Strife will cause the grace of God to fail in our lives. Strife, unforgiveness, being critical—these things restrain the Holy Spirit from moving on our behalf. He will be hindered in blessing
and favoring us, because the Spirit of God ministers grace through our obedience.

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). We are to love as Jesus loved. If we don’t walk in love, we won’t be able to walk in the manifested grace of God on a day-to-day basis. If we fail to keep this commandment, the work of God’s Spirit is greatly hindered in our lives.

If you have been praying for some specific needs, but have not been getting results, check your love life. Are you loving the people with whom you come into contact? If not, the power of God is restrained in your life because you are walking in disobedience. Until the love of God begins to operate in your life, the Holy Spirit will be unable to minister unhindered to you to accomplish in your life the good that God desires.

The Bible says when man subverts his ways, his heart frets against the Lord (Proverbs 19:3, The Amplified Bible). Many times we go about living the way we want and simply expect God to fill in the gaps when we get into trouble.

When trouble comes, we say, “God, why did You let this happen to me?”

God did not let it happen to you. You let it happen to you by being disobedient.

You might say, “Well, I didn’t know any better.” Then you need to become more knowledgeable. You cannot stay in ignorance and stay in blessing at the same time. Satan will cram defeat down your throat as long as you will stand there and take it.

The word grace means “free, undeserved favor.” The Greek word for grace is charis. When Christians believe in the gifts of the Spirit, they are called charismatics. What are the gifts of the Spirit? They are simply gifts of God’s grace shed abroad in our midst. We don’t deserve them. We can’t earn them. They come at God’s will. They are a manifestation of His grace. Many times a person who receives a gift will not even be standing in faith. (In this situation, someone’s faith is active, but not necessarily the one who receives.) God just comes down by His grace and distributes the gifts of the Spirit as He wills. Why? Because God is good. The gifts of the Spirit are gifts of grace. God lavishes them upon us because of His goodness and His mercy.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Let’s not be like the Galatian Christians. Christ became of no effect to them. They fell from grace—they deprived themselves of the ministry of the Holy Spirit from Whom they received daily grace for daily living. You and I need not spend one day in darkness and defeat if we will be obedient to God and listen to His Spirit.

We read in Romans 8:13-14: “...if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

The word sons in the Greek means “mature sons” of God. “For they [our earthly fathers] verily for a few days chastened [or disciplined] us after their own pleasure; but he [God] for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).

The Holy Spirit is here for our profit. He is here to instruct us. The word chastened does not mean He makes us sick or knocks us in the head. It means He teaches, instructs, admonishes, corrects and disciplines us. “Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea” (Isaiah 48:17-18).

God teaches us to profit. He is in us to teach us to profit in all things, first of all spiritual things. When we profit in spiritual things, profit in the natural realm is the byproduct.

He will teach us how to be holy as He is holy. We are to be separated from the world so we live like the Father instead of like the world.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled (Hebrews 12:11-15).

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Genesis 28:15
NKJV—I am with you and will keep you
wherever you go...I will not leave you until I
have done what I have spoken to you.

AMP—I am with you and will keep (watch over
you with care, take notice of) you wherever
you may go...I will not leave you until I have
done all of which I have told you.

Moffatt—I am with you, I will guard you
wherever you go...I will never leave you till I
have done what I have promised you.

NIV—I am with you and will watch over you
wherever you go.... I will not leave you until I
have done what I have promised you.

Deuteronomy 28:1, 7
KJV—If thou shalt hearken diligently unto the
voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to
do all his commandments which I command
thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set
thee on high above all nations of the earth....
The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise
up against thee to be smitten before thy face:
they shall come out against thee one way, and
flee before thee seven ways.

AMP—If you will listen diligently to the voice
of the Lord your God, being watchful to do
all His commandments which I command you
this day, the Lord your God will set you high
above all the nations of the earth.... The Lord
shall cause your enemies who rise up against
you to be defeated before your face; they
shall come out against you one way and flee
before you seven ways.

Moffatt—If only you will listen carefully to
what the Eternal your God orders, mindful
to carry out all his commands which I enjoin
upon you this day, then the Eternal your
God will lift you high above all the nations of
the earth.... The foes who attack you the
Eternal will rout before you; they may assail
you all together, but they shall fly before you
in all directions.

NIV—If you fully obey the Lord your God and
carefully follow all his commands I give you
today, the Lord your God will set you high
above all the nations on earth.... The Lord will
grant that the enemies who rise up against
you will be defeated before you. They will
come at you from one direction but flee from
you in seven.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries