In reading Faith Takes Back What The Devil’s Stolen by Kenneth Hagin, he explains how to manifest God’s promises in a way I am now pondering. It seems that believing requires two things: taking and holding. I’ve heard Gloria Copeland say over and over “take your healing” and I agree wholeheartedly. I’ve studied the verse “the violent take it by force” from Matthew 11. But there’s something new for me that Hagin said about holding. Holding is what you do during a delay in manifesting. When Jesus cursed the fig tree, Hagin says, He was holding for 24 hours onto faith spoken, until it showed dried up from the roots. It’s a continued knowing and believing when symptoms remain.

Taking requires saying. Say God’s word out loud. Declare what promise you are using as a precedent. In court a judge will ask what law or case you are using to prove that you have a right about what you say. The same is true with God’s word. You make your claim on a promise about God’s word and speak the verse to back it up. Then you keep holding like a bulldog biting down until the devil lets go! He stole something from you and you take it back by saying .. “you can’t do that and here’s why.” And speak verses to back up your claim. When someone cheats in a game you’re playing, you catch them by saying “no! You can’t do that! The rule is…” And that’s how you stop the devil.

The taking  part is important. However, just as Jerry Seinfeld explained to the rental car lady, “anyone can take a reservation, but the holding is the most important part!” This is true in taking God’s promises.  The promises of God are all yes and amen. They are there for the taking. 

However holding and not letting go is key to manifesting the promise. Kenneth Hagin said in his book that many people do not see their miracle because they let go. Do not be tricked by the symptoms. Say “God has given me promises and I’m making a claim on mine like I would make a claim on an insurance contract.” Say “it says right here in my contract that I’m healed by His stripes.” And keep saying it. Bite down hard and don’t let go. Every thought of contradictions to God’s word, every pain or symptom must be met with a declaration of God’s word. And act on it in any way you can. Exercise, imagine and think healed.