The Devil Can’t Let You Read This & Be Healed

I could hear the bloodcurdling sound of demons manifesting as he ministered.

The small cassette player I was using didn’t have much volume and the tape was well worn from use, but I distinctly remember hearing how much the devil hated this man’s ministry. I leaned in close to the speaker so that I wouldn’t miss a word as he taught how to live and not die.

Unusual signs and wonders have followed the reading of this book for decades. The Holy Spirit is about to teach you how to overcome the most debilitating and life-threatening situations through this classic work. The toughest cases that are beyond the reach of traditional medical care cannot stand before a believer who internalizes the truths within this message.

Norvel Hayes represents the most unique ministry gift I have ever come across. He was genuinely set in the office of the teacher by the Spirit of God, and the anointing that flows from this gift transforms every life that it touches. There are many who see the five-fold ministry as some kind of corporate ladder you can climb. They imagine a hierarchy that places the apostle at the top and the lowly teacher at the bottom. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, I believe that the office of the teacher is one of the rarest and most needed gifts in the church today.

You cannot become an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher through hard work and dedication. These are offices ordained by God and divinely instituted for the perfecting of the saints (see Ephesians 4:12). These five offices reflect the ministry of Jesus when He was on the earth and they bring with them His anointing. This is why it’s so important to honor these offices, because it is not about the individual whom God has set in that position; it’s about who that office represents.

With this in mind, allow me to ask a few clarifying questions:

• Is there any aspect to the life of Jesus that is inferior to another?

• Which part of His ministry is less important than another?

• Would it be possible for us to even begin to create a hierarchy of His characteristics?

• Is Jesus any less Jesus when He’s teaching than when He’s prophesying or performing miracles?

The answer to all of these questions is an emphatic, “No!” Each of them is a part of who He is and they all carry an anointing to perfect us and bring us into divine unity so that we can see the Father’s glory in the earth.

Another word for teacher is rabbi. Rabbis were also called “masters.” This is where we get the idea of a master’s degree. These individuals have been anointed to master the study of the Word of God and are particularly gifted in training men and women to live it. There are many who consider themselves teachers, and they may be, but there are few who walk in the office of the teacher. The Holy Spirit partners with this office to supernaturally extract doubt and impart faith. Norvel Hayes has such an anointing.

This message is like the man who wrote it—uncomplicated, unashamed, and unmistakable. I can think of no other person better qualified to have written it. He lived it.

I had the opportunity to sit under Norvel Hayes’ ministry as a student in Bible college, where he was a visiting instructor. I had the privilege of not only hearing him speak when he was a guest at special meetings but also to spend one-on-one time with him. Every time I saw him, he was the same—never in a hurry, never troubled about anything, and always willing to explain Bible truth patiently and powerfully in ways everyone could understand.

He was a businessman who adopted the values of his forbearers—hard work, discipline, and personal responsibility. The same characteristics that caused him to be successful in the business world also translated into his success as a Bible teacher and internationally renowned minister.

Of many character traits I could mention about him, the one that stands out the most to me is that he was a person of radical and relentless faith. Once he knew what God wanted, he would not stop until he saw the answer. If it meant standing in faith for hours, days, or even years, he would not stop trusting God for His very best. In How to Live and Not Die, he’ll show you how to do the same.

As Brother Norvel said in the introduction to the first edition of this book, the “principles taught here can be applied to all critical cases—financial, emotional, social, spiritual, or physical.” What Norvel Hayes relates are fundamental principles that are available to everyone who will believe that the Bible says what it means and means what it says.

The truths in these pages will keep you from giving up when circumstances rise up against you or from letting go when the victory that has already been purchased for you is waiting straight ahead. And Brother Norvel shares this truth, as always, in his plain-spoken and matchless style.

The steps you must take to experience success are not complicated, but that does not mean they are easy. You will encounter opposition. You will be tempted to give up. Well-meaning people will tell you that what you are doing is not necessary. Do not allow yourself to get distracted or derailed. Consume this book! Reach each chapter multiple times. Read portions out loud and receive the impartation that this book has for you.

But when you apply the principles Brother Norvel (as he liked to be called) outlines here, you will be well-positioned to overcome every adversary in order to achieve the victories Jesus already died and rose again to deliver to you.

Although this book was written many years ago, the principles within its pages have stood the test of time and are still true today. You can take hold of the Word of God for any situation you face. You can discover truth in the pages of your Bible, and you can apply that truth, act on that truth, and live by that truth. Be blessed as you read and discover How to Live and Not Die!