BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

********** ADVERTISEMENT ********** Watch Bill on VICTORY Channel™ Formerly BVOVN® ____________ GoVictory.com ____________ dish® CHANNEL 265 apple tv® 4th Generation Roku® YouTube® amazon fire TV Glorystar® ************************************ * * * * article from p. 21 continues * * * * When his father saw him coming, he ran up to him, grabbed him and hugged him. Though he must have been grateful for such a reception, the son obviously didn’t get it. He said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son” (verse 21). He expected his father to treat him differently, but his daddy wouldn’t allow it. Instead, the father instructed his servants to make plans for a celebration, “for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” (verse 24). His father saw him as righteous, as a son. But the boy couldn’t wrap his head around that. That boy’s elder brother had the same issue. He came in from the field and saw what was going on and couldn’t believe it. He said, “What? You mean after this boy has taken all of his inheritance and spent it, wasted it on riotous living and come home, you’re going to give him a celebration? What about me?” “Wait a minute, son!” the father responded. “All that I have is yours. You could have had a celebration any time you wanted.” Of course, I’m paraphrasing the conversation, but you get the picture. What kept the elder brother from celebrating? Only one thing: how he saw himself. Both boys needed to see themselves the same way that their father saw them. They needed to see their true identities. First John 3:2 says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” That is your identity—and you must take hold of it in Christ. When you do, success is waiting for you. You’ll discover that everything God is going to do for you, He’s already done. The enemy wants you to come out of the eternal and drop down into the natural so he can delay your harvest. But it’s time for your abundance—right now! You don’t have to wait for anything. You can get it right now! God Is Your Source The second part of the process that leads to your success is realizing that God must be the only Source of your expectation. Psalm 62:5 says, “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” This reminds me of 1 Samuel 17, when Goliath stood on the front line, terrorizing Israel, and David said, “I’ll fight him.” The account continues: “And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee. And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him” (verses 37-39). By offering David his armor, Saul was trying to help, but David knew that wasn’t the best solution. Saul’s armor may have seemed like a good idea, but David knew those resources would become stumbling blocks. He had to stay vigilant and make sure the armor didn’t become his source. He wanted to keep trusting in God, so he “put them off” and won the battle. When God gives you a mission, don’t look to your own resources. Just say, “Yes, Sir.” Receive the assignment He’s given you, because He’s going to empower you like you’ve never had power before. And He’s going to do it quickly because He’s doing a quick work in these last days. Jesus is coming soon and He’s preparing the way. Belief Produces Performance The third part of the process that leads to your success is that what you believe produces God’s virtue for performance. You can see this principle at work in Mary’s life. An angel came and told her she was going to have a child—but not just any child. She was going to give birth to the Son of God. Talk about living large! "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God…. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her" (Luke 1:34-35, 37-38). 22 : BVOV

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