Double-mindedness is a real problem in our society from which Jesus can heal and deliver. The spirit of double-mindedness is mentioned in James 1:8: “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

The majority of double-minded people manage to function in life and have some successes, yet they still have the characteristics of a spirit of schizophrenia. This causes them to be constantly unstable in every area, never having any peace about who they are or what they can or have to accomplish. I believe I have been given a passion to teach on this subject and see people set free.

Diabolical Nature of Double-Mindedness

The double-minded man has problems making decisions and sticking with them. Due to his instability, he is always changing his mind concerning relationships, careers, ministries and churches.

Double-mindedness is the polar opposite of stability, which means firmly established or not likely to change. How many can say that they fit this description in their personality and makeup?

God did not create us to be unstable people. He created us in His image. God is not unstable. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. God is dependable and consistent. He wants us to be the same (1 Cor. 15:58). We should not be up and down like a yo-yo.

The desire and plan of the enemy is to cause unbelief, doubt, questioning, reasoning, wavering and confusion to rule your life. Demons will come to attack you because the devil knows that without faith it is impossible to please God. Without faith, you are unable to receive from God and others, and you will constantly strive to fulfill these voids selfishly and through immediate gratification.

If you lack stable faith, you become double-minded—two opinions, two wars working inside you.

This is why in James 4:8 we learn that those who are double-minded need their hearts purified: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

How Double-Mindedness Gets In

Two main strongholds make up the double-minded personality—rejection and rebellion—with the root of bitterness coming in secondarily. They interact like a threefold cord and are not easily broken.

Rejection is the doorway to double-mindedness. Demons associated with rejection make it almost impossible for a person to develop into the true person God created them to be. They become rebellious to protect themselves from hurt and being taken advantage of. As we have already begun to discuss, double-mindedness is common to us all.

We live in a world of instability. Deliverance and developing a godly identity are the solutions to this growing problem.

Become a Psalm 112 Believer

Psalm 112 gives a picture of the stable, single-minded, steadfast man. It is the exact opposite of the double-minded, wavering man from James 1:8. The man who fears the Lord is gracious, full of compassion and generous in lending. He is uncompromisingly and consistently righteous.

Becoming like the man of Psalm 112 should be our goal. This man is a type of Christ, and the characteristics or traits that this passage reveals cannot be achieved except in Christ.

The truth is our lives are direct results of what is in our hearts. If our lives are messed up, it is usually because our hearts are messed up. The Bible says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). The more I’ve studied double-mindedness, the more I realize it is not only about indecision and inconsistency; it is also something that is characteristic of the wicked. In the two places the letter of James talks about double-mindedness, the writer applies this word to someone who has something impure in his heart.

Let the Spirit Lead You

Many people want the blessing of Psalm 112. They want wealth and riches. They want prosperity. But they don’t want to do what it takes to have their hearts purified so that they can first prosper on the inside. My prayer is: “Lord, do I line up with the Psalm 112 man?” I cannot say I’ve arrived, but I am closer than I was a few years ago. I’m growing.

Recognize this is not something you do in your own strength. It comes by the grace of God and through deliverance. God stabilizes you. He fills you with the Holy Spirit. But when He does show you any inconsistency in your life, you need to deal with it. Don’t ignore it.

Refuse to be a double-minded person. You have access to God’s power, grace and deliverance. Exercise your faith. No matter what life throws your way, you can overcome it all and become a stable, unshakeable and established believer through Christ.

John Eckhardt is overseer of Crusaders Ministries in Chicago. With a strong apostolic call, he has ministered throughout the United States and in more than 80 nations. He is a sought-after international conference speaker, produces a weekly television program, Perfecting the Saints, and has written more than 20 books, including Prayers That Rout Demons, Prayers That Break Curses and Unshakeable: Dismantle Satan’s Plan to Destroy Your Foundation. Eckhardt resides in the Chicago area with his wife, Wanda, and their five children.

For more study…

If you want to learn warfare to defeat double-mindedness, Apostle John Eckhardt can teach you in his latest book, Unshakeable: Dismantle Satan’s Plan to Destroy Your Foundation (Charisma House). You can find it  wherever Christian books are sold or at or .

Wisdom is not far away. It is not for the “gods” alone, as the ancient Greeks reckoned. It is not for the Platos and Aristotles of this world. It is an offer to all of us—to ordinary people like you and me. In fact, it is closer than your hands or your feet, closer than the air you breathe.

Wisdom is the result of a choice you can make. It starts with an act of the will. Like total forgiveness, you must make a choice to forgive totally or not to do so.

Chosen Fear of the Lord

The fear of the Lord may be understood in two ways:

1) A choice we make—wanting His opinion

2) A passive sense of the fear of the Lord—an unsought feeling

The primary way we get wisdom is by choosing the fear of the Lord. This means that you so respect God’s ways as revealed in His Word that you value and seek His opinion on any issue above any other perspective.

Note the order: You choose the fear of the Lord. Wisdom follows. The reason I emphasize this so soon and so strongly is because the book of Proverbs makes an inseparable connection between wisdom and the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the “beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10). It is the wisest choice you will ever make. What is therefore so encouraging is that wisdom is clearly available to all of us, not merely to the privileged or the elite. It begins not with good breeding but with the fear of the Lord. The simplest and most ordinary person on the planet is invited to enter the arena of greatness—the obtaining of true wisdom. Few get there, but all can.

This leaves all of us without excuse. We can’t blame our inadequate brains, lack of learning or not being born to privilege. It is level ground. We all qualify.

Passive Fear of the Lord

It is of vital importance that we also grasp the second way, a passive fear of God. The passive fear of God demonstrates that we are talking about the living God. This means that God can roll up His sleeves as if to say, “Enough is enough,” and answer prayer or even bring judgment.

Whereas the great gift of His wisdom comes as the consequence of a choice, there have been occasions when the unsought passive fear of God was experienced. How can this be? What is it like? Answer: It is when God steps in supernaturally. There are three ways this may happen:

First, passive fear may emerge when God does something wonderful and extraordinary. That should bring great joy, but it may bring fear. When Moses’ face was radiant, the people were “afraid to come near him” (Ex. 34:30). When God answered Daniel’s prayer, he stood up “trembling” (Dan. 10:11).

Second, passive fear may come upon people when God brings judgment and shows His displeasure. The Mosaic Law was God’s judgment upon Israel for their transgressions (Gal. 3:19). When the people heard the thunder, saw the lightning, heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, “they trembled” (Ex. 20:18).

Third, the passive fear of God may come from anointed preaching. This happened under the preaching of John the Baptist. We sometimes forget that one of the earliest messages of the New Testament—if not the first—was to “escape from the wrath to come” (Matt. 3:7). It is sometimes thought that preaching of God’s wrath drives people away from church. I would only observe that there is less preaching of it today than ever, and church attendance, generally speaking, is lower than ever.

The Primacy of the Word

The way forward for finding wisdom is to choose the fear of the Lord, that is, to seek His opinion on any matter.

How then do you and I choose the fear of the Lord?

1) By choosing to be governed by the Word of God

There are two words in the Greek that can be translated “word”—logos and rhema. The words are sometimes used interchangeably; therefore, one must not press the distinction between them too far. But generally speaking, logos refers to Holy Scripture; rhema refers to a specific word of knowledge by the Spirit, as a prophetic word. I fear there has been an unhealthy interest in the rhema word in some quarters these days. Some people are keen to get an immediate word—a word relevant to their situation—far more than the long-term reading and meditating on Scripture.

Choosing the fear of the Lord should be a long-term commitment to get to know God by reading the Bible. This takes time. But if one makes the choice to know God’s Word, the reward down the road is incalculable. This is the way you get to know the will of God generally.

I urge you to have a Bible reading plan. One-year Bible reading plans are easy to find. This plan will keep you in the Word. It takes approximately 10 to 12 minutes a day (roughly four chapters a day) to keep this up. You will never be sorry.

The result: wisdom. It is guaranteed.

2) By a commitment to know God’s ways

God was grieved that His ancient people did not know His “ways” (Heb. 3:10). You may not particularly like God’s ways—at first. We don’t always understand what God is up to in our lives. But the more we know God’s ways, the less surprised we are when disappointment comes or when evil things take place in the world around us.

3) Remembering the consequences

I show that I choose the fear of the Lord by remembering that there will be a consequence for my decisions. Moses made a strategic decision when he refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and enjoy the pleasures of this life; he chose to be identified with the suffering people of God. Why ever did he do such a thing? Hebrews 11:26 says, “He looked to the reward.” If Moses could be motivated like that, so can I.

There are two consequences that will bear our examination. First, there is the possibility of God’s disciplining us. It is not a disgrace to be disciplined or chastened; it shows you are a true child of God. Being disciplined comes from a Greek word that means “enforced learning.” We are all imperfect, and God lovingly corrects us when we err. David is the only person in the Bible called “a man after His own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14). Yet the chastening he underwent was extremely hard, precisely because God loved him.

The second consequence we should consider is that all of us will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ. It is when we will give an account of the things done “in the body” (2 Cor. 5:10).

Choosing the fear of the Lord is to dignify God’s wisdom. It is recognizing the inevitable consequence of the decision to choose the fear of the Lord.

The Cost of Wisdom

Wisdom has a price. It costs not by purchasing it with money, but with the willingness to abandon certain pleasures of the world. The cost may pertain to our pride. The cost could result in changing our lifestyles.

A high IQ is not required. This is because the wisdom that we are talking about in this book comes only from God. It is His prerogative to give or withhold wisdom. It is one of His greatest gifts to us. It is promised to those who make a wise choice—to choose to follow His ways.

R.T. Kendall was the pastor of Westminster Chapel in London, England, for 25 years. Born in Ashland, Kentucky, he was educated at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (.) and Oxford University (.). Dr. Kendall is the author of more than 55 books.

R.T. Kendall teaches us how to keep the Spirit’s anointing and truly hear His voice a .

A resource on this topic:

Do you ever wish you knew how to hear God’s voice for every decision in life? Teacher, pastor and author R.T. Kendall unlocks the secret to true wisdom and understanding in his latest book, In Pursuit of His Wisdom. You can find this book wherever books are sold or at or .

Already recognized as one of the nation’s most influential Hispanic leaders, Samuel Rodriguez’s profile increased last year via a merger of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and the Fraternity of Latino Evangelical Churches (NHCLC-CONEL).

As president and chief executive officer, Rodriguez provides oversight to an international organization of 500,000 churches with estimated membership of more than 125 million. NHCLC-CONEL supports such major directives as evangelism and strengthening families, and recently launched initiatives opposing sex trafficking and persecution of Christians.

Despite his busy travel schedule, most Sundays Rodriguez occupies the pulpit at New Season Christian Worship Center. The Sacramento, California, Assemblies of God church has more than 1,500 members.

A father of three who recently celebrated the arrival of his first grandchild, Rodriguez credits the Holy Spirit with fueling his ministry and helping him withstand the continuing political stalemate over immigration reform.

While the latter is a source of frustration, Rodriguez is grateful for the support among evangelicals that has developed in recent years. Instead of getting “shut down” like he did in the past, today most evangelical leaders and two-thirds of members support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

He also expresses strong support for such “politically incorrect” policies as traditional marriage and pro-life causes, comparing society’s societal hostility to the ridicule Peter faced on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14-15).

“We were not filled with the Holy Spirit to be complacent,” Rodriguez declares. “Today’s complacency is tomorrow’s captivity. Pentecostals are loud. If we are to be light, it behooves us to stand up and raise our voice.”—Ken Walker

The leader of the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination, George Wood serves as an unlikely bridge between the generations, styles and ministry models that make up the Assemblies of God (AG).

With more than 3 million members, the AG is one of the few groups reporting growth during an overall decline in the U.S. church. Worldwide, the AG has more than 67 million members.

The active leader shows no signs of slowing down, recently releasing his newest book, a devotional on the gospel of Mark. With his term as general superintendent extending through 2017, the former pastor has no plans to retire soon. “In this age and era, age is not a critical factor,” says Wood, the son of a pastor and missionary who spent three childhood years in China. “When I was elected at the end of my 65th year, I asked God for strength and wisdom. I still feel I have strength and I probably still have wisdom. If the general council wants me to serve (again), that is an option.”

Since his appearance on the cover of Charisma two years ago, Wood presided over the denomination’s centennial anniversary. Held in conjunction with the triennial World AG Fellowship Conference, the event attracted 8,000 people from 120 countries.

“That was a powerful spiritual event,” Wood says.

During his tenure the denomination has planted nearly 2,300 churches, boosting its overall U.S. total to more than 12,800. It hopes to average one start daily during 2015. While those are encouraging statistics, the one that makes him smile is that a third of its U.S. members are under 25. “If you don’t have young people you don’t have a future,” Wood says. “If the early church could prosper in the midst of Roman persecution, I have every hope the church today can shine.”—Ken Walker

Jack Hayford is the founding pastor of Southern California’s The Church on The Way, served a term as president of the Foursquare Church, and is known as a bridge builder and spiritual mentor to numerous leaders.

The author of more than 50 books, he is working on the next edition of The Spirit-Filled Life Bible, which will release next year. In June, Charisma House issued an updated version of his 1993 classic, The Key to Everything.

“Pastor Jack” has more than 600 hymns and choruses to his credit, including “Majesty.” A popular conference speaker and familiar to thousands of men who attended Promise Keepers rallies in the 1990s, in 1995 he and 1,500 men recorded Men in Worship for Hosanna! Music.

While returning home from a PK rally, Hayford sensed God leading him to start King’s College and Seminary. Opened in 1997, for years it was the only accredited Pentecostal/charismatic seminary on the West Coast. He still serves as chancellor of the school, since renamed King’s University.

One of his most meaningful ministry experiences is connected to King’s: the school of pastoral nurture he started during his transition out from the pastorate, which culminated in 1999.

Those sessions included intensive three-day seminars attended by an average of three dozen pastors. Some 2,600 from more than two dozen nations came to the classes over a 14-year span.

About 15 percent were evangelicals. Many showed an openness to Hayford’s lessons on Holy Spirit baptism, part of his instruction on cultivating and discipling congregations.

“I would tell them at the beginning, ‘You know where I’m coming from,’ ” he reflects. “ ’I want to honor you and respect where you’re at.’ Easily a third of evangelicals were open to the Holy Spirit without an appeal being made.”

The sessions included a meal at the Hayfords’ residence. Invariably, at the end of the lunch break, someone would remark they had always been impressed with Jack, but now that they met his wife, Anna, they recognized his secret.

(The Hayford flock includes four children, 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. The number of 47 in the extended family is bound to grow, with another family wedding coming in November.)

“Anna and Jesus are the story of my life—in reverse order,” Hayford says. “My heart is with the local church. It’s everything I understand myself to be called to. My goal is to genuinely walk with Jesus every day, and keep tuned in to the Holy Spirit.”

Although six years have passed since he presided over the denomination, current President Glenn Burris Jr. says Hayford’s focus on aligning the practical and spiritual planted the early seeds for the Reimagine Foursquare emphasis.

A direction affirmed by delegates at its 2014 annual convention, the Reimagine journey is Foursquare’s blueprint for transforming itself into a “global church on mission.” “The fingerprints of Pastor Jack Hayford’s life and ministry are also seen in the body of Christ,” Burris says. “That is evidenced by the way some worship, talk about a Spirit-filled life, seek a balance of the sacred and the secular, and in advancing the kingdom of God. He is a spiritual father to multitudes.”—Ken Walker

We’re living in a day of what I call the “get by” mentality. What does that mean? It means we are all just trying to get by! We’re not really living because we’ve made up our minds that surviving is enough.

We have become much like Gideon’s army in Judges 8:4, where they were fainting yet pursuing. The constant demands of the day can be exhausting, and so often we show up for church but are nowhere near ready to engage a powerful and awesome God.

I have often said that God does not demand perfection but pursuit! If the devil cannot make you sin, then he will just make you too busy to have a true relationship with God.

This mentality has caused the ones chosen by God to be used in His kingdom to simply ignore His voice or take an easy path. It’s true, though, that it’s much easier to just get by than to decide to rise up and lead. Couple that with the fact that most Christians believe there’s no way God could use them to do His great work and you have an anemic church.

Are You Available?

Usually, the most qualified are the ones who most often feel least qualified. Every person who has ever accepted the challenge to be used of God has at one time or another thought, “Why on earth, God, have You chosen me?” In fact, we really have no right to question whether or not God can use us. Many years ago while spending time in prayer, I heard God say to me, “Pat, every time you doubt whether or not I can use you, it breaks My heart.”

You’re a Survivor

All of Scripture proves that God uses the ones who most likely would not have been picked by man to be on His team of generals. God is calling out to you. He refuses to leave you alone. Your scars are your testimony. The depth of God’s love is most often revealed in the people least likely to be chosen in man’s eyes. If you have been through lots of pain, then you’re a great candidate to bring freedom to others.

Lay Down Your Plans

God is calling each of us to lay down our own plans and agendas for the higher calling. It is through obedience that God is able to transform the nobodies. That means it’s time to draw a line in the sand and walk away from the things that are holding you back. We are called to be empty vessels into which God can place His glory, and we better make sure we allow God to clean up these vessels that we are!

I will conclude with one of my favorite series of quotes that I have seen for years floating around the blogosphere. I have, in fact, shared this at gatherings where I have spoken. I call it “No More Excuses!”

There are excuses why God can’t use you. The next time you think God can’t use you, just look to the Bible to see what he had to work with:

Noah was a drunk (Gen. 9:21).
Isaac was a daydreamer.
Jacob was a liar (Gen. 27).
Moses had a stuttering problem (Ex. 4:10).
Gideon was afraid (Judg. 6).
Rahab was a harlot (Josh. 2:1).
David had an affair and was a murderer (2 Sam. 11:2-4, 14-17).
Elijah was suicidal (1 Kin. 19:4).
Jonah ran from God (Jon. 1:3).
Job went bankrupt (Job 1:21).
Peter denied Christ (Mark 14:71).
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once (John 4:17-18).
Lazarus was dead (John 11)!

As you can see, all of us have our issues. But God can use the unqualified to do great exploits. Remember, no more excuses!

Pat Schatzline is a leading international evangelist and author. He and his wife, Karen, co-founded Remnant Ministries International. Known for his unique ability to communicate God’s Word with passion, Pat desires to see God’s last day remnant make a stand for truth.

If you liked the article, you’ll love the book.

Evangelist and author Pat Schatzline shows how you can be used by God no matter what your weaknesses through his most recent book, Unqualified: Where You Can Begin to Be Great (Charisma House). You can find his book wherever Christian books are sold or at or .

Full of enthusiasm at 80, the fiery, Argentina-born evangelist is as familiar in his native Latin America and other places as he is in the U.S., having preached to more than 30 million people in 75 nations.

Once tabbed as the successor to Billy Graham, in 1999 Palau showed a willingness to adapt to changing times when the Luis Palau Association moved its evangelistic rallies from stadiums to public parks.

To appeal to a younger audience, these festivals featured popular bands and extreme sports.

They also paved the way for the “city serve” outreaches that followed. The most recent concluded in Central Park July 11, after nearly six weeks of community improvement projects performed by hundreds of volunteers around New York.

“To see a city paying attention to the Lord Jesus Christ is very good news,” says Palau, who one day will give way to sons Kevin (president) and Andrew, an evangelist. “Part of the plan is (promoting) unity in the body of Christ. That’s one goal I’ve had ever since I was a teenager.”

Palau came to the U.S. to attend Multnomah Bible College. The year after he graduated he met Billy Graham at a crusade in California. Not only did he become a translator for Graham’s Spanish-speaking listeners, Palau later launched his association with the help of a $100,000 donation from Graham.

Now married for 54 years to Pat, Palau plans to keep on going as long as the Lord maintains his health. He credits his longevity to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

“We seek to walk in the Spirit daily,” the evangelical preacher says. “I think the Spirit makes an effort to whisper in your heart and mind and the Lord opens the door.”—Ken Walker

Known worldwide for his fiery preaching at the Brownsville Revival, Steve Hill remained a passionate advocate of repentance and biblical values until his death last year from cancer.

During its five-year run from 1995-2000, more than 4 million visitors came to Brownsville Assembly of God, which resulted in some 200,000 conversions. This spiritual wave also prompted the formation of a school of ministry, which saw 1,000 students at its peak.

After his death, Steve Hill Ministries launched the $100,000 “Preserve the Legacy” project to digitally archive more than 1,500 of his messages from Brownsville and other evangelistic campaigns.

Despite many positives, Hill also sustained criticism regarding  an eventual saddling of the church with a multimillion-dollar debt.

Still, Regent University professor Cornelius Bekker says the revival’s long-term impact outweighs the negatives.

“What this brought to the church internationally was huge,” says Bekker, chair of Regent’s department of biblical studies and Christian ministry. “When this revival took place, I was living in Africa. I encountered numerous folks there (and in Europe) who would go there and come back with a focus on repentance (and) seeking to glorify God.”

As part of his message on repentance, Hill emphasized the need to embrace God’s holiness. In April of 2013, he wrote an article for Charisma warning of a coming “spiritual avalanche” of false teachings in the church.

Bekker echoes that sentiment, saying the presence of such heresies as extreme grace and unbalanced prosperity validate what Hill said.

“I think Steve was spot on with that,” Bekker says. “We can’t critique the core of his message. It was focused on Christ and the gospel.”—Ken Walker

Considered one of the world’s leading practical Bible teachers, Joyce Meyer is a former housewife who credits her reliance on Jesus with empowering her worldwide ministry. “God has done so much in my life,” says Meyer, who suffered sexual abuse as a child. “My desire is to help others who are hurting to receive His love and get the healing they need.”

The New York Times best-selling author has written more than 100 books, including the forthcoming The Mind Connection. Battlefield of the Mind (1995) is her top-selling book, with more than 4 million copies in print.

Her Enjoying Everyday Life program is broadcast in more than 80 different languages on more than 1,000 TV and radio stations. Joyce Meyer Ministries also hosts a dozen domestic and one or two international conferences annually. And 1.5 million people watch videos each month on .

Yet without Christ, Meyer says she couldn’t do anything. “I’m certainly not smart enough in myself to do what we’re doing,” Meyer says. “And none of our efforts would amount to anything without the leadership and anointing of the Holy Spirit.”

Her ministry isn’t solely Bible teaching. Its multifaceted humanitarian aid includes inner-city outreach, worldwide feeding programs, medical missions, children’s homes, prison ministry, disaster relief and efforts to combat human trafficking. Though recently turning 72, the energetic teacher has no thoughts of retirement, saying she wants to be a “finisher” and help others learn through God’s Word how to fulfill His destiny for their lives.

“I know it’s not me making it happen; it’s the Holy Spirit working through me,” she says. “It’s what happens when we share Christ and love people.”—Ken Walker

A banker for 10 years before starting a storefront church in Brooklyn, A.R. Bernard is one of the few religious leaders today with the ear of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Until the pastor decided his destiny lay elsewhere, a grass-roots group considered drafting Bernard to run for mayor in 2013.

A highly sought-after speaker, author, teacher and community leader, Bernard is president of the Council on Churches of the City of New York, representing 1.5 million Christians.

That small church he started in 1978 today is one of the most influential in the Big Apple. Christian Cultural Center has more than 37,000 registered members and sits on 11.5 acres of prime real estate, a visible sign of Christianity in a city known more for its worldly landmarks than its churches.

Bishop Harry Jackson credits the calming influence of Bernard and his church with helping prevent New York from exploding amid racial tension after the July 2014 death of Eric Garner and subsequent slaying of two police officers.

“That’s really the role of the church, to be an advocate for ‘the least of these’ and a counsel to those who possess political and financial power,” says Jackson, who works with Bernard on a racial reconciliation movement started after last summer’s riots in Ferguson, Missouri.

“He has done that phenomenally. He’s got a biblical understanding of how the church is to operate in the culture. I feel inadequate expressing his virtues. He’s so intelligent and well-read—his perspective is amazing.”