Bringing Down Complaints

June Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friend,

Today, I want to encourage and remind you that the devil has no power over us. If there is anything in your life causing worry, fear, or terror, be assured that it has no power. Our enemy may seem like a roaring lion, but he has no teeth because Jesus stripped him of his power. All he has remaining in his arsenal is deception and lies, but even though our enemy is powerless, that does not stop him from sending giants our way.

We are all confronted by giants at some time in our lives. Fear or a lack of finances could be giants confronting you today. Conflict in your family with no obvious solution could be another giant. Relationship problems or work challenges that you cannot control could be a giant in your life. Whatever you are facing, it probably looks like a mountain, like a giant staring you in the face and daring you to try to defeat it! I have had giants in my own life that needed to be destroyed, and the only way to defeat them was with the Word and Spirit of God. I have spent hours renewing my mind with the Word of God. His Word is alive and powerful and with it, we are able to take down the giants that try to confront us in this life!

Today, we will examine one giant that can open the door to many others giants, and that is the giant of complaining.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

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Complaining Is a Giant

We live in a time when we have instant access to information and connection with people around the world, and sometimes, we take these modern conveniences for granted. We are able to quickly call or email our friends, drive a short distance for groceries or medicine, or push a button for entertainment. There can be a tendency to act entitled rather than being grateful. We can easily forget how blessed we are. When this happens, the giant of complaining rises up.

The Israelites were an example of this. They were God’s chosen people and had received so much from Him. They had observed the ten plagues in Egypt, watched the Red Sea split and walked through it on dry land, and watched as Pharaoh and his army pursued them on the same dry land only to be drowned when the waters crashed back down over them. The Israelites saw it all!

While traveling in the wilderness, God continued to provide for and protect the children of Israel. He fed them manna that fell from the sky every day. This bread-like substance probably contained every vitamin and mineral the body needed. The Bible records the amount of manna they received, and if we put it into modern terms, the children of Israel received 4,500 tons a day! That’s 65,700,000 tons of manna in 40 years!

The Israelites had such an abundance of manna that it would have been nearly impossible for them to consume it all, but after a while, they started complaining. They no longer wanted manna. They were bored of it and were craving meat. So God gave them quail, and like the manna, He provided an abundance for them. At God’s command, 90 million quail appeared! Imagine — 90 million quail every day! God is such an incredible giver, but the Israelites were such complainers. Both with the manna and the quail, God sent abundant provision, more than they could possibly consume in a day, but they still complained!

Because they had developed such a habit of complaining, when Caleb and Joshua returned from the Promised Land with a good report, the Israelites wouldn’t listen. The spies returned, and Caleb boldly declared, “We can take this land. We can defeat these giants!” But those who went with Joshua and Caleb to the Promised Land complained, “We’re grasshoppers in their sight.” They had forgotten how God had drowned Pharaoh’s entire army! Numbers 14 records how deep their complaining and ungratefulness went:

“And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, ‘If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?’”

—Numbers 14:2-3

They were such complainers that they began to talk about Egypt, where they had been slaves, as if it had been better than God’s Promised Land!

Complaining is so dangerous because it can become habitual. Maybe you are only grumbling on the inside and think it isn’t affecting anyone, but if you get into the habit of complaining, you will start believing a lie and thinking that your thinking is accurate. You will begin complaining more and more with your words and eventually become deceived by that complaining.

Complaining Has Collateral Damage

When we complain, we are not merely complaining against our situation — we’re complaining against God!

In Numbers 14:27, God says:

“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me.”

This word, “complain,” refers to an intellectual rebellion against God. My friend, we do not want this giant of complaining to have rulership over our lives because it will harden our hearts.

I have counseled many married couples, especially the wives, and I have seen how a wife, with her own attitude of complaining, can tear down her marriage. She might say she doesn’t like how her husband treats her mother. Maybe she complains that the children don’t receive enough attention from their father. She doesn’t like that the husband doesn’t make enough money or how he eats or that he leaves his socks on the floor. It’s nothing but complaints, and in a marriage, that can build a wall so thick that the sweet communication that husband and wife once enjoyed is absolutely broken. Over the years, in some marriages, I have seen that the husband’s heart has been so hurt by the complaining and criticism of the wife that it brought them to the point of divorce.

This giant of complaining is destructive and sneaky, and it will become habitual if we let it. If we allow it to stay, it will cause us to hurt God and everyone else around us trying their best to love us.

Fighting Back with Thanksgiving

So how are we going to escape from this giant of complaining? God provided the perfect weapon: Thanksgiving! I have seen thanksgiving annihilate that giant of complaining over and over again. The answer to eliminating complaining in your life is to start being thankful.

At the time Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, he was in a horrible prison. Historians record that he was being held beneath the palace. Sewage from the palace entered into the room where Paul and other prisoners were being held. In these inhumane conditions, Paul wrote the book of Philippians. This letter begins with a typical greeting in chapter one, but in verse three, Paul proclaimed:

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.”

How incredible is that statement? Rats were crawling on the raw sewage that surrounded Paul. He was standing in sewage flowing from the palace, people were dying around him from the horrible conditions, but the very first words from Paul’s mouth were “I thank my God.” Later he says:

“Indeed, I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.”

—Philippians 4:18

How filled with thankfulness must a person be to say, “I have all and abound” while surrounded by such horrific conditions? There are times, by our own will, we must choose to say, “God, everything is not how I want it, but You are faithful. God, You love me. I have breath in my lungs, I woke up today, and You’ve given me a job and a home. God, You have given me food to eat, and I thank You. I thank You for the Holy Spirit that lives on the inside of me.” That kind of thankfulness will defeat the enemy of complaining. We don’t want to become habitual complainers — we want to be habitual thankers.

1 Thessalonians 5 says to be thankful in all things, not for all things but in all. I heard a story of a missionary who had given his life to bring the Gospel message to people in other countries. He had a wife and children who stayed in America while he had took a trip to serve in another country, but while he was there, he received news that his wife was killed in a car accident.

He returned to America and arranged the funeral and everything he needed to do, but he became so depressed that he could hardly lift his head. His trust in God was shattered, and all he could think was, “How could God have not protected my wife while I was giving my life in this other country?” Maybe in your own life you have had those kinds of thoughts.

That missionary eventually became so depressed that he went to another godly minister and poured his heart out. After their talk, the minister simply told him, “Brother, you’ve got to get some thanksgiving in you.”

The missionary took his advice and just sat there, trying to be thankful. He said it took two hours before he could get one tiny word of thanksgiving out of his mouth. He had such a difficult time starting, but once he did, it was like an untapped river of thankfulness on the inside of his spirit that flooded out of him. Through that Thanksgiving, the depression he had been under was absolutely lifted from him! That man of God got married again, had another baby by his second wife, and resumed traveling to other nations and sharing the Gospel with people around the world. This man died as a great example and victor in the faith. But what was it that brought down the enemies of complaining, depression, and oppression in his life? Thanksgiving.

God understands that complaining is not a blessing in our lives. He knows that if we complain, our hearts are not thankful. If we are not thankful, we cannot see the blessings God has given us. Complaining is almost like having blinders covering our eyes to God’s blessings. Instead of focusing on the blessings we do have, we focus on all of the negatives in our lives — what we haven’t received or what isn’t working out or what we think should be better. Complaining becomes a giant in our lives and blinds us to the reality of all of the good God has done for us. We must develop a heart of thankful gratitude to pull down the giant of complaining!

I am so grateful that I have been able to communicate this important and vital truth with you today.  I am always so happy to share with you. Please plan to join me for my weekly program, TIME with Denise Renner. It is such a special time. You can connect with me every Monday at 7:00 AM CT on Facebook or YouTube. You can also watch Wednesdays at 12:00 PM CT on Facebook. I hope you will make time in your schedule to come join me!

Before I close this letter, I also want to remind you that if you need prayer for anything in your life, our prayer team is here for you. You can call 1.844.473.6637 or email us at prayer@deniserenner.org. We are ready to support and encourage you through whatever is happening in your life.

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

The Deeper Meaning
of Redemption

June Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

I am so excited about what I am going to be sharing with you today — the meaning of the word “redemption” and how it applies to you and me!

But before I get into today’s teaching, I want to tell you about my new book The Rapture, the Antichrist, and the Tribulation — An End-times Countdown and What Happens Next. This book has percolated inside my heart for many years, and I finally felt it was time to write it. I put a lot of work into this book because many people ask important questions about the end times and want to know when Jesus will return for the Church, and I want to help eliminate confusion and make things clear for people. But right now, you can pre-order it at a special 25-percent discount from the retail price of $29.00, or for $21.75 for a limited time. It is available by calling us at 1-800-742-5593 or by going online at renner.org. I encourage you to order several copies because I’m sure you’re going to want to share this one with someone else!

And when you reach out to us, let us know how to pray for you. Praying for you is one of our highest honors, and we pray for our partners and friends every day. But when we hear from you about your prayer needs, we can start praying more specifically. I believe Jesus will hear our prayers, and He will do exactly what needs to be done to see His will accomplished in your situation. Please pray for us, too, as we are carrying out our God-given assignment. We are so thankful to you for being such an integral part of what God is doing through RENNER Ministries. By being one of our partners, you are helping propagate the precious seed of the Gospel around the world!

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

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As I searched my heart for what to write to you about this month, I was reminded of a song we used to sing in my church when I was young: “Redeemed, How I Love To Proclaim It!” by Fanny Crosby. I can still picture myself standing in the pew, surrounded by the congregation as we all exuberantly declared:

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it
Redeemed by the blood of the lamb
Redeemed through His infinite mercy
His child, and forever, I am

Then we would jubilantly sing the chorus, “Redeemed, redeemed! Redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Redeemed, redeemed! His child, and forever, I am.”  

I sang that song with every fiber of my being; however, there were many layers to the principle of redemption that I had yet to uncover. But as I deeply studied the word “redemption,” I discovered that it has its roots in ancient slave markets. The parallels between slavery in the ancient world and slavery in the spiritual realm are striking, as you will see as we continue.

Slave Markets in the Ancient World

In antiquity, many large cities had sprawling slave markets — places of unfathomable misery and sorrow. Eager purchasers would meander through the crowded aisles, their eyes scanning for the slave they desired. In these markets, human beings were placed on elevated platforms called auction blocks where they could be viewed and eventually sold to the highest bidder.

Before the buying, selling, and trading commenced, buyers were permitted to “inspect the merchandise.” For example, if a slave was going to be used in menial work that required a great deal of physical abuse, potential buyers might spit on the slaves, strike them, or hurl insults to assess their threshold for endurance. If a slave could suppress his or her pride, clench his jaw, and maintain composure amidst such demeaning treatment, it was presumed that he could toil in arduous labor without causing issues for his new master. This examination process was similar to taking a vehicle for a spin before committing to buy it. Just as a car buyer wants assurance of the value in what he’s acquiring, those in the market for slaves sought to evaluate the “goods” before parting with their money.

Assessing the physical condition of a slave was crucial during auctions because it told the potential buyer whether that slave was a worthwhile investment. One important health indicator that slave owners knew to look for was the state of a slave’s teeth. Shiny, well-kept teeth often implied robust health and could significantly elevate a person’s monetary value. Conversely, if his or her teeth were decayed or rotten, it might lead to that slave being sold at a lower price. As a result, potential buyers would tilt back the head of a candidate, pry open his or her mouth, and scrutinize the teeth to judge their condition, which influenced the buyer’s bidding decisions.

Upon identifying a promising candidate, the buyer would agree to pay the required sum to acquire the individual and thereby transfer the purchased slave into the lawful possession of his or her new master. Depending on the slave’s physical condition and skills, the price of a slave could range from a mere 500 denarii to an extravagant 875,000 denarii. Male slaves possessing striking physiques, unique talents, and advanced education often commanded exorbitant prices. The Romans had a particular preference for male slaves due to their ability to undertake a wider array of physical tasks compared to their female counterparts.

By law, slaves were not permitted to own anything, not even the clothes they wore, and slave owners wielded absolute power over their slaves, with the freedom to mistreat, exploit, or even execute them at their discretion. Regarded as mere property rather than with the dignity of human life, these enslaved individuals could be returned to the market when no longer needed, where they would stand under the auctioneer’s gavel once again. Furthermore, their owners could choose to lend them to acquaintances or rent them out to others in need of labor.

Slavery was prevalent in nearly every aspect of society. Whether enslaved by birth or through a twist of fate, millions of people found themselves imprisoned in a life of slavery. In the bustling metropolis of Rome, a staggering one-third of the city’s one million inhabitants, roughly 300,000 to 350,000 people, were slaves. This served as a testament to the relentless conquests of Roman legions, whose victories flooded the slave markets with more humans to be bartered and traded as mere goods.

There were primarily two different categories of slaves in the Roman world — those who belonged to the government and those who were the private possessions of individuals or families. Public slaves owned by the state were like the cogs of a mighty machine that constructed grand architectural marvels across the Roman empire. But private slaves were owned by private individuals or families, and they generally possessed more freedom than public slaves.

Today, when most people hear the word “slave,” an image comes to mind of individuals clad in tattered clothing and assigned to grueling tasks like bricklaying or laboring in fields. This stereotype holds true in many cases, yet it doesn’t paint the full picture. Surprisingly, a significant number of slaves boasted exceptional skills and had high levels of education. Those owned by wealthy masters often held esteemed roles such as household stewards, financial managers, or secretaries.

Astonishingly, there were slaves who were renowned philosophers, distinguished educators, respected store managers, and even sought-after physicians. Thus, slavery transcended the boundaries of low-skilled, uneducated labor and extended to gifted and well-dressed individuals who catered to the upper tiers of society. Some slaves were entrusted with the crucial role of tutoring the offspring of affluent families. Remarkably, very often slaves bore such a close resemblance to the general populace that the Roman Senate once considered requiring slaves to wear distinctive attire so that it was clear who was a slave and who was not.

What Is the Significance of These Facts?

As I said previously in my letter, the parallels between slavery in the ancient world and slavery in the spiritual realm are striking. In Romans 6:17 and 20, we are reminded that, prior to our journey with Christ, we were all bound as “servants of sin.”

The word “servants” is translated from the Greek word doulos, which is more accurately rendered as slave. This Greek word specifically depicts the most abject and degrading form of slavery. It describes an individual who is utterly consigned to a life of bondage and perpetual slavery for the rest of his or her life. In history, such slaves existed solely to execute the commands of their owner, and their primary duty was to endlessly satisfy their master’s every whim. This historical glimpse pictures one entrenched in the shackles of slavery with his own will entirely eclipsed by that of his master.

And by using the Greek word doulos, Paul illustrated the profound truth that prior to finding Christ, each of us was shackled in slavery to sin and the clutches of Satan. We might have fancied ourselves the masters of our own destinies — believing we held the reins of our lives — but in truth, as we saw in Ephesians 2:2, we were captives who were ensnared in sin’s unforgiving grip, and our destinies were stealthily manipulated by a sinister, invisible force bent on orchestrating our downfall.

It doesn’t matter whether you are a Wall Street executive, a renowned architect, a tenured college professor, or a billionaire businessperson — without the touch of God’s grace, your existence remains ensnared in the bonds of spiritual slavery. The truth is that every person, irrespective of prestige, status, or wealth, enters this world shackled by sin and caught in the snare of spiritual captivity because spiritual death rules him at his core. Whether that person is poor and uneducated, or he wears sharp suits, boasts impressive credentials, drives expensive cars, and lives in lavish homes — without yielding his life to Christ, his spirit remains unwashed by Jesus’ redeeming blood. Until that person surrenders to the lordship of Jesus and allows His blood to redeem him and make him new in Christ, he will remain a slave in Satan’s slave market.

Through Adam’s disobedience, spiritual death entered the spirits of Adam and Eve and all their descendants. As Romans 5:12 says, “…by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” With every passing generation following Adam, the chains of spiritual death tightened and led people of all nations, tribes, and ethnicities further into the depths of sin and depravity.

In Romans 7:14, Paul wrote about our predicament before embracing Christ. He used the word “sold,” which is borrowed from the lexicon of the slave market. It comes from the Greek word piprasko, a word that describes a transfer of ownership. Through this imagery, Paul stated that Adam’s initial disobedience effectively handed over the entirety of humanity to a new master and owner, Satan. Thus, humankind lived under Satan’s ironclad authority and were his possessions, which all occurred as a consequence of Adam’s transgression.

Like slaves in a slave market, we stood on the auction block helpless as Satan slapped our lives around — hitting us, kicking us, spitting in our faces, and abusing us in any way he desired. The master of our chains was relentless and unyielding in his quest to shatter our self-worth and ensnare us with a myriad of issues that would mar us emotionally. When he finished using one kind of bondage and death to torment us, he would put us back on the trading block to be auctioned off again and allow yet another form of bondage to enslave us and begin leaving its destructive marks on our lives.

Caught in this abusive cycle, we found ourselves shuffled from one chain to another in an unending loop of devastation and defeat. Day by day, whether we sensed it or remained oblivious to it, we were auctioned further into the clutches of sin — wholly and completely, from the core of our being to the tips of our toes. This is the very reason Paul referred to us as “the servants of sin” in Romans 6:17 and 20. Our pre-salvation slavery to the devil was so entrenched that our nature became filled with rebellion, and the gulf separating us from God widened to such an extent that Scripture describes us as having become “alienated and enemies” in our minds through wicked works (see Colossians 1:21).

In addition to the sin problem, guilt, shame, turmoil, disease, illness, and sickness wreaked havoc on mankind. But Jesus descended into this world where every living person was bound in Satan’s grasp. Seeing us captive and shackled, guilt-ridden, tormented, and sick, Christ made the profound decision to pay whatever price necessary to reclaim us as His own. With a love that knew no bounds and a determination that soared beyond earthly understanding, He offered the ultimate sacrifice — His own blood — to secure our freedom and make us His own.

Jesus Came To Deliver Us From the Power of Darkness

In Colossians 1:13-14, Paul wrote about Jesus setting us free from Satan’s slave market when he said that God “…hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even forgiveness of sins.”

Among a host of important words in this passage, there is one word I would like to focus on: “delivered.” It comes from the Greek word rhuomai, which means to rescue, to save, or to pluck from peril. It pictures someone being whisked away from harm’s grasp and suggests an urgent deliverance that arrives precisely on time. This word choice reveals that Jesus embarked on a mission to free people from the clutches of the enemy and to rescue them from the devil’s iron grip just when all hope seemed lost!

In Colossians 1:13, Paul stated that God delivered us “from” the power of darkness. The word “from” is a translation of the Greek word ek, which signifies a departure or a way out, and it is where we derive the word exit. This illustrates that through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, God plucked us from and gave us a way out of the grip of the “power of darkness.” The word “power” finds its origin in the Greek word exousia, which speaks of authority, dominion, and influence, and it means all of humanity was living under the authority, dominion, and influence of Satan and his kingdom. The word darkness” is translated from the Greek word skotos, and it depicts the pitch-black absence of any glimmer of light. In this verse, Paul used the word skotos to picture the utter darkness of Satan’s sinister realm.

But then in Colossians 1:13, Paul brilliantly declared that the very instant we turned our backs on sin and welcomed Christ as the Captain of our lives, He “…translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” This word “translated” is derived from the Greek word methistemi, and it pictures a transition from one realm to another. Thus, the moment a person embraces Christ as Lord of his life, he is snatched from the clutches of darkness and transferred into the Kingdom of God. This marked your emancipation from the marketplace of sin and your induction into the family of God.

First John 3:14-15 states that when we were translated from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of God, we “passed from death unto life.” The word “passed” is an interpretation of a form of metabaino, a compound of meta and baino. Here, meta means after or beyond, while baino signifies a journey or walk. When combined, the new word metabaino pictures moving from one realm to another or a shift in position or environment. At the very moment of our salvation, we were extricated from death’s dominion, and we were literally moved over into life. This is John’s affirmation that we have been rescued from Satan’s grasp and transitioned into the Kingdom of God’s Son. In the new Kingdom, there is no darkness or death at all, and that means all the toxins of the dark realm were left behind and we moved into a Kingdom dominated only by the goodness of God. When we came to Christ, the powers of darkness were utterly and completely broken over our lives.

Hebrews 2:3 describes this liberation as “so great salvation.” The words “such a great” are a translation of the Greek word telikautes, which denotes that which is extraordinary, grand, majestic, magnificent, or truly remarkable. The term “salvation” originates from soterias, a variant of sodzo, a beloved New Testament term, which describes the rescue from sin and death, healing, freedom, and complete wholeness in every part of life. In the gospels, it is often translated “heal” or “deliver.” However, this single word encompasses deliverance, restoration, preservation, and mental soundness, and it affirms that physical healing and liberation from the grip of demonic forces are also an intrinsic part of salvation.

This explains why Hebrews 2:3 refers to our salvation as “so great salvation.” Through His redemptive work on the Cross, Christ transferred us from the dominion of darkness, legally nullifying all claims the devil held against us. Thus, the salvation we have received is indeed a “great salvation” or a “grand deliverance!” When the Bible says you are “redeemed,” it means Christ has paid the price for your complete liberation — and that is something we should shout about.

There is so much to discover about the subject of redemption that I will have to continue this teaching in next month’s letter. Jesus paid the ultimate price to redeem us and make the whole package of salvation available to us, so I’m eager to share with you more important truths about this topic and how it applies to our lives today. I know it will be a blessing to you.

Before I close, I want to again tell you how thankful Denise and I are for your partnership with our ministry. With you, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are reaching millions of people and seeing so many saved and transformed. I am deeply grateful to you for being so willing to partner with us to bring this life-transforming power to people who are in need. We are truly partners in this Gospel work!

Remember that we are here to pray for you. Just call us at 1-800-742-5593 or write to us at prayer@renner.org, and we’ll be so thrilled to pray for you!

We truly do love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus,
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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.

The Very Best Giver

May Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friend,

I remember a time when my grandkids were younger. They loved to go into my closet, find my high heels, put them on their feet, and start walking around our home in them. Sometimes they would take one of Rick’s coats and put it on even though it was too big. Whether walking around in my heels or wearing Rick’s coat, they pretended that they were grandma or grandpa. Our grandkids were imitating Rick and me.

Ephesians 5:1 tells us to “be imitators of God as dear children.” People often say that imitation is the greatest compliment. When we imitate our Heavenly Father because we want to be like Him, we are giving Him the highest praise! That is exactly what He commands us to do in His Word. Today, I want to talk to you about imitating God as a giver.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

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When we get worried about what could happen to us or we get too focused on the things of this world, we quickly become nervous about giving to others. But God sets an example for us that is contrary to normal human worries and stinginess. The Bible reveals that God never was and never will be stingy. He is always a giver of the highest degree, and by studying His example, we can learn how we should give as His children.

God Gives…

God Gives Generously:

John chapter six records the story of a time when a huge crowd had gathered to listen to Jesus teach. Jesus questioned Philip, one of the disciples, about feeding the people who had gathered. On this occasion, Jesus multiplied two fish and five loaves of bread; or as my husband teaches, five little crackers and two small minnows that a young boy had brought with him to put on those crackers. After Jesus prayed over that small amount of food, it multiplied exponentially. Some scholars estimate that Jesus not only fed 5,000 men, but with the women and children who were present, He probably fed between 30,000 to 40,000 people that day with just two little minnows and five small crackers! Forty thousand people!

Our God is such a giving God that He multiplied and continued to multiply those few fish and crackers to feed the multitudes. Matthew 14:20 says, “So they all ate and were filled.” The Greek word for “filled” means satisfied. Those people ate until they were full and afterwards there was still food left over! When we give something to God, He doesn’t just add to what we give Him, He multiplies it! God is such a far-above giver!

God Gives Universally:

In that same passage in John, after everyone was satisfied, Jesus told His disciples to gather up the fragments so that nothing would be lost. When they finished gathering the fragments, 12 baskets were filled with the leftovers. Who do you think those 12 baskets were for? They were for those 12 disciples! God had multiplied for the crowd, and now He was supplying for each and every one of the disciples!

One day I was meditating on that, and I realized one of those disciples was Judas Iscariot! God gave Judas the same amount of food in his basket as He gave John, Peter, James, and Andrew. God is such a giver — He even gave to His betrayer! This is such a perfect example of Jesus’ words found in Matthew 5:43-48. It says:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

God is showing us in His Word that we are not only to bless and love our friends and those who love us, but we are also to love our enemies and those who despitefully use us, in a way similar to when Jesus gave a basket full of crackers and minnows to His betrayer. We are to be imitators of Him in how we love others.

Jesus treated Judas no differently than He did the other disciples. That is truly amazing, and that is our God! I am so grateful that God is that kind of giver, because there was a time in our lives when you and I didn’t know Jesus. Even today, you may be struggling and not doing everything perfectly as a Christian, but that will never stop God from giving to and loving you.

God Gives Extravagantly:

Not only does God give generously, He also gives abundantly to everyone, even His enemies. Even more incredible, God gives us the highest quality gifts.

Romans 8:32 says:

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

God always gives us His very best, but sometimes when we give, we don’t do the same. Unfortunately, I have done this personally, and maybe you have too. Have you ever given something away that you no longer use or have a need for? God is not that kind of giver. He is an extravagant giver who says, “I’m giving My very best, and My very best is Jesus.” God is not stingy. He is not trying to hold anything back from you; God is trying to get everything to you, even His very best.

God Gives Freely:

Best of all, our God is not unwilling or hesitant in His giving. He doesn’t give just because we beg Him.

Look at James 1:5:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

The Greek word for, “ask of God,” means to get very close to God. Sometimes we think drawing near to God means we need to do everything perfectly, but in our sinful flesh, that is impossible for us. No. When we take our imperfect selves and say, “God, I’m coming to you. I’m drawing near to you, Father, as close as I can. I’m determined to think about You first, Lord, as much as I am able. I’m going to talk to you as often as possible” — when we have this heart attitude, God responds. God is such a giver. Even if we have not been seeking Him, and encounter a situation where we desperately need God and His wisdom. He doesn’t say, “Oh, you haven’t talked to Me in five years. I’m not going to do anything for you.” No. That is not our God. He is not the God with a clenched fist, but the God with an open hand. God is the best giver and He is a habitual giver. As we seek Him for wisdom, as James 1:5 states, He promises to give it to us liberally! God is obliged to give us wisdom as we seek Him.

The Reward of Greed

God gave His own Son for us. This is a powerful example for us to follow, but sometimes, in our sinful natures it is difficult. We are so fortunate to have a God who readily forgives us whenever we mess up, but as Paul tells us, we cannot use that as an excuse to continue sinning.

The Bible reveals some examples of people who did not follow God’s generous example, who were unrepentantly stingy and greedy. In the Old Testament, we read about Laban. Laban was the father-in-law of Jacob, who lied to Jacob and cheated him over and over again. Laban tried his best to cheat Jacob out of the things God had given him, but what did it bring to that selfish Laban? Everything he tried to cling to — his daughters, his livestock, the work that Jacob was doing for him — Laban absolutely lost.

What about Nabal? Nabal was the husband of a beautiful woman named Abigail. David and his men had been respectful to Nabal while they were near his land, and it was an especially plentiful time for Nabal. But when David came looking for provision for them, Nabal refused and insulted them. Nabal was stingy. David became so angry at Nabal that he wanted to completely destroy Nabal and his men. But Abigail, in all her wisdom, humility, and kindness, went to David and begged for mercy. She fed all his men and was blessed because of her generosity. What happened to Nabal, the stingy one? Everything he wanted to cling to, he lost. He even lost his life.

What about Judas? Judas was stingy. When he got angry about money (John 12: 4-5), Judas wasn’t thinking about feeding the poor. The Bible says he was thinking about the treasury and what he could have done with it for himself. What happened to stingy Judas? He betrayed the Son of God, and he died. He lost his life. That is what stinginess gets you.

Imitating Him

Friend, we must realize that God is not a hoarder. Hoarding is all about self. God is a provider. Even at this very moment, God is in Heaven preparing to give us a gift.

Jesus said in John 14:2-3:

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Jesus has already given us salvation, and now He is preparing the gift we will receive when we join Him in Heaven!

We need to ask ourselves, “Do I imitate God as a giver or do I only give to those who give to me? Do I just give to those who do good to me? Do I only give something away that I don’t need or do I give my very best?”

Luke 6:38 says:

“Give, and it will be given you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

God knows we cannot outgive Him because He will always give back abundantly more than we will ever be able to give Him, and we cannot give God what we do not have — God would never expect that of us — but we can give Him what we do have. So, what can you give? Can you give more of your time to people who need you? What about your money, your forgiveness? What about your patience? Could you give more of that? What about your mercy? What about your love? What about trusting somebody? Could you give someone trust who might not deserve your trust but wants another chance? What possession can you give that you don’t need and somebody else does? Maybe it’s your enemy who needs it. Are you willing to give it to them?

God has revealed Himself as the tremendous giver He is. He loved us when we were spiritually dead, and He made us alive in Him. His gifts are enormous, and they are coming towards us right now. So, I want you to ask yourself, How can I act like God and give something today?

Before I close my letter, I want to encourage you that we are here for you. Prayer is so important to our Christian walk, and our team takes every one of your prayer requests seriously. Whether you need strength to follow God’s example or provision for a difficult time in life, you can connect with our prayer team today by calling 1.844.473.6637 or sending an email to prayer@deniserenner.org. We are believing for you to see the fullness of God’s blessings in your life soon!

I also want to invite you to my weekly program, TIME with Denise Renner. Every Monday at 7 AM CT and Wednesday at 12 PM CT, I have the privilege of sharing what God has put on my heart for you. I hope you will join me if you haven’t yet! You can watch TIME with Denise Renner on my Facebook page, YouTube channel, or by visiting Renner.org.

I pray that this teaching will encourage you or someone you know to give like God today. We have such a generous Father in Heaven, and when we follow His example, He gives back to us so much more than we could ever imagine. Remember His love for you and determine to put on His giving mindset as you carry His image out into your life this week.

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

Give No Place to the Devil

May Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Jesus’ wonderful name!

I am so thankful to be able to greet you today, and I am thankful that God has connected us for the advancement of His Kingdom. It is a great thing that God connects people, and I take it very seriously that God has brought us into your life and you into ours. For this reason, I want to express how thankful I am for you and for the role you play in this ministry as a partner. I never use the word “partner” lightly, for “partnership” is what we are doing together with God’s grace to see the trusted teaching of God’s Word go to the ends of the earth!

Just this week, I received a report from my team about where our various media outreaches are making an impact across the planet, and it is truly amazing to see how God is touching people all over the world. The statistics I saw, which represent precious people across the globe, left me amazed. Denise and I are thankful that God called and chose us, and we are thankful that He called and chose you to be a part of this as well. Together, we are a powerful team!

In this month’s letter, I want to write to you about something that has been on my heart lately. This week I am working on a new book about how sickness finds its way into people’s lives. As I’ve been writing, I’ve especially focused on Ephesians 4:27, which says, “Neither give place to the devil.” It is a relatively short verse, but there is so much to learn, and I believe it will be a blessing to you.

The term “place” originates from the Greek word topos, which signifies a distinct, defined geographical location. It evokes the sense of a territory, province, region, or zone and is the root of our modern English term topographical map. The implication is that the devil seeks to infiltrate every area and aspect of our lives — whether it be our finances, our marriage, our friendships, our career, our business ventures, or even our health. Whenever we disobey God’s instructions to us, we unwittingly create an “entry point” — a breach that allows the devil an opportunity to establish a stronghold. Therefore, Paul’s message is urgent and clear: “Neither give place to the devil.”

If you allow a “door” of your life ajar, even the slightest crack, the devil will slip through just as he maneuvered his way into the Garden of Eden at the dawn of time. That’s the very reason God commanded Adam in Genesis 2:15 to “keep” the Garden — a directive not just to maintain, but to vigilantly guard, to surround with care, and to protect. When God told Adam to “keep” the Garden, He was warning him to be wary, for the devil seeks a way in, and that is precisely why God tasked Adam to protect the Garden and to keep it secure. In the words of the New Testament, it was as though God was advising Adam, “Neither give place to the devil.”

The fact is, we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ — so we don’t ever have to let the devil run all over us. First John 4:4 declares, “…Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Yet Paul told us, “Neither give place to the devil.” Even though the greater one lives inside us, IF we give the enemy “place” by disobeying God’s instructions, he will find entrance into our lives through the “entry point” of disobedience and will attempt to wreak havoc as a result.

If the devil is looking for an “entry point” in our lives that could result in damaging circumstances and even in poor health — and if one of those entry points is disobedience  — then First Peter 5:8 is important for us to understand. The devil is looking for an “entry point” in our lives that could result in damaging circumstances, including poor health, and one of those entry points, as we’ve seen, is disobedience. In First Peter 5:8, Peter said, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Peter began this verse by saying, “Be sober.” The word “sober” is interpreted from the Greek word nepho, which means to be sober and not drunk. It pictures one who is free from alcoholic intoxication; free from the deliriums, delusions, and hallucinations that may accompany drunkenness;  or free of silly thinking and hence able to have presence of mind and clear judgment.

This word depicts someone who is in control rather than being controlled by urges, impulses, whims, and fluctuating emotions. It means to have one’s wits about him; to be rational as opposed to irrational; or to be free from a drunken state in which one drops his guard and is more likely to give way to foolish behavior, unreasonable conversations, and detrimental decisions. Simply, the word “sober” in this verse means to be serious-minded.

To give you a clearer picture of this word nepho, I will share five key verses in the New Testament where this word is used.

But there’s more to learn here. Peter wrote, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind ….” In Roman times, before a race, a runner would “gird up the loins” by grabbing the loose, dangly ends of his skirt and tucking them under his loin belt. If a runner allowed his skirt to dangle while he was running, it could get caught in his legs and hinder his race. So a good runner would tuck those loose ends under his loin belt so his legs could move freely. Thus, this verse means, “Grab all the dangling ends and loose places of your life — your distractions and everything that would hinder your race — and get them out of the way so you can run freely and attain your goal.”

All of these multiple uses of the Greek word nepho bring us back to First Peter 5:8 where Peter said, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Throughout the New Testament, the word “sober” is used as a warning to get a grip on oneself, to think straight, and not to engage in foolish thinking. But then Peter added, “Be sober, be vigilant….”

The word “vigilant” tells us why we need to be sober-minded. The word “vigilant” is interpreted from the Greek word gregoreo, which means to arouse from sleep. It is the picture of someone who is awake, as opposed to someone who is drowsy, sleepy, or negligent — or one who is watchful, as opposed to careless and non-attentive. It implies giving strict attention to something or being cautious and on high alert. The best meaning of the word gregoreo is to put up one’s guard against a sinister outside force or enemy that is trying to get on the inside.

The Greek word gregoreo is used in 12 key verses throughout the New Testament.

The Greek term gregoreo conveys a persistent state of alertness or an acute awareness that highlights the potential for unexpected events to catch us off guard. This is exactly how Peter utilized the word in First Peter 5:8 when he exhorted believers to be “vigilant.” It’s a divine directive that underscores our duty to remain proactive and to ensure that the adversary finds no “entry point” in our lives. As the devil prowls and seeks to infiltrate and wreak havoc, our vigilance acts as a formidable barrier that thwarts his efforts to breach our defenses and disrupt our lives.

In First Peter 5:8, Peter continued, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

The word “adversary” is translated from the very unique Greek word antidikos — and the usage of this word was well-established in the Greek culture of the First Century. It described a lawyer who argued in a court of law or a prosecuting attorney who argued vehemently against the accused. It also described an accuser or prosecutor who intended to bring a guilty charge against a person on the basis of information from past actions or deeds, similar to how a legal prosecutor brings formal charges against the accused based on some legal violation.

Think about the work of a prosecutor — a prosecutor prosecutes. But to do his job well, he can’t bring random charges against a person. Instead, he must have hard evidence against the accused. He has to have information about some past violation or evidence that some law has been broken. And with that information in hand, he can proceed to prosecute with the intention to take the violator down.

But to understand the word “adversary” — translated from the word antidikos — let’s look at four scriptural examples of this Greek word antidikos used in the New Testament.

By using the Greek word antidikos, which is translated “adversary,” but which actually pictures a prosecuting attorney, Peter informed us that the devil, like a prosecuting attorney, searches for areas of violation in our lives — that is, areas where you have disobeyed or violated God’s instruction. He looks for any loophole that he can use to prosecute you and take you down.

Even though the Greater One lives in you and you are secure in Christ, the fact is that if you have violated a spiritual law, you’ve created an “entry point” through which the devil can access your life. That’s why it’s important to judge yourself “…that ye be not judged” (see Matthew 7:1; 1 Corinthians 11:31) and turn from any area of disobedience in your life. Repent and close the door so the adversary has no legal grounds to prosecute or attack your life.

Similar to the way disobedience at the dawn of time allowed malevolence to creep into the Garden of Eden, when a Christian fails to adhere to God’s instructions, it can usher in similar undesired outcomes. Of course, when we disobey God’s Word, such disobedience always results in negative consequences. But in addition to disobeying the Scripture, there are also times when believers disregard, disobey, and ignore specific words of instruction that the Holy Spirit has given them for their marriage, family, business, ministry, or future.

By disregarding, disobeying, and ignoring the Spirit’s specific instructions, we can fall into a precarious place where Satan finds us easy to attack. When we are persistently disobedient to instructions given to us, we come out from under God’s protection and can experience all kinds of disastrous things in our lives. But when we are willing and obedient, we are enabled to walk in God’s blessing.

If you are experiencing damaging things in your life, don’t automatically assume the devil is simply attacking you. First, pause and pray, asking the Lord to search your heart and mind to see if there are any areas in which you are walking in disobedience. If He shows you disobedience in your life, repent so that you slam the door on the devil and the curse. You will know in your heart if you are walking in disobedience, so be quick to acknowledge it and repent.

Repentance allows us to get back under God’s protection and causes all of those curses and negative things to stop. And when we get back on the right side of obedience, we will see God’s blessings begin to flow in our life again. In Isaiah 1:19, God declares, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.”

The first word “if ” is a hypothetical particle, creating a situation of willingness and obedience before the blessing can be administered. To receive God’s blessing, we must first be “willing.” This is a Hebrew word meaning willing to consent or to be willing. And the word “obedient” means to hear and obey what has been spoken. Hence, the first part of obedience is hearing, and the second part is doing what we’ve been instructed to do.

If you are willing to consent to what God says and to be obedient in hearing and doing His Word, He promises, “…Ye shall eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19). The word “eat” means to consume, to devour, to dine, to eat, or to feed. God says that you will feast on the good of the land as a result of your obedience.

Friend, this is a principle that applies to the whole Word of God. When you obey what it says, all kinds of good things will come on you and overtake you, but when you disobey God’s Word, you will receive bad things instead. The word “good” in Isaiah 1:19 describes that which is best or the best things. It is the term for bounty, goods, goodness, good things, or prosperity. If you live a life of obedience, you will experience the blessings of God. But if you disobey and refuse to do what He has said, the door to your life will be opened for all kinds of bad things to come rushing in.

As Moses said to the children of Israel more than 3,000 years ago, and what God is also saying to us today: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). It always pays to obey. 

This is what was on my heart to share with you today!

As I close, I want to say that we are here to pray for you — if there is any special need on your heart that you feel needs agreement in prayer, please call us or send us an email. Just call 1-800-742-5593 or send your prayer request to prayer@renner.org. As soon as we hear from you, we will go to the Lord in prayer — and we really believe that Jesus will do exactly what needs to be done. And please pray for us, too, as we continue to push back darkness and take God’s Word to people all over the world who are crying out for it!

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus,
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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.

The Power of the Anointing

April Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friend,

I want to ask you a question. Has fear been trying to knock at the door of your heart or your mind or your emotions? In this world that we’re living in today, we could be afraid of anything. We can be afraid of this disease or that problem or these relational difficulties or those things going on in this country or that country, and that fear is just mounting up like a river that’s about to swell over its banks.

I want to say right now, if you are struggling with fear, there’s no condemnation in Christ Jesus. Hebrews 4:15 says that He was tempted in all ways as we are. Of course, He did not sin, but He understands and empathizes and sympathizes with us when we are tempted to fear. Fear comes to all of us, so we need to have some tools to deal with that fear. We can’t just let fear have its way and push us backward; we have to recognize the faith that God puts in us when we are born again and use that faith against fear.

Today, I want to talk to you about a great overcomer, and that is David. The Bible says that through the blood of Jesus, through the resurrection, through the word of God, we are more than conquerors, and if fear comes knocking at our door, we have power to overcome, just like David overcame the giant.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

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David’s Anointing

Now, we’re going to talk about how David defeated Goliath, but I’ve got to start with something very important, and that is when David was anointed.

In First Samuel, starting at the beginning of chapter 16, we see all these clues about how important this anointing is that Samuel comes with:

Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided for Myself a king among his sons.”

And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”

—1 Samuel 16:1-2

That’s how important this was, that Samuel could have died for the anointing he was carrying for David!

We get another clue when he arrives in Bethlehem. The Bible says that the elders of the town “trembled at his coming.” It is such a big deal that Samuel is coming to their little, tiny town of Bethlehem. Samuel’s presence, his influence, his reputation are all scary. It’s so powerful, and the men are terrified. They even ask about his coming:

“Do you come peaceably?”

And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.

—1 Samuel 16:4-5

So, when Jesse brings forward his sons, Samuel looks at Eliab, and he thinks that surely the Lord’s anointed is before him right now. Surely, it’s Eliab. But the Lord says to Samuel:

“Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

—1 Samuel 16:7

Then Jesse brings one more of his sons, Abinadab. He brings him forward, but the Lord says, “Nope, that’s not the one.” Jesse then brings forward Shammah, and the Lord says, “Nope, that’s not the one.” Jesse brings seven of his sons before Samuel, but none of them are the one that God has chosen. Finally, Samuel has to ask him, “Is this all you have?”

Now, I want you to pay close attention here, because it seems to me this is a huge thing that has happened for this family. The prophet Samuel came, and everybody was consecrated to do this sacrifice, and they’re all there except for one. David. Jesse could have called David for that special experience, but he didn’t. But that didn’t matter, because God called David.

Maybe fear has tried to say to you, “Well, you’re not so and so,” or “You don’t look like so and so,” or “You can’t do what other people do,” or “You’re not wealthy,” or all these other terrible things that our minds think sometimes to put us down. But God chose him. God chose David, and God chose you. It doesn’t matter what other people are thinking or saying. God chose you to carry His power and His name. He chose you to make a difference in your family, at your job, or at your school.

God’s anointing is on you, just like we see it was on David. Verse 12 tells us that when David comes, the Lord says, “This is the one.” The one who wasn’t called by his father or his brothers is exactly the one who is called by God, because it doesn’t matter what people think compared to God’s calling on your life. And then verse 13 says:

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.

—1 Samuel 16:13

 

Walking in the Anointing

Now what happens after that? Well, in chapter 17, we hear about this war that’s happening between the Israelites and the Philistines. There’s a valley between the two armies, the Israelites on one side and the Philistines on the other. The Philistines bring forth, it says, a great man of war, Goliath, a giant. And for 40 days, that giant does his very best to intimidate the children of Israel.

Well, Jesse sends David down to the camp with cheeses and bread to feed his brothers who are fighting in this battle. When David arrives, of course, he hears Goliath yelling and intimidating and defying the armies of Israel, and he sees that these men are dreadfully afraid. And David says:

“What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

—1 Samuel 17:26

Now, this is where we can begin to see the effect of that anointing. Being anointed was not just some small thing. A few weeks or maybe just a few days ago, David was just a shepherd boy, but now, he’s been anointed by Samuel, by the Lord, and an anointing carries power. It is a big deal. So, when David goes to that battle, he’s had a change in his life, and he is bold in the face of fear.

But just like before, when David wasn’t even called to his own anointing, he has to overcome so much in the Israelite camp. He overcomes Eliab saying to him, “You are just prideful and insolent. You just want to be here and see the battle.” He puts David down so bad. Then David goes before Saul, the king, and Saul even says, “You’re not able to do this.” He tries to discourage David and put armor on him that he can’t wear, but David says to Saul:

“Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

—1 Samuel 17:36-37

And why is David so bold? Maybe a few weeks ago, maybe even a few days ago, he was just a shepherd boy. Now, everyone tells him he can’t defeat this giant, but When David comes to that battle, he has been anointed King. He is moving in something that he didn’t have before.

When Fear Comes Knocking

David finally faces the giant, and when Goliath sees him, the Bible says, “he disdained him for he was only a youth.” He doesn’t know about the anointing on David. So, the Philistine says to David,

“Am I a dog, that you’ve come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.”

—1 Samuel 17:43-44

Has fear ever tried to breathe down your neck and say, “I’ll tell you what you’re going to do. I’ll tell you what you’re not going to do”? Well, that is what this Philistine is telling David.

So many times, God gives us an assignment or tells us to do something, and we are ready to do it, and we start moving forward, but then something happens—the enemy starts speaking to us, or somebody else voices a hurtful opinion, or maybe we get offended. Something happens and then fear starts to have a voice. Fear will stop us in our assignment. Before, we saw so clearly, “Yes! Let’s do it! Let’s go forward!” But then fear begins to speak, and now we say, “I need to rethink that. I need to back up from that. I know God said that, but maybe that’s for somebody else to do. Maybe I’m not as strong as I think I am. If I do that, I’m going to fail, and what will happen to me after that?”

But look at what David says in verses 45 and 46:

“Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day, the Lord will give you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beast of the earth that the earth may know that there is a God in Israel”

We can say that to fear. We can say, “Fear, you just shut up right now. You’re not even allowed to speak another word to me. This day, fear, you will bow!”

This is what David is saying, and you know what he does next? He doesn’t bow to fear. In fact, the Bible says he runs toward the giant. Faith does not hesitate. Fear hesitates and pulls back, but faith charges forward. David pulls that sling, a weapon that he was familiar with, and that rock goes right into that giant’s temple, and that giant falls right to the ground. Then, just like he said, David runs to the giant, takes the giant’s sword, and cuts off his head.

Anointing in your life

You may be saying, “Well, I’m not like David. I’m not bold. I’m not a king or even a future king. I couldn’t be like that.”

Friend, if I ask you, “Do you think that David was mightily anointed?” you would probably say, “Of course he was. I mean, Samuel poured that oil over him. The Bible says he was anointed.” But let me tell you something important right now: we are anointed too.

As I was studying this, I thought about how the Lord says in His word that we have the spirit of Christ in us because if we are without Christ, we’re none of His (See Romans 8:9). But we are with Christ, and the word “Christ” means the anointed one and His anointing. The Anointed One has come in to live on the inside of you, to even empower you and be with you every single moment of every single day. We are anointed and empowered just like David.

Before you come to Christ, you are just a person who is in the world doing your own sinful thing. The Bible even says that we were servants to the enemy of this world. Our hearts were against God. But when you get born again, you are anointed. I’m saying to you, friend, we’re not just some mere little Christians walking around in this world without any power and without any authority. No! We’re anointed.

It says in 1 Corinthians 6:19,

“Don’t you know that the Holy Spirit lives on the inside of you and that you are his temple?”

You are not just some little person down here on Earth while God gets to be great and big up there in Heaven. You are one with the Lord. Yes, God is almighty and amazing and magnificent. We cannot even come up with enough adjectives to describe Him. But He says in His word that He is one with you. You are anointed.

Like David, we do not have to bow to the enemy of fear. We do not have to bow to the enemy of sickness. We do not have to bow to the enemy of strife and confusion and hate. We’re anointed to say, “No, fear. You will not dominate me. You will not manipulate me. You will not stop me because the greater one is in me than he that’s in this world. I am anointed by God to stand up against you.” Isn’t this fantastic? You’re not just some little Christian struggling around in this world. If Christ lives inside of you, you are anointed. You’re anointed to take down and overcome the spirit of fear.

Friend, we’ve got to recognize that when God speaks to us, He wants us to do what He said, and He gives us the power to do it. When you come to your battle or your giant, when you come to that place where fear is trying to overcome you, you are anointed to overcome it. You’re equipped to face the enemy. You’re equipped to face the giant. You’re equipped to say “No” to fear. You’re equipped to shut up the lies of the enemy.

Before, David was just a shepherd boy. He wasn’t special beyond you and me. But after he was anointed king, he went into that battle with that giant with something that he didn’t have before, and he came out a conqueror. And that power that he had is the same power that’s inside of you.

Closing

Before I close my letter to you, I just want to invite you to join me every Wednesday on TIME with Denise Renner. Every Wednesday at 12:00 PM CT, I get the privilege of opening up God’s word and sharing what’s on my heart for you. You can watch on my Facebook page, YouTube channel, or by visiting Renner.org. I hope you’ll join me!

I hope you were encouraged by this letter. It is so encouraging that God gives us this anointing so freely, but fear still tries to sneak in, and sometimes the enemy manages to whisper in your ear. If you’re struggling with fear or anxiety in your life right now, I want to tell you that we’re here for you. Prayer is such an important aspect of our lives as believers, and I want you to know that we take each and every one of your prayer requests seriously. To connect with our prayer team, call 1.844.473.6637 or send an email to prayer@deniserenner.org. We hope to hear from you soon!

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

Obedience is the Way
to Victory

April Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Greetings in the precious and wonderful name of Jesus!

I am so thrilled that this month on RENNER TV, I will teach a brand-new series called The Sin of Achan, and I believe it holds many answers for why people are not experiencing victory in their lives. Please…try to watch this series and ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes so you can discover if there are specific reasons you are not experiencing the victory God wants you to have in your life.

In today’s letter, I will write to you a little about the sin of Achan, but first, I want to express my heartfelt thanks for your precious partnership with our ministry as we take the trusted teaching of the Bible to the ends of the earth. This is a huge assignment that requires every ounce of our faith to accomplish, and we couldn’t do it without you. The part you play — that is, your prayer support and the finances you sow into this ministry — is vital to our being able to fulfill what God has asked us to do. When I woke up today, my heart was filled with gratefulness to the Lord for you and for everyone who has come alongside us in partnership. We need you; we cherish you; and we are so thankful to God for you. Thank you for all you do for RENNER Ministries!

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

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And now, because I desire to see you receive answers to your prayers and bear much fruit to the glory of God, I want to ask you:

• Is it possible you are forfeiting victory in an area of your life because of a secret sin or issue you are holding on to?

• Is there a habit or pattern of thinking and behaving that you know isn’t right, but you don’t want to stop or remove it because it provides a measure of pleasure or comfort?

In the book of Joshua, we read that there was a man named Achan who was hiding something that proved to be catastrophic for him and his family. Earlier, God had told Israel not to take the spoils from the enemy in Jericho, but Achan saw some of the spoils, took them, anyway, and hid them beneath his tent. His decision to deliberately disobey God opened the door for the devil to bring trouble and defeat into his own family as well as into the lives of all the Israelites.

Joshua, who was the leader of Israel at that time, had led a battle against the city of Jericho, and Jericho was successfully defeated. But something secretly took place in the city that later caused Israel to suffer defeat in their next battle against the city of Ai.

Joshua 7:1 says, “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.”

We read in Joshua 7 that Achan, one of the warriors of Israel, secretly took an expensive Babylonian robe along with silver and gold from among the spoils of the people of Jericho — even though God had forbidden the Israelites from taking any of Jericho’s plunder. When Achan saw these items, he wanted them, so he stole the items and hid them in the ground beneath his tent, thinking he could secretly get away with it.

Such items were associated with the occult and the demonic worship and practices of the Canaanites. And what seemed like a minor issue of disobedience to Achan actually opened a door that gave Satan a foothold to cause Israel’s enemies to prevail against them.

In Deuteronomy 7:25 and 26, God warned His people, “The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.”

When the children of Israel marched against Jericho, Joshua reminded them about not taking any occultic things before going up against the city. He told them, “And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it” (Joshua 6:18). Along with everyone else, Achan had heard this warning; nevertheless, he decided to violate it and take some of the treasure he saw, thinking no one would notice what he did. Eventually, his trespass brought defeat to Israel.

This is a vivid lesson to believers about how secret disobedience can open doors that bring defeat into our lives. When we deliberately allow wrong things into our lives — even in secret — we trouble our own lives and open the door for defeat to enter.

We can quote scriptures like First John 4:4 all day long and say, “Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world” — but if we’re hiding secret disobedience in our life, our disobedience has the potential to open the door to the devil and allow him to bring us into a state of defeat.

Once Israel had successfully defeated Jericho, the people of Israel continued their invasion into the Promised Land by attacking Ai — the next city in Canaan that needed to be conquered. The Bible says, “And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai” (Joshua 7:2-4).

Ai was a much smaller city and only a few thousand men would be needed to defeat them, so Joshua dispatched 3,000 men, but they were quickly thwarted and pursued by the men of Ai. Scripture says, “And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water” (Joshua 7:5).

The people of Israel should have easily defeated the people of Ai because God was with them, but because of Achan’s disobedience, a door had been opened that allowed the enemy to bring defeat. This shows the powerful effect that disobedience can bring to a situation. This defeat at Ai was a devastating loss to the Israelites.

Joshua 7:5 says that the men of Ai chased the Israelites “even unto Shebarim.” One scholar states that, in the Hebrew language, this phrase speaks of breaches or broken places. In this case, it describes the condition of the Israelites who were crushed by this experience. Their breach of God’s commandment brought them into a place of brokenness. The words “wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water” shows that the Israelites were panic-stricken and fled in confusion. The Bible goes on to say, “And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads” (Joshua 7:6).

Joshua began to cry out to the Lord and say, “…Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan” (Joshua 7:7).

Joshua knew something was wrong because they should have easily won the battle against Ai. But as Joshua finished his deep lament, the Lord responded and told him the reason Israel had been defeated by the people of Ai. He said, “…Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff” (Joshua 7:10,11).

When God said, “Israel hath sinned,” He was making it clear that He had not failed them, but that disobedience had opened a door to defeat. When we hit a hard time in life, it is vital that the first thing we do is take personal inventory before the Lord of what is going on in our mind, heart, and actions to see if we have done something that has opened the door for the devil to come in and wreak havoc in our lives. Like David, we need to pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23,24).

If the Holy Spirit shows you something that shouldn’t be there, repent, ask for God’s forgiveness, and make things right. Once you know that your thoughts and motives are right before God, you can begin to take authority over the works of the devil and put him in his place. You see, when we humble ourselves before God to deal with any wrong that is in our heart, He welcomes us and gives us the grace we need to make things right. James 4:6 says, “…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

The word “resisteth” in the original Greek text means that God strategically aligns Himself against the proud. And the word “proud” refers to a person who knows something is not right inside him, but he refuses to repent. The one who resists the correction of God — even if he is a believer — is resisted by God, and God’s grace is withheld from him. That is why the Bible goes on to say in the next two verses, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:7,8).

The Renner Interpretive Version (RIV) of James 4:7 and 8 says:

It is imperative that you make the decision to properly align yourselves under the authority of God — in a submitted position that actually provides you with protection. Being submitted to His authority gives you the ability to defy, oppose, stand steadfastly against, and withstand the accusing, slanderous, trap-setting behavior of the devil. In fact, he’ll be so terrified of you that he’ll move his feet as fast as he can to get away from you. Not only will he flee from you, he’ll run like a criminal terrified of prosecution — so scared that he’ll want to do all he can to put as much space between him and you as possible. Come extremely close to the presence of God, and he will respond by coming extremely close to you. And to those of you who are blowing it in so many ways — I mean, you are sinning and really missing the mark of what God approves and wants for your lives — it’s time for you to come clean! You need to make a decision to do whatever is necessary to cleanse your hands — and by hands, I mean your entire lives. Oh, you double-minded — those of you who can’t seem to make up your mind to live single-mindedly for God alone and free from the world: It’s time for you to make a final decision to purposefully cleanse and sanctify yourselves — and I mean all the way to the very deepest parts of your inner beings.

When we draw near to God in repentance from disobedience, God immediately comes with His powerful presence and cleanses us, instantly giving us the ability to resist the devil and put him on the run!

We have learned that Achan’s willful decision to disobey God brought the stain of sin into the camp of Israel, and the only way to regain the blessing of the Lord and move forward in victory was to deal with the disobedience. Keep in mind that when God spoke to Joshua, He said, “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant…” (Joshua 7:11). Achan knew he was not to take anything from among the spoils, but he knowingly disobeyed, and Israel was suffering the consequences. The Lord continued, “…For they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.”

God explained the reason for defeat by saying, “Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you” (Joshua 7:12). These words show the debilitating power of disobedience among God’s people. It had pulled the plug on Israel’s power, and as a result, Israel couldn’t stand and defeat their enemy. Similarly, when we intentionally allow disobedience in our lives, it opens the door for the enemy to enter our situations and bring us into a place of defeat instead of victory.

God certainly wanted Israel to have victory, so He told Joshua, “Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you” (Joshua 7:13).

The word “up” in verse 13 means, “Get moving! Quit wasting time — it’s time to take action!” The Israelites’ groveling about their defeat wasn’t going to fix anything, so to move forward and regain a position of victory, Joshua and the people of Israel needed to take inventory to discover the real root of their problem. God gave Joshua detailed directions on what to do to discover the entry point of their defeat when He said, “In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man. And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel” (Joshua 7:14,15).

Once God communicated this instruction, Joshua wasted no time in carrying out what God told him to do. The Bible says, “So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken” (Joshua 7:16,18).

Achan already knew he was guilty — and he could have admitted his crime earlier and gotten rid of the stolen goods. Instead, he held on to the accursed things and remained silent, hoping he could somehow get away with what he had done. Joshua gave him the opportunity to confess, and Joshua 7:19-21 says that he told Achan, “…My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me…” Achan answered Joshua, “…Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.”

But Achan didn’t come clean on his own; his confession was a forced confession. The items he took were so valuable that they had the power to make his family rich, so he hid the stolen items in the dirt. But instead of being a blessing to Achan and his family, those items brought a curse to them and folly to all of Israel. Finally, Achan gave a forced confession of his disobedience. The Bible says, “So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord” (Joshua 7:22,23).

The team of investigators found everything exactly where Achan said it was, and they brought the stolen items and laid them out before the children of Israel and the Lord. The Bible tells us, “And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor” (Joshua 7:24).

In Hebrew, the name “Achor” means disaster or trouble. Hence, this was the valley of disaster or the valley of trouble. And as Achan and his family stood with all their possessions surrounding them, Joshua asked him, “…Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day” (Joshua 7:25,26).

Once disobedience was removed, Israel regained victory!

Achan’s experience is a clear example of the law of sowing and reaping (see Galatians 6:7). Sin always opens the door to trouble in our lives, which is what Achan’s disobedience did in his life, in the lives of his family members, and in all of Israel. We must understand that when we walk in disobedience, it will not only affect each of us personally, but it has the power to also affect our family, our church, and the Body of Christ as a whole.

Thankfully, today we are not stoned and burned to death for disobedience; nevertheless, we are called to be honest with ourselves and come clean before God in His presence, confessing our disobedience and laying it before the Lord. Rather than engage in sin and allow trouble to come to us and the relationships around us, we need to be honest with God and say:

Lord, I’m sorry for [name any specific action or behavior He is convicting you of]. Please forgive me and wash me clean with the precious blood of Jesus. Thank You for Your mercy, Your patience, and Your forgiveness — and for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

After that kind of prayer, God will restore you to your position of victory in Him, and the open door that brought trouble and defeat to you, your family, your church, and the Body of Christ will be closed. That is how much power is released when a person repents for disobedience. It shuts the door to catastrophe and re-opens the door for blessings and victory to begin flowing again!

My friend, this is what the Lord put on my heart to share with you today. I believe it is a good reminder for each of us. We must never forget that both obedience and disobedience have powerful results. Obedience opens the door to success and victory, and disobedience opens the door to defeat and failure. Since this is so important, we must choose to walk in obedience. And in addition to taking authority over the devil when we experience a loss of victory, we must always make time for taking personal inventory to make sure there is no area of disobedience in our life that has opened the door to what the enemy is trying to do to us!

Thank you for letting me share this with you today. I believe it is so important. If you have any special prayer needs, please never forget that we are here to pray for you — and we really want to pray with you. I know you can pray alone, but if you need someone to agree with you, we are here for you and waiting to pray right now. Just call us at 1-800-742-5593 or write to us at prayer@renner.org. I promise that when we hear from you, we will fervently pray and ask God to do exactly what needs to be done on your behalf.

Thank you so much for allowing me to minister to you in this letter today.

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus,
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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.

How Heaven Answers When We Worship

March Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friend,

As I sit down to write to you this March, my heart is overflowing with excitement to share the word the Lord has placed deeply within me. It is truly a privilege to witness His faithfulness, and I believe He is stirring something powerful within His people during this season.

I want to thank you for your unwavering support and for walking this journey of faith with me. May you be blessed as you read and receive His word today!

Have you ever found yourself in a place where you didn’t know what to do, so you simply began to worship God? In that moment, didn’t the peace of God begin to flood your heart, calm your mind, and did you start to receive answers?

That’s exactly what I want to share with you today. 

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

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A year ago, my husband and I, along with a group of people and a film crew, traveled to Turkey to see Noah’s Ark. It was an incredible experience, but something special happened there that I will never forget. Historians believe that there is a particular place where Noah built an altar and made a sacrifice to the Lord after they came off the Ark.

When I saw this altar, a rock that had been manmade and chiseled so that the blood of sacrifices could flow down, I was overcome with emotion. This was the first place of sacrifice unto the Lord after everything had been destroyed. After all had been lost, this was the first place where worship was offered to God.

In that moment, I began to reflect on the power of worship. When we truly worship God, when we open our hearts and surrender to Him, He begins to speak to us. Sometimes he gives us answers; sometimes He simply reminds us of His love. There is nothing like it. God loves it when we worship.  In fact, Jesus said that the Father seeks worship. His eyes go to and fro across the earth, looking for those who will worship Him.

In Genesis 8:20-21, it says:
“Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.'”

When Noah made that sacrifice, when he worshiped and surrendered to the Lord, God spoke.

The first thing God did was accept Noah’s offering, and that’s what happens when we worship. We bring our hearts before God as a sacrifice, and in a mystical way, He receives it.

Romans 12:1 tells us that we ourselves are that sacrifice. It says:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

In 2 Corinthians 2:15 says:
“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”

Even when you don’t feel special, when life feels difficult, know this: you are a fragrance to God. Just as Noah’s sacrifice was a soothing aroma to the Lord, so are you. Because Jesus lives in you, you are a pleasing fragrance to Him.

God is so interested in you, friend. When we come before Him, offering all that we have in worship—whether it’s our words, our hearts, or our surrender—God speaks.

That’s exactly what happened with Noah. When he worshiped, God spoke and made a promise: “I will never again curse the earth.” And He has kept that promise. The Bible tells us that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His promises are yes and amen, and we can trust that He will keep His word.

What has God promised you? What in His Word have you claimed, saying, “God, I trust in Your promise”?

In Genesis 9, we see God bless Noah and his sons, giving them clear instructions:
“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.”

What was God saying here? He was telling Noah, “You no longer need to fear the animals. You have the power to rule over them.” Even though lions, bears, and tigers were still the same wild creatures, God protected Noah and his family from their danger.

Not only did God offer protection, but He also made provision, saying, “You can eat any living thing.” How amazing is that? When we worship God, He opens doors to provision and protection. He gives us the resources we need to thrive.

God’s instruction in verse 7 is powerful:
“Be fruitful and multiply.”

At first, I thought this meant just having children, but as I studied, I realized it’s about more than that. It’s about what God has given you—your talents, your mind, your gifts. He’s telling you to be fruitful and multiply in all areas of life.

If you have a talent, multiply it. If you’re a manager, learn to be a better one. If you have resources, find ways to grow them and give them away. Be fruitful with what you have and multiply it.

I heard about a world-renowned violinist who, in his 70s and 80s, continued to practice every day, even after he had quit performing. Someone asked him, “Why do you still practice?” He replied, “So I can get better.” Even though no one was listening to him anymore, he was multiplying his gift.

Friend, don’t quit. If you’re in school, don’t get discouraged—study harder and multiply what God has given you. A woman once told me that she didn’t feel she had any talents. She said to the Lord, “God, what can I do? I have no talent!” The Lord replied, “Do you have hands? Do you have feet? Do you have a mouth? Use what you have.”

Right now, you can choose to use your smile, your kindness, and your willingness to serve. When you give these things away, they multiply. And all of this, friend, comes out of worship. When we worship God, we are positioned to hear from Him and receive guidance.

God finally promised Noah that He would never again destroy the earth with water. Can you imagine how terrified Noah and his family would have been the first time it rained after the flood? But in Genesis 9:16, God says:
“The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”

They could have been terrified, but God comforted them, saying, “I will not destroy the earth with water again,” and He gave them the rainbow as a sign of His promise.

When I visited Noah’s Ark, I saw a double rainbow—what a powerful reminder that God keeps His promises!

Take a moment to quiet your heart and worship the Lord. Recognize that you are an aroma to Him. He loves us deeply, my friend, and when we worship, He opens heaven to answer us.

If you need prayer, please let us know how we can pray for you. Our prayer team is ready to support you. Call 1.844.473.6637 or email us at prayer@deniserenner.org.

I also want to invite you to join me for my weekly program, TIME with Denise Renner. It’s a special time set aside for encouragement, inspiration, and spiritual growth. This month, I’m diving deeper into the message I’ve shared with you here in a series called How Heaven Answers when We Worship. You can watch every Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. on Facebook or YouTube. The Lord is speaking powerfully, and I’m so excited to share this time with you!

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I pray it encourages you to lean in and surrender to the Lord in worship. May God continue to move mightily in your life, and may our worship always reflect His glory.

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

You Are the Salt
of the Earth

March Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Jesus’ wonderful name!

Denise and I just returned from a fabulous trip to the United States where we ministered in many states and multiple churches, and we are so thrilled that we were able to see so many of our friends and partners in those meetings! When we see you, it just elates us, because our friends and partners are so important to us!

In my letter today, I am going to talk to you about why Jesus said we are to be the salt of the earth. I believe this letter will encourage you — but first, I want to say THANK YOU for all you have done, are doing, and will do, as we all march forward by faith to reach the world with the trusted teaching of the Word of God. Denise and I, our sons, our family, and our team are on the frontlines to do the work, but you are working alongside us to enable us with your gifts and prayers on our behalf. We are so thankful for you, and we genuinely value your much-needed partnership so we can keep doing what Jesus has commissioned us to do.

If there is any special way we can be praying for you, please reach out to us by calling 1-800-742-5593, or send us an email at prayer@renner.org. As soon as we hear from you, I promise that we will call out to God in faith, according to Jeremiah 33:3, which says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee….” And we know that God will respond and do precisely what needs to be done! So please — let us know how we can pray for you!

But today, I want to speak to you from Matthew 5:13, where Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth….” This is a very powerful statement, and today I want to explore it with you!

Considering the various uses of salt in the ancient world and how important salt was at that time, this statement carried great weight. When Jesus likened His followers to salt, all kinds of images flashed through their minds, and they understood the many connotations that salt carried with it.

By using this illustration of salt, Jesus was teaching about the influence that we are supposed to have upon the world in which we live. The word “salt” in Greek is the word halas, and it describes the same type of salt we use in our homes and kitchens today. In our current day, salt is so common that it can easily be purchased in any grocery store.

However, in early New Testament times, salt was an expensive and treasured commodity that was crucial and necessary in many spheres of life, but high-quality salt could only be found in a few places in Israel. One location was known at the time as the Hill of Salt, a several-mile stretch located on the southwest coast of the Dead Sea. Salt could also be collected from the marshes situated along the embankment there, or it could be gathered from salt pits nearby.

In each of these locations, the gathering of salt was an expensive process, which made salt a very costly commodity — so rare that it was seldom wasted, sparingly used, and highly valued.

Let’s explore the various ways salt was used in the ancient world.

#1: Salt was used as a preservative.

In biblical times, meat would quickly rot, spoil, and decay, especially in the warm temperatures of Israel. But when salt was added, it acted as a preservative. Because of this, salt was very important in the preservation of meats and other kinds of perishable foods.

Those who heard Jesus’ teaching that we are to be “the salt of the earth” therefore understood what He meant — that through our influence, we should be a preserving force in a world that is filled with rot, spoil, and decay.

When God’s Word is working in our lives, it causes us to be like salt, in that our very presence helps preserve the truth and abate the corruption that is eating away at the world.

#2: Salt was used as a flavor enhancer.

Salt is one of the most profound flavor enhancers that exist in the culinary world. A person quickly becomes aware of how powerful this additive is when he eats food that contains no salt. Unsalted food is often monotonous, bland, and uninteresting, but when salt is added, the flavor is ignited.

Just like today, salt was used in the ancient world to give food a stronger and richer flavor. It was considered essential for the long-term preservation of food and for the enhancement of taste. Therefore, it was vital in every kitchen.

This tells us that not only should our presence decrease the evil in the world, but our presence should also change the flavor of society as we bring the savor of Christ to our surroundings wherever we go (see 2 Corinthians 2:14).

In light of this, let me ask you: In what ways does your personal presence make a difference in your world? Are you doing your job as “the salt of the earth?”

#3: Salt was used as an antiseptic.

In the ancient world where dirt and disease were common enemies to health, salt was used as an antiseptic. It was believed that salt would work like a disinfectant — especially in areas considered unclean, tainted, or contaminated — areas so filthy that it could potentially become hazardous to one’s health. The effects of properly applied salt in heavy doses to those areas would make a location sanitized, hygienic, and relatively germ-free.

The application of salt in such circumstances was considered to be enormously advantageous because people believed such an application of salt sterilized non-sterile environments. If a rapidly spreading disease was known to exist in a village, the sick people were removed and relocated, and salt was immediately spread to disinfect the contaminated area and prevent further spread of the disease.

Salt was such a powerful cleansing force that the ancient world believed it would assist in freeing an environment of infection. As an antiseptic, salt was used in the fodder, or animal feed, of barns and barnyards — places where sickness and disease could swiftly spread among animals. A small dose of salt scattered on the fodder in a barn or barnyard served as a deterrent to the proliferation of sickness and disease among animals.

Thus, when Jesus said we are to be “the salt of the earth,” those who heard Him understood that through our influence, we are called to be a kind of spiritual antiseptic to a world that is diseased with sin. Even a small dose of the spiritual salt we carry within ourselves is such a powerful disinfecting agent that if scattered in society, it will help deter the spread of sin and moral decay.

You see friend, if you are doing your job as “the salt of the earth,” your very presence can hinder the proliferation of sin and its effects. When you look at your life and the things that surround you, do you see any evidence that your personal presence is making a difference and that you are helping to promote a more spiritually sanitized environment? Are you doing your job as the salt of the earth?

#4: Salt was used as a medicinal and healing agent.

Salt was also a very important ingredient as a healing agent, used by physicians and those employed in the field of medicine. For instance, if a person was severely wounded, salt was poured into their wound to sanitize it from germs, to stop the bleeding and the spread of infection, and to speed up the healing process.

It is a fact that salt has healing properties that cause wounds to heal more readily. That is why in the ancient world where medications were rare, salt was an indispensable product in every doctor’s medical bag, and it was especially valuable in incidents where there was an open wound. In every home, business, and public place, salt was kept close at hand in case it was needed for the treatment of a laceration and was always kept nearby for emergency situations.

When Jesus said that His people were to be “the salt of the earth,” those who heard Him understood that through our influence, we should be carriers of physical healing to a world that is suffering with all manner of sickness and ailments.

Through the preaching of God’s Word and personal ministry to those who are ill, we are supposed to be “the salt of the earth” that brings healing to those who are physically suffering. The fact is, the power of the Holy Spirit that we carry within ourselves is fully sufficient to administer healing to those afflicted with sickness and disease — always, of course, in the authority given to us in the name of Jesus!

As “the salt of the earth,” you are a vehicle God has chosen to carry healing power to those who are struggling. When you look around you, is there evidence to show that you are carrying this power to those who are ailing or physically challenged in some way, just as Jesus has asked you to do? Are you doing your job as the salt of the earth?

#5: Salt was used to give protection from and to drive away evil spirits.

In the ancient world, salt was also a very important ingredient used in pagan religious rituals to give protection from and to drive away evil spirits. At the time Jesus said we are to be “the salt of the earth,” Israel was under Roman rule, and because of this, they regularly witnessed the pagan practices of Roman religions.

One practice of those pagan religions of the time was rubbing salt all over a newborn baby to protect that child from evil spirits or to drive evil spirits away from that child. It was commonly believed in many pagan nations that salt contained magical powers for this to be accomplished.

The pagans believed so wholeheartedly in the magical, protective powers of salt that they regularly administered heavy quantities of it to the doorway of their homes and businesses, believing it would create a strong barrier that evil spirits could not cross. They also spread salt on their windowsills, believing that salt could keep evil spirits from entering their homes or places of business through the windows.

So those who heard Jesus say that Christians were to be “the salt of the earth” understood that through our influence, we are to be a source of spiritual protection, deliverance, safety, and freedom to people who have been assaulted by demonic powers. By spreading God’s Word and using the name of Jesus, we can create spiritual barriers so strong that Satan is unable to successfully attack those standing on God’s promises. We are to be carriers of protection, safety, and deliverance!

When you look at the people who are closely connected to you, do you see that they are spiritually protected — experiencing deliverance, safety, and freedom from the attacks of the enemy? Are their lives different, safer, and better because of your influence?

#6: Salt was used as a fertilizer.

Salt was also a very important ingredient used by farmers to enrich and fertilize their soil to produce larger crops of a higher quality. Even a small amount of salt scattered sparingly on the ground could improve the quality of the soil and result in bigger harvests and healthier crops. Therefore, it was viewed as an essential ingredient in the farming industry. The best salt nourished and stimulated the earth to produce better crops.

When Jesus said we were to be “the salt of the earth,” it could actually be translated “the salt of the soil.” The implication is that through our influence, we should affect the world in which we live. In other words, our very presence should enhance life and make this world a better place to live. The world we touch should become productive and the presence of God in our lives should positively impact the quality of life for those around us. That is how much power we have as believers!

As the salt of the earth, each of us are to enrich the atmosphere through our influence wherever we go, simply because we carry the life of God within us. As carriers of His presence, we have the ability to make life better for those around us. When we walk into a situation, the environment surrounding us should be filled with more peace, joy, and hope than it was before we arrived! As the salt of the earth, we have the power to make a difference everywhere we are scattered.

In Colossians 4:6, the apostle Paul also used the word “salt” to tell us that our conversation should be “seasoned with salt.” In light of what you have read today, this means that instead of speaking complaining, critical, negative words along with the rest of the world, you can exert a spiritually positive influence on your environment.

When you’re seasoned with salt, you will speak:

Jesus plainly taught that we are meant to be the salt of the earth! If you are doing your job as “the salt of the earth,” there should be fruit all around you to show that God’s “salt” in you is working in your surroundings. As you examine your life, can you see visible proof of your “salty” influence?

I am teaching on this subject in my TV program this month, so I wanted to share it with you. Why not take a few minutes to reflect on your life to see if you are having the kind of influence in your world that Jesus wants you to have? The Holy Spirit will help you honestly assess your fruit so you can see if you are doing your job as “the salt of the earth” the way God has called and equipped you to!

I realize this was a little longer than my usual letter, but I wanted to share all of it with you today. Thanks for taking time to read along with me — I pray that it has been a blessing to you.

Again, if there is any special way we can be praying for you, please let us know. Just call us at 1-800-742-5593 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT every weekday or send us an email at prayer@renner.org. God will move mightily in response to faith-filled prayer, so please never hesitate to let us know how to pray with you. And please keep praying for us as well. We are so thankful for your faithful partnership. Together, we are impacting a lot of lives around the world!

We love you and thank God for you!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus,
signature
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.

The Value of Time

February Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friend,

As we step into the second month of 2025, I am filled with hope and determination to make this year a strong and successful one. February is a time to reflect on the goals we’ve set and take intentional steps to stay on track. It’s also a time to seek God more fervently, trusting Him to guide us and empower us to accomplish everything He’s placed in our hearts. Together, we can make the most of the opportunities this year holds and continue growing in His purpose for our lives.

Have you ever heard anyone say, “Well, I just have to kill some time”? You and I need to come to a place of strong conviction that we would never want to “kill some time.” Our time is precious and very valuable. None of us knows how much time we really have left. Our time is much more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you can never get more time. Once you spend your days, hours, and minutes, they are gone forever.

What value do you place on your time? Do you make good use of your allotment of time each day? If you find yourself in a situation where you are just waiting around, I want to encourage you not to just sit there and let your mind wander. I have done that so many times. In Moscow, you can spend one and a half to two hours just traveling across the city to a meeting. This is such a huge city with a population of 16 million, and in the course of traveling three to four miles, your eyes would probably have scanned 200 advertisements and about 6,000 cars.

Do you see how easy it is for my mind to just be filled with all that is around me? Just think of it—two hours pass by riding in the car, and my mind could be filled with all those advertisements and just wandering in no particular direction—just wandering. How wasteful that is on my part to throw away two precious hours of my day.

Just recently, the Holy Spirit convicted me to not let my mind wander and waste time. I need to make time count. So now I have a book in my purse or I am listening to a teaching tape. The other day I didn’t have a book or a tape, so I cleaned out my purse and spent time praying.

Why waste precious time? Time is passing, and you and I cannot get it back. We need to make the most of our time. Time holds opportunities for us. Time allows us the opportunity to make something of ourselves or serve someone else. There are just so many minutes in the day that we must take hold of and not let them slip away.

Use your time wisely. We can clean out our purse, clean the kitchen, read a book, call a friend, pray and seek God, read our Bible, or memorize a scripture verse. Maybe we should exercise or just spend time thinking about all the blessings in our lives. We must do something that will bring more blessings and richness into our lives and the lives of others. Time is passing, and we will never get it back.

Jesus said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). Praise God it is not night yet. But what are we doing with the days we have left? I am trying to say to you that the Holy Spirit is convicting me about how I spend my precious time and how I value it.

We cannot let time just slip between our fingers and then stand before Jesus and hear Him say, “What did you do with the time I gave you? What did you do with the time you had to know Me better and to help other people?” We will not be able to say to the Lord, “Oh Lord, please forgive me, I just didn’t have enough time.”

We need to hear the word of the Lord. Time is passing, and we must be wise with how we spend our time. Proverbs 1:5 says, “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.”

I also want to share with you about my current TV series airing this month. This series focuses on the transformative power of forgiveness and the importance of aligning with God’s promises rather than seeking approval from others. Through personal reflections and biblical examples, I emphasize how unforgiveness can hinder personal growth and supply, while forgiveness opens the door to healing and freedom. This series will inspire you to move forward with confidence, letting go of rejection and self-doubt, and embracing the fullness of God’s purpose for your life. I invite you to join me on YouTube or Facebook every Wednesday at 12 PM CT.

I want to thank you for being my partner. Please be praying for us as we go after all God has for us in 2025. I specifically want to ask you to pray for our women’s ministry in this part of the world. Through my TV programs, School of Cinderella, and in-person meetings, we see lives changed and impacted for the kingdom every day.

Rick and I will be continuing our meetings in various churches across the United States this month. You can find our meeting schedule for February here. Of course, if you can come to any of these meetings, we would love to see you face-to-face. I love you, I am praying for you, and I thank God for you.

We pray for you every day; we love and appreciate you so much. If you have any prayer requests, please let us know. You can call us at 1.844.473.6637  or email us at prayer@deniserenner.org to pray with a member of our prayer team. You are making a difference and together we are serving Him!

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

The Dominating
Peace of God

February Teaching Letter from Rick Renner

Dear Friends,

Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!

At this time of the year, Denise and I are traveling in the United States to speak in churches, and what a joy it is to see friends and partners in our meetings! If you haven’t been able to attend any of the services, please visit our website at renner.org/speaking-schedule to see if we will be ministering anywhere near your area. This winter season is our only trip to the United States to do meetings this year, so if you can join us, we’d love to see you in person at any meeting you can attend this month!

Today I want to speak to you about the peace of God, but first, I want to express my heartfelt thanks for your friendship and partnership with our ministry. Denise and I and our team are called by God to take trusted teaching to people around the world — but it takes many people doing their part so this can be accomplished. Your part in this ministry is so very significant in God’s plan of fulfilling the Great Commission.

I always say that our friends and partners put financial fuel in the tank of the ministry, and it empowers us to take the message far and wide across the world. I am so thankful for everything you have done, are doing, and will do in the future. We are a ministry that really needs you — and we are so thankful for you. To the best of our ability, we are giving our best to fulfill what Jesus has asked us to do, and your role is so important in this wonderful assignment God has given us. Thank you so much!

In this month’s letter, I want you to keep in mind that the peace of God is an amazing gift that has been given to each of us. Although there are many people who are born again and love the Lord, some are still so inwardly disturbed by circumstances and situations in life that they are distressed and not living in the supernatural, inward peace that God wants to dominate them.

Maybe you are going through something right now that is disturbing your peace. I understand, but today I want to talk to you about the dominating peace of God that can rule your heart and emotions regardless of what you are facing. God wants you to be dominated by His divine peace. So let’s see what the Word of God says about how this occurs!

There is no doubt that we are living in the very end of the last days. We are a generation chosen for such a time as this — and we will observe events that no other generation has ever seen. If you are going to keep your heart free from fear so you can live in continual peace, you must make a firm commitment to let God’s Word rule in your heart! If you will do this, His Word will reign over your mind and prohibit fear from inching its way into your emotions and turning you into an emotional mess.

When I use this word “rule,” I’m talking about allowing God’s supernatural peace to dominate and govern every emotion and situation that confronts you. If you don’t make this decision — and follow through with it — worry, fear, insecurity, doubt, and a whole host of other emotions will assuredly try to take control and “rule.” And there is no worse roller-coaster ride to endure than being knocked all over the place by emotions that are out of control!

       Instead, remember the words of the apostle Paul, which he wrote in Colossians 3:15, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts….”

       I especially want you to notice the word “rule” in this verse. It is from the Greek word brabeuo, which in ancient times was used to describe the umpires or referees who moderated and judged the athletic competitions that were so popular in the ancient world. Paul used this word to tell us that the peace of God can work like an umpire or referee in our hearts, minds, and emotions, calling each emotion that rises up in our heart or against our mind as safe or out.

When disturbing emotions attempt to exert control over us or try to throw us into an emotional frenzy, we can stop those emotions from taking over by making the choice to let God’s peace rise up from deep inside us like an umpire or referee to guide those emotions and declaring any negative ones to be “Out!” As we do this, we will be kept under the control of that divine peace as it rules in our hearts. When this divine umpire of supernatural peace steps into the game, it suddenly begins to call the shots and make all the decisions instead of allowing fretfulness, anxiety, and worry to do so.

Colossians 3:15 could be thusly interpreted:

“Let the peace of God call the shots in your life….”

“Let the peace of God be the umpire in your life and actions….”

“Let the peace of God act as referee in your emotions and your decisions….”

       When you feel overwhelmed by problems or emotions that are coming toward you from every direction, just stop for a moment and deliberately set your heart and mind on Jesus and the Word of God. As you do this, the wonderful, conquering, dominating, supernatural peace of God will rise up from inside your spirit and take control!

       But Colossians 3:16 goes on to say, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly….”

       When the Word of God dwells richly in our lives, it produces peace — so much supernatural peace that it actually rules our hearts! You see, when God’s Word is dwelling richly in your heart, suddenly the peace of God makes all the big decisions, calls all the shots, and umpires your emotions. Rather than being led by the circumstances of the day, whether positive or negative, or by what you read or see in the news, you will be ruled by the wonderful peace of God!

But to receive this benefit of God’s Word, you must let it dwell in you richly. This word “richly” is the Greek word plousios, and it can be translated lavishly. This presents the picture of you giving the Word of God a magnificent reception as you roll out the red carpet so you can richly and lavishly welcome the Word into your heart. When you let God’s Word have this place of honor inside your heart, mind, and emotions, it releases its power to stabilize you and keep you in peace, even in the most difficult times.

With this in mind, Colossians 3:16 conveys the following idea:

“Let the Word of God dwell in you richly! Throw open the doors, roll out the red carpet, and give it a grand reception! If you’ll let the Word dwell in you in this way, it will produce an amazing amount of spiritual wealth in your life.…”

Part of the wealth this rich indwelling of the Word will produce is PEACE beyond understanding (see Philippians 4:7)! It is a fact that when the Word of God really becomes a part of you, dwelling lavishly inside your heart and finding its home there, it gives you a peace that rules your heart and emotions. There is no doubt that by using the word “richly” in this verse, Paul gave us a picture of what the Word of God will produce if you allow it to take up residency in you and become a vital part of your life.

So if you’re tired of “peaceless” days — if you’re tired of feeling spiritually weak and worn out so that you have no energy to give to anyone or anything — stop right where you are today. Don’t take another step without making the decision to let God’s Word play a more important role in your life. When the Word of God dwells richly in our lives, it produces peace — so much supernatural peace that it actually rules our hearts!

Over our decades of life together, Denise and I have faced many things that could have stolen our peace and our joy. But we have learned that if the Word of God is dwelling richly in us, we can live in an ongoing state of dominating peace in spite of what is going on around us. This peace is so powerful that today it was on my heart to share with you about it in this month’s letter!

Thank you for letting me share this with you today!

If you have any special prayer needs, please remember that we are here to pray with you and for you. Just reach out to us by calling 1-800-742-5593 or send us your prayer need at prayer@renner.org. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” If you’ll let us know how to pray, we’ll call out to God — with you, in faith — and God will hear, He will answer, and He will do exactly what needs to be done! So please…let us know how we can pray with you!

As I close this month’s letter, I want to remind you to visit our website at renner.org/speaking-schedule to see if we are scheduled to minister anywhere near your area so you can join us in one of our meetings this month in the United States. We would love to see you there!

We are your brother and sister, friends, and partners in Jesus,
signature
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.