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The integrity of the upright shall guide them…
                                    [Proverbs 11:3]

Years ago, my spiritual father (Kenneth Copeland)
Told me to live a life of honor and integrity,
To do what’s right, because it’s right and do it right,
If you say you’ll do something—do it!
Swear to your own hurt and change not!
                                    [Psalm 15:4]

Before Missy and I went into our own ministry
Gloria Copeland said to us: “Scott and Missy,
Above all choose honor and integrity; let it give direction to your life…”
And so we have.

When we compromise our convictions, reshuffle our values (or) change our position on commitments we’ve made during pressure, (or) seemingly tough times—
It simply reveals the deficit of integrity in our hearts. 

In 1997, when Missy and I were in the early stages of praying out God’s plan for our lives—we knew He had called us to begin a church and ministry, but we didn’t know where—the absolute easiest thing to have done would’ve been to start a church in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex. We love that area. We have awesome family and friends there. And as Director of Television at KCM, I was already doing 45 minute devotionals every day for my staff. Many of them throughout the years would come to me and ask for spiritual and family guidance—and they told me, “Please, please start a church here in Ft. Worth. We would love for you to be our pastor.”  

But I knew in my spirit that would not be honor/integrity. Missy and I had been at Eagle Mountain International Church for years, and our pastor is a wonderful minister of the gospel and I would not want to do anything that would mislead (or) bring confusion to his sheep.
Even if I moved 30-40 miles into Ft. Worth, it would still cast a shadow of doubt on his ministry.
The message I would be sending fellow believers would be—he’s not getting it done…”I’m superior”… (That would be judgment, and a gross deception on my part).
The word says: “Touch not the anointed one; do them no harm.”
                                    [Psalm 105:15]

Through people’s words, accusations, actions, (or) decisions, they touch the minister improperly and their true character is revealed. I also remembered something Brother Hagin said, “If you leave a church to go start your own, you should at least be 100 miles from the church you last attended, so as not to confuse the sheep.”  

Over the years, many of those called to ministry have made this seemingly harmless mistake, to the detriment of the Body of Christ, and it reeks of a lack of honor—
Individual integrity is the foundation of all life and ministry.  Someone can be the most gifted and anointed of all, but if there is no integrity…
It will eventually be exposed and people will turn a deaf ear to their message. 

I believe integrity is holiness and holiness is the true nature of God.
And if one is truly yielding to the Holy Spirit,
Then the issue of integrity will be the thing they consider above all—
Even if it seems like the road less travelled (and it is) (or) the long way around…
Even if it looks like this is the short-cut to my destiny—
We wouldn’t dare consider it because integrity is our highest aim and integrity is holiness. 

We must always keep in mind that even though we have a personal relationship with God, our destinies are interconnected, no one achieves God’s dream for their lives alone.
You see, “not one of us is as important as all of us.”
If we do what’s honorable, God will in turn honor and guide us. 

“The integrity of the upright shall guide them…”
                                    [Proverbs 11:3] 

This is one of the primary ways that God speaks to us—
Through the integrity of our heart and if we do what’s honorable in His sight, God will bring us into His perfect plan for our lives and ministries. 

I encourage you, minister of this great gospel—
Take this path of integrity and get to your dream!