While I was in Ohio, God dealt with me about the television
ministry. At that time I could not understand, or see, with
my own mind how it would work financially, but I had learned
long before not to back off for this reason. I knew the Lord
could work it out. It didn’t matter how it operated or what the
financial details were, I knew there was only one way to succeed—
by giving. Then the thought flashed across my mind,
“No man has given until he has given all he has,” and the first
thing I saw was my twin-engine airplane. Well, cold chills ran
up and down my spine! That little plane was my pride and joy.
I had tithed and believed God for it, and He had given it to me
as a tool of this ministry. Because of this, it really meant a lot to
me. Then I realized that I had to get rid of it. I couldn’t afford
to let it come between God and me, so I went into prayer and
the Lord said, “If you will realize what I am leading you into,
you will make an agreement with Me so that I can help you
financially. Make Me Lord over your finances.” That is exactly
what I did. I wrote out an agreement about the airplane and
used it to lay up a treasure in heaven for the time to come when
I would need it. I didn’t want to release that airplane, but I
knew that God would not take it without giving more in return.
My faith dictated that God’s Word was true, so I disciplined my
thinking to get in line with my faith (instead of my fear) and I
wrote out this agreement: “On the fourth day of October 1971,
I give my airplane to the Lord to be sold and the money put
into preaching the Word of God on television and in any other
manner possible.”

I made this covenant with the Lord according to Luke 6:38,
“Give, and it shall be given unto you…again,” and Mark 10:30,
“But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time.” The agreement
also contained this statement: “I freely give this money
from the sale of the airplane, and I expect the return on it.”

Then I had the engines overhauled, had some maintenance
done, ran an annual inspection on it, and altogether spent about
$8,000 on a piece of equipment that technically didn’t belong to
me any longer. Since God is love, it follows that the laws governing
the power of God are the giving laws. You can’t stop
these laws and still make God’s power operate. It just will not
work that way! God’s system is really unique. He takes a person
who is absolutely destitute, provides the seed to start his giving,
then gives him the hundredfold return on what he gives. Only
God could manage or afford a financial operation like that!

I made the agreement to release my airplane in October
1971. Then on February 11, 1972, while we were holding a
meeting in Birmingham, Ala., the Lord instructed me to give it
to a particular evangelist. So that is what I did. This is the point
I want you to grasp: When God told me to give it away, I didn’t
hesitate for one moment. You see, God had set up this deal
almost four months before, and there had been time for me
to be healed of a possessive spirit where that plane was concerned.
Therefore, when God spoke, I acted and was thrilled
to do it! We flew it home and gave it away.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries