When I tell people this, some say, "But, Brother Norvel, I love the Lord."
That's not good enough! A lawyer came to Jesus one day and asked him, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" (Matt. 22:36).
Jesus answered: "...Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment" (vv. 37-38).
In other words, Jesus was saying not to have any other gods before Him. He's supposed to be number one in your life. And when you worship the Lord, you have made Him number one in your life.
You can't love your church more than you love God. You can't love your family, your business, or your money more than you love God. If you do, you're in bad trouble.
Learn to worship God first. When you do that, you have a right to ask Him for anything. And He'll give you what you ask for.
One of the reasons why so many church people get in trouble with the devil is because they don't worship Jesus. You have to worship God for yourself. Just singing a song or two in church isn't worship. That doesn't honor God. If you run to church real quick for that, it's a wonder you even find the church. And one of these days you won't, because the devil will attack you so much.
Did you know the devil goes to church every Sunday? He loves waiting on the sidelines while people do their "church thing." He's just waiting to attack them the minute they step outside the building. He will let them think they're wonderful Christians, and then he will make his move.
He'll even sit beside you if you've got cancer and pat you on the back. He'll tell you, "You're a good Christian—don't change. You'll just have to die."
But, if you'll put first things first, there's no such thing as the devil killing you. He doesn't have the power to kill you, if you'll worship God.
You Can Know God, Have Power and Still Lose Out
Maybe you've been a Christian for twenty years and know God really well. But realize this: the devil knows God. And he knew God really well too.
Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering....In fact, the devil had lots of power. He went upon the holy mountain of God and walked up and down the stones of fire.
Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth, and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou was created, till iniquity was found in thee.
(Ezek. 28:13-15)
What iniquity was found in Lucifer, the anointed cherub, that caused his fall from heaven?
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground..." (Isa. 14:12). The devil started doing his own thing, going his own way, and that caused his fall.
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.The devil's downfall can be yours, too. How? You could have been the best Christian in the world for 20 years and won thousands of souls to God. But if you turn your head away a little bit from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and start doing your own thing, you'll fall just like the devil did.
(Isa. 14:13-14)
You could build a church of 5,000 people and win 100,000 people to Jesus. You could be sharp and strong for 20 years of your life. But if you start getting settled and satisfied and start doing what you think needs to be done instead of what God tells you, you've had it!
Do what God wants, not what you want. Worship God and love Him with all your heart, and then ask Him for what you need.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers