BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

by Kenneth Copeland Most all of us, as believers, have made this mistake at one time or another: We’ve viewed certain verses in the Bible as promises yet to be fulfilled, when actually they’re statements of fact. We’ve prayed over them, thinking we’re waiting on God to bring them to pass, when in reality He’s waiting on us to simply believe them and put them into action. This is what’s happened to a great extent with John 14:12-13. Multitudes of Christians have treated those scriptures like prayer verses. They’ve prayed…and prayed…and prayed for God to bring to pass in their lives the words Jesus said there: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” The problem is, those are not prayer verses. They’re an accomplished reality. Jesus has already gone to the Father so we don’t have to pray for God to grant us the privilege and the power to do the works of Jesus. He’s already provided us with that power! Through His death, resurrection and ascension, Jesus has given every believer everywhere the right to ask (or to “make a demand,” as it’s more accurately rendered) in His Name and get the same results Jesus would get Himself. That’s what Peter did in Acts 3. You remember the story. He and John passed by the lame man at the Temple gate, and when the man asked them for alms: “Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God” (verses 4-8). “Yes, Brother Copeland, but that happened because Peter was an apostle,” someone might say. No it didn’t. It happened because he made a demand on Jesus’ Name, and Jesus did what Peter said. As the Healer, the High Priest and Administrator of the New Covenant He released His mighty power and made that man rise and walk. Peter himself confirmed that’s how the miracle happened immediately after it took place. When the people gathered around staring at him and John in wonder and amazement, he said: “Why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?…the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus…. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong…[and] given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all” (verses 12-13, 16). * * * article continues on next page * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Points to Get You There: 1. When you speak in Jesus’ Name, all of heaven will back what you say, as if Jesus was personally present saying the words Himself. John 14:12-14 2. Peter used the power of Jesus’ Name to heal the lame man at the Temple gate. Acts 3:6 3. The healing didn’t happen because Peter was an apostle but because he had faith in Jesus’ Name. Acts 3:16 4. Because you are one spirit with Christ and a member of the family of God, the Name of Jesus is your name too. Ephesians 3:14-15 5. As you spend time in The WORD and develop faith in Jesus’ Name, you’ll increasingly see the marvelous benefits of salvation. Psalm 91:14, 16 BVOV : 7

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