Dedication To my beloved daughter, Charisa, a gift to me from the heavenly Father who is full of glory and grace. Your name means “gift of God,” and it is my hope that you will manifest your full glory in your lifetime and bless the world with your true nature. Your spirit of adventure and confidence is an inspiration to me and I have no doubt you will impact the world beyond your dreams. This book was inspired by your passion for life. To my beloved son, “Chairo” Myles Junior, whose quiet spirit and disciplined life has made me a proud father and inspired this book. The world has yet to see your true potential and the hidden glory of your life. I am certain that you will make your mark in history and change your world for the better. Remember, always believe the dream in your heart and never doubt your ability to achieve your goals. May your full glory be manifested in your generation and beyond. To the millions of people in the developing and third world countries—I am committed to helping you discover, develop, and release the glory that has been hidden many years by the darkness of historical oppression, suppression, and intimidation. May the undiscovered glory of a people be manifested in your generation. Endorsements Myles Munroe has the unique ability to search out and bring forth the practical meaning out of spiritual truth, to carefully remove the exterior coverings of religious jargon and spiritual cliches that obscure spiritual reality. He has done it again with The Glory of Living. Thousands have preached on the glory but few have exposed us to the spiritual depths of the glory of the Lord as Myles has done. Myles will open your eyes to the reflected glory of God inside you as you have never seen it before. This is not a “touchy, feel-good” kind of book. It takes the mystery out of the glory, unveiling powerful truths that unlock new vistas of His glorious presence, while portraying practical steps to walking in that glory. Don Nori Publisher, Destiny Image, Inc. Dr. Myles Munroe’s newest book, The Glory of Living, is a breath of fresh air for discouraged and disheartened people, believers and non-believers alike, who feel trapped in a mundane and mediocre existence. His insight on the hidden glory residing in each of us is the perfect prescription to inject new life and hope into weary hearts, infuse fresh excitement and meaning into ordinary lives, and lift readers into higher realms of realized potential and fulfillment of God’s purposes in the earth. Dr. Paul F. Crouch President, Trinity Broadcast Network You have a treasure hidden deep within you—a tangible “glory” to manifest God’s divine purpose for your life. In The Glory of Living, Dr. Myles Munroe demonstrates how to release the true essence of your heavenly calling in order to fully glorify the Lord. As you read this book, allow His spirit to change you supernaturally from glory to glory! Rod Parsley Pastor, World Harvest Church, Columbus, Ohio Host, Breakthrough Television Broadcast Contents Preface Introduction Chapter One The Nature of Glory Chapter Two The Environment of Glory Chapter Three Glory in an “Earth Suit” Chapter Four The Glory of “Becoming” Chapter Five The Presence and the Glory Chapter Six Restoring the Environment of Glory Chapter Seven Squeezing the Glory Out Chapter Eight Jesus—Revealing God’s Glory Chapter Nine Releasing the Glory Chapter Ten The Fragrance of Glory The Glory of Living Study Guide Preface Glory is the goal of life. There is no greater purpose in life than to expose your personal glory. It is a fact of creation that every living thing possesses its own glory and exists for the purpose of manifesting that glory. If the greatest tragedy in life is not death but life without a purpose, then the greatest shame in life is not revealing your true glory. The cemeteries of earth are filled with the glory of many who failed to access their true selves, and left the earth without ever showing their real worth. The question is: Why do so many individuals live an entire life never experiencing the glory of their lives, while others live to taste the glory of a full and fulfilled life? A few days ago I stood on the beautiful sandy beaches of the Bahamas and watched the graceful flight of the sea gulls on the current of the sea breezes. What elegance! I thought. Turning to my wife I said, “Look at that bird in its glory.” Suddenly I realized I had just summed up all of life. Like that bird, we must all strive to “be in our glory.” Have you ever observed a giant cedar tree, and the majestic beauty of a royal oak tree? At full strength we say they are in their glory. The seeds of these great trees hid their glory and concealed their full weight. The same is true of the musician who writes and produces music. The work is his glory. I believe that this issue of glory is the most important aspect of creation and that it holds the key to fulfillment and personal satisfaction. The word glory in its fundamental meaning connotes such concepts as “full weight,” “true nature,” “full essence” or “true reality.” Therefore, the glory of a thing is its true essence and nature. The Creator designed all things with their glory, or true essence, buried within. Therefore glory is the hidden truth of all created things. The purpose of life is to manifest that glory. You and every one of the people on this planet are walking containers of glory, and it is the Creator’s desire that each one release that full glory and fill the earth with the glory of their Manufacturer. Yet the question is: How do you accomplish this? I wrote this book to provide you with keys and principles to assist you. It is my hope and desire that you will truly tap into your hidden glory and fill your generation with the fragrance of your life. May the following pages stir in your spirit the inspiration, motivation, and passion to complete your God-given purpose, and to move daily from glory to glory to glory. Introduction He was a stately figure in the winner’s circle, his bulging muscles shining in the midday sun with the sweat of a hard run race. The crowd cheered as the wreath of beautiful roses was placed around his powerful neck. His rider sat up straight to pose for the camera and to receive the coveted trophy at the envy of the losers. It was a proud moment. After many years of careful development, grooming, training, and practice, the stallion stood there in his full glory. The scene has been repeated thousands of times in life. The moment when creation stands in its full bloom, be it a flower, a bird, a butterfly or a great white shark, we experience their moment of glory. This glory exists in everything and everyone. Every animal, plant, star, and human being possesses glory consistent with their purpose for being. Even the Creator Himself is said to be full of glory. Each year thousands travel to the ancient city of Rome to visit historical sites frozen in time. One of the most sought-out sites is the Sistine Chapel. Tourists come by the busloads to look at and photograph the work of the great master Michelangelo. The masterpiece painted on the ceiling of this revered chapel has become one of the great wonders of the world and serves as a standard for developing artists. What is this work that generates so much attention and pride? It is simply the glory of a man. It is the manifestation of the hidden glory of the artist. In other words, Michelangelo filled the earth with his glory and left the essence of his life and nature in the earth. Many people walk around with their masterpiece in their minds, buried under wishful thinking, procrastination, fear, excuses, and intimidation. What a tragedy! Suppose Michelangelo had died with these works of art in his mind. What a waste that would have been! He worshiped with his work, manifesting his glory in his generation and ours. As I look at the creation around me I see glory everywhere. The seed exposes its glory as a tree, the caterpillar as a butterfly, the eaglet as an eagle, the boy as a man, and the girl as a woman. I am reminded of the great basketball player, Michael Jordan, whose high school coach said that he would never play basketball as a pro. Yet Michael believed the dream he carried and worked at developing and perfecting his game. Today he stands as an athletic icon for millions. To see him on the court is to see him in his true glory. His gift from God is his athletic ability. Others may have the hidden glory of music, art, writing, baking, acting, designing, or managing. Whatever your gift and talent, that is your glory and it was given to fill the earth. God the Creator is a God of glory who created everything to expose His glory. Glory is the full manifestation of your purpose, which is your true self. However, just as a fish needs water, and a seed needs soil to bring forth its full glory, even so you and I need the right environment to manifest our true nature. Glory is released when the conditions are right and demands are made on it.