BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

of the fulness of Christ." We can "grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:13, 15). As we grow up into Christ, His overcoming life becomes ours. We develop into people who are no longer ruled by the powers of this world but who rule this world by the power of God that is in us! We become a force in this world that changes things! Born To Overcome by Love God sent His Son so that you and I could be born again. Being born again, as new creations empowered to live by the Spirit of Christ in us, is the only way He could reconnect with us. It was the only way we could fulfi ll the law of love. It was the only way we could become new creatures, and He fi lled us with God's Holy Spirit to teach, lead and direct us. It starts with believing that Jesus is the Christ: "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:1-3). Do you see that? It's all about love! What a marvelous plan God put into action when Jesus was born into this world. And He did it all for the sake of love! He loves you and me that much! John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…." It all started with Jesus coming into this world for you and me. Christ being born in us enables our hearts 3 0 : B V O V to love. Love for God and others is the only way we could ever keep His commandments. God had said in the Old Testament that the day would come when He would write His law on men's hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). When we believed that Jesus was and is the Christ, our hearts became new. They became a place where God could speak and we could listen. But God's purpose in our new birth doesn't end there! As born-again children of God, totally immersed in His Word and His love, we are world overcomers! We have within us the faith—the belief—to walk as Jesus walked, talk as He talked, do the works He did, and love like He loved. All of which puts the devil out of business! Because we have been born of God, the devil no longer has any authority over us. Not over our bodies, our fi nances, our families, our homes, our careers, our friends…not over anything that concerns us. He can only do what we allow him to do. We must let him know in no uncertain terms that we take our lives back! What he stole from Adam has been returned to us…a hundredfold! When we live like Jesus lived—we can be carefree, with all our needs met. We can focus on and reach out to others whom God loves so much! Our lives are changed and we're to love people and see their lives changed, too! Get this into your heart. When we, the children of God, come onto the scene—any scene—we bring with us the love and faith to change the scene! Believe it! God's purpose in having a family of Spirit-born, Spirit-taught, Spirit-led children was so the world would know He loves them! Jesus Christ was born to make it so—for you and for me and for us all! "Everything about our old life is gone and we start all over. Once again, we are breathed on by God and we become a new spirit, a new man on the inside." "Everything about our old life is gone and we start all over. Once again, we are breathed on by God and we become a new spirit, a new man on the inside."

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