Andrew Wommack's Blog, page 19

Are You a Steward or an Owner

I wrote a blog article earlier this year called Token of My Trust. It’s about being a steward of the finances God gives us. I read through the article again to remind myself that my money isn’t really my money. That might sound crazy. But forgetting that I’m a steward and not an owner of my money might be the reason I don’t prosper as I’d like. It’s common for me to slip into the wrong mindset.

Being a steward over something means that God is always in my thoughts over that thing. It means I’m considering what He would do with it. No, it’s actually more than just considering. It means I’m going to do what He would do with it!

The only way to know what God would do in any given moment is, yes, through His Word, but it’s also through relationship with Him. There really isn’t a shortcut.

Over the next two weeks on the Gospel Truth broadcast, Andrew hosts Paul Milligan, the CEO of Andrew Wommack Ministries. They discuss Paul’s teaching Basic Cents. During the conversation, after discussing the practical side of managing money, Paul tells Andrew something that I find remarkable:

“The difficult thing for me sometimes with finances is that you get focused on the financial numbers and money, and there’s so much more to it. There is relationship with God. There is obedience to God, pursuing the will of God, pursuing the kingdom of God. All these things we’ve talked about, and those spiritual things are much more important to me than [the practical] things we’re talking about.”

This is the very thing I’m talking about. It’s these spiritual things that we as Christians overlook sometimes. Or, let me make it personal: these are things that I tend to overlook.

Stewardship would mean nothing without relationship. But, you know, relationship without stewardship would mean nothing too. Think about that.

On the broadcast, Paul says, “Once you start taking steps toward stewardship, then God gets involved and things get accelerated. And your income increases when God sees you’re going to be a good steward.”

That’s interesting. Paul didn’t say that I will get a raise if I’m a good steward, though I’m sure that this could apply. But Paul said my income would increase. During their conversation, Andrew mentions that God wants people to have multiple streams of income. That means me. And that means you too! God wants you to have multiple streams of income in your
life! Hallelujah!

It all starts with being a good steward—just approaching God with your money and saying, “God, what do You want me to do with this?”

God wants to be involved. But He won’t force Himself into our finances. We have to invite Him in. And I think He’d say with a smile on His face, “I’ve been waiting all day for you to give that to Me!”

Let’s approach God today and determine to be better stewards of the finances He has given us.

Andrew and Paul cover so much more on this subject. I’m sure it will help you, so check out the Gospel Truth this month. Also consider ordering the Basic Cents Package, which includes this teaching plus six months of free access to Paul’s web-based software. These tools will help you become a better steward of your money and to prosper in the way God intended. You will be blessed.

Written by David Moore II

For resources and products or to partner in the U.S., visit www.awmi.net; outside the U.S., visit www.awme.net.

Discipleship: It’s A Choice

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

John 8:12, New King James Version

Last summer, some friends and I went on a hike in the dark morning hours before dawn. We wanted to watch the sunrise from the top of the mountain. While we were walking, my friend and I shared a flashlight. When he held the light, I had to choose to follow him—keep his pace, walk in his same path. If I didn’t, I would be left to find my own way in the dark.

In the verse above, Jesus gives us an invitation to follow Him. He gives us the choice of discipleship. We can see Jesus give the same choice to the rich young ruler in Mark chapter ten:

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” [18] A nd Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. [19] You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” [20] And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” [21] And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” [22] Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Mark 10:17-22, English Standard Version

Jesus recognized this young man’s heart. He loved him and had compassion for him. Jesus presented this man with the same choice he presents each of us with: the choice to follow Him. The problem is, this choice doesn’t come without sacrifice. Luke 14:33 says, “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (ESV). Notice that when the young ruler saw that he had to give something up to follow Jesus, he left sorrowful. Andrew describes the situation perfectly: “This guy was willing to make Jesus good. But he wasn’t willing to go as far as to make Jesus God.” Following Jesus means choosing the Gospel above everything else.

Andrew explains, “God has given us the choice. He said you choose life or death, blessing or cursing. . . . You can become a disciple, and you can begin to start living in victory right now. But you have to make that commitment.” And that commitment is laid out clearly by Jesus when He says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, [32] and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32, ESV).

You see, if our life is a hike through the dark, the Word is like our flashlight, a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). The Word leads us to a place where we can follow Him to greater heights, but we have to choose to stay close. Andrew says, “A disciple is a person who has put their commitment to God above everything else.” We must choose the Gospel above everything—above what we see, what we feel, and above what it costs us.

We must make the choice for discipleship, and when we do, we will know more fully the light of life. Choose discipleship through Andrew’s course Discipleship Evangelism! It is available in CD, DVD, book, and study guide format. To go even further, we are also offering the Destiny Package. Use these teachings to begin your discipleship journey today!

Written by Katie Scruggs

For resources and products or to partner in the U.S., visit www.awmi.net; outside the U.S., visit www.awme.net.

Andrew’s Answers to Today’s News

Recently the nation has been shocked and disgusted by all the allegations of sexual harassment against movie moguls and politicians. We should be disgusted with such behavior, especially among people who are leaders in our culture. But I am shocked that any Christian would be surprised by
these revelations.

For years, many of our politicians and people in Hollywood have been systematically dismantling any traditional sense of morality in our nation. The passing of laws against traditional marriage and the total immorality portrayed in our TV shows and movies have come out of these
people’s hearts.

The Bible says, “As he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). These people’s actions, evident in their political stands and immorality, should tell anyone who’s paying attention what was in the hearts of these people. For this reason, I’m not shocked when those who promote immorality
act immorally.

One owner of a large television network has openly said that one of his goals is to change the Judeo-Christian ethics of America. This has effectively been accomplished with the US Supreme Court’s approval of same-sex marriage and society’s “tolerance” towards every type of behavior that the Bible
calls sin.

John Witherspoon, a direct descendent of John Knox, also a former president of Princeton University and a signer of our Declaration of Independence said:

“That he is the best friend to American liberty, who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion, and who sets himself with the greatest firmness to bear down profanity and immorality of every kind. Whoever is an avowed enemy of God, I scruple not to call him an enemy of his country.”

I agree wholeheartedly. Those in the media and those politicians who have attacked everything godly in this nation should be considered enemies of this country. They should never have been given these positions of leadership. We as a nation—including Christians—put these people in power. It’s easy to understand how politicians need our support to gain power; we vote them into office. But the same thing happens in Hollywood. Every time we pay to see an ungodly movie or pay for a subscription to their television channels, we are essentially “voting” for them. We keep them in power. What we need to do is to stop! If we stopped supporting them, they would not be able
to continue.

Too many Christians have been “fiddling while Rome burned.” We have focused “on our four and no more” and have not been players on a larger scale. It’s past time for us to stand up and be the salt and light the Lord called us to be (Matt. 5:13-14).

I urge you to think about what I’m saying. We must get involved. Christians are still the single largest group in this nation, and we can make a difference if we take a stand against this present culture. In the next few months, you will be hearing more specific ways that you can let your voice be heard. If you want to stay updated on these developments, please subscribe to our list, so you can be the first to be contacted as things progress.

I’m taking a stand. I ask you to join me.

Andrew Wommack

Let’s Talk about Thankfulness

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: [2] For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.

2 Timothy 3:1-2, New King James Version

What’s the reason people are so unthankful in the last days? If we’ll stop and look around, it’s not like there isn’t enough to be thankful for. Notwithstanding recessions, most people—especially in America—live in relative prosperity. But as is common in times of prosperity, it’s easy to forget the Lord. We can see a clear example of this in the Old Testament.

Thus the children of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side.

Judges 8:34, NKJV

[They] forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them. [12] Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

Psalm 78:11-12, NKJV, brackets mine

It’s hard to be thankful for something you don’t remember. It takes effort to remember. That’s why Scripture says to “forget not all His benefits” (Ps. 103:2, NKJV, emphasis mine). Even if we have a lot to be thankful for, and even if we’re getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving—one of America’s biggest holidays—it’s easy to lose sight that all good things come from God.

Here is a verse that goes along with that idea:

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

James 1:17, NKJV

This is awesome! God never changes. That means He will always give us
good things!

But if we are not ones who forget what God has done, something else we should watch out for is pride. If we’re focused on self, that will get in the way of acknowledging and thanking God. Check this verse out:

What do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

1 Corinthians 4:7b, NKJV

Thankfulness takes humbling oneself. Second Timothy 3 says that humility in the last days will be in short supply. In times past, I never would have said it was a pride issue when I didn’t feel like thanking God. My position was one where I thought God hadn’t been good enough to me. I’d offer up half-hearted praise. But for me, holding back my thankfulness was pride. I’m learning to “give unto the Lord the glory due to His name” (Ps. 29:2, NKJV). That means doing it when I feel like it and when I don’t.

Finally, fear can keep us from being thankful. Have you ever thought you would look silly to others if you really expressed thanks to God? If so, that’s the fear of man. Ask yourself: “What’s so funny about being thankful for all the wonderful things God has done in my life?” Think about the
following verse: 

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.

Psalm 33:1, NKJV

I like that. Praise is beautiful! I also like this verse:

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.

Psalm 92:1a, King James Version

Praise is good! There’s an old hymn called “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow.” Here are the lyrics:

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

It’s a simple song, really. But today, perhaps more than ever, these are words that ought to be on our lips and spring from our hearts.

This Thanksgiving, remember what God has done in your life. Humble yourself and thank Him. It’s a beautiful thing!

How do you plan to be thankful this holiday season? We’d love to hear about your holiday traditions.

Written by David Moore II

For resources and products in the U.S., visit www.awmi.net; outside the U.S., visit www.awme.net.

The Importance of One

“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? . . . [14] Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

Matthew 18:12 and 14, New King James Version, emphasis mine

When Jesus walked the earth, He often preached the Gospel of the kingdom to crowds, and most of us probably know of present-day evangelists and disciples of Christ who do the same. But crowds are only important because they are made up of many “ones.” In the Father’s eyes, the value of each individual is beyond calculation.

You can see this truth on more than one occasion in the Scriptures. Jesus took time to go after the “one” as He was directed by the Father: the woman at the well, the Gadarene demoniac, the man at the pool of Bethesda.

Imagine the ripple effect created by His reaching out to one. What was the fruit of His obedience?

Most of us know what happened with the woman at the well. Because Jesus took the time to speak with her one-on-one and meet her need for living water, she spread the news about Him throughout her entire town. Many who heard her testimony believed on Jesus, and many more came to believe He was the Christ after hearing Him for themselves (John 4:39-42).

What about the Gadarene demoniac? After Jesus delivered him, he wanted to remain with Him, but Jesus told him to go home and tell about everything God had done for him. So, he went his way and “proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him” (Luke 8:39, NKJV). It’s interesting to note that when Jesus returned to the Gadarene area, the people“ran throughout that whole surrounding region” (Mark 6:55, NKJV) to bring the sick to be healed. They were eager to hear and be healed by Jesus, and this former demoniac’s witness “throughout the whole city” probably played a big part in that.

And then there’s the lame man at the pool of Bethesda who was healed. Scripture doesn’t share much about the fruit from that encounter. Maybe the former lame man went back to the pool regularly to encourage everyone there to seek out Jesus. Based on these previous examples, we can guess that others ended up getting healed. Maybe entire families and towns were impacted by Jesus’s obedience during that encounter. We can only imagine the impact created by Jesus going after this “one.”

Now through December 1, on the Gospel Truth broadcasts, Andrew will be focusing on the fruit of discipleship. Be sure to tune in and hear about how present-day disciples in Kenya and the Congo are “seeking the one” and bringing forth fruit.

On November 15, Andrew shares how Charis graduate Dottie Haymond, a West Virginia country girl now living in Kenya, went after one newborn and rescued the child from certain death. This disciple is taking in “throwaways” and impacting the next generation in Kenya with the love and Word of God.

On November 30, Andrew interviews Mike and Pat Heiser, Charis Bible College graduates also living in Kenya, who have rescued eighteen little “ones” off the street, many trapped in prostitution. These disciples have also graduated nearly 1,000 students from their twenty-six Bible colleges, with more than 200 churches being pastored by their alumni.

On December 1, listen in as Julie Mapatano shares how the Lord led her to start Redeeming Love Ministries in her home country of Congo. She is transforming her nation with God’s love by providing orphaned children with healthy food, proper medical care, sound schooling, and the Word of God.

What difference does “one” make? Tune in to Andrew’s broadcasts on the fruit of discipleship and find out. Never underestimate the impact of reaching out and investing in one!

Written by Sylvia F. Wells

For resources and products or to partner in the U.S., visit www.awmi.net; outside the U.S., visit www.awme.net.

The Recent Shooting in Texas: A Response

Amidst the tragedy of the shooting this last Sunday in Sutherland Springs, Texas, there has been much finger pointing. People want to know who is to blame and how to prevent tragedies like this. Although some good may still come out of this, I think most people’s analyses are missing the mark.

This act was pure evil. Plain and simple. It was sin inspired directly by the devil. Jesus is the only antidote for sin, and the power of God is the only thing that will stop the devil.

Psalm 36:1 says, “ The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes .” Those who fear the Lord don’t commit acts of evil like this.

Our society has thrown God out the window. Many of the politicians and movie stars who have decried this act are actually contributing to the culture that brought this to pass. They have opposed God in the values they promote and have created this godless culture that has been crammed down
our throats.

Guns are not the problem. Guns don’t kill people any more than forks make people fat. Before prayer was taken out of schools in the U.S., before all types of sin were promoted and even celebrated, before Christians were vilified and marginalized, we still had guns, but we didn’t have all this senseless violence.

Yet, in the past, even among those who didn’t actively worship the Lord, there used to be an acknowledgement of God’s existence. There was even a fear of having to stand before Him someday and give an account of our actions. That fear restrained sin (Prov. 16:6). But now people have committed mass murders and then followed up with suicide, thinking they are escaping judgment, when the truth is, they are ushered into a Christless eternity and now await damnation.

God didn’t “let” this happen. We let this happen. Adam and Eve chose sin, and we, their descendants, have confirmed and amplified their decision billions of times over. The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the changed hearts it produces, and the fear or reverence it creates, even in unbelievers, is the only solution for this crisis.

The fault for this current godless culture lies with the church. We have not been the salt and light that Jesus commanded us to be (Matt. 5:13-14). Those who don’t speak out against the moral issues of our day are like soldiers who have abandoned their posts in battle. They may justify these things in any number of ways, but the bottom line is, Christians have been AWOL: Absolute Wusses On Love. It’s love to tell a person the truth (Lev. 19:17). Paul told us to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), but we must still tell people the truth. It’s only the truth we know that sets us free (John 8:32). Most Christians love themselves too much to take a stand and run the possible rejection that might come their way. That’s self-love, not the love that Jesus modeled for us.

There will be many proposals and adjustments that come as a result of this tragedy, but none of them will actually cure the problem. The only cure is for us who believe to once again become the salt and light God called us to be.

I encourage you to talk to your family, friends, and coworkers about the Lord. That person next to you might be the very person Satan is trying to turn into the next mass murderer. And take a stand on social issues by getting involved in the political process. There are many ways to do that, so pray about what direction you should take. But every one of us needs to renew our efforts.

I join my prayers with you for the wounded and the families of those who lost love ones. I also pray for all who have been traumatized by this and are now living in fear of what might come next. The perfect love we have received in Jesus casts out our fear (1 John 4:18). I pray, too, that the Lord will give us new opportunities to share that love and faith with those who
are struggling.

Together we can turn this nation back to God. Certainly we can’t do it without God, but He can’t do it without us (Eph. 3:20). I know He is willing, and I pray all of us are also willing. Let’s take a stand for truth and against ungodliness. Let’s do this!

Andrew Wommack

It’s Time to Grow Up

A few years back, I bought a movie about the life of Esther. In the movie, there’s a scene where the beautiful Esther weds the powerful King Xerxes of Susa. Esther walks down the aisle of a grand banquet hall and ascends ornate steps to stand before her soon-to-be husband. Having a desire for greater intimacy with the Lord, I watched that scene over and over, teary-eyed, as I envisioned myself walking down that aisle and up those steps toward
my King.

One day as I played that scene over yet again in my mind, I got to the part where I ascended the steps in my beautiful dress. I looked up and, in the spirit, I saw Jesus there before me. I immediately noticed something I hadn’t before: my elegant ascent up those grand banquet steps was being hampered by a heavy, awkward suitcase—contents unknown—that I was trying to drag up with me.

I looked down at the suitcase and back up at Jesus, and He spoke these words to me: “It’s time to grow up.”

Suddenly, I knew what was in that suitcase. It contained the baggage of my past—all the pain and rejection, all the hurtful words that had been said, all the wounds I’d been nursing.

In Andrew’s new teaching, Discipleship: The Path to Freedom, he talks about the fact that we attach too much value to people and to the words that are spoken over us. The value we place on them determines how much power and influence they exert over us.

Andrew says, “You’re the one who places value on everything that comes against you. You may not think about this, but every time somebody says something, you place a value on this. [You] value their opinion, or you devalue their opinion. And if somebody has criticized you, and it’s just cut you to the core, it’s because of the value that you placed on them”
(brackets added).

Valuing others’ opinions over God’s had caused me years of pain and heartache. It had also come at the expense of my spiritual growth.

Years before, I’d perceived that my immaturity and failure to be governed by the Spirit were keeping me from God’s best. I was desperate to grow up, but I didn’t know how. I didn’t know what was holding me back. I had no idea that it was a wrong focus. I was valuing the opinions of man rather than God and His opinion.

As I stood there with my suitcase, I knew the Lord was giving me a choice: Would I value my destiny in Him or the words of rejection and pain of my past? Whatever I chose, I knew I would have to forfeit one for the other.

So, I made my choice. And I chose Jesus. Instantly the suitcase full of rejection and pain melted away. Those things just weren’t important anymore compared to the infinite value of the King who stood before me.

Has the Lord set you free in an area of your life? Share with us below. We would love to hear from you! And to find out more about the path to freedom and maturity, watch Andrew’s new teaching, Discipleship: The Path to Freedom, on the Gospel Truth the rest of this week. You can also check out the television archives to view any missed episodes.

Written by Sylvia F. Wells

For resources and products or to partner in the U.S., visit www.awmi.net; outside the U.S., visit www.awme.net.

2 + 2 ≠ 5

Two plus two does not equal five. Of course not; two and two make four.

George Orwell’s 1984 was assigned reading when I was a sophomore in high school. Some of you may recall the main character, Winston Smith, writing “2 + 2 = 5” in the dust on the table at the end of the novel. Others of you may not have read it. But don’t worry—I’ll keep you clued in.

I love to read. But when I was a sixteen, I didn’t love to read the Bible. God was flexible with me, though, and He spoke to me often through secular books, especially 1984. For those unfamiliar with that work, 1984 is no fairy tale. The main character struggles to maintain safety and sanity in a dystopian society where free thought is outlawed.

Through the book, Orwell coined the term doublethink, which he defines as “the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.”* Doublethink is very much like double-mindedness. And the “power” it entails is extremely dangerous.

James 1:8 says, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” And James is right. Sixteen-year-old me roamed the school halls, unstable. I professed Jesus as my Savior, and I believed He was, but somehow, I lived out other “truths,” simultaneously believing that I was alone and hopeless. I lived powerless, bitter, and miserable. I was practicing doublethink, and it was keeping me from living free.

In his Discipleship: The Path to Freedom teaching, Andrew explains the mess that doublethink can lead people into. He says that “there are reasons why we aren’t experiencing the abundance and the quality of life that God wants us to . . . we cry out, we beg, we plead . . . but we don’t renew our minds. We don’t know the truth. We don’t continue in it until we get free, and we wonder why things aren’t working.”

Andrew goes on to say, “The greatest thing you will ever do is renew your mind by the Word of God, and that’s what the Bible calls being a disciple.” In John 8:31-32, Jesus defines discipleship. He says, “ [32] And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Sixteen-year-old me needed to renew her mind. Instead, I was brimming with anxiety and fear. But while reading 1984, I came across the lines, “There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.”*

When I read those words, Jesus confronted me in my spirit, as if to say, How long will you practice doublethink? You say I am your Savior, but you live like you don’t know Me. There is truth and there is untruth; whatever is separate from the truth must be a lie. Will you defend the Truth with Me?

What was so complicated before became simple. I said yes—a whole-hearted, single-minded yes. I embraced the truth and forsook the lie. I began dismantling the doublethink I had become so familiar with. I began living free. Jesus calls us to discipleship. He calls us to defend the Truth, and that starts with renewing our minds to know the Truth. Andrew says, “It’s not easy to be a disciple. It’s simple, but it’s not easy.” So, how do we do it?

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5, English Standard Version

In other words, we remind ourselves that 2 + 2 ≠ 5.

Don’t miss Discipleship: The Path to Freedom, airing on the Gospel Truth. Andrew will teach you how to be a disciple of Christ and live the free, abundant life Christ came to give to us (John 10:10).

Written by Katie Scruggs

For resources and products in the U.S., visit www.awmi.net; outside the U.S., visit www.awme.net.

*Quotes from George Orwell’s 1984 are from www.goodreads.com.

Back from a Dead End

“An excellent spirit is faithful and consistent. It has a moral foundation that doesn’t fluctuate or compromise. It does what
is right.”

Andrew Wommack

There is a wooden chair displayed at the Andrew Wommack Ministries headquarters in Colorado Springs. This keepsake was used during Kathryn Kuhlman’s crusades decades ago. Andrew talks of his experience attending Ms. Kuhlman’s meetings as something that helped him break out of his religious background. He says, “I remember serving as an usher in her meetings. I saw some of the most astounding miracles I’ve ever witnessed in my life. Her message encouraged me to see beyond my limitations and to pursue the call of God on my life.”

Ms. Kuhlman had a tremendous impact on Andrew and countless others. But even a champion of faith like Ms. Kuhlman is only such because of God’s forgiveness and amazing grace. The following tells the story of how God brought her back from the brink and how He can do the same for us.

“The sun was flickering through the great limbs that stretched out overhead. At the end of the block I saw a street sign. It said simply, ‘Dead End.’ There was heartache, heartache so great it cannot be put into words.” 1

Kathryn Kuhlman

How did Kathryn, a mighty woman of God, get here? She compromised her convictions. When Kathryn met Burroughs A. Waltrip, an evangelist from Austin, Texas, he was already married with two sons. However, she fell in love with him anyway. Opening her heart to a friend, Kathryn said, “I loved him more than I loved life itself.”2 Waltrip eventually divorced his wife, and on October 18, 1938, he and Kathryn were married at Radio Chapel in
Mason City.3

It wasn’t long after when Kathryn began to realize the marriage was a mistake. She had to face the truth: she had compromised her integrity and her ministry. She was trying to get something but lost everything.

It’s not hard to identify with her regret. As we go through life, the cares of this world and our desire for things can take us down a wrong road. James 4:3 says, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (English Standard Version). Our desires battle with our convictions, and if we are not careful, we start going down a path of compromise—a path that leads to a dead end.

In his teaching Excellence: How to Pursue an Excellent Spirit, Andrew explains, “Whatever you compromise to get or to keep . . . you’ll eventually lose.”

He also says, “God wants to help us in every area of our lives. He desires for each of us to experience the good things He has for us. But the only way to do that is to ‘seek first His kingdom,’ like Luke 12:31 says. We have to choose to do things God’s way.”

In a heartfelt confession, Kathryn said, “I had come to the place in my life where I was ready to give up everything.”4 Finally Kathryn cried, “Dear Jesus, I surrender all, I give it all to You.”5

Her life became like a grain of wheat that fell into the earth and died. But God resurrected her ministry, giving her a new beginning. Her ministry grew, and God performed countless miracles through her. She helped the body of Christ to understand the importance of a more intimate relationship with the
Holy Spirit.

Like Kathryn did, we need to receive God’s forgiveness and grace. If you find yourself at a dead end in some area of your life, there is hope! It doesn’t matter how you got there. You can become the kind of person who is humble and faithful, one who has an excellent spirit. As you learn to depend on God, you won’t go down the road of compromise, and you will find the way out of any dead-end road.

Order Andrew’s Excellence teaching or watch the Gospel Truth to learn more about having an excellent spirit and living without compromise.

Written by Citlalli Macy

For resources and products in the U.S., visit www.awmi.net; outside the U.S., visit www.awme.net.

1 Benny Hinn, Kathryn Kuhlman: Her Spiritual Legacy and Its Impact on My Life (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1998), 103.
2 Hinn, Kathryn Kuhlman, 102.
3 Hinn, Kathryn Kuhlman, 97-98.
4 Hinn, Kathryn Kuhlman, 103.
5 Hinn, Kathryn Kuhlman, 103.

Bold Not Cold

Something Andrew said this morning on the Gospel Truth really hit home
with me:

“You’re always going to turn out better if you stand on your convictions rather than compromise.”

Lately, I’ve found myself in situations with people who—just like Andrew describes—are people who “don’t let the Bible get in the way of what they believe.” Through the course of discussion and fellowship with them, I discovered that they read what they believe in the Bible, instead of believe what they read.

In each of these situations, I had a choice. I could share the truth with them as the Word says it or soften it and take some of the edges off, so as to not turn them off. But do you know what that’s called? It’s called man-pleasing; i.e., compromising. And Andrew says bluntly, “Compromise is a language of the devil.”

Yowch! While hearing that may not make me feel good, I want to be wise and receive truth (Prov. 9:8) the same way I want others to receive it when I speak to them. Paul probably went through the same struggles when he wrote, “If I wanted to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10, Easy-to-Read Version).

Well, I want to be a servant of Christ. But I don’t enjoy confronting people. Challenging what someone believes is offensive. Now, I don’t think I get a pass to be offensive just for the sake of being offensive. But the Scripture talks about speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). That’s another way of saying be bold but not cold. So, if I’m going to be a servant of Christ, I can’t be afraid to be offensive. I’m only relaying what He told me to say and do.

It’s like being a messenger. A good messenger delivers the entirety of a message in the way, or manner, the sender instructed. In a world where standing up for truth invites persecution, rejection, and hatred, something in me still desires to be a good messenger.

However, being a messenger is about much more than just challenging someone’s beliefs. Andrew explains that “you just do not compromise who you are and what God has made you to be, what God has called you to be; you don’t compromise.”

Wow, when I compromise, I’m not embracing my identity. I’m actually quashing it! I don’t like the sound of that. I want to step up and be who God made me to be, without apology. Andrew explains what this looked like for Daniel and his friends in the Bible:

“The Babylonians were trying to separate Daniel and his three friends from their core beliefs and tried to make them in the image of the Babylonians, but Daniel and Hananiah and Mishael and Azariah—they wouldn’t compromise, they wouldn’t change, and that was the beginning of the spirit of excellence.”

The purpose for walking in an excellent spirit is not so you can say, “I’m awesome!” Andrew says, “If you truly have your identity in Christ and what He’s done in you, it will lead to humility.”

So, in the case of being bold but not cold, it’s a matter of me humbling myself and embracing how God made me. It’s just me being me.

To learn more about what it means to have an excellent spirit, watch Andrew Monday through Friday on the Gospel Truth. His Excellence: How to Pursue an Excellent Spirit series will be airing all this month.

Written by David Moore II

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