

"I love you, sir, but you're a leper. Without a miracle you're going to die. If the prophet had told you to do some great thing, you would have done it, wouldn't you? Don't you think it would be better for you to go back and do what the man said?"

7. Naaman had to swallow his pride and accept God's correction. I can just picture him nodding his head in reply to his aide. Then he said, "You're right. The prophet had me figured out all along. He knew my arrogance. He knew my proud heart. He knew that I felt like I was a very important man. Yes, I'd better go back and do exactly what he told me to do."

In my mind's eye, I can see Naaman slipping off his horse and plunging into that muddy Jordan River—one time, two times, three times . . . and then a fourth, fifth, and sixth time. When he came up out of the water the seventh time, the beads of water must have been streaming down his face, BUT HIS FAITH WAS RISING UP TO GOD!

Naaman was having an experience with the Lord! Like a bolt of lightning, the power of God rushed through his body, and his skin became like that of a little child!

THE MIRACLE IS IN YOUR OBEDIENCE

I want to share with you a modern-day version of Naaman's story that happened when I was a boy. During one of my father Oral Roberts' healing crusades, an attractive, well-dressed woman with flaming red hair came to be prayed for in the healing line.

Just as my dad was about to lay his hands on her and pray, he suddenly stopped and said, "Ma'am, God has just spoken to me, and He told me to have you walk up and down the aisle seven times." Now that was an unusual request, and my father would not have asked her to do it if the Holy Spirit hadn't told him to.

This woman reacted very much the same way that General Naaman reacted to Elisha's instructions. She turned around and walked back to her seat in a huff.

A hush fell over the big tent. No one said a word. Pretty soon the crowd noticed this woman walking up and down the aisle. After she had done it seven times, she was perfectly healed!

Friend, there was no healing power in the woman's act of walking up and down those aisles, just as there was no healing power in Naaman's act of dipping in the Jordan River. The healing was in their obedience. The whole message of Naaman's story is OBEDIENCE TO GOD.

In I Samuel 15:22 the prophet Samuel declared, [Obedience] is better than sacrifice, and to heed [God's voice] than the fat of rams. Naaman did exactly what God told him to do. He didn't dip four times in the river. He didn't plunge into the water six times. He dipped seven times, just as the prophet said to do, AND HE WAS HEALED!

I cannot stress to you enough how important it is for you to do what God tells you to do. You've got to conform your will to His will. You've got to conform your ways to His ways.

In today's world, where everything revolves around self, it's easy for us to become proud, arrogant, and selfish. It's easy for us to try to dictate to God what He should do in our lives. But if we want to make room for the impossible, we must humble ourselves before the Lord. We've got to be meek and humble in our spirits.

Above all, when you feel God's still, small voice talking to you in your heart, don't just brush it off. Don't say, "Well, I'll think about it. I'll pray about it. Let me talk to this person or that person and see what they think about it. Let me check it out after lunch."

Do what God says to do WHEN He says to do it. If you want to make room for the impossible, you've got to make up your mind TO OBEY THE LORD!

Chapter 7

'LET IT BE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD'

Before Jesus was born, every young Jewish girl in Israel must have dreamed of becoming the mother of the Messiah. Then one day an angel appeared to Mary and told her, "You're going to have a son" (see Luke 1:31).

"How can this be?" she asked. After all, she was a virgin. She was probably thinking, How can I have a child? I've never had sexual relations with a man!

The angel quickly answered, "Mary, this child won't be produced by a human father. He'll be produced by the Spirit of God, for with God nothing is impossible."

Mary's response was very powerful. She simply replied, "Let it be to me according to your word" (v. 38).

In the natural it was impossible for Mary to have a baby. But the angel gave her the key to how something impossible could happen in her life. He told her, "It will be by the Holy Spirit." And if you want something impossible to happen in your life, the only way it can happen is by the power of the Holy Spirit!

IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO RECEIVE THE FAVOR OF GOD!

When the angel first appeared to Mary, he greeted her by saying, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28). The Bible says that his greeting troubled her, so he repeated it: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God" (v. 31).

All throughout the Bible there were men and women who found favor with the Lord. Noah found favor with God, and he and his family were saved from the great Flood. Joseph had favor with God, and he was delivered from Pharaoh's dungeon. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had favor with God, and they were rescued from Nebuchadnezzar's burning, fiery furnace!

David had favor with God, and he defeated the giant Goliath with only a slingshot and his faith. Esther had favor with the Lord and also with the king of Persia, and she was able to save the lives of the entire Jewish nation. Mordecai, her cousin who had adopted her, said, "Who knows but that you were born for such a time as this?" (see Esther 4:14).

Friend, I believe you and I were born for such a time as this too! No matter what the circumstances look like, you can have the favor of God to help you.

It is said of Jesus that He increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52). And Proverbs 12:2 says, A good man obtains favor from the Lord.

Favor does not come from the world. Favor does not come from the world's economic systems. Favor does not come from the governments of men. Favor comes from God, and it helps sustain us even during the darkest hours of our trials.

How can you have the favor of God operating in your life? It's very simple —BY FAITH. Hebrews 4:16 says, Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace [favor] to help in time of need.

The word grace here can also be translated as favor. If you need favor in your life, you can come boldly before God's throne and ask Him for it. And you can expect to receive an abundance of favor in your time of need!

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE, DON'T TRY TO FIGURE EVERYTHING OUT!

One of the most important things Mary did to make room for the impossible was stop trying to figure everything out. There was no way she could figure out how she, as a virgin, was going to bear a child. She could have spent hours trying to analyze the situation, and she still couldn't have come up with a logical explanation for it.

Mary chose to lay down all of her human reasoning and accept the words of the angel BY FAITH. She didn't understand how it could happen, but she got into agreement with God's Word. And that's what you and I must do. We must get into agreement with God's Word even when we don't understand it all.

I remember one time when we were trying to sell a certain piece of property near Oral Roberts University. The appraised value was $3.3 million, and one particular group had offered me that price. However, I turned down their offer because I believed God had given me a specific price of $5 million for that property.

When the bankers heard that I had turned down the $3.3 million, they were shocked. They told me, "You should sell it for that price. It's a good offer!" But I said no.

A few weeks later, the very same group offered me $3.8 million for the property, but I still refused to sell it. This time the bankers went ballistic. They informed me, "You won't get one penny more for that piece of property!"

By this time I was beginning to question the Lord myself. I said, "God, are You sure about this? Did I really hear from You?" But I still held on to the amount I believed He had given me, and I stopped trying to figure it all out. I stopped trying to analyze the situation. I decided to trust God and not lean on my own human understanding. Then the group raised their offer to $4.3 million. I still said no, for I knew God had something better.

Praise God, not long after that I received an offer of $5 million—the exact amount the Lord had spoken in my heart!

If I had listened to my human reasoning, I would have missed God! AND I WOULD HAVE MISSED OUT ON THE MIRACLE HE HAD FOR ME!

Friend, if you want to make room for the impossible, you can't spend your time trying to figure everything out. In this life, you're not going to get all the answers.

Besides, the things of God go beyond human reasoning. They go beyond our analytical minds. And I've got a revelation for you today. God is God and you 're not. He's in charge and you 're not. Don't waste your time trying to figure things out! Just put your trust in Him and BELIEVE!

MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE TO THE LORD!

There's something else Mary did to make room for the impossible. She made herself available to the Lord.

After the angel told Mary that she was going to be the mother of the Savior, she replied, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!" (Luke 1:38). She was making herself available. That reminds me of what the prophet Isaiah said when the Lord asked him, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" (Isaiah 6:8).

Isaiah replied, "Here am I! Send me."

Those are simple words, but they changed Isaiah's life forever. Mary's words were not spiritually deep, but her life would never be the same again.

Many times we make excuses instead of making ourselves available to the Lord. We do what Moses did when God called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Instead of making himself available, he gave the Lord all the reasons why He couldn't do the job.

He said, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt? " (Exodus 3:11).

God said, "I will certainly be with you" (v. 12). And that's His answer to you and me today when we feel inadequate to do what He's called us to do. HE WILL BE WITH US!

Then Moses complained, "But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, 'The Lord has not appeared to you’" (Exodus 4:1).

So God asked Moses what he had in his hand. Moses said, "A rod." And God told him to cast his shepherd's rod onto the ground. When he did, it became a serpent. Then God told him to catch it by the tail, and it became a rod again.

God was telling Moses that He would confirm with signs and wonders following what He had spoken to him. And God will also confirm what He has spoken to you by the mighty power of His Spirit!

Then Moses gave the Lord another excuse. He said, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent... I am slow of speech and slow of tongue" (v. 10).

But the Lord said, "Who has made man's mouth? . . . Have not I, the Lord?" Then He added, "I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say" (vv. 11,12). And God will likewise show you exactly how to accomplish the tasks He has called you to do!

Finally, Moses begged the Lord, "Please send somebody else to do the job" (see v. 13). At that point the Bible says that God became angry with Moses. He was sick and tired of hearing his excuses!

"All right," the Lord said, "your brother, Aaron, speaks well. I will send him to be your mouthpiece. I will help both of you and show you what to do" (see vv. 14,15). And that tells me that God will send people to help you and me fulfill the call He has placed upon our lives!

MARY'S FINAL STEP

What was the final step Mary took to make room for the impossible? She told the angel, Let it be to me according to your word (Luke 1:38). The angel had spoken God's Word to her, so she was really telling the Lord, "God, let it be to me according to Your word."

Isn't that what Peter did in Luke 5? He had toiled all night, fishing, working hard, and yet had caught nothing. Then Jesus came walking by and told him to launch out into the deep waters and let down his net for a catch. Peter protested at first, but then he exclaimed, "Nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net" (v. 5). And Peter hauled in a miracle catch of fish!

If you want to make room for the impossible, the bottom line of your life needs to be: "Lord, let it be to me according to Your Word." You can't live your life according to the words of men. You can't live your life according to your own human reasoning. You can't figure it all out.

Your final step of faith toward your miracle, toward the realm of "all things are possible," should be your bold declaration, "Lord, let it be to me according to Your Word!" HIS WORD CAN OPEN THE DOOR TO THE IMPOSSIBLE IN YOUR LIFE!

Chapter 8

IT'S TIME TO TURN OUR VALUE SYSTEM RIGHT SIDE UP!

The world today has an upside-down value system. Everything seems to revolve around the value of money. Of course, there's nothing wrong with money. Money in itself is neither good nor bad. It merely takes after the person who uses it.

I've heard people say, "Money isn't everything, but it's way ahead of what's in second place." And yet money won't buy you happiness. It won't heal your marriage. It won't help you in your relationship with your children. It won't draw you closer to the Lord. Money cannot solve all the problems in your life.

WHAT IS TRUE VALUE?

What gives something its true value? Is it the price you paid for it? Sometimes that's the case, but it's not always true.

When I think about the value of an official major league baseball, it's not very expensive. You can buy one for about $15. In my hands it's worth exactly that. But in the hands of Kevin Brown of the Los Angeles Dodgers, it's worth millions of dollars a year.

Or take the value of a baseball bat, for instance. It's not worth very much in my hands. I saw the sticker price on one the other day, and it was $39.99. But in the hands of Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, it's worth seventy home runs a year and a multimillion-dollar contract.

Or let's look at the value of a basketball. You can buy a nice one for less than $50. In my hands, it isn't worth much. In fact, when I played high school basketball, the ball wasn't in my hands very much. It was in the hands of five other players, and I enjoyed watching them from the sidelines! But in the hands of Shaquille O'Neal, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, a basketball is worth millions of dollars!

What about the value of a professional golf ball? I carry a five handicap, but in my hands that little golf ball is only worth about $2.50. In the hands of Tiger Woods, it's worth millions of dollars a year.

The other day I bought some spikes from a local hardware store. They're not worth much in my hands—about forty cents apiece. But when the same type of spikes were driven into the hands and feet of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, they were worth the price that He paid for you. They were worth the stripes He took on His back for your healing and mine. They were worth the price He paid when the spear was thrust into His side, and the blood and water gushed out, as He died for the remission of our sins. They were definitely worth the price!

I believe it's time for us to take a new look at what is valuable in our lives. We can make all the money in the world, but if we don't have a relationship with the Lord, we're going to be miserable. Not only that, but if we don't know Him when we die, we're going to spend eternity in hell.

Knowing Jesus is the key issue in life. No matter how much education you get, no matter how much money you earn, without a personal relationship with the Lord, you're lost and undone, without God and His Son!

Perhaps you've never committed your life to the Savior, or maybe you once knew Him, but you've slipped away from God. You want to make room for the impossible, but something isn't right before the Lord. Well, today is your day to come home to your heavenly Father! This can be a life-changing moment for you if you'll pray this prayer from your heart:

O God, be merciful to me, a sinner, a backslider. I've missed the mark with my life, and I am truly sorry. I repent of every sin. I change my mind about You, O Lord. I renounce the devil and his grip on my life, and I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

God, I recognize that I am no longer my own. I was bought with a price—the price that Your only Son paid when He made Himself a sacrifice for me. From this moment forward I'm going to serve You with all of my heart, my soul, and my strength. I'm brand-new, washed by the shed blood of Jesus on Calvary! I will never be the same again, in Jesus' mighty Name! Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, why don't you call the Abundant Life Prayer Group (918-495-7777) and let me know about it! I have a little booklet I want to send you which is entitled HOW TO

LIVE YOUR NEW LIFE!

IT'S TIME TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE!

Friend, if you're hungry in your heart for a miracle, it's time for you to make room for the impossible! As I write this, I can feel the anointing of the Lord surging through me right now to pray for you:

Heavenly Father, in the authority of the Name of Jesus, the living Son of God, I come to You for a deliverance, for a miracle. In Matthew 18:18 You said that whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven. In Jesus' mighty Name,

I bind the devil, and I command him to take his hands off my brother, my sister, this dear person. I rebuke every satanic attack, and by my faith I break satan's grip!

Lord, You also said that whatever we loose on earth would be loosed in heaven. Therefore I loose the power of God to FLOW afresh and anew into every circumstance.

God, I pray that each person reading my words will feel Your power rush through every fiber of their being. May they come into a knowing that their whole life is being opened up to the realm of the impossible! Now I lift my hands in praise and worship, and I glorify You for it! In the Name of Your Holy Child, Jesus, I pray. Amen and amen.

Table of Contents

Introduction

A Strange Thing Happened on the Way to the Promised Land

Speak to the Mountain!

Little by Little We Can Take the Land

Lord, Open Our Eyes!

Don't Let Fear Get a Grip on You!

If You Want to Make Room for the Impossible, You've Got to Swallow Your Pride

'Let It Be to Me According to Your Word'

It's Time to Turn Our Value System Right Side Up!