BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

“Well,” someone might say, “that may have been God’s original plan, but you have to remember Adam messed up that plan. He handed his authority over to the devil, so words just don’t work the same way anymore.” Yes, they do. This is still a word-created, word-operated system. God set it up that way and there’s nothing the devil can do to change it. He’s stuck with it and he knows it. That’s the reason he showed up in the Garden determined to get Adam to commit spiritual treason. He knew if he could separate mankind from God, he could hijack their authority. He could separate them from God’s words of life and faith, get them to speak his words of fear and death, and through their darkened hearts and mouths, he could become the ruler of this world. What the devil did not know in the Garden, however, was that God (as always) was way out ahead of him. Before the foundation of the world, He’d already designed a plan for mankind’s Redemption—a plan that would unfold, from first to last, by the power of His words. In Old Testament times God got those words into the earth through the prophets. Their job was to give the people something to say. Back then people weren’t born again so they couldn’t hear personally from God, but if they’d listen to the prophet and say what he said, they would prosper. In spite of the curse that had come on the earth through sin, they’d walk in a measure of BLESSING because faith-filled words dominate the laws of sin and death. I want to say that again, because it’s vitally important: Faith-filled words dominate the laws of sin and death. Think about that! Even on the lips of Old Testament believers who were not born again, God’s WORD carried so much power that nothing could stop it from coming to pass. When the Old Testament prophet Micah said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2-3), for instance, the most determined efforts of the devil himself couldn’t keep it from happening. Because Micah heard it from God, believed it and said it…715 years later, Caesar passed an edict that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and that’s where Jesus was born. Words Work—For Better or for Worse Once Jesus came on the scene, of course, the plan of God unfolded even further. He spoke God’s words and exercised dominion over the law of sin and death at a level that had never been seen. He didn’t do it by the power of His divinity, either. He did it operating as the Son of man. What’s more, He told His disciples that we, as believers, would do the same thing: “The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself,” He said, “but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do” (John 14:10, 12). How can we possibly do the works of Jesus? you might wonder. By using the process He did. By hearing and speaking the words of the Father. “Well, I don’t really think my words make all that much difference, Brother Copeland.” Then you need to think again. You need to study it out in the Scriptures, because they’re clear about this: Our words are going to work…either for better or for worse, either for us or against us. ***** article continues on p. 6 ***** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Points to Get You There As believers, God has given us dominion and authorized us to exercise it by speaking faith-filled words. Here are some points to get you there: 1) We live in a world that was created by words. Genesis 1:1, 3 2) God gave mankind dominion over the earth so that he could control it the same way it was created—with faith-filled words. Genesis 1:26 3) Jesus taught us that speaking God’s WORD is the key to walking in His power. John 14:10 4) Your words will work, either for you or against you. Matthew 12:36-37 5) Consistently speak God’s WORD by keeping your thoughts in line with The WORD. 2 Corinthians 10:5 BVOV : 5

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