The Body of Christ needs to major in mercy. It is what
gives us the proper spiritual perspective on the minors. We
must see that the problems in the natural, physical realm
cannot be solved with just natural realm solutions. It takes
a spiritual answer to solve a natural problem.

However, trying to answer a spiritual problem with
a natural answer is even more impossible. We cannot get
rid of demons with aspirins. That natural answer will
not work, yet this is what has been happening in church
so frequently. We have gathered committees to take care
of spiritual problems and dealt with them in the natural
realm. We have asked the person who upsets the church
service to leave, instead of getting a prayer group together
and interceding for them.

We have attacked cancer the wrong way too. We have
approached it as if it were from the natural realm. We
have failed to understand that all diseases are not on the
same level in the spirit realm. Some infirmities are more
natural than others, but cancer is not natural and neither
is arthritis or leprosy. Bitterness is their root cause.

Therefore, when it comes to curing cancer and other
such spiritual problems, we are not limited to natural
means. We can attack the spirit that is causing them with
the mercy and compassion of God. In the power of God, we
can stand on the Name of Jesus and His redemptive blood.
We can take His Word and drive that spirit out.

We must learn not to be governed by the minors in the
natural realm. Evangelist Smith Wigglesworth said, “I am
not moved by what I feel; I am not moved by what I see; I’m
moved by what I believe.” And I like to add: “I believe the
Word of God, and with the Word of God, I can change the
way I feel and what I see.” This is the proper perspective.

The earthly ministry of Jesus is our example of mercy
in operation. His was a ministry of mercy and comfort. He
said, “I did not come to destroy the law; I came to fulfill
it (Matthew 5:17).” And He did by extending His mercy
to us. The Church has not always recognized the mercy
of God. They have been approaching God like He is able
to heal them, but are unsure that He will.

That would be the same as if your child came to you
and said, “Dad, I want to go to college and I know you
love me, and I know you would help me if you could. I am
just not sure whether you can afford it or not.” But if that
child said, “Daddy, I want to go to college and I know you
can help me, but I don’t know whether you will or not.”
That is an outright insult.

We do not have to approach God either way. We do
not have to wonder about His will concerning salvation,
healing or prosperity. We already have His will written
down in the Word of God for us to know.

Gloria Copeland

Jesus didn’t intend for those breakthroughs
to stop at the end of His earthly ministry,
either. He commissioned His disciples to
continue His ministry. He told us to go about
healing the sick and bringing other heavenly
breakthroughs, saying, “The kingdom of
God has come close to you” (Luke 10:9, The
Amplified Bible).

Jesus commanded us to:

Go ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel [the good news that the
kingdom of God is here] to every
creature. He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned. And
these signs [or heavenly breakthroughs]
shall follow them that believe; In
my name shall they cast out devils;
they shall speak with new tongues;
they shall take up serpents; and if
they drink any deadly thing, it shall
not hurt them; they shall lay hands
on the sick, and they shall recover
(Mark 16:15-18).

It’s the responsibility of the Church to
manifest the kingdom of God in this natural
realm. It’s our job to exercise the dominion of
that kingdom, and demonstrate it so others
can experience its reality and become citizens
of God’s kingdom themselves!

Until now, the Church hasn’t been getting
that job done nearly as well as it should. Why
is that? Primarily, it’s because most believers
have become so busy with the natural affairs
of life, they haven’t had time to learn much
about how to operate in the kingdom of God.
They’re so busy seeking the things of this
world—food, clothes, houses, cars, money to
pay their bills—they don’t even give much
thought to the things of God’s kingdom.

Actually, that’s not very smart. Why should
we invest ourselves so much in this natural
world? Its systems are limited. When we face
impossible situations, this natural world has no
answer for us. It can’t help us with an incurable
disease or an insoluble financial crisis.

Gloria Copeland

The first important truth the Word reveals
about the kingdom of God is that it is
sovereign, or superior, to all other kingdoms.
It is chief, the greatest, the most supreme in
power, rank and authority.

Actually, the very word kingdom comes
from the joining of two other words: king and
dominion. A kingdom is the place where the
king has dominion. Therefore, the kingdom
of God is where God has dominion.

Since God owns everything in heaven and
in earth, He could take dominion everywhere.
But He has chosen to exercise that dominion
through man. He gave Adam authority over
the earth in the Garden of Eden. That’s why
Jesus had to come into the earth and become
flesh. To exercise God’s dominion over Satan
in the earth, He had to do it as a man.

The second important truth the Word
reveals about the kingdom of God is the one
we’ve already mentioned. The kingdom of
God is present here and now. It occupies the
same space this natural world occupies. You
may not be able to see it, but it is here and
very real, nevertheless.

I think one of the best illustrations of that
fact is found in 2 Kings 6, where the prophet
Elisha and his servant were surrounded by a
great army sent to take them captive:

Elisha’s servant said to him, Alas, my
master! What shall we do? [Elisha]
answered, Fear not; for those with us
are more than those with them. Then
Elisha prayed, Lord, I pray You, open
his eyes that he may see. And the
Lord opened the young man’s eyes,
and he saw, and behold, the mountain
was full of horses and chariots of fire
round about Elisha (verses 15-17,
The Amplified Bible).

Those angelic horses and chariots were
there to protect Elisha and his servant the
whole time—even though most of that time
they were not visible to the natural eye. The
angels occupied the same space the enemy
army occupied. Since the angels were from
a superior kingdom, Elisha wasn’t afraid. He
knew God’s kingdom would prevail.

If you’ll just grasp that one fact, it will
enable you to walk in great joy and peace in
the midst of this messed-up world. If you’ll
just realize the kingdom of God has dominion
and control over the natural realm, then you
won’t be afraid. You can rejoice knowing that
because you belong to God’s kingdom, you can
take dominion over every natural circumstance
the devil tries to use against you.

Glory to God! Isn’t that thrilling?

Gloria Copeland