BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

We were silenced. Even rebuked! A spirit of repentance, for misplaced faith that a man or a party held the answers to America’s condition, enveloped us. Holy Spirit-guided thoughts raced through my mind: The best person in the world could be elected president of the United States and it would do no good if the people do not awaken to God. America. American history. The Great Awakening. The place of prayer in an awakening. Study. And so I did. And ever since, I’ve shared the things gleaned in that study. The "Believer’s Voice of Victory" broadcast with Gloria Copeland has allowed me to share those timely, life-changing instructions from the Lord, and the study that evolved. By My Spirit, Saith the Lord The Lord impressed us with this absolute necessity for an awakening—we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit. A relatively small group of Jews came back from Babylonian captivity and were faced with the formidable task of building the second Temple. The word of the Lord came to Zerubbabel as to how it would be accomplished: “…Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith [Jehovah] of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). The word hayil (might), which also means an “army,” or “host,” probably stands for the strength of many, while koach stands for that of “one man.” It is not by human strength—not of many, nor of one—but only by the power of the Holy Spirit that things of God are accomplished. Therefore we must learn to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. And cooperation always means, perhaps above all else, yielding—whether as an individual, or as a corporate body. In Our Individual Lives Tremendous promises are given us regarding the Holy Spirit. For example: He abides in us (John 14:16-17). He teaches us (John 14:26). He speaks to us; He guides us and shows us things to come (John 16:13). He leads us (Romans 8:14). But all His wondrous doings in our behalf are predicated upon our yielding to Him. He’s always teaching, always speaking, leading and guiding. But we must listen. We must yield. Dr. George Washington Carver, the renowned scientist, born of a slave, is credited with saving the agriculture of the South. He is a wonderful example of listening and yielding to God. Rising early every day, he sat before the One he called “Mr. Creator,” and learned secrets to bless mankind. In the book, "The Man Who Talks With the Flowers" by Glenn Park, Carver is quoted as saying: "There is literally nothing that I ever wanted to do, that I asked the blessed Creator to help me to do, that I have not been able to accomplish. It’s all very simple, if one knows how to talk with the Creator. It is simply seeking the Lord and finding Him…all my life I have risen regularly at four o’clock and have gone into the woods and talked with God. There He gives me my orders for the day…when people are still asleep I hear God best and learn my plan…after my morning’s talk with God I go into my laboratory and begin to carry out His wishes for the day." Speaking at Macalester College in Minneapolis, Dr. Carver prophesied: “…there is going to be a great spiritual awakening in the world…it’s going to come from people…plain, simple people who know—not merely believe—but actually know that God answers prayer.” Cooperating With the Holy Spirit in a Meeting A more literal translation of 1 Corinthians 12:1 would be, “Now concerning spirituals [things of and pertaining to the Holy Spirit], brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” The chapter then illuminates us regarding nine wonderful, supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, (special) faith, the gifts of healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, kinds of tongues, the interpretation of tongues (verses 8-10). Verse 11 declares, “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” Donald Gee, an early Pentecostal leader, said verse 7, which introduces the list of nine gifts, is the key verse to the chapter: “The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” Gee added that our meetings ought to be marked by manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Ministers (preachers) need to yield to the Holy Spirit in their own preaching. We have been guilty of overriding promptings of the Spirit of God as we preach. I know, for I have done this. There must also be place for the manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s gifts. For according to God’s plan and provision for our profit, there must be manifestations of the Holy Spirit—in our meetings as well as in our individual lives. 16 : BVOV

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