BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

rules." In other words, we may do what Jesus said just because He said it. But He didn't say it just because He wanted to. No, spiritual laws reveal how the spirit realm operates. They're like the laws of physics in the natural. We call them laws because they work, all the time, every time. Take the law of gravity, for example. It's considered a law of physics because it's an unchanging truth: What goes up must come down. It took mankind about 1500 years to figure that out, but now we know that's a law that cannot be changed. It can be overridden with another law of physics—the law of lift. That's how airplanes fly. But gravity doesn't cease to work when we put the law of lift into operation. If it did, the law of lift wouldn't work. (We know that now because in outer space where there is no gravity, there is no law of lift either, just the law of "float.") In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus reveals to us how the spiritual law of faith works. He explains it in a way that allows us to analyze it and figure out, step by step, how to put it into motion: First, we must have the faith of God in our heart about something. Second, we release that faith by speaking it. Third, we refuse to doubt in our hearts. Fourth, we believe what we say will come to pass. Studying and learning each step Jesus outlined there can and should be highly productive. And that's usually how we begin the process of putting faith to work in our prayer lives. Like good pilots go to school to learn the secrets of the law of lift, we read our Bible and go to church to learn the secrets of the law of faith. We take notes and write things down. Then, like good students, we go out and begin to practice what we've learned. We work on it. We do all the things the Scriptures and our pastor tell us we need to do, and that's good. Sometimes we see it work and sometimes it seems like it doesn't. But we persist because we're confident that if we stick with the Word, we'll keep growing in our understanding and make progress. Eventually though, we may find we're stuck. We may get to a place where we think, I know the law of faith works. I know what God's Word says about my situation, I believe it in my heart and I'm saying it, but it's not coming to pass. What's missing? Why does it seem like I'm operating according to spiritual law and following the rules and yet not getting the right results? The answer to those questions can be found in John 14:11-13. There, Jesus says: Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me…. I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition). In this passage, Jesus isn't just talking about things. He's not just talking about faith. He's not only talking about believing or speaking, or about taking certain actions. No, there are relationships involved in this. Putting Himself personally in the mix, Jesus tells you to believe in Him. Then, He brings in the Father. He speaks of their relationship and says, "I'm going to Him." Then He says directly to you that He will do whatever you ask, that the Father may be glorified and extolled through the Son. There are relational connections being made here! They are very personal, and their purpose is being revealed. What is that 1 0 : B V O V Moses wanted to know Him as a living Being, to experience as fully as possible the reality of His presence and have a vital, intimate, personal relationship with the God who created and upholds the universe.

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