Now think of all the different people it takes to make up the Body of Christ in the world today. What if we all prayed an hour each day in the Spirit? How many hours of praying the perfect will of God would that represent?

Once the Body of Christ rises up and becomes obedient to God, with each individual doing what he is told, we will reap the harvest of souls that God desires—and we will do it quickly!

God might tell one person to pray five hours. Someone else may be told to pray 15 minutes. The important thing is that we do what we are told. I was told to pray an hour each day, and it has changed my life. (Now I pray in English as much as in the Spirit—just whatever direction I receive.)

If you prayed in the Spirit one hour a day, by the end of the year you would have prayed 365 hours of the perfect will of God. Just 15 minutes a day would be 91 hours. Don’t you think that would affect everything in your life for good? It certainly did mine. I wouldn’t consider not spending time in prayer every morning.

I want you to realize that God will deal with you right where you are today. He might tell you to pray five minutes each day. He may ask you to start there and then increase. Five minutes is important when you are praying the perfect will of God. It is God praying through you. He gives the utterance, you give Him your authority and your voice. When you pray in the spirit, your intellect will not get in the way because you are not praying out of your head, but out of your spirit.

We must come to a place where we keep God’s Word, obey His guidance and simply do what we are told—a body of people that God can depend on to do His will in the earth.

What God said exactly was “Don’t take up all your time with natural things…but see to it that you give heed unto your spirit and give your spirit opportunity to feed upon the Word of God…
and give your spirit opportunity to commune with the Father above and build yourself up on your most holy faith…just an houror two out of 24, just pay a tithe of your time unto Me, saith the Lord and ALL WILL BE WELL.”

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

You may ask, “But can’t I pray in my own language?”

Yes, but not to the degree you need to be praying. You can only pray with your own understanding according to the knowledge you have. Many times you will not know enough in the natural to accurately pray for the answer, but the Holy Spirit inside you will provide God’s solution when you pray in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit prays God’s higher way into the situation—His perfect will.

We should pray both ways the Apostle Paul said:

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also (1 Corinthians 14:14-15).

The Holy Spirit is in us to bring to pass the will of God in our lives. Bringing to pass God’s will is the pre-eminent responsibility of the Church in the earth. Because the Church is made up of individual people, this responsibility starts with you and me. Each person in the Church standing before the Lord, being obedient to the Spirit of God, will cause God’s will to be done in the earth.

We are favored to be able to pray with the understanding and with the spirit. We do not know enough in our natural minds to be that glorious Church without spot or wrinkle, but in the spirit realm we do. We must reach down into our spirits that are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and find out what to do. As we take our place in the spirit, God’s special people will rise up in the earth.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Often we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit of God knows. The Spirit of God is in you to pray through you—to give you utterance in the perfect will of God. That is what praying
in other tongues is all about. He prays God’s answer through you. Praying in the Spirit overcomes the weakness you have because of lack of knowledge as well as the weakness you have because of
living in a natural body. It helps your spirit to receive enlightenment and strength to dominate your actions.

“He that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries” (1 Corinthians 14:2).

Jude 20-21 says, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
unto eternal life.”

Romans 8:27 reads, “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit….”

He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. God looks on the heart, and you look so much better in your heart than in your flesh. But He wants you to look as good on the outside as you look on the inside. Following after the Holy Spirit will bring that to pass. Following after the Word of God and the leading of God in your spirit will cause you to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

In our hearts we must desire to please God. We must despise things in our lives that we know are not right before Him. As born-again believers, we do not want to sin. We want to be free. We want to please God.

The problem we’ve experienced has been getting our souls and bodies in agreement with our hearts. The Word of God and praying in the Spirit is the answer. We must give ourselves over to the Spirit of God, begin to pray in the Spirit, and allow the washing of the water of the Word to present us a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing and without blemish (see Ephesians 5:25-27).

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries (1 Corinthians 14:2).

When I began to pray an hour each day, I prayed mostly in the spirit—in other tongues. In the spirit I prayed the perfect will of God. I was able to pray His will even though I did not know the specifics of His will about many things with my intellect. I spoke mysteries unto God (Romans 8:26). Weymouth says “divine secrets.”

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).

The Holy Spirit helps us to pray the perfect will of God. He makes intercession for the saints with groanings which cannot be uttered, but He does it through us. He does not do this on His own apart from us. We must listen to Him, obey Him and allow Him to help our weaknesses.

“…The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities.” The word infirmities in the Greek is weaknesses. The Amplified Bible translates it this way: “So too the (Holy) Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness….”

If something in your life is giving you trouble, the Spirit of God will bear you up and give you wisdom and strength to overcome it. He gives you answers. Ephesians 3:16 says, “…be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” The Spirit of God works within us to strengthen our spirits—to endue us with His power so we can overcome. He not only tells you what to do, He imparts to you the strength and ability to do it.

You may have been Spirit-filled for years but have not been listening to Him or paying attention to what He has been saying to you. He will give you the answer, every answer. Whether a large problem or small problem, the Spirit will work against it. He is our Helper, Strengthener, Standby, Intercessor, Advocate, Counselor, Teacher. He is on our side! Romans 8:31 says, “…If God be for us, who can be against us?” You could say, “If God be for us, what difference does it make who is against us!”

When He prays the will of God through you, He goes to the exact root of the problem. You and I might only realize the symptom. He deals with the cause. Thank God, there is nothing too hard for Him. And if you care about it, He cares about it.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Near the end of 1982 I heard a prophecy that changed my life. The Lord gave me direction and instruction. This word from the Lord impressed on me that if I would just give a tithe of my time, an hour or two a day to the Lord, all would be well, my life would be changed and empowered. At the time I especially thought about my family. I needed things well in my family.

One result of this exhortation by God’s Spirit is that God led me to pray in the Spirit an hour each day. At that time, even five minutes seemed long to me. I just did not spend much time in prayer. I concentrated on God’s written Word. I would go to Him, show Him His Word, believe it, act on it and it would come to pass in my life. But I had never spent much time in prayer. This word from God changed my life.

It has been more than 20 years since I decided to spend an hour or two with God every day. It has been of major importance to my spiritual growth and the well-being of my present life. I sincerely believe that all my needs are met abundantly today because I obeyed this direction. My children are serving the Lord. My grandchildren are well and happy. My children have blessed and happy marriages, and they are prospering. We are all well.

Ken and I are still happy and in love with each other after 46 years. I believe we have run the race God set before us and obeyed His will for our lives up to the present day. Yes, I am still spending at least an hour in prayer every morning. I like for all to be well!

But this prophecy wasn’t just to me. It was to the Church. Spending time with God every day for an hour or two—in His presence: in prayer, in His Word, praising Him, in services—will change your life as well.

The important thing is to do what God tells you to do and to be consistent in the things of God. Spending time in eternal things is not like spending time in the affairs of this world. Your prayers are eternal, and eternal things never end. They have everlasting reward.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit… (Hebrews 4:12).

The Word of God divides the soul and the spirit. The Word of God will distinguish, clarify or separate the soul and the spirit. When I look back in my own life, I can see how I was held back spiritually. It was not my willingness to disobey God. I have been willing to obey Him since I first began to study His Word. It was my inability to hear from God and recognize His leading that held me back spiritually. It was not through any willful determination. I just did not recognize most of the time what God wanted me to do. When I had to make a decision, I would try to figure out the best way for me to go. I didn’t know
how to recognize my spirit.

Thank God, that is not the way you and I have to walk. We should not walk according to our own intellect or reasoning. We should walk according to the Spirit who knows all things. But we must make the decision to allow Him to direct our actions. “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6).

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Teaching His disciples, Jesus said:

I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:25-30).

We should labor to enter into that rest. What is the rest of God? Walking in the Spirit. Walking in a life that is controlled by the Holy Spirit. This is the high life Jesus was talking about—walking in liberty from the bondages of this world. Nothing in this world can defeat us if we enter into the rest of God. To walk in His Spirit will make us obedient to Him, and the power of God will be manifested in us. People’s souls are so pressured in this hour. There are so many problems in the world today, so many problems in individuals’ lives. Jesus was talking to us in this passage. He was saying: “Whatever you learn of Me, cause that to be the path of your life, and you will find rest for your souls.” Take His yoke upon you. It is easy. You’ll love the results of obedience!

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

For so many years I walked on the written Word of God and depended on it. It changed my life. The Word renewed my thinking. I began to think like God thinks in many ways. But one area in which I was insecure was making decisions when the Word did not give me specific directions.

The Word does not tell us whether to move to another city or what person to marry. We have to make these individual decisions by the direction of God’s Spirit in our spirits. We have to learn to listen to our spirit who is being communicated with by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:16 says the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits.

You cannot wait until you see a burning bush or hear an audible voice to follow God. If you did, you would not know where you are going most of the time. I wish it were so plain when God talks to us that we could hear His audible voice, but that audible voice happens too rarely to rely on for everyday guidance.

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness…. Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts (Hebrews 3:7-8, 4:7).

You must be willing to hear His voice and harden not your heart. How do you harden your heart? You resist the Word of God and the promptings of the Spirit. You decide, “No, that is not my will; I have decided to go another way.” You might not make that actual declaration, but if the Spirit of God leads you to do something and you fail to do it, essentially you are saying, “I shall do my own will in this matter.” If you harden your heart, it is unbelief to the written Word and to the voice of the Spirit of God that comes up within you. Harden your heart and you will not live in rest.

One definition of harden is “to make firm, solid or rigid.” In Ezekiel 36:26, God says He will take away the stony heart and give a heart of flesh, or a soft heart, a pliable heart. You could say it is a heart that the Holy Spirit can maneuver.

So, if you harden not your heart, what happens to you?

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Hebrews 4:9, 11).

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Paul knew where to look for his joy. He said he was going to “finish [his] course with joy.” He was going to complete the ministry to which he had been called. He did not focus on his own life—his personal desires. He was going to finish his race and when he crossed the line there was going to be a smile on his face.

He intended not only to finish but to do it with joy. I like that. I too am not only going to finish my race and win but I’m going to enjoy it!

Do you see that we’re not talking about a race where at the end we’re going to drag up to the finish line depressed and despondent? We are talking about a race God intends for us to finish with joy.

Don’t let the natural realm determine your level of courage or disappointment. The life of spirit beings is not sustained in the natural. A lot of our troubles are caused because our desires are incorrectly focused. Peace and joy, however, belong to those who keep their hearts full of God. So look in the right places for your joy.

Don’t get distracted by anything—even legitimate things. If they have preeminence in your life, they are not right for you. One day each of us will stand before God. I personally don’t think I will live out my natural life on earth. I expect Jesus to come before that happens. When I stand before the Lord, nothing will matter except that I finished my course.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

The faith-filled lifestyle is ordained by God and is the only walk that works. It works by principles and laws that God put into operation.

To live this lifestyle, faith must be in two places—in your heart and in your mouth.

If faith is only in your heart, then it’s not expressing itself and therefore, can’t be applied to the natural realm around you. When you’re in the midst of a struggle, save yourself some time—just look at the opening right under your nose. That’s usually the answer to “What have I been doing wrong?” You’ve been talking the problem instead of the answer. On the other hand, if it’s only in your mouth and not in your heart, then there’s no real force behind it because faith comes from the heart.

Faith is the only force that will change natural things or natural circumstances. It is the only force that can apply itself to the natural realm to change or move a mountain.

But you won’t have that powerful faith if you’re influenced by the world’s goods and feeding on its information. The source you draw from determines what is going to be on the inside of you and what will come out.

You may know God’s promises. But if you don’t take the time to put God’s Word in your heart—even though you might be able to “say” the right things—your words won’t come out in power to move your mountain.

Maybe you are feeding on God’s Word, and yet the situation you face still seems impossible. I know it’s hard to speak words of faith when you’re facing such hard times. But don’t stop feeding on the only thing that can change your situation. Remember, you were born again so that you could accomplish hard things—impossible things!

I think it was a great blessing that Ken and I were in our own impossible situation financially when we first began to hear the word of faith. (I didn’t think it was a blessing then, of course, but I do now!) Our finances were minus zero at that point in our lives. We didn’t have anything but our debts.

We were so desperate we had to believe God. It was the hardest believing we ever did because we didn’t know very much

It was easier for us to believe our way out of the $6 million deficit we faced a few years ago than it was to believe for the little amount we needed back then. But do you know, when it came down to it—when we needed to receive that $6 million—we did exactly the same thing we did the first time we ever believed for grocery money.

We fought the fight of faith. We got aggressive with the Word.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries