Never Give Up!

June Teaching Letter from Denise Renner

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas and greetings in Jesus’ precious name! Christ came into this world “in the fullness of time” to redeem mankind from sin and to reconcile us to the Heavenly Father (Galatians 4:4,5). And what a great salvation it was and is that God wrought for us in Christ (see Hebrews 2:3-18)! Denise and I and our family wish you a warm and wonderful Christmas season and the best new year of your life in 2022.

Today I want to talk to you about opportunities and adversaries, but first I want to say thank you for being such a faithful partner with our ministry. As I told you in my letter last month, our ministry is bursting at the seams, and I am so humbled that God would use Denise and me, our family, and our team to minister to the many people who are reaching out to us every day.

Every soul is precious, and it is our heartfelt desire to convey that truth to every person God brings to us — that they are precious to Him and to us. And your gifts are so vital to our ability to touch every one of these treasured souls! So today I want to say a special thank you for all you do with us to take the trusted teaching of the Word of God to people in Russia and all over the world. From the depths of our hearts, Denise and I THANK YOU!

This month is the last month of the year — and I know you are probably preparing for Christmas and many different kinds of gatherings. But in addition to Christmas, it’s also almost 2022. As we come to the end of this year and to the beginning of a brand-new year, the Holy Spirit keeps telling me to “stay on track” with the assignments He has given us. I hear Him saying that even if we hit bumps along the way, everything will be all right if we’ll just stay on track and maintain our God-assigned territory — the many opportunities and assignments He has given us to inspire, strengthen, and equip believers with the sound teaching of the Bible.

But I’ve learned over the years that opportunities and adversaries usually go together — and today I want to encourage you to undergird yourself so that you can stay on track with what God has asked you to do this month and in the coming year.

Over the course of our ministry, we’ve had many great, effectual doors open to us to do the work of the Gospel. I’ll never forget when I received an opportunity to minister on television in the former Soviet Union. It was as if a great door had suddenly swung open to an entire vast territory — a door that had never before been opened for anyone else — and I knew I was experiencing something miraculous. By faith, Denise and I stepped through that door and began to preach the Word of God on television in this spiritually starved corner of the world.

Given the former socialist-communist campaigns against the Gospel in this particular region, this opportunity was as miraculous as the Jordan River dividing for Joshua and the children of Israel. But with this great open door also came a slew of adversaries, specifically dispatched by Satan to instill fear and doubt into my heart. The devil desperately wanted to prevent me from touching the lives of spiritually oppressed people, so he positioned evil people with insidious plans to try to block my view of what God had in store for our ministry.

I’m telling you that it was like the children of Israel looking at the Promised Land from the far side of the Jordan River. From that perspective, they saw only the fruitful land of blessing that lay before them. But once they entered the Promised Land, they had to fight giants of every kind before they could possess that land and enjoy the blessing. In much the same way, if Denise and I had taken our eyes off the Lord during that tumultuous period — or if we had focused only on the problems and forgotten about the fruit we were pursuing for God’s Kingdom — I’m sure we would have backpedaled to get out of the situation!

But we knew this was a God-given opportunity and worth the fight, so we fixed our gaze squarely on the Lord. Girded with the armor of God and the power of the Spirit, we pushed through every obstacle and possessed the ground that God called us to take. As a result, millions of souls began to hear the Gospel for the first time. We knew that only God could have opened this door!

In First Corinthians 16:9, the apostle Paul wrote about the strategic doors of opportunity that open for the Gospel and the adversaries that usually accompany them. He said, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” Notice that Paul used the words “great,” “door,” “effectual,” and “is opened” to describe the opportunity that had been set before him.

The word “great” in this verse is translated from the Greek word megale, which means gigantic. The word “door” is the Greek word thura, which typically refers to a door, but in this context, denotes a rare opportunity. The word “effectual” is the Greek word energes, and it depicts something that is powerful and ready to be set into motion. Finally, the phrase “is opened” is the Greek word anoigo, which describes something standing wide open. In other words, the door in question couldn’t be any more open! Thus, an alternate translation of Paul’s words in First Corinthians 16:9 could be rendered, “A gigantic, powerful opportunity is already set in motion and standing wide open….”

Paul continued by saying, “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me….” You see, Paul knew that the particular door he was referring to had never been opened to anyone else, and he stood in awe of the unprecedented opportunity. Walking through these kinds of doors is impossible without divine assistance, and Paul was fully aware of God’s role in the matter. That is why he specified that this door had been opened “unto me.”

Paul’s prayer request in First Corinthians 16:9 was not for a door to open because it had already opened. His prayer request was to receive God’s wisdom to deal with the numerous adversaries who were trying to come against him. Paul used the Greek word antikeimenoi to describe the vast number of “adversaries” that were sent to attack him. This Greek word describes something that was piled high and lying all around him. In other words, he was dealing with more than a few minor opponents. On the contrary, it felt like opposition was stacked high on every side!

I’ve learned that the enemy will try his best to keep you from stepping through the gigantic doors of opportunity God desires to open for you. Satan is afraid of what will happen when “his” territory is invaded by someone fully equipped with a full arsenal of spiritual weapons. So know this: God will open doors for you — but He needs you to make a determined decision that you will walk through them, no matter the opposition, with the help of His Spirit.

By opening the door, God has already done His part, which would have been impossible without His assistance. Now He beckons you to come, dressed in the whole armor of God and in the power of His Word — and proceed through that effectual door into new territory. It may look like enemies are everywhere, but it is simply a fact that the devil and his forces flee and collapse when they are subjected to a show of strong faith!

As I mentioned earlier, many great and effectual doors have been opened to us over the years to do the work of the Gospel. In each case, we knew these doors were unique to us and had never before been opened for anyone else. And just as Paul experienced opposition, there were plenty of enemies that came against us with each opportunity. But because we obeyed God, the devil was forced to move out of the way, and we walked right into the virgin territory that God had opened for our ministry.

Even if you think your situation looks threatening right now, I want to tell you that God is with you. He wants to supernaturally open new doors for you — doors that have never before been opened for you. He is not beckoning you to walk through these doors so you can fail. He is with you every step of the way, and He will empower you to defeat every foe and bring Him glory in that new territory that is yours to possess in Jesus’ name!

Your open door may be an opportunity to shine the light of God’s Word and God’s love to your family or friends during this holiday season. It may be a door that will open to you in the new year. Regardless of when it is or what it is, the same God who opens doors will empower you to walk through them — and then He’ll be right with you to give you the wisdom and strength needed to overcome any giant that tries to meet you on the other side.

I know this is not a typical December, “Christmas-style” letter, but this is what was on my heart to share with you today. I want you to always know that if we can join you in prayer, we would be delighted to do so. To be honest, we are praying for you anyway, but when we are alerted to know exactly “how” to pray, it increases our effectiveness as we pray for you. So if you have a special need, please either call or write to let us know how we can get in agreement with you for God to show Himself mighty to you according to Jeremiah 33:3, which says, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

And please pray for us as we continue marching forward by faith to push back darkness, to shine the light of God’s Word, and to take territory for the Kingdom of God. Together — as partners — we can make a difference in the lives of throngs of people who are crying out to God for help. They are waiting for God to respond to their prayers, and God wants to use us — you and us together — to bring them the answers they desperately need.

But before I close, I want to say we are specifically asking God to do something special for you this month and before the end of the year. I don’t know what it is, but that is what we are praying. We are asking God to do something special that will bless your life! And please, please pray for us as we continue pushing ahead to build our studio in Moscow, to finalize the purchase of our new headquarters in Tulsa, and to continue to minister effectually to every precious soul Jesus brings to us!

Merry Christmas!

We love you and thank God for you!

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

Rick and Denise Renner
along with Paul, Philip, and Joel and their families|Dear Friend,

Every month I look forward to this time to encourage you in the Word of God. Although each day seems to be going by a little faster than the day before, it is vital that we slow down to wait before the Lord, spending time in His presence, every day.

I also want to let you know that I have a heart filled with gratitude for those who watch my program. I’ve received so many messages with kind words, notes just to say “hello,” emails with heartfelt communication, and sincere prayer requests. We read every letter, email, and message and pray over every prayer request. There is power in agreement. Yes, God hears our prayers — and He answers them!

For us to be strong in these last days, we need to understand more clearly and deeply the treasure we have inside us. Second Corinthians 4:7 says, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

This treasure inside us is the Holy Spirit, and there is an invaluable part of that treasure that I want to talk to you about today — the power of endurance. Endurance is part of the treasure that resides in us. And this treasure can be unwrapped and discovered as we are enduring.

How important is it for you to know about endurance? It is very important. As I mentioned, this power to endure comes from the Holy Spirit who dwells inside you. This supernatural Friend shows up to push you over into victory when it looks and feels like winning is nowhere in sight. This supernatural Helper has caused believers throughout the centuries to not give up in the midst of horrible circumstances. You need endurance so you can ultimately receive what is promised (see Hebrews 10:35,36).

Maybe you are tempted right now to throw in the towel and say, “It’s not worth it. I can’t do this anymore.” But endurance is there inside you to carry you through. Don’t quit. You can’t quit! The Holy Spirit can and will carry you through this situation and see you to the end. Nothing can separate you from His love for you. Nothing.

Romans 8:38 and 39 tell us, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” He is right there with you. The Holy Spirit, with His enduring power, grasps hands with you to pull you across the finish line victoriously.

So how do you discover this secret weapon called endurance? Let’s begin with James 1:2 and 3:

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

I want to emphasize that this teaching is not to promote embracing or glorifying hardship. The truths we are studying are about embracing the power of God to bring you through hardship into victory. When you understand the enduring power within you, you will be more convinced of His love for you than the desire to quit. You will be more in love with Him than resentful of the circumstance. And you will be more confident of His power in your life — assured that the One who is in you is far greater than the enemy in the world.

First, let’s look at the word “count” in James 1:2. It means to consider or to think about it. This is so powerful. It’s powerful when you can look at what’s trying to bring you down and yet consider and think about it as joy. This joy is supernatural and not subject to natural circumstances, but it’s important to know that it is available to you.

The next word I want to focus on is “fall.” This word indicates that you didn’t plan for it. You didn’t want it, but you just “fell” into it. But endurance is stay-in-there power; it’s never-give-up power. And it’s available to you and will work in you even when you fall.

James 1:3 continues, “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” The word “knowing” means I know; I perceive; I realize; or I recognize. Be quick to know, perceive, realize, and recognize that this test is working for you. The devil will test you; he intends to crush you and steal from you. But the Holy Spirit is there with you with His proving power. You can be confident that where the devil wants to break you, the Holy Spirit will show you that — with Him — you’re unbreakable!

So what do we know from the Word of God?

1. We know that the problem is not from God. (See James 1:17.)
2. We know that with the power of the Holy Spirit in you, you are to resist the enemy. (See James 4:7.)
3. We know that as you stand in God’s strength to defeat the enemy, God’s presence is in you to work endurance through (See Philippians 4:13.)
4. We know that you are going to come out on the other side knowing and having experienced this supernatural power of endurance — the I-will-not-quit attitude that says, “I’m not stopping until I get what is mine.” (See James 1:4.)

I want to share the following quote from my husband Rick Renner: “Endurance pictures one who is under a heavy burden, but refuses to bend, break, or surrender because he is convinced that the territory promised or principle under assault rightfully belongs to him.”

Now that’s a never-give-up attitude!

It is vitally important that we know endurance is a supernatural power for these last days. Most assuredly, we will encounter situations that press on us and tempt us to give up, but we don’t have a quitter on the inside! We have the Holy Spirit, with His enduring power in us, and He is more than enough to see us through to victory.

Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

Once again we are reminded who is working in us. It’s God! He comes with His energy and power, and He has committed Himself to work in you and bring you across the finish line.

Here’s one more promise from the Word of God. Philippians 1:6 in The Passion Translation says, “I pray with great faith for you, because I’m fully convinced that the One who began this gracious work in you will faithfully continue the process of maturing you until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Friend, God is committed to the end to help you remain faithful. Even at this very moment, the power of endurance is working in your spirit. This is not a time for you to give up, but it is a time for you to press into Him and His Word to fully embrace His enduring power.

Thank you for taking this time with me. I want to invite you to join me for my program, TIME With Denise Renner, on Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. CT on YouTube and Facebook. You can also find me Saturdays at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. CT on GospelTruth.TV and Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. CT on PTL. And you can access my audio podcast on Spotify, Apple, and Google with new episodes every Monday at 5:00 a.m.

And I always want to know how we can pray for you. Please reach out to us if you have a prayer request. We are here for you, and our prayer team is ready to stand in faith with you. Call 1.800.742.5593 or send us an email at prayer@deniserenner.org. We look forward to joining our faith with yours to see the desire of your heart fulfilled and His enduring power manifested in your life!

We are moving forward together,

Denise Renner

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