BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

Commander Kellie’s Corner Living by Faith A life of faith doesn’t just happen on Sunday, or when you are believing for something special. Superkid, we are faith people 24/7. That’s every hour of the day, every day of the week! You HAVE the faith of God inside you! Walking and living by faith is a decision that only you can make. When the disciples made the decision to put their faith in Jesus and follow Him, they had no idea how their lives would change! They were living very ordinary lives when Jesus offered them a life of adventure through trusting, following and believing Him for everyday things as well as the miraculous. Think about the things they received by faith: healing, protection, miracles, food. Even fish to eat! And they didn’t just catch a fish, they caught TONS of fish. One time, Peter even caught a fish with money in its mouth! Jesus provided everything the disciples needed, but here’s the thing: They had to walk by faith. When they had failures, Jesus told them their faith was small. But He didn’t leave them with small faith. He continued to work with them and teach them. He not only taught His disciples how to walk by faith, He showed them. Today, we can learn as much from what He did as we can from what He said. Many of you are familiar with Mark 11:22-24, and know it tells how to change things with our faith. You may not realize that this faith lesson had begun the day before. Verses 12-14 tell us: “The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. Then Jesus said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat your fruit again!’ And the disciples heard him say it” ("New Living Translation"). What was Jesus doing? He was speaking to the fig tree. Why do we speak to things when we want them to change? Because that is the way God designed things. How did He create the world we live in? Words. He spoke the earth, the animals, and even you and me into existence because it was what He wanted. I am not sure why Jesus wanted that fig tree to dry up, but it did! Look at what the next few verses say: "The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, 'Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!' Then Jesus said to the disciples, 'Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, "May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea," and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours'” (verses 20-24, "NLT"). Peter and his friends were surprised. If your response is, “Well, of course. Jesus is the Son of God! Things have to obey Him!” then what Jesus said to them might surprise you. YOU have the same ability, authority and power to speak the things you want to come to pass! He made it very simple: 1. Have faith in God. Done, right? Just decide if you haven’t already; 2. Believe His Word that promises you the things you desire in your heart; 3. Say it! Confess with your mouth! You may not see it immediately but continue to believe His Word. Don’t pay attention to the things around you, the things you see that tell you it will never come. Remember and believe what He says, not what circumstances say. Second Corinthians 4:13 and 18 ("NLT"), give us an important clue about walking in faith, particularly about standing for what we are praying for. It says: “But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, ‘I believed in God, so I spoke.’ So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” What are the things we cannot see? Faith, angels, God moving and making things happen. Is this all there is to learn about faith? No way! It’s just the beginning, but just like He did with the first disciples, Jesus will continue to teach you and help you. Just ask Him to train you in the walk of faith. And remember these two things. FAITH TAKES ACTION. Faith acts like what you have asked for has already happened, so start making plans to receive what you’ve requested! NEVER QUIT! Hebrews 10:35-36 ("NLT") says: “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.” Jesus will never fail you, Superkid. There is no better life than a life of faith. Hang on for a great adventure! I’m believing with you! ♥ about: Kellie Copeland An outreach minister at Kenneth Copeland Ministries, she is the developer of the Superkid Academy curriculum. Through her ministry and as “Commander Kellie,” she fulfills the mission of drawing people of all ages into a personal, growing and powerful relationship with Jesus Christ. BVOV : 9

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