Removing the Limits
April Teaching Letter from Denise Renner
Dear Friend,
I hope your year has been so blessed so far. Our God is so faithful to take care of us and to move through us in amazing ways, and I am just so excited thinking about all the things that He is doing and preparing to do in and through your life right now! I truly hope that you realize what a wonderful road is ahead of you.
This reminds me of such a powerful truth that we can all hold to: every one of us has a divine destiny. Maybe you think that sounds too grand or important to apply to you. I remember when I thought like that. In fact, I remember a time when I met this couple who said they were going to move to Latvia for ministry, and I just thought that they were heroes. I thought, “Oh my gosh, I have so much respect and admiration for these people. I could never do that.”
That’s the way so many of us respond when we hear about other people’s callings, and we tend to think that those thoughts really don’t apply to us, but we should never underestimate the Lord, friend. In my case, it was just a year after I talked to that couple that Rick and I were on a plane with our three boys on our way to the former Soviet Union. As that plane was taking off, God said, “Now ministry begins.”
God does have a plan, friend, and what you and I have to do is say “Yes” to it. I’ve said “Yes” so many times, and I can tell you that it’s the most powerful word. It gives you a future and a hope.
[If you began reading in your email, start here]
What is so sad to me is that so many people don’t even realize what an amazing plan is in store just for them — they actually hold themselves back from stepping into that plan! They say, “Well, I’m not very gifted or outgoing. I don’t have great talents or good looks. I’ve messed up too many times for God to use me.”
Maybe you’re one of those people. Maybe you’ve had some really serious problems in your life, and now you’re thinking, “What can God do with me? I’m sick, I’m divorced, I’ve lost too much, or I’ve done this and that. What can God do with me?”
I want to say that not one of us has ever done it perfectly, and God still uses us anyway. There’s such a destiny in everything, so don’t limit God. Don’t think that His power isn’t enough to use your messy situation. That is a lie from the devil!
Friend, the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy. He is a liar, a thief, and a murderer, and he wants to hurt God’s beautiful creation. He wants to destroy us. That’s his whole goal. I remember thinking years ago that he just came after a few, a certain group of people, but then I lived a little bit longer, and I found out that he is not prejudiced — he will come after anybody and do anything he can to hammer our hearts with pain and doubt.
But if we let those things tell us that God can’t use us, then we are putting barriers on Him, and we aren’t seeing the real picture of Him. The truth is that He’s God, and everything that He wants to give us and pour through us and bless us with will come, just because He wills it.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” His miraculous power can take the worst hurt and the worst problems and turn them around for good — that is a promise, and He absolutely keeps His promises.
Friend, the devil wants us to think that we’re just weak, struggling Christians, that we have no purpose and God can’t use us, but he’s a liar! Don’t let him put limits on what you believe God can do — take those limits off by taking that lie down! Declare the truth that you are called according to God’s purpose, and everything is going to work for your good. Believe what it says in Ephesians 1:19 that God’s power is moving toward you right now! You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. You’re not His hotel — He didn’t move in and then decide to move out. He’s dwelling in you right now with all His love and power, that same power that raised Jesus from the dead!
You have a divine destiny, friend. You really do, but you have to stop limiting God by thinking He can’t use you or He can’t use your situation. It isn’t about how nice your hair or clothes look. It isn’t about whether you came from a big city or a small town. It isn’t about how many or how few mistakes you’ve made or how many times you’ve been hurt. What matters is being in His will, hearing His voice, and then being obedient to what you hear.
Isn’t that freeing? It’s not about you — it’s about the power of God in you! All He asks us to do is to believe in Him and to give Him our lives. If this is new to you, then you can start today by saying, “God, I only have today. Yesterday’s gone, and I don’t have a guarantee of tomorrow, so I’m going to take these few hours that I am awake today to listen to what you want me to do. Lead me, Holy Spirit. I’m just going to believe You. I’m just going to take the limits off of You and believe that You have the power to use my messy life and make everything work for my good.”
That is all He’s looking for. That is an attitude that He can use.
If you have been inspired by this letter, then I hope you will watch my weekly program, because right now, I am doing a series with Dru Hammer, and she has such an incredible story. Dru has met so many amazing people and done so many amazing things, but the most amazing part of her story is God’s hand working to make everything come together. It is really a testimony of what He can do when we take the limits off of His power! You can watch TIME with Denise Renner live every Monday at 7 AM CT on both Facebook and YouTube, or on just Facebook Wednesdays at 12 PM CT. You can also find any teachings you missed by visiting renner.org.
I also want to invite you to contact our prayer team if there is anything in your life that you need prayer for or that you want to rejoice with someone else for. We love having the opportunity to pray over you and hear your amazing testimonies of God’s power, so please call us at 1.844.473.6637 or email denisesocial@renner.org. We can’t wait to hear what He does in your life!
We are moving forward together,
Denise Renner
Calling On Church Leaders for Healing Prayer
May Teaching Letter from Rick Renner
Dear Friends,
Greetings in JESUS’ NAME!
This month, believers are gathering all around the world to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus! Let me encourage you to let the Easter season be an opportunity you use to bring unsaved family and friends to church where they will hear the Gospel and be touched by the Holy Spirit. This could be the time when they really hear the Gospel, repent, and make Jesus the Lord of their lives. Don’t miss this golden opportunity!
There are still so many people who have yet to hear the message of salvation and receive Jesus, and we know the time is short for them to miss hell, make Heaven their eternal home, become disciples for Christ, and fulfill the plan of God for their lives. Would you consider coming alongside us in this endeavor and becoming a partner with this ministry? God works through our partners in mightier ways than they can ever comprehend this side of Heaven, and we would love to rejoice with you on the day you meet all the people whose lives you have touched through your giving! Simply go to renner.org/partner or call 1-800-742-5593 and join the RENNER partner family!
Today I am going to conclude my series of letters about how to receive healing for your body and mind, and I feel the need to take us to an often-overlooked scripture about yet another important way for that to occur.
Calling For the Elders of the Church
To Anoint With Oil and To Pray the Prayer of Faith
James 5:14 says, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” In this verse, we find yet another way to obtain healing and health for your body and mind.
In James 5:14, the word “sick” is translated from a form of the Greek word astheneo, a word that generally describes one who is frail in health or so physically weak that he is unable to travel, one who is a shut-in or homebound. It can also describe people who are strapped by financial need, which is a common predicament when one’s body is besieged by illness that necessitates substantial funds for recovery.
It is always best if a sick person can muster the strength to get up and go to a church meeting to receive prayer. In the assembly of the saints, there is a powerful corporate anointing that works wonders. But if a person is so ill that he cannot physically get up and go to the church to receive prayer, James wrote that a person in this predicament should “call for the elders of the church” to come to him for prayer.
I have noted that when illness strikes a person, people anticipate that the church’s spiritual leaders will reach out and offer to visit, pray, and anoint that person with oil. Yet James reversed this expectation and suggested that the responsibility falls on the sick individual to initiate this process. Instead of waiting for the leaders to assess the severity of every church member’s illness, James wrote that it is up to the sick person to inform the leadership of his condition and request them to fulfill the directive of James 5:14.
Again, James 5:14 says, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church….” The word “call” is interpreted from a form of proskaleo, a compound of the words pros and kaleo. The word pros suggests a movement towards, and the word kaleo means to beckon, to call, or to invite. But when compounded, it means to personally ask, beckon, call, invite, or summon to one’s side. It’s important to remember that this doesn’t pertain to those with mild symptoms, but to individuals who are so severely unwell that venturing to the church for prayer is impossible.
James 5:14 also specifically says the sick person should call for the “elders” of the church. The word “elders” is interpreted from the plural form of the Greek word presbuteros, a word that is traditionally used to refer to the spiritual leaders of Israel, such as the influential figures within local synagogues or those who expounded the Law in public gatherings. In the context of the New Testament, it signifies formally designated church authorities.
When these spiritual leaders arrive at the home of such a person, James 5:14 says that they are to “pray” over him. The word “pray” is an interpretation of a form of the Greek word proseuchomai, which is the most common word for prayer in the New Testament. It is a compound of pros and euchomai. Here the word pros depicts a sense of closeness or intimate connection, while the second part of the word, euchomai, means I beseech or I pray. It is derived from the word euche, which is a word that originally depicted a person who made some kind of a vow to God in exchange for a favorable answer to prayer.
By using this word, James stated that when the spiritual leaders come to pray for the sick person, everyone involved is to draw near to God as they make their petition, and at the same time, they are to make a vow that they will give God something in exchange for a positive answer. In this case, as they ask God to heal, perhaps they “vow” that as a result of the sick individual receiving healing, they will give God glory and praise Him for what He has done.
One of the best examples of this is found in First Samuel 1:10-20 in the story of Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. Hannah deeply desired a baby boy but was unable to become pregnant and faced the heartache of barrenness year after year. She made a vow to the Lord and in exchange, He honored her request.
The reason I share this is, I want you to see that the “prayer” James describes depicts a place of exchange where one gives God his defects, problems, sicknesses, and weaknesses — and in exchange, God generously supplies His power, His presence, and His goodness. Thus, James 5:14 means when we ask God to heal the sick person who has summoned the spiritual leadership of the church to come and pray for him, it is correct for those who pray and for the one who is sick to vow to give God glory and praise in exchange for healing the one afflicted.
James 5:14 goes on to say, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him…” The word “over” is translated from a form of the Greek word epi, which means over or upon, and it depicts the position held by those summoned of hovering over the sick person who is receiving prayer, almost enveloping the person in need with their presence like a gentle canopy of care directly above the sick individual.
James 5:14 furthermore says to “let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” Notice that the words anointing, oil, name, and Lord are italicized for emphasis because each of these four words is important and needs explanation. First, the word “anointing” is interpreted from a form of the Greek word aleipho, a word that refers to the physical anointing of the body with oil. Second, the word “oil” is interpreted from a form of the Greek word elaio, which denotes olive oil. From the earliest beginnings in the Old Testament to the conclusion of the New Testament and to the present, the substance of olive oil has been, and still is, a symbol of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The moment the oil is applied in a time of prayer is the moment the sick person is to release his faith for Christ’s healing to manifest in his body.
Third, the word “name” is interpreted from a form of the Greek word onoma, which means a name or a reputation. Not only does Jesus have the name that is higher than any other name, and His name is exceptional, good, noble, and superior — but the reputation of His name is above the reputation of all others. So when one prays in His name, that person prays in both the name and reputation of the One who indisputably has the power to heal any sick person. Fourth, the word “Lord” is an interpretation of the Greek word Kurios. Here it denotes the Master and Supreme Lord or the One who has ultimate authority in every realm, seen and unseen, which in this case, includes authority over sickness and disease.
If all the conditions of James 5:14 have been fulfilled, James 5:15 says, “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” This word “prayer” is also translated from a form of proseuchomai, which we previously encountered in verse 14. But then James added that it is a prayer of “faith.” The word “faith” is drawn from a form of the Greek word pistis, which is the word for “faith” throughout the New Testament. This isn’t a hope-so kind of faith that simply wishes, but it is a robust, rock-solid, unwavering faith that believes the One who has been petitioned will positively respond with healing.
The King James Version of James 5:15 says the prayer of faith shall “save” the sick. The word “save” is interpreted from a form of the Greek word sodzo, a word that is most often translated salvation in the New Testament. However, this word also importantly depicts deliverance, healing, liberation, and wholeness in every part of life. This word sodzo also means to deliver a person or country from enemies or to deliver, heal, keep safe, preserve, or keep under protection. The full meaning of sodzo is very broad, and the believers in the Early Church understood this word to contain all these meanings.
By using this word, James declared that the prayer of faith will completely deliver, heal, liberate, and return wholeness to the “sick.” But here the word “sick” is a bit different from the one previously used in verse 14. This word “sick” is translated from a form of the Greek word kamno, and it refers to a person who has long suffered from an affliction and is extremely weakened from the effects of this disease. The use of this word confirms that the person calling for the spiritual leaders of the church to come and pray for him is one who is so sick he is unable to go to them to receive prayer, so he beckons the leaders of the church to come to where he is to anoint him with oil and pray the prayer of faith over him.
In James 5:15 we find that as a result of meeting all these prerequisites, “the Lord shall raise him up.” The word “Lord” is again an interpretation of the Greek word Kurios, which denotes the Master and Supreme Lord or the One who has ultimate authority in every realm, seen and unseen, which, of course, includes authority over sickness and disease. The words “raise him up” are interpreted from a form of egeiro, which not only means to lift or raise but is also the root from which we derive the word resurrection. Thus, those who have been suffering a long time from the effects of disease will be raised up, and because their condition was so grave, their recovery will seem nothing short of a resurrection.
Then James 5:15 adds that “if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” The word “committed” is interpreted from a form of poieo, which here carries the notion of one who has done some kind of sin. The word “sins” is interpreted from a form of hamartia, which is the Greek word primarily translated as sin in the New Testament. It pictures one who misses the mark concerning what is right and wrong. Because this missing of the mark may at times be unintentional, in ancient Greek texts, it is sometimes translated as the word mistake, but it primarily carries the idea of one who either intentionally or unintentionally does what is wrong and who is thereby guilty of sin.
Oftentimes, disease, illness, and sickness are self-inflicted, whether through deliberate choices or inadvertent actions that create an “entry point” for the devil to exploit us. These words in James 5:15 tell us that in addition to healing us, God may speak to us by His Spirit, by His Word, or by the spiritual leaders who have come to pray for us to point out that it may be our own conduct that opened the door to the sickness. Embracing such loving correction can help us break free from a cycle that could invite the return of disease, illness, or sickness.
But James 5:15 goes on to say that if we acknowledge that our conduct is likely the reason why sickness showed up in the first place, and if we seek forgiveness for it, our wrong behaviors that led to that situation will be “forgiven.” The word “forgiven” comes from a form of the Greek word aphiemi, which means to discharge, forgive, let go, release, set free, or to permanently send away. We see the concept of such forgiveness in Psalm 103:12, which gloriously tells us that God has dismissed our sins from us, and He sent them away, never to be retrieved. Thus, the word aphiemi, translated “forgiven” in James 5:15, means to forgive, to permanently release, and to send away forever.
Calling on the leaders of the Church to pray over you and anoint you with oil is powerful because it can bring the amazing results I’ve covered in this letter. But remember, it is your job to let the leaders know you need prayer, so be sure to inform them and ask them to send someone to pray for you.
Since the month of September, I’ve been writing to you about how Christ has provided healing and health for your body and mind. As a child of God, it is right for you to lay claim to what Christ did for you on the Cross. But since September, I have provided ten different ways for you to appropriate the healing and health that Jesus purchased for you: 1) renewing your mind to the truth; 2) aligning your heart and mouth; 3) holding fast to your confession; 4) letting patience do its work; 5) asking God for clarification; 6) staying in unwavering faith; 7) laying hands on the sick; 8) letting the gifts of healing and working of miracles do their work; 9) taking Communion; and 10) calling the elders of the church to pray and anoint the sick person with oil. If you do all of these things, stick with them, and don’t stray from them — it is sure that you will eventually begin to see God’s Word take effect inside you as your body and mind begin to get stronger. I cover all of these topics in-depth in my new book EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HEALING, so I encourage you to get your copy today if you have not already done so.
It was on my heart today to share this subject with you, but if there is no one you can call for prayer, then please call us! When you let us know what your needs are, we will release our faith and ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to meet you right where you are, and we believe God will do precisely what needs to be done. Just call us at 1-800-742-5593, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT or send an email to prayer@renner.org. We are always here for you, and we will believe for Jesus to mightily move on your behalf!
Please also pray for Denise and me, our family, and our team as we take the Gospel and God’s Word to the ends of the earth. We are very serious about what God has called us to do, and we are giving our “all” to do it! But we greatly cherish your prayers for us. Once again, THANK YOU SO MUCH for being a partner!
We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,
Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our entire ministry team
P.S. Click here to download the Ministry Update printable pdf flyer.
Jesus Sees Your Faith
March Teaching Letter from Denise Renner
Dear Friend,
I am so glad to be writing to you this month. I pray that your year has been blessed so far and that you are just experiencing an outpouring of God’s peace and wisdom in your life right now! That said, I also know that life can get difficult sometimes, and it might be hard to see the way ahead. If that is how you are feeling right now, then I know this letter will be an encouragement to you.
I want to start by sharing with you about a struggle I faced recently.
I had watched a dear friend of mine — a woman who I loved like a daughter — fight as hard as she could against cancer for four years, but it was so heartbreaking because her health just kept on going downhill. Eventually she got so sick that she didn’t even want to see anybody anymore.
Friend, I just didn’t know what to do. Maybe you’ve been in a situation where you can’t understand what’s happening. You can’t explain it with your mind, you don’t even want to think about it, and of course you can’t go to all your painful emotions, so you just feel stuck and lost. Friend, that’s how I felt, but God showed me that there was still one more place I could go.
[If you started reading in your email, begin here]
As I was preparing to film some programs one day to get my mind off my poor friend, I opened my Bible up to Mark chapter 2, and all I could do was stare. Right there in front of me was Mark 2:5: “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.’”
You probably know the story of Mark 2: four friends carried their paralytic friend to the roof and opened a hole in it to lower him down in front of Jesus. It is such a beautiful story of God’s healing power, but what I want to focus on today is that statement at the beginning of verse 5, “When Jesus saw their faith….”
This was such a dramatic moment, so Jesus could have noticed many things about the situation. This verse could have said, “When Jesus saw the hole in the roof,” or, “When Jesus saw everybody screaming and pointing at the man coming from the ceiling,” or even, “When Jesus got bothered by the particles that were falling down on Him from the roof.”
But this verse doesn’t say any of those things. There was one thing that Jesus saw in that moment — their faith.
Friend, I want to tell you that faith interrupts. When that man was lowered down by those four friends, their faith interrupted the whole teaching session. Your faith can interrupt too. It can interrupt sickness, poverty, depression, fear, or terminal disease. It can interrupt your confused thoughts or your pain from being betrayed by someone you loved. It can interrupt anything that the enemy tries to use to take you down, and that interruption will take you out of the horrible reality you are in and into a new reality!
Think about the reality of those four friends and their paralytic friend. That morning, that paralytic probably woke up the same way he always had, laying on that mat, in the midst of this horrible disease or injury that was just stealing his life. It was stealing his joy and his peace, and he might have been in pain all the time, and all his friends could do was watch and maybe try to cheer him up or make him more comfortable. That was their reality.
But they were all moved into a new reality that day. Thanks to their faith in what Jesus could do for their friend, that paralytic was about to pick up his mat and walk himself home! He must have been so happy to be healed, he probably skipped all the way home. And it must have been such a relief to those friends’ hearts to see him so filled with joy, no longer in pain, totally able to walk and dance and carry his mat home!
Friend, they all started that day with the horrible reality of sickness and pain — but they ended that day with rejoicing, with their paralytic friend skipping home! What I want to remind you is that the bridge between those two places was faith, faith that Jesus’ power could provide what they needed. They moved into that place of faith, and they stayed in it so that it strengthened them to do what they had to do.
When the house was too crowded for them to get in, they moved in faith up to the roof. Even though it seemed crazy to open up a hole in the roof and lower their friend down, they moved in faith that everything would work out and that they wouldn’t drop him and hurt him worse. They moved in faith that even though Jesus was teaching, He could and would stop and help this paralyzed man. They moved in total faith, and it interrupted their friend’s disease and totally changed their reality!
Friend, as I was sitting there thinking about my friend, reading my Bible, trying to prepare myself to teach from the Word of God, my mind was asking all the usual questions: “Why is my friend dying? Why hasn’t she been healed? Does she want to go? Does she not want to go? Why doesn’t she want to see anyone?” I was thinking about how much I loved her and how much I was going to miss her, but when I read that little phrase — “When Jesus saw their faith….” — I said, “Lord, my mind’s not doing me any good. My emotions aren’t doing me any good. I’ve got to use my faith.”
I didn’t have answers to my questions. I didn’t have a fix for my emotions, but I had my faith, and it gave me peace of mind, purpose, energy — everything I needed to get up from that place and go teach the Word of God.
I want to tell you, friend, our lives aren’t always going to be smooth, there will be difficult things that happen to us and to people who we love, but our faith can pull us through. Our faith can completely change the situation that we are in.
If you need someone to stand with you and help you stand in faith through your struggles, then I hope you’ll contact our prayer team. We would be so honored to pray with you and see what the Lord does in your life, so please call us at 1.844.473.6637 or email denisesocial@renner.org.
Before I finish, I also want to invite you to my program, TIME with Denise Renner. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to open up the Word of God with you each week, so I hope you will join me on Monday at 7 AM CT on both Facebook and YouTube, or on Facebook Wednesdays at 12 PM CT. I pray that these teachings are such a blessing to you!
We are moving forward together,
Denise Renner
Two Wonderful Ways You Can Receive Healing
March Teaching Letter from Rick Renner
Dear Friends,
Greetings in the powerful name of Jesus!
I am so thankful to be able to write to you today and continue sharing how to appropriate the healing and health that Jesus purchased for you on the Cross. In this letter, we are going to explore two additional points: 1) The Gifts of Healing and the Working of Miracles and 2) Taking Communion for Healing.
Someone wrote and asked, “Is any of the information you have been writing about in this series of letters covered in your new book called EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HEALING?” Yes, it is, but only a very tiny part, as this new book is so comprehensive regarding the subject of healing and health. It deals with every aspect that I always wished someone would touch upon concerning this subject. But because I couldn’t find a book that included this wide array of topics connected to healing and health, I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to write it. So with His help, I wrote it, and my prayer is that it will be a God-sent answer into your life. You can order it by calling 1-800-742-5593 or going online to renner.org/store (international shipping rates apply for international orders). You may want to order more than one copy — I’m certain this is one you’ll want to not only share with others, but also keep a copy for yourself!
Before I get into today’s letter, I want to express my heartfelt THANK YOU for being connected with this ministry. The Gospel itself is free, but the methods to get it to people are not free. It requires Denise and me, our family, and our team to really stay engaged in our faith to believe for all the finances necessary to do the job. Would you prayerfully consider becoming a partner with us in this work to take the trusted teaching of the Word of God to others who also need it? To learn more about us and what we do, please visit renner.org/partner or call us at 1-800-742-5593.
In recent letters, we’ve covered many points about how to appropriate healing and health for your body and mind. Here are the next two points I want to share with you.
#1: The Gifts of Healing and the Working of Miracles
It is a fact that sometimes healing and health are supernaturally manifested as a result of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, so it is important to understand what the Bible says to us about the “gifts of healing” and “the working of miracles.” We read about them in First Corinthians 12:9-10. These verses say that “…to another [is given] the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another [is given] the working of miracles….” I want you to notice that the “gifts of healing” is plural. This lets us know that there are different manifestations of this spiritual gift — or there are various ways that the gift of healing operates. But the mere fact that the “gifts of healing” and “the working of miracles” are listed separately highlights how each gift manifests uniquely in its own remarkable way.
For example, the word “healing” finds its roots in the Greek word iaomai, which means to cure, and it can also refer to receiving treatment from a physician. This is significant because when a doctor treats a patient, the results are rarely immediate; instead, a doctor may begin a course of medication or a suggested procedure that gradually restores the patient’s health. The fact that the Holy Spirit used the word iaomai to describe the gifts of healing informs us that, in the same way medicine works progressively, often a supernatural cure begins with a prayer or with the laying on of hands, but it may take the healing a period of time for its full effect to occur. Although the process remains supernatural, the use of “healing” in this context suggests it may occur in stages over time.
An example of a progressive healing is found in Luke 17 when Jesus entered a certain village and a group of lepers met Him to seek His healing touch. Luke 17:14 says these lepers were cleansed and healed “as they went.” This was a manifestation of a gift of healing — a supernatural touch of the Holy Spirit that ultimately cures a person from his ailment over a period of time. Most people would prefer a miracle, which is usually instantaneous, but the word iaomai is often used in the gospels to describe many whom Jesus healed. This means there were vast scores of people who were recipients of progressive healing, in addition to those who were instantaneously changed. But whether it was instantaneous or progressive, the results were nevertheless supernatural.
I tell you this because when asking for someone to pray for you through the laying on of hands, it is very possible that the touch you receive will be one of a progressive nature. At that moment, it is of utmost importance that you inwardly say, “Regardless of how it manifests — instantly or progressively — right now I receive God’s healing touch in my body. Just as I believe medicine works to reverse a condition, I release my faith right now to believe that from this moment onward, God’s power will work in me to reverse this condition until I am made completely whole and free of this disease, illness, or sickness.”
The apostle Paul went on in First Corinthians 12:10 to list the “working of miracles” as another gift of the Holy Spirit. The King James Version translates it as “the working of miracles,” but the Greek text actually says “the operation of powers.” The word “working” is derived from a form of energema, which is related to the Greek word energeo. The word energeo is the word for energy, but when it becomes energema, as in First Corinthians 12:10, it depicts divine activity, divine energy, divine empowerment, or divine involvement. The word “miracles” is from the Greek word dunameon, the plural form of dunamis, which carries the idea of explosive, superhuman power that comes with enormous energy and produces phenomenal, extraordinary, and unparalleled results. It is the very word used throughout the New Testament to depict mighty deeds that are impressive, incomparable, and beyond human ability to perform. It denotes miraculous power or miraculous manifestations.
So when Paul wrote about the “working of miracles,” he described a divine operation of supernatural power that comes with enormous energy and produces phenomenal, extraordinary, and unparalleled results. This divine operation of power overrides natural laws and quickly or instantaneously does what would never naturally take place or what might normally take place over a long duration. An example would be when a damaged organ or limb is instantly and supernaturally restored. When the gift of working of miracles is in operation, the power of God overrides the laws of nature and enables the impossible to miraculously come to pass.
As you press forward to appropriate the healing and health that Christ purchased for you in His redemptive work on the Cross, do not dismiss the fact that God may choose to release the healing and health you are believing for through the gifts of healing or the working of miracles. Very often these gifts are manifested in corporate church services, and it is possible that you may be sitting in a service when these gifts begin to operate on your behalf to put your body or mind back in order again.
#2: Taking Communion for Healing
There is yet another important way to receive healing — and that is by taking Communion. On the eve of His betrayal, Jesus gathered His disciples for one final meal and served them what we as believers have come to know as Communion. In those sacred moments, Jesus and His disciples entered into covenant with one another. In the same way, when we partake of Communion, we acknowledge our covenant with Christ and, among other important things, we acknowledge what Christ did when His body was broken for us and when He shed His blood.
When Paul wrote of this event in First Corinthians 11, he encouraged us by stating in verse 26 that regularly taking Communion is a way of remembering what Jesus did for us. In Communion, what we drink from the cup represents Jesus’ blood that was shed to purchase us from Satan’s dominion and to give us forgiveness of sin, freedom from guilt and shame, and peace of mind. The broken bread that we share represents Jesus’ body that was broken for our physical and mental healing.
It’s important to note that Second Peter 1:3 says there is not a part of our being that remains untouched by this act of redemption. It says, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” When this verse says that his divine power “hath given” unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, these words are interpreted from the Greek word dureomai, which is past tense in this verse, and means God has amply given, bequeathed, generously donated, or fully supplied. Then the verse goes on to say that He has given us “all things” that pertain to life and godliness. The phrase “all things” is from the Greek word panta, literally meaning all things. It is all encompassing and leaves nothing excluded or untouched.
Peter wrote that God’s divine power has given us all things — that is, absolutely everything that touches any part of our being — or anything which pertains to “life and godliness.” The word “life” is derived from the Greek word zoe, which indicates life of all kinds, but especially spiritual life. The word “godliness” is from a form of the Greek word eusebeia, which particularly describes what is related to godlikeness. This means that Jesus has given us everything we need for this present life and our future life, and that His redemptive work on the Cross has touched every sphere of temporal and eternal existence.
Then Second Peter 1:4 says, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” The word “given” in this verse is again from a form of the Greek word dureomai, which means God has amply given, bequeathed, generously donated, or fully supplied us with “exceeding great and precious promises.” The words “exceeding great” in Greek describe something impressive, magnificent, and stunning. The word “precious” is derived from the Greek word timios, which means of great value or great worth. The word “promises” is translated from a form of the Greek word epangelma, which describes pronouncements or promises. As a phrase, it means that God has fully supplied impressive, magnificent, and stunning promises in the covenant He made with us through Jesus.
In fact, Second Peter 1:4 goes on to say that we have become “partakers of the divine nature.” The word “partakers” here is koinonos, derived from a form of the Greek word koinos, a word that refers to things that are mutually shared. This word koinos could be used to depict property that jointly belongs to two or more people. The idea of commonality or connectedness is intrinsic to the meaning of this word. But when koinos develops into the word koinonos that is used in Second Peter 1:4, it conveys engagement, fellowship, involvement, participation, or mutual sharing. So when Peter writes that we are “partakers of the divine nature,” it irrefutably means that through Christ’s sacrifice, we have not merely become the sons and daughters of God, but we now are literally partakers of Christ’s nature!
According to these verses, when we are born again, we are infused with Christ’s nature, and it lifts us beyond the reach of the world’s decay and corruption — separating us from the effects of disease, illness, and sickness that afflict the body and mind. God has given us impressive, magnificent, and stunning promises through the covenant He made with us through Jesus, and these divine promises touch every realm of our beings, physically and spiritually. This includes forgiveness of sin, freedom from guilt and shame, peace of mind, and physical and mental healing, along with other things too numerous to mention here.
The reason we diverted from the subject of Communion to Second Peter is I wanted you to really see and understand what has been given to you through the shed blood and broken body of Jesus. If you’ve already been doing what you have been reading in my letters so far, but you still haven’t seen the results you desire in regard to healing and health, then perhaps it is time for you to obey Paul’s admonishment to take Communion. It is a way to remember that Jesus’ shed blood was spilled for your forgiveness, freedom from guilt and shame, and peace of mind — and that His body was broken for the healing of your body and mind.
You can partake of Communion by yourself in the privacy of your own home, with family and friends, or at church when it is offered. But First Corinthians 11:28-29 tells us that before we partake of it, we should examine our hearts to make sure we are in right relationship with others in the Body of Christ. Verse 30 goes on to say that many are sick and have even died because they have unresolved, hidden issues with others. Before you eat the bread and drink the cup, make sure you have laid any issues of this kind at the foot of the Cross and that you have forgiven whomever you need to forgive.
After you have examined yourself and have peace to proceed, reach out to drink of the cup that represents Jesus’ shed blood. Stop to thank God for the forgiveness, freedom from guilt and shame, and peace of mind that is yours because of Christ’s work on the Cross. Then reach out to take the bread that represents Jesus’ body that was broken for the full restoration of your own body and mind. Stop to thank God for the healing and health that is yours because of Christ’s work on the Cross. Let this be your moment to release your faith and allow God’s healing power to invade every part of your being so that you fully receive the healing that is yours in Christ. You are in covenant with Jesus Christ, and all of these things have been purchased for you at the Cross. Jesus has given you His identity, His authority, His power, His name, and His protection — everything He has is now at your disposal.
The act of receiving Communion is powerful, and it is something that you can do daily if needed. Do it now, do it often, and let Communion become a transactional moment when you appropriate the benefits of Christ’s redemptive work on the Cross for you.
As always, I want you to know that we are here to pray for you about anything on your heart or that you are facing in your life. Would you allow us to pray with you? Just call 1-800-742-5593 or write to us at prayer@renner.org. I promise that when we hear from you, we will pray scripturally, and God will do what needs to be done! We believe it and that is why we want to pray with you!
Also, please pray for us too. Denise and I, our family, and our team, are working nonstop — and I literally mean nonstop around the world in various time zones — to take the Gospel and God’s Word to the ends of the earth. People are responding from everywhere, and we cherish your prayers as God has entrusted us to minister to so many. Next month, I’m going to wrap up this series of letters by talking about one final way to receive healing.
We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,
Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our entire ministry team
P.S. Click here to download the Ministry Update printable pdf flyer.
Who Am I in God’s Eyes?
February Teaching Letter from Denise Renner
Dear Friend,
It’s so good to write to you and share with you what is on my heart. I don’t know what this new year is bringing you — maybe you’ve started a new job or career. Maybe you’re dealing with some residual hurt from last year. Maybe you’re free from debt — or sunk deeper in it than you’ve ever been before. God wants you to know that in Him and by His strength, you are adequate for any task, assignment, challenge, or journey of faith!
As we are already in the second month of 2026 and the days just keep on going, I want to talk to you about the assignment God has given you. Perhaps you’re feeling overwhelmed by how fast everything seems to be moving, and you’re feeling like you don’t have the time, the energy, or the skills to get everything done. Maybe you’re asking God, “Lord, are You sure I’m going to make it through this? Could it be that You’ve chosen the wrong girl for this job?”
I believe many of us have felt these feelings of inadequacy — feelings of not measuring up to the assignment at hand. I know I have! But we can take heart in the fact that we aren’t the only ones.
*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]
If you study the account in Exodus 3 where God gave Moses the assignment of leading Israel out of slavery, you’ll see that even Moses replied to God, “…Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11).
The fact is that God sees more in us than we see in ourselves. Moses asked God, “Who am I?” because he just saw himself as a shepherd, husband, father, and son-in-law. But God saw him as more — a deliverer, a great prophet, and a friend.
Friend, perhaps God is asking you to do something or be something for Him, and all you can see is what you are not. You just think, “I’m not highly educated. I’m not the prettiest or the strongest. I’m too afraid.” Maybe you ask God, “How can You expect me to do that? Who am I that I could start a business, teach that class, or form a Bible study?”
Even so, God looks at you and says, “You’re the one for the job! I’ve been preparing you, and you are ready.”
I remember when we were living in Tulsa years ago, I received a calling from God that I didn’t feel able to do. Rick was ministering on the road most of the time, but I had returned home to give our boys the stable home life they needed, and it was during that time that God started speaking to me about starting a Bible study for women at our church.
You see, I never went to Bible school, and I was never trained to be a Bible teacher. I knew God was putting this Bible study in my heart and asking me to lead it, and I loved our pastor and his wife, but honestly, I felt that if I tried to talk to him to get his blessing, I would start stuttering and have absolutely no idea what to say! I imagined that as I approached him, he would instantly see I was just stupid — that’s really how I saw myself at the time!
I talked to Rick about it, and he suggested that I take the pastor and his wife out to dinner after church — by myself, without my husband by my side — to talk about it. I was so scared that it took me two weeks to get up the nerve to even speak to them.
Finally I did gather the courage to ask them, and they accepted. With all the nerve I could muster, I sat at that dinner and shared what was on my heart, and to my surprise, after I shared, the pastor simply said, “Oh, sure, Denise! That sounds great! Could you pass me the butter?”
I had been seeing myself all wrong! I had seen myself as weak, stupid, inadequate, and far from confident, but God saw me as a capable, strong leader of those women, and that is what He demonstrated in and through my life as I led a very successful Bible study for the following two years. Today I have my own television program that reaches a potential viewing audience of 100 million, but I wonder what I’d be doing today if I had said “No” to that Bible study years ago?
Friend, when God asks you to face a new “pharaoh,” you may say, “Who am I?” But God says back to you, just as He said to Moses, “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12). God isn’t putting any confidence in your flesh — He’s looking at the deposit of Himself in you to do the job!
When thoughts of inadequacy and inferiority come to your mind, you have to realize that they are from the devil, and he is a liar! Jesus Christ paid the price so you and I could grow in whatever way we need to. He was beaten until His friends wouldn’t have been able to recognize Him, and He hung naked and bleeding on that cruel cross for us. He didn’t do all that so that we would stay bound up with fear that we aren’t good enough — He was setting us free!
Friend, I pray that when God says to you, “This is your next assignment,” you won’t despair and ask, “Who am I to do this?” Instead you’ll declare with confidence, “Yes, Lord, I’m the girl for the job. Use me however You will!” If you’ll pour out your heart to God and take just one step toward the goal He has put in your heart, you’ll be on your way to making this one of your greatest years yet!
Before I close, I want to invite you to come watch my weekly program, TIME with Denise Renner. I’m currently doing a series with Rhonda Garver all about your identity and role in God’s plan as a woman, and if you need help seeing yourself the way He sees you, I really believe this series will encourage you. You can watch Monday at 7 AM CT on both Facebook and YouTube, or on just Facebook Wednesdays at 12 PM CT. You can also find my teachings any time by visiting renner.org or my YouTube channel.
Another way we would love to encourage you is by praying with you for the faith and confidence you need to obey God’s calling. Our team is available weekdays, 8 AM to 5 PM CT, by phone (1.844.473.6637) or email (denisesocial@renner.org), and we would love to stand with you through anything that’s happening in your life.
Never forget that you are a capable woman of God, created to make a difference in this lost and hurting world!
We are moving forward together,
Denise Renner
Let God Use You To Heal the Sick
February Teaching Letter from Rick Renner
Dear Friends,
Greetings in the all-powerful name of Jesus!
In my letter this month, I want to continue sharing ways to appropriate the healing and health that Jesus purchased for you on the Cross. This is actually the longest series of letters I’ve ever written, but I have really felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to minister to you on this subject. I’m so grateful to everyone who has commented to let me know that this teaching has been helpful!
Before we get started, I want to say THANK YOU for your financial gifts to our ministry. If we attempt to do everything we are called to do but have no financial fuel in the tank, we won’t be able to fulfill what Jesus has asked us to accomplish. But you, as a partner, regularly put financial fuel into this ministry’s tank, and the result is that we are literally taking God’s Word to the ends of the earth and lives are being dramatically impacted. Thank you so much for being in our precious partner family!
I also want to remind you about my new book EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HEALING. It is the most comprehensive book I’ve ever seen on healing, and it will be officially released on February 3! You can order it by going online to renner.org/store or by calling our office at 1-800-742-5593 (international shipping rates apply for international orders).
As we return to the subject of healing today, I want to add more insight into how you can receive the healing and health that belongs to you in Christ. Specifically, I want to talk to you about the doctrine of laying hands on the sick for the manifestation of healing and health (see Hebrews 6:2).
Laying Hands on the Sick
In the past several months of letters, we’ve seen that to appropriate the healing and health Jesus purchased in His work of redemption on the Cross, you must be dedicated to renewing your mind to the truth, aligning your heart and mouth, holding fast to your confession, letting patience do its work in you, asking God for clarification, and staying in unwavering faith.
But now, I want you to consider the role that laying hands on the sick holds in your own healing and health, and to see that God can even use you to lay hands on others for their healing and health. I want you to see that the Bible makes it clear that one way God delivers healing and health to you is through the laying on of hands.
As I was growing up in a denominational environment throughout my childhood and adolescence, I never once witnessed the laying on of hands. I am not speaking negatively about my church where I grew up, as they taught me so many wonderful truths from God’s Word. But our church didn’t practice the laying on of hands. In fact, I did not even hear about it until years later when I was filled with the Holy Spirit in my mid-teens and then introduced to various Charismatic groups. Those environments were where I first experienced seeing the laying on of hands demonstrated before me.
It’s well established in Scripture that God designed human hands to be His instruments through which blessings are transferred to another person. But we can also see throughout the Word that this same principle is true concerning God’s hands. In the Old Testament, we often read about “the hand of the Lord” coming upon someone. That Old Testament phrase was used to denote a moment when God supernaturally imparted something to a person or a group of people. As you are about to see, this practice of transferring blessings was also very prominent in the ministry of Jesus and throughout the New Testament.
The Laying On of Hands in Jesus’ Ministry
At times in Jesus’ earthly ministry, Jesus employed a variety of methods to bring healing to those in need. Sometimes He spoke a mere word and healing followed (see Matthew 8:5-13 and 15:21-28). However, Jesus recognized the unique significance of physical touch in His ministry. He realized that laying His hands upon the afflicted was a powerful means by which divine power, spiritual gifts, authority, and healing flowed from Him to humanity. His hands, indeed, served as vital instruments through which the miraculous was made manifest.
Luke 4:40 says, “Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.” In this verse, we see that Jesus wanted to lay His hands on the people who were sick or diseased — because through His hands a transfer of power would take place that would heal their bodies. Imagine the hours it took as He patiently and willingly moved through the throngs of people and reached out to lay his hands on each individual in need. But Jesus was willing to do whatever was necessary to be able to lay His hands on the sick and infirm so they could receive the power of God that would make them whole.
In Mark 6:5, we learn that when Jesus went to His own village, “…He could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.” Once again, we see Jesus using His hands as conduits of healing and deliverance. But the people in Jesus’ hometown were full of doubt and unbelief. They had difficulty receiving His ministry because they had known Jesus all His life, and their familiarity with Him and His family made it difficult for them to see who He really was. And although many didn’t believe, Mark 6:5 says there was a small category of people in Nazareth whom Jesus laid His hands on to impart healing power.
The laying on of hands occurred repeatedly in Jesus’ ministry. Jesus understood the way God had designed power to flow, and He knew it came through His hands. The following are just a few examples from the gospels of Matthew and Mark that illustrate how this principle was powerfully demonstrated throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry:
- In Matthew 8:15, Jesus laid His hands on Peter’s mother-in-law and healed her.
- In Matthew 20:34, Jesus laid His hands on blind people — and as healing power passed through His hands into them, they were healed.
- In Mark 1:41, as Jesus laid His hands on a leper, power passed through His hands, and the leper was cleansed.
- In Mark 8:23, Jesus again laid His hands on a blind man. Healing power passed through His hands, and the blind man was healed.
As stated in this list, the examples of Jesus placing His hands upon individuals are taken exclusively from the books of Matthew and Mark. We could still go through Luke and John and add many more examples. The gospels are simply filled with these accounts.
Moving on to the book of Acts, we find that the laying on of hands continued to be used in the Early Church. Early believers understood that whenever the laying on of hands occurred, some kind of transmission took place. These individuals had grown up learning about this principle from the Old Testament, they saw it taking place in the ministry of Jesus, and they continued following His pattern as they walked out those first, early days of the Church. So from the beginning to the end of Scripture, we find the importance of this doctrine of the laying on of hands.
All Believers Are To Lay Hands on the Sick
Before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He told the disciples that particular signs would follow those who believe. Among those signs was the laying on of hands for the healing of the sick. In Mark 16:18, Christ gave a command to all believers, saying, “…They [believers] shall lay hands on the sick, and they [the sick] shall recover.”
These words of Jesus in Mark 16:18 mean that God wants to use your hands. Through your hands, He stands ready to impart His blessing, power, healing, and deliverance to others. You simply must yield by faith and obey His command to lay hands on those who need His touch as His Spirit leads you. When you yield your hands for God to use them as His instruments, you will be amazed at the opportunities that come your way to transfer His blessings to others.
Take a good look at your hands and realize with fresh understanding that they are more than just hands — they are instruments that God wants to use to impart His blessings to others. And as you lay hands on others by the leading of the Holy Spirit, you will begin to regularly see supernatural evidence of God’s power and blessing manifested in people’s lives because of your obedience.
You Can Lay Hands on Others Who Need Healing
and Others Can Lay Hands on You To Be Healed
Not only does God want to use your hands to bring blessings or deliverance and healing to others, God may use someone else’s hands to release the healing and health you are believing for to be manifested in your life. If you have done everything else you’ve read so far in this letter, but you’ve never asked anyone to lay hands on you, ask someone who believes in healing to lay his or her hands on you and to pray in faith. It may be that your own healing and health will be supplied by the laying on of hands.
All that is required for a person to be used in this way are three basic criteria: have a desire for God to heal through you; have hands and lay them on sick people; and release your faith, believing that God’s power will be transmitted through your hands to heal and impart blessings of all kinds.
Healing the sick is part of your responsibility as a believer, and the Holy Spirit is present to impart His power when you lay hands on others in Jesus’ name. So rather than look at sick people and only feel pity for them, pull your hands out of your pockets and lay them on sick people by faith just as Jesus did when He was ministering on the earth.
Not All Healing Is Instantaneous
It is also important to note that Mark 16:18 says believers will “lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
The words “they shall” are a futuristic form of the Greek word echo, which means to have, to hold, or to possess. The tense used here doesn’t picture something that is instantaneous but refers to something that occurs progressively or over a period of time. This brings us to the word “recover,” which is a translation of the Greek word kalos, meaning to be in good shape, to be healthy, or to be well. When we take the meaning of the words “they shall recover” together as one complete phrase, they picture those who progressively feel themselves improving, until, finally, they are well and healthy. This lets us know that all healings do not occur instantly; some of them take place over time.
But Jesus’ promise is that if we will lay our hands on the sick, God’s power will be released into the bodies of the afflicted. If we will allow others to lay hands on us and engage our faith and believe for God’s healing power to flow, it will be deposited into our bodies. And just as medicine gradually works to reverse a medical condition, the power of God that is deposited in us with the laying on of hands — or deposited in another person once we lay our hands on him or her — will begin to attack the work of the devil and progressively restore us to a state of health and well-being again. This is Jesus’ promise!
If YOU need healing — or would like prayer for ANYTHING that is on your heart right now — we want to pray for you. Jesus’ ears are open to faith-filled scriptural prayers, and we would love to pray with you and believe for Him to act mightily and do what needs to be done. Simply call 1-800-742-5593 or write to us at prayer@renner.org. The moment we hear from you, we will release our faith, and God will move in your life! We believe it and that is why we want to pray with you.
And please pray for us too. Prayer goes two ways, and we cherish your prayers for us as well. Denise and I, our family, and our whole team are giving every ounce of our lives to obey the call of God, and we would really appreciate your prayers of support for us. Again, I thank you for your giving that puts fuel into the tank and helps us take the Word of God across the planet!
We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,
Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our entire ministry team
P.S. Click here to download the Ministry Update printable pdf flyer.
The Sound of Faith
January Teaching Letter from Denise Renner
Dear Friend,
Happy New Year!
It is a joy to write to you again, and I’m so thankful that I have this opportunity to share some things that God is putting on my heart. I really believe that the things the Lord is sharing with me and dealing with me about are things that are important for all of us to grasp and hold dear as deep truths in our lives.
This month, I want to ask you a question: What kind of sound are you making? Every day, we are each given the choice as to the kind of attitude we are going to embrace. Whether things are going well or everything feels like it’s falling apart, we still have the choice to be negative and speak words of doubt or to be positive and speak words filled with faith and God’s power.
The Bible is filled with examples of people who chose to make a joyful sound, even through their challenges, but today the story that I want to encourage you with is that of the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4.
*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]
Whenever the prophet Elisha passed through the land of Shunem, he could always be sure that he would have a place to stay, because there was a childless couple there who was faithful to host him every time. They had even set up an upstairs room specifically for him to stay in. Due to their generosity and hospitality, God eventually used Elisha’s ministry to reward them with a son.
The part of the story I want to share with you happens a few years later. The boy was out in the fields with his father one day when he suddenly fell ill, so he was sent back to the house to rest. Then something unthinkable happened — As he was resting on his mother’s lap, that young boy died (2 Kings 4:20)!
What I find so amazing is that nowhere in this passage does the Bible say anything about how upset his mother was. All it says is that right after the child died, she took him and laid him on the bed where Elisha slept when he was in town. Then she called for a donkey to travel to see Elisha. When her husband asked her why she was going, all she said was, “It is well” (2 Kings 4:23). That was the only sound she made.
When she was nearing Mount Carmel, Elisha saw her, and he told his servant. “Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’” (2 Kings 4:26).
Once again, this amazing woman of God answered, “It is well” (2 Kings 4:26).
Her son, her precious gift from God, was dead, but she refused to let go of her faith, and it poured out of her mouth in three simple words: “It is well!” Friend, she had her eye on Someone bigger than her problem. We know from verse 27 that she was in great distress, and her whole world must have seemed like it was crumbling, but because of her faith, she was able to remain calm and go get the man of God, who the Lord used to raise her precious child back to life.
Friend, ask yourself this question: What is the sound you are making? What words are coming out of your mouth? What attitudes and behaviors are you exhibiting? Are you constantly complaining and bemoaning your situation — or even pouting and withdrawing from life because you feel helpless, hopeless, and forgotten?
If that sounds like you, then I want to tell you that it is time to start being more like the Shunammite woman. As we go into 2026, we will all experience different struggles, but we don’t have to go through them like people without hope.
In troubled times, you and I can throw our shoulders back, put a smile on our face, sing a song of victory, and say, “It is well.” That is a declaration to angels, to demons, to those around us, and to ourselves that we are not settling for the current situation or for what we see right now. By faith in God and His Word, we are looking to those things we can’t see! We’re expecting the fulfillment of heavenly promises yet unseen!
If you think that is too difficult, I want you to think back to the Shunammite woman. She didn’t have the Word of God available to her as we do today. She didn’t have Christian television or a library filled with Christian books to encourage her. She didn’t even have the Holy Spirit on the inside of her. What she did have was her service to God — which was to provide a place for Elisha — and her experience with God — that He saw her service and blessed her and her old husband with a child.
Friend, God does not forget what you’ve done for Him. He has not forgotten your offerings and service to Him and to others. He remembers your faith and trust over the years. He knows that you’ve endeavored to do the right thing, even if you’ve failed at times. When challenges arise, you can encourage yourself by remembering that He knows all these things, and He will repay your faithfulness.
If you’ve already experienced the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness, then let those memories encourage you as well. Remember when He healed your body, took care of you financially, saved your life from danger, healed your sick child, delivered your mind from fear and depression, or saved your marriage. Remind yourself of all the times when you thought there was no way out, and then God made a way!
When you have a mindset that remembers your service to God and your experiences with Him, you can look difficulty in the eye, and you can boldly say to it, “I know that God remembers me, and I know that He has been faithful to me in the past — it is well!”
The challenging circumstances that confront every one of us give us the opportunity to not only receive victory, but also to impact everyone within our realm of influence. If you need support unlocking this powerful faith in your life, I encourage you to call at 1.844.473.6637 or email denisesocial@renner.org. Our team can’t wait to pray with and support you so that you can stand in faith and usher joy into the atmosphere in places of negativity and gloom.
Before I close, I also want to invite you to my program, TIME with Denise Renner. It is live every week on Facebook and YouTube at 7 AM CT, or on Wednesdays at 12 PM CT. I am always so honored to be able to encourage you with the messages that God has put on my heart, so I pray that you will join me and be blessed by the truth of His Word.
We are moving forward together,
Denise Renner
Draw Near to God and Receive Wisdom for Your Healing
January Teaching Letter from Rick Renner
Dear Friends,
Greetings in the name of Jesus — and welcome to 2026!
Before I start this teaching letter, Denise and I want to say a big THANK YOU from the depths of our heart for your financial and prayer support in helping us fulfill our God-given vision to spread the message and teaching of “the Gospel both to our nearby world and to the ends of the earth” (see Colossians 1:28). What you’re doing for the Kingdom of God is no small thing — in fact, your giving to RENNER Ministries is the very “fuel in the tank” that keeps this ministry moving, and we are so grateful.
In my letter last month, I wrote to you about how to appropriate the healing and health that Jesus purchased for you on the Cross, and today I am going to continue teaching along those lines.
We have already covered the need to renew our mind to the truth, align our heart and mouth, hold fast to our confession, and let patience do its work. In today’s letter, I want to talk to you about asking God for clarification if you’ve done everything you know to do — and you still have not received the manifestation of healing and health you have been praying to receive. I also want to talk to you about staying in unwavering faith.
In my new book Everything the Bible Says About Healing, I go into detail about the Greek words used in the verses we will study in this letter. But for now, we will focus only on key words that will help you understand just how deeply God desires to give you the wisdom you need for your faith journey to supernatural health and divine healing. So let’s start with the first point.
Asking God for Clarification
As I said last month, anyone who has been waiting a long time for answers to prayer may say something like, “I’ve meticulously followed every suggestion in these letters. Why, then, have I still not received the manifestation of healing and health that I’ve been believing for, confessing, and awaiting?”
For anyone who does not know why his or her faith is not working — and does not seem to be able to find anyone who can help find the answer — James 1:5 gives the best possible advice: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
The word “lack” is rooted in the Greek word leipo, and it pictures one who is in need, one who lacks, or one who has an insufficiency of some type. My friend Keith Trump, an American Bible Society scholar, says the word leipo was used by ancient writers to depict a scenario wherein a traveler finds himself on a journey but then realizes something crucial for the trip was left behind. This missing item is essential to the journey, and its absence could mean the difference between reaching the destination or not.
In the context of James 1:5, the use of the word leipo is meant to picture a believer on a faith journey who discovers that he is in “lack” of the wisdom he needs to complete the trip — the traveler has unintentionally left it behind. However, by turning to God, he can easily obtain the wisdom needed — for God bestows to every person the answers needed to enable each one to advance confidently on the journey of faith.
The word “wisdom” in this verse is derived from the Greek word sophia, and it denotes insight or understanding. In James 1:5, it essentially means, “If any of you lack answers and insight about why these principles are not working for you….”
Those in search of answers are told in James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God….” The word “ask” is rooted in the Greek word aiteo, which means to petition or to request — always with the expectation to receive what is being sought. This means God desires His children to approach Him believing that if they seek His guidance, He will provide what they need.
But James 1:5 says God has one requirement: His children must ask “of God.” The word “of” is translated from the Greek word para, which means alongside. It pictures one drawing alongside the heart of God to find the answers he needs. Once in that position alongside God’s heart, he is told to make his heart-felt request.
Next, James 1:5 says that God “giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not….” The original text unmistakably presents God as the giving God who is pleased to answer any question from those who draw near to His side. And the word “upbraideth” is rooted in the Greek word oneididzo, which means to berate, to chastise, to criticize harshly, or to nitpick. This tells us God is not offended by our honest asking, and He will not be harsh with those who seek Him for answers — He will lavishly supply clarity for whatever we need to know.
Then James 1:5 concludes with the promise: “…And it shall be given him.”
So if you are among those who ask, “Why haven’t I received the manifestation of healing and health (or any other blessings) that I’ve been believing for, confessing, and awaiting?” then accept God’s invitation to draw near so He can provide the answers you need.
The RIV (Renner Interpretive Version) of James 1:5 says:
But if — as I’m sure is actually the case — there is anyone among you who lacks insight about why these principles aren’t already working, my advice is that you draw near to the side of the giving God to ask your questions with the full expectation of an answer from the One who always generously responds with an open hand to every person who comes to Him. And when you come to Him with your questions, He will not berate, reprimand, or scold you for asking the questions you put before Him — for answers are always generously given to the person who draws near to God to find them.
Staying in Unwavering Faith
Next, we need to understand what James wrote in the very next verse, James 1:6, which says, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”
The word “ask” is the same Greek word we saw in James 1:5, and it depicts a firm and full expectation that God will answer. But according to James 1:6, we must ask “in faith.” The word “faith” is interpreted from a derivative of the Greek word peitho, a word that pictures one who possesses a rock-solid belief, an absolute confidence, an unmovable conviction, or an unwavering confidence. Thus, real faith is not back and forth, up one day and down the next, or indecisive, but it is a rock-solid, unwavering force.
In light of this, I want to ask: How consistent are you in what you are asking and believing God to do in regard to your health?
James 1:6 continues, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering….”
The word “wavering” is a translation of diakrinomenos, a Greek word that depicts habitual vacillation. It pictures one who is back and forth, habitually changing his mind about what he believes, what he confesses, and how he prays. On the contrary, real faith stands still — it knows what it wants, and it doesn’t budge or flinch from its rock-solid position.
James 1:6 goes on to say that real faith does not behave “like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” The words “wave of the sea” are interpreted from the plural form of the Greek word kludon, a word that pictures one wave after another or a succession of rising and falling waves.
James was describing how a person may appear to start in faith, but if he habitually changes his mind and rethinks what he’s asking or believing, he is, in reality, like a wave of the sea — caught in a cycle of doubt and vacillation. He rises to ask, to believe, and to confess, but then, almost as soon as it seems he’s gaining strength, he changes his mind, retracts what he has asked, believed, and confessed — and tumbles back into a state of indecision. This behavior is completely contrary to real faith.
James 1:6 adds, “…He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”
The words “driven with the wind” are derived from a form of anemos, a Greek word that depicts fierce winds or turbulence that has the potential to wreak havoc and destruction. The word “tossed” is translated from a form of the Greek word rhipidzo, which pictures raging currents of the sea, but it also pictures a dangerous undercurrent.
By using these words and imagery, James was telling us that those who are easily moved by what they hear and see — and who habitually vacillate in what they believe or say — suffer the threat of being dragged into a state of spiritual bedlam that has the potential to “drown” their faith and make it ineffectual.
The RIV (Renner Interpretive Version) of James 1:6 says:
But this next point is important, so pay close attention. Whoever is asking must do it with an expectation that God will actually answer him. In other words, he must ask, being rooted in faith (with unwavering confidence). The one who doesn’t stick with it, but who habitually changes his mind — who is up one day and down the next, flip-flopping and going back and forth “all over the place” in what he asks or believes — is a lot like the waves of the sea. Just as waves rise, fall, and tumble back into the sea over and over, a doubting person is one who keeps changing his mind again and again. He appears to be making progress, but then, suddenly, he changes his mind again and tumbles back into indecision. He is up and down, back and forth, indecisive, and unstable. And as the waves of the sea are endlessly tossed by ferocious winds, one who doubts is thrown here, there, and all around. A person who can’t make up his mind about what he asks and believes doesn’t realize the dangerous predicament he’s in — for like a dangerous riptide, his doubt and wavering can pull him perpetually into a sea of indecision.
Furthermore, the next verse goes on to say that those who habitually change their minds about what they ask, believe, and confess are unable to receive anything from the Lord. James 1:7 says, “For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”
The word “think” is from a form of the Greek word oimai, which means to assume, to imagine, to presume, or to suppose. In this case, it means to wrongly imagine, to wrongly presume, or to wrongly suppose. It pictures fictional thinking. Though this person lives in a state of indecision, he has somehow convinced himself that he will receive what he asks of the Lord. But what he asks is not clear because this person can’t make up his mind. To believe he will receive an answer when he is indecisive in his faith is misguided thinking.
God wants you to have everything you need to think properly about your health and to stand firm in His promises. James 1:6-7 holds important instructions for anyone who needs to receive anything from the Lord — and that includes the healing and health that Jesus obtained in His redemptive work on the Cross. My prayer is that what you have read today will help you know that God will answer your questions, and that it will undergird you to be unwavering until you have finally received what you have requested of the Lord!
If you have further questions about your faith — or just wish you had someone to pray with you — please remember that we are here for you, and we are waiting for your phone call, letter, or email so that we can release our faith with yours for the answer you need! Just call us at 1-800-742-5593 or email us at prayer@renner.org. I assure you that you will really be prayed for with ferocious faith, and we will ask the Lord to do exactly what needs to be done to turn your situation around!
And please pray for us too. Denise and I, our family, and our whole team are committed to do what Jesus has commissioned us to do, but we cherish your prayers for us. Both your financial gifts and prayers are needed, and we thank you in advance for praying and giving as the best partners in the whole world.
Next month, I’m going to pick up right here and continue talking to you about how to appropriate the healing and health that Jesus purchased for you and that He wants you to possess in your life!
We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,
Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our entire ministry team
P.S. Click here to view the new interactive Ministry Update page or click here to download the printable pdf flyer.
Strongholds of Worry
December Teaching Letter from Denise Renner
Dear Friend,
Happy December! I hope that this holiday season is a time of blessing and thanksgiving for you. These can be such happy times as we get to celebrate what we have and who we are with, but sometimes the devil can sneak in and try to steal that joy. He might remind us about the things that we don’t have, the people we’ve lost, and the needs that we can’t provide for. That’s why I want to encourage you to seek God this month and let Him fill you with peace and joy in this upcoming season.
Today we’re going to talk about habitual worry. This isn’t the kind of worry that pops up every now and then when you have difficult things going on in your life — this is the kind of worry that keeps on coming even when there is no reason for it. When your thoughts or the conversation you’re in turns to a certain subject, it’s like someone has flipped a switch in your brain, and the worry just starts spilling in. When that particular subject touches your life, a whole string of thoughts and mental processes just tangles up your mind. Maybe for you, this subject is money or work. Maybe it’s your child’s future or your friend’s salvation. Whatever it is, it turns your worry on every time, and that makes it a habit.
*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]
Proverbs 23 talks about the habit of drunkenness, and even though it’s a different habit than we’re talking about, I think it provides such a powerful image of what other bad habits like worry can do to us:
Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”
—Proverbs 23:31-35
The writer talks about how appealing wine looks, how beautiful and tempting, and we don’t always think about it, but that’s how our flesh sees worry. Our spirit is filled with peace, but our flesh is fallen, and it wants to take any little excuse to make the habit of worry. If we give in, this verse tells us that it won’t be a one-time thing — we will fall asleep in that worry and wake up thirsty for more!
That is a bleak picture, friend, but we don’t have to live like that. 1 Peter 5:8 commands us to be sober and vigilant, and God does not command us to do things that He hasn’t equipped us for. In fact, 2 Corinthians gives us some very clear instructions about taking down those strongholds that the enemy has built up in our minds.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
—2 Corinthians 10:4-6
This verse says that you’re the one with the power here. You’re the one who’s going to bring down that stronghold. You’re the one who’s going to cast that thought down and bring it into captivity. When a thought of worry comes, you have to seize it and say, “No. I’m not going to receive that.”
The Bible tells us, “…Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). That’s all. You and I have resisting power. We have casting-down power against those thoughts of worry. If our worry is habitual, then we just need to be habitual in resisting it and casting it down, and one of the most practical tools God gives us to do all that is His Word. When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, He didn’t argue with him or try to reason with him. All He did was quote the Word of God, and that put the devil on the run. Friend, if simply quoting the Scriptures is good enough for Jesus, then it is good enough for you and me.
If you don’t know where to find the right verse for your worry, just start with the verse I gave you today. Just say, “God, I see now that this worry is not Your will. I know I don’t have to be a worrier just because I’ve been stuck in it for so long. My weapons are mighty in You, and I can overcome, just like it says in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5. I can cast down those thoughts and bring them into obedience to You.”
You might not be feeling like you agree with that verse right now, but the first step is to just declare it to yourself and agree with God, no matter what you are feeling. When you agree with God, you’ll start to have the thoughts of God, and that’s when your feelings will change and agree with your spirit. If you will just take that first step of declaring the truth over yourself, then you will open up your heart and mind for the Holy Spirit to come in and cause your brain to start working in a new way so that you have a whole new habit.
Friend, if this is a struggle for you, we want to pray with you. Prayer is so important for us as Christians, and if worry is interrupting your ability to talk to your heavenly Father, then you need to get rid of that, and we want to help you. You can contact our prayer team by calling 1.844.473.6637 or emailing denisesocial@renner.org. We want to stand with you against whatever is trying to steal your peace, so we hope that you will reach out to us today.
I also want to invite you to join me for my weekly program, TIME with Denise Renner. This month, I am talking all about saying goodbye to worry through God’s blessings, and I am sure that He wants to encourage some of you with these teachings. You can watch live every Monday at 7 AM CT on Facebook and YouTube or every Wednesday at 12 PM CT on just Facebook. My programs are also available for you to watch anytime at renner.org. I hope that you will join me, and I pray that these teachings will help you cast down worry and fear in your life!
We are moving forward together,
Denise Renner
Don’t Back Down From What You’re Believing God For
December Teaching Letter from Rick Renner
Dear Friends,
Merry Christmas and greetings in the name of Jesus, who came to us from the Father as Immanuel — GOD WITH US — and as the Savior of the world!
This month, people all over the world are celebrating the birth of Jesus with their friends, family, or church. Christmas is a wonderful time for us all to especially thank Him for coming to give His life for us. At this season when people are giving gifts to friends and family, I’m also thinking of the financial gifts you have given this year to the work of God in our ministry. I want to say THANK YOU for everything you gave to help us fulfill our God-given assignment.
This ministry is reaching people all over the world who watch us on TV and contact us for prayer, support, and materials to help them grow spiritually. We can do this because of our partners, and we are full of thankfulness for everything you so faithfully do to help us get the trusted teaching of God’s Word to people around the world. In fact, we illustrate this beautifully each year in our full-color Annual Report. Click here to view and download a free copy of our 2025 Annual Report, or call our office at 1-800-742-5593 to request it, and we’ll send it to you postage paid! For U.S. mailing only.
I also want to remind you that until December 26, we are offering a 25-percent discount on every RENNER product in our website store. Also, the Renner Interpretive Version (RIV) of First and Second Peter is now available! It is loaded with insight and revelation that have the power to change your life. Right now, you can call 1-800-742-5593 or go online at renner.org/store to order all RENNER products at 25-percent off and place your order for the RIV of First and Second Peter. When you get your copy of this second volume of the RIV (the first volume was the RIV of James and Jude), I’d love to hear from you with your thoughts!
Last month, I began speaking to you about how to obtain the healing that Jesus purchased for you in redemption. We saw that we need to renew our mind to the truth and align both our heart and mouth with that truth. In today’s letter, I want to add the next two points: 1) hold fast to your confession and 2) let patience do its work.
Once you have renewed your mind concerning the healing Christ purchased for you, and once your heart and mouth are aligned with God’s promises, it’s time to dig your heels into the bedrock of your faith and decide to never budge from that position. Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).” The words “hold fast” are derived from the Greek word katecho, which is a compound of the words kata and echo. The word kata carries the force of something that comes down so hard and so heavily that it is overpowering and dominating to the point of being subjugating. When this force arrives on the scene, it conquers, subdues, and immediately begins expressing its overwhelming, influencing power.
The second part of the word katecho is the word echo, which simply means to have and carries the notion of possession. When kata and echo are compounded into the word katecho, it portrays seizing something with all one’s might and keeping it firmly under one’s control to ensure it never escapes. It portrays someone who finds the object of his dreams and then holds it down — taking control of it, dominating it, and even “sitting on it” so it doesn’t slip away!
This is the attitude you must have if you want to see God’s promises come to pass in your life. Once you’ve deeply embedded them into your heart and renewed your mind to them, you must wrap your arms around them and determine to never relinquish them. You must “katecho” God’s promises for healing so they won’t be able to get away from you. Hebrews 10:23 could be interpreted, “And let us hold fast to our confession, tightly wrapping our arms around it and embracing it with all our might….”
The words “hold fast” imply there is always a fight to stay on track with God’s promises. When it comes to healing, you must cling to God’s promises with unwavering determination. Without a conscious effort to hold tightly to God’s promise of healing, experiences or negative voices will try to steal it from you.
Hebrews 10:23 goes on to say, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith….” The word “profession” is from the Greek word homologia, which is a compound of homo and logia. The word homo means one of the very same kind, and logia is the plural form of logos, which means words. When these two words are compounded, they form homologia, and it is translated here as the word “profession.”
Let me give you a clear illustration of the word homologia. I am a writer and have written many books. My words are my thoughts, convictions, and beliefs printed on paper. If you read my books and agree with what I have written, in essence, you are in agreement and are harmonizing with me. If you take my viewpoints and begin to hold it in your heart and soul as your own conviction, it won’t be long until you and I are fully aligned in our thinking and believing. Then if you share that information with others, you will not be just repeating, or parroting, what you read in my books. You will be speaking from your own heart about what you believe. At that juncture, our ideas are not just parallel — they are united, and we are fluently speaking the same language of conviction!
Similarly, when a believer “confesses” or “professes” God’s Word from a heart of conviction, his words are not hollow or superficial; rather, they emerge from a profound well of conviction within his soul. After a period of renewing his mind, he finally begins to see things the way God sees them. From that place of heartfelt conviction, he then begins to declare his faith. Because he internalizes God’s Word so profoundly that it harmonizes with his own innermost being, the person’s words transcend the mere repeating or parroting of familiar phrases. Instead, he boldly articulates his faith from a place of authentic belief!
Many people make the mistake of merely repeating what they have heard someone else say without ever developing any depth of faith or understanding of their own. They say the right things, but because these words come only out of their mouths and not out of their hearts, their confession produces no results. It’s essential that your faith infuses your speech. For your confession to be impactful, it must resonate inside the depths of your heart as it comes out of your mouth.
So how do you avoid making mechanical, mindless confessions concerning God’s will to heal?
- First, choose to believe what God says about healing. Commit your heart to believing His Word, no matter how crazy it may sound to your natural mind.
- Second, ask God to make His Word real to you — so real, in fact, that if anyone even implies that what God says isn’t true, you’ll think that person is out of his mind!
- Third, pick up your Bible and do some serious study and meditation. Sow the Word into your heart until you and God are aligned on the issue.
- Fourth, once that alignment comes into being, open your mouth and start declaring the Word of God over your body!
Often people let go of their confession of faith for healing because the devil or other people tell them, “This thing you’re believing for isn’t ever going to happen. Surely it would’ve materialized already if it was meant to be. You’re wasting your time — you need to forget it, let it go, and move on with your life.”
Instead of surrendering or backing down, or giving in and giving up, you need to dig in your heels, drive down your stake, and tell the devil that you are not going to move from your position of faith. It may take a while for that promise to come into manifestation, but if you fill your heart and mind with the truth of God’s Word about healing and health, renew your mind to it, and hold fast to your confession of faith, God assures us that perseverance will lead to tangible outcomes.
James 1:3 says, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” The word “patience” in James 1:3 describes the heavenly force that God releases inside you in such a moment when your faith is being tried. This word originates in the Greek word hupomone, a compound of the words hupo and meno. The word hupo means under and here it depicts one under a heavy load. The word meno depicts the resolve to stay put, abide, and not move. When these words are compounded to form the word hupomone, the word “patience” would be better translated as endurance.
The word hupomone carries the idea of abiding; defiantly sticking it out regardless of the pressure mounted against one; keeping a position; remaining in one’s spot; or staying put. It also signifies “staying” power; “hang-in-there” power; or the attitude that holds out, holds on, outlasts, perseveres, and hangs in there, never giving up, refusing to surrender to obstacles, and turning down every opportunity to quit.
The word hupomone pictures one who is under a heavy load but refuses to bend, break, or surrender because he is convinced that the territory, promise, or principle under assault rightfully belongs to him. Thus, James 1:3 declares that a supernatural power is released in you the moment you choose to push back against the enemy’s assault. Rather than face the fight on your own, you can be sure God will join Himself to the one who chooses to push back against the enemy’s attack. The Lord will fill that person with the supernatural ability to stay put, remain in his spot, keep his position, and maintain the territory he has gained as he outlasts any assault.
Let’s take this into your own story. If you are believing for healing, when you make a bold proclamation of faith — whether it be for healing and health or for any other blessing — the devil is listening and will likely devise a “test” to see if he can put you under enough pressure to make you back off from what you have confessed. But if you make the choice to push back against the attack, saying, “Devil, if you doubt my resolve, just watch as I cling fiercely to the promises God has made to me,” God will respond by filling you with so much hupomone that you will be able to stay put, not budge, hang in there, never give up, refuse to surrender to every obstacle, and turn down every opportunity to quit. That’s the message of James 1:3!
Indeed, when the devil sees God has filled you with hupomone — that is, an unshakeable resilience that never backs off — he’ll retreat. It’s often after such a retreat that the manifestation of your confession swiftly follows. I cannot tell you how long this process will take, but I can tell you that God responds to your decision to push back by filling you with hupomone, which endows you with all that is needed to stay steadfast until the fight is finished and you are standing healed and healthy. If you exercise this kind of endurance, you have the key to receiving healing, deliverance, prosperity, protection, peace, joy, healthy relationships, and countless other blessings.
The RIV (Renner Interpretive Version) of James 1:3 says:
You need to know — really know, and never forget — that difficult situations come to see if you are serious about your stance of faith and if your faith is really all it claims to be or if it will break under pressure. But finally…when those tests let up, and your faith is still standing strong, it will have proven your faith to be real. When you push back to resist the tests that have been sent to break you — that pushback triggers a release of divine endurance that fills you from the top of your head clear to the bottom of your feet! It’s a supernatural endurance that will enable you to bear up under any heavy load, and it will give you the ability to stay put, to keep your position, and to never surrender. I’m talking about a power that will enable you to hold on; hold out; never give up; neither bend nor break; outlast; persevere; and stick it out. This power will strengthen you to hold on to whatever promise or territory is under assault.
For anyone who doesn’t know why his faith is not working — and he doesn’t seem to be able to find anyone who can help find the answer — James 1:5 gives the best possible advice: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” God is more than willing to answer this question for anyone who is really willing to hear the answer. This verse promises YOU that if you ask God the reason for a delay to prayer, He will give you the answer you need. So today, in addition to holding fast to your confession and letting patience do its work, draw near to the heart of God, ask Him your questions, and be willing to hear the answers. Anything He tells you is for your good and is intended to speed up the process of receiving healing or whatever else you’ve been praying for!
I’ve covered a lot in this letter, but next month I have more to share about what else must be done to obtain the blessing of healing. I am pouring out to you what I believe the Holy Spirit wants me to share to help you, and my prayer is that it is helping you move forward into the manifestation of healing and health that Jesus purchased for you on the Cross.
Please be sure to let us know how we can pray for you. As a matter of fact, we are waiting to hear from you right now. Just call us at 1-800-742-5593 on any weekday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. CT or write to us at prayer@renner.org. We are already praying for you, but when we hear specifically how to pray, it helps us to pray more effectively.
We love you and thank God for you — Denise and I bless you and pray you’ll enjoy a wonderful Christmas season with loved ones this year!
We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus Christ,
Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel Renner and our entire ministry team
P.S. Click here to view the new interactive Ministry Update page or click here to download the printable pdf flyer.