“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?]  Romans 8:31 AMP

So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?  Hebrews 13:6 AMP

If God is for us then WHO can be against us? The answer is NO ONE! If God is on our side, we can have confidence that He is watching over us, protecting us and providing for us. The Lord is our helper therefore man can do nothing to us to harm us. We should not be fearful, but we should rather put our trust and confidence in Him. He will NEVER let us down!

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP

My son, let them not escape from your sight, but keep sound and godly Wisdom and discretion, 22 And they will be life to your inner self, and a gracious ornament to your neck (your outer self). 23 Then you will walk in your way securely and in confident trust, and you shall not dash your foot or stumble. 24 When you lie down, you shall not be afraid; yes, you shall lie down, and your sleep shall be sweet.  Proverbs 3:21-24 AMP

And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.  Psalms 9:10 NKJV

The measure of the protection and provision that God can give us is according to the measure of our faith and trust in Him. Without God, we rely totally on ourselves and our knowledge and ability, which is limited, incomplete and inadequate. God makes it so much easier on us – He encourages us to trust Him – to lean on and put our confidence in Him. He promises that if we acknowledge Him and His wisdom and ask for His help, then He will give us direction and make everything straighter, easier and smoother than it would have been without Him. He knows everything, He is everywhere, He is all-powerful and He never sleeps! We can rest and sleep and be at peace, knowing that He is in charge of our life. He will NEVER leave us or let us down! We can totally trust Him – in all things and for all things!

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever leans on, trusts in, and puts his confidence in the Lord is safe and set on high.  Proverbs 29:25 AMP

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they look not to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek and consult the Lord!  Isaiah 31:1 AMP
Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. 7 Some trust in and boast of chariots and some of horses, but we will trust in and boast of the name of the Lord our God. 8 They are bowed down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright. 9 O Lord, give victory; let the King answer us when we call.  Psalms 20:6-9 AMP

You can trust in the arm of the flesh – man’s ability – and you can look to the world for your answers, but you will not be successful – it’s a sure recipe for disaster! Don’t look at the worldly system and think that they have all the answers, because you can see the results of following man and following man’s ideas – the world is in a mess! However, if you trust in God, He will not fail you nor let you down. With His help, you will always be victorious!

What time I am afraid, I will have confidence in and put my trust and reliance in You. 4 By [the help of] God I will praise His word; on God I lean, rely, and confidently put my trust; I will not fear. What can man, who is flesh, do to me?  Psalms 56:3-4 AMP

Out of my distress I called upon the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free and in a large place. 6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is on my side and takes my part, He is among those who help me; therefore shall I see my desire established upon those who hate me. 8 It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.  Psalms 118:5-9 AMP

When you’re afraid, when you’re in distress, don’t allow fear to take over. Look to the Lord and His word – put your confidence in HIM and call on Him for help.

For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my trust from my youth and the source of my confidence. 6 Upon You have I leaned and relied from birth; You are He Who took me from my mother’s womb and You have been my benefactor from that day. My praise is continually of You. 7 I am as a wonder and surprise to many, but You are my strong refuge.  Psalms 71:5-7 AMP

When you put your hope, trust and confidence in God, as a way of life, He will become your benefactor. The world cannot understand how you make it through and how you always come out on top. You will be a wonder and a surprise to many. Your life is a testimony to the greatness and goodness of God and HE will get all the glory!

Those who trust in, lean on, and confidently hope in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides and stands fast forever. 2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people from this time forth and forever.  Psalms 125:1-2 AMP

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!  2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP

“Therefore if any man be in Christ…” What does it mean to be “in Christ”? Galatians 3:27 says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” You are baptized into Christ when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” And Romans 10:13 says, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The moment you believe in Jesus, call on Him, and confess Him as Lord, you are “in Christ”. You are made a brand-new creation in Christ! You are brand new on the inside! The Holy Spirit has given you new life! You are also immediately made righteous. You don’t have to wait to be righteous – you ARE righteous because Jesus took ALL your sin and exchanged it for His righteousness. He removed your old filthy rags and put a spotless robe of righteous on you!

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Romans 3:23-26 KJV

He says “to declare at this time His righteousness! You are freely justified WHEN you believe. Not later; not only when you die and go to Heaven. Jesus said that you cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven unless you are born again of the Spirit of God (John 3:1-8). Born-again Christians are not merely reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated – they have been re-created! When we are converted to Christ, we are not merely turning over a new leaf, but we are beginning a whole new life, under a brand-new Master.

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  Romans 6:4 KJV

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.  2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV

Jesus traded His righteousness for our sin – He took our sin away from us and gave us, in return, His righteousness. We don’t just HAVE righteousness, we are MADE righteous. We are the righteousness of God in Christ! We are not becoming righteous – we are already righteous right now! We can walk in newness of life, because that’s exactly what we have – a brand new life.

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)  Romans 5:17 KJV

That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 5:21 KJV

Believers are not sinners, saved by grace. They WERE sinners – then they received Jesus – now they are the righteousness of God in Christ! If you keep seeing yourself as a sinner, then you will act like one and you will have a hard time walking with God and keeping your life straight. We need to learn what God’s word says about who we are in Christ and develop a righteousness consciousness. Because we have already received the gift of righteousness, we can – right now – reign in life through Jesus, Himself. We reign over sin; we reign over sickness and disease; we reign over poverty; we reign over the devil and his demons; we reign in righteousness in THIS life.

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.  Revelation 5:9-10 KJV

Jesus made us kings – a royal race – and priests, unto our God, so that we can reign over the earth! He didn’t say that we would reign only in Heaven – we are to righteously reign in this life, on this earth – we are kings and priests now!

For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith.  Romans 1:17 AMP

Only the righteous man and woman can LIVE by faith. The Father makes us righteous by faith so that we can continue to live by faith! You need to learn what the Word of God says about you, so you can see yourself as God sees you – washed in the blood, righteous, and just – and then walk it out in your life.

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.  1 John 2:28-29 NKJV

We can stand before our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at His coming with confidence, when we know that we have obeyed His word and submitted our life to it. He promised that when his words lived and dwelt in us, then He and the Father would come and live permanently with us. If we have a true revelation of who He is and what He has done in us, then we will walk like He walks; we will walk in righteousness. When we walk with God, in righteousness, two things happen: people see that we are His and we belong to Him and He will come to our defense when others attack or persecute us.

Jesus is the light of the world-let him shine through you:

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”  John 8:12 NKJV

You are the light of the world – do not hide your light – let it shine:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.       Matthew 5:10-16 NKJV

The blessing of God is on your life, when you receive persecution for the sake of righteousness. Because of the blessing, because you know that God is on your side, you can be bold in the face of opposition. Because of fear of persecution, there are those who would draw back and try to hide the light that is in them through Jesus Christ, but he tells us to shine our light boldly. When we do, He will be there to back us up. When our light shines, God is glorified. When we hide the light that is on the inside of us, He receives no glory. Let your light shine for the glory of God. Let your light shine so that those who seek Him can see and be drawn to that light to receive salvation and deliverance, and themselves be lit up with His light.

You are the salt of the earth. You are “salty” as long as you walk in purity of heart and soul before the Lord. The world needs your salt. If the Church compromises and walks like the world, they are no longer salty. It might not be popular to be salty, but it is essential – for the believers and the unbelievers. Do not succumb to the pressure to compromise that the world puts on you. Have a backbone and stand up for the Gospel; stand up for what is right and true. Too many Christians are yielding to this world’s system, by accepting their standards instead of standing up for the Word of God and His standards. If we do not stand up for the truth of the Word of God, then who will?

Do not be ashamed of Jesus or He will be ashamed of you:

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.  35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’  37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.  38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.  Matthew 10:32-39 NKJV

Sometimes your greatest persecution can come from those of your own house. If you are ashamed of, and deny, Jesus in front of people, then Jesus have to deny you in the presence of the Father. It is like being married, and denying your spouse. If you want to stay married, you will wear your wedding ring proudly and show off your spouse. We should be proud and honored to belong to Jesus and to show Him off to others. This is the only way to bring His salvation, deliverance and freedom to the nations – by lifting Him up and honoring Him before men. He said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to Me.”

Stand up for your faith:

Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.  James 1:12 AMP

And [then] when the Chief Shepherd is revealed, you will win the conqueror’s crown of glory.  1 Peter 5:4 AMP

Stand up for your faith even if it means persecution. Stand up for your faith even if it means a martyr’s death. God has promised glorious crowns to those who stand up for Him through temptations, trials and persecutions.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom).  2 Corinthians 3:17 AMP

The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America declares that:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness;…”

The framers of our Constitution recognized that God alone was the Author of life, of freedom, and of man’s free will.  Liberty is the very essence of the Gospel.

Since God is the one who gives men freedom, there is no government that can legally give it to you – it is not theirs to give. Governments may claim to control your freedom, and therefore give or take it away, but they do not have that right. What kings and governments do is to put people into bondage and when they loosen up the restrictions, they call it freedom. Alternatively, they give you “freedom” inside their own controlled, narrow boundaries. None of this is true freedom.

In God’s eyes, the role of government is only to protect the freedoms of the people and restrict the freedoms of (imprison) those who seek to rob others of their freedoms by killing, stealing, or otherwise destroying. All the laws that they pass should be to allow people to freely conduct business and live their lives as they choose. In a world where every person was a true follower of Christ, there would be no need for laws, because everyone would govern themselves and their behavior by the laws of God. Everyone would love their neighbor and seek their best interests. No one would enslave or oppress another, and no one would be enslaved or oppressed.

Laws are made for lawless men. If you transgress the law, you become subject to it. If you are entirely submitted to the commandment of God, then the law is not applied to you. No one has the right to oppress another or to enslave another. God gave us no commandment to have slaves; however, when men, in their ignorance to the Gospel and the truth, took slaves, He gave commands for proper treatment of slaves. He even provided a Year of Jubilee – for the release of slaves. The fact is that slavery is a curse brought on by rebellion and disobedience to God’s laws.  As long as men curse God, slavery will continue. The only hope is another Year of Jubilee and Jesus is that Jubilee! You do not have to wait fifty years – you can have it now!

Here are some examples of the way that some people impose slavery upon others: to physically enslave men; to oppress and keep them in ignorance; to force them against their free will; to deprive them of compensation, or appropriate compensation, for work done; to prevent proper home life and training of their children; to fetter (restrict or restrain) the intellect; to make some dependent on others; to promote any inequality in rights contrary to the laws of God.

We see this slavery at work in our nations today. Banks and corporations keep people in slavery through debt. Their goal is not to help people find financial independence, but rather to keep them in debt and dependent on the system. When governments support people by helping them to own and run their own businesses, and by helping and encouraging them to earn their own living, then they are doing something good. However, when governments give people handouts on a continual basis, people become dependent on the government, and therefore are owned and controlled by them. The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7 AMP).

People are enslaved through lack of education. In school, they are not taught what they need to know but only what the government wants them to know. This is happening in so-called “free” countries, and not just in ones ruled by dictators. If people do not know their history, they are doomed to repeat it. People know everything about the pop culture or their favorite athletic team, but nothing about what they really ought to know in order to stand up against tyranny. Governments enslave people when they hide things from the people; when they are not transparent and open; when they receive bribes to decide things in the interest of a few at the expense of the many.

When you cannot choose your own vocation, and someone tells you what job you will do, then you are enslaved. Around the world, there are many people who are overworked and underpaid and whose lives are controlled by the companies for whom they work. This is a form of slavery. Many people are so completely enslaved, even today, that they have no control even over their own bodies, and they are bought and sold as slaves.

Governments impose slavery upon the people, when they insist that they are the only ones who have the intelligence to govern and that everyone else is too ignorant to govern or even to question their decisions. It is a form of slavery to undermine the family. When the government has more control over a child’s life than the parents do, then that nation is enslaved. Governments impose slavery upon the people when they take control of the Health Care programs and decisions, and they begin to decide who may live or die. When governments can abort babies and prematurely kill old people, and handicapped or infirm people, then that nation is enslaved.

The main reason people are enslaved, is because they are ignorant of the word and the will of Almighty God. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6a NKJV). The reason that the Constitution of the United States of America, and the Bill of Rights, are such powerful documents is because they are based on the principles of the Word of God. As long as men acknowledge God in this nation, our country will stand strong. However, when men dishonor God, the guiding principles of our founding documents will no longer be able to stand, and the nation will fall to tyranny and darkness. It is left up to those of us, who walk in the light, to stand up for the truth and to bring others into the light, so that our people and our nation might remain truly free.

And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus, passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, 0 Lord, thou son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, 0 Lord, thou son of David.

 

And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

MATTHEW 20:30-34

 

Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

 

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

LUKE 7:12-15

 

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

MATTHEW 9:35-36

 

And fifth, He healed people because of their faith. The centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 said, “Lord, You don’t have to go anywhere, just speak the Word and my servant will be healed.” Jesus marveled at the faith of this man who was not even an Israelite and declared that his servant was healed according to what he believed.

 

In Mark 5:25-34, the woman who had the issue of blood believed she would receive her healing if she could only touch Jesus’ garment. Jesus did not notice her touching His garment until He felt the anointing flowing out of Him into her, drawn out by her faith. Jesus told her that it was her faith that had made her whole.

 

Is healing always the will of God? And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy.” who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

 

And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will.” be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

LUKE 5:12-13

I want you to see something about the anointing

of God upon individuals. God doesn’t choose whom we

would choose. God doesn’t look upon a person’s

qualifications. God doesn’t look upon their education.

 

God doesn’t look upon their stature. Their abilities in the

natural have absolutely nothing to do with Him placing

His hand upon them.

 

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many

wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many

noble, are called:

 

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to

confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak

things of the world to confound the things which are

mighty;

 

And the base things of the world, and things which are

despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are

not, to bring to nought things that are:

That no flesh should glory in his presence.

 

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

 

A New Testament Example

 

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which

beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and

bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that

himself was some great one:

 

To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the

greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

And to him they had regard, because that of long time

he had bewitched them with sorceries.

 

But when they believed Philip preaching the things

concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus

Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was

baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered,

beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard

that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent

unto them Peter and John:

 

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them,

that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

 

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they

were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

 

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received

the Holy Ghost.

 

And when Simon saw that through laying on of the

apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered

them money,

 

Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever

I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

 

But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee,

because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be

purchased with money.

 

Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy

heart is not right in the sight of God.

 

Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God,

if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven

thee.

 

For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and

in the bond of iniquity.

 

Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord

for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken

come upon me.

 

Acts 8:9-20

 

Foundation Scriptures: Psalms 42:1-2, Psalms 63:1, Psalms 36:7-9, Psalms 34:8, Isaiah 55:1-2, Matthew 5:6, John 7:37-38, Revelation 21:6, Revelation 22:17

 

As the heart pants and longs for the water brooks, so I pant and long for You, O God. 2 My inner self thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?  Psalms 42:1-2 AMP

1.  Spiritual hunger is the number one ingredient for revival and the only way to receive anything from God.

 

a.  Spiritual appetite is something that needs to be developed, cultivated, and protected. It determines how hungry you are for the things of God.

b.  As with natural things, your diet—what you put in your mouth—dictates what you will be, so it is with spiritual things. You are what you eat! If you eat junk food, that is what you will be hungry for—that is what you will crave. You will not have an appetite for the things that are good for you and nourishing to your body. As a result, you will be sick, have health problems and die prematurely. If you make a habit of eating good, healthy, wholesome food, you will have an appetite for more good food and your body will be healthy and strong and resistant to disease. You will live longer and will have a good quality of life.

     ?  Body: A healthy body: healthy heart; strong constitution; no health problems; etc. An unhealthy body: sickly; anemic; high cholesterol; heart conditions; cancer, pain; etc.

     ?  Spirit: Eating good spiritual food will produce a healthy heart—free, filled with joy and peace and all of the nine fruit of the Spirit. Eating spiritual junk food—giving in to the appetites and lusts of the flesh—will produce a sickly heart, filled with anger, bitterness, covetousness, strife, and all the 17 works of the flesh.

 

2.  What must you do to develop a hungry heart?

 

a.   Strip away everything that would clog up your heart, hinder you, and cause you to lose your hunger for God and for what is good.

b.   Take a critical look at how you use your time.

     ?   What is your daily routine?

     ?   How much time is wasted time: TV; movies; sports; friends; restaurants; Internet; computer games; etc?

c.   Get rid of spiritual junk food.

     ?   False doctrines

     ?   Wrong associations; bad influences

     ?   Wrong choices; wrong living

d.  Pray; spend time in the Word of God; meditate on the Word; be filled with the Spirit; be  led by the Spirit.

 

3.   Ask yourself: Am I hungry for God with a passion?

 

a.  If yes: protect your heart and your mind so you stay that way.

b.  If no: ask yourself what you must do to cut the spiritual junk food out of your life.

 

4.   Always: be humble; be repentant; allow God’s Word to correct you; make straight paths for your feet; God’s Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.

O God, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is.  Psalms 63:1 AMP

How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of men take refuge and put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. 8 They relish and feast on the abundance of Your house; and You cause them to drink of the stream of Your pleasures. 9 For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light do we see light.  Psalms 36:7-9 AMP

O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him.  Psalms 34:8 AMP

Wait and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing]. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy].  Isaiah 55:1-2 AMP

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.  Matthew 5:6 NKJV

Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! 38 He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.  John 7:37-38 AMP

And He [further] said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I [Myself] will give water without price from the fountain (springs) of the water of Life.  Revelation 21:6 AMP

The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost.  Revelation 22:17 AMP

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Ephesians 6:10-18 KJV

1. Standing on the promises

God has made us many wonderful promises, but His promises won’t do anything for you, personally, unless and until you believe His word and stand on it. He has already done the giving – you need to do the receiving. Remember this: God does not lie and cannot lie.

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19 KJV

2. Keep praising and worshipping your way to victory

…for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10 KJV

As long as you are praising and worshipping God, you can keep your eyes on Him and His promises. The joy of the Lord is your strength! The devil tries to get you to take your eyes off God and His Word. If the devil can steal your joy, he will be able to steal your stuff.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. Acts 16:25-26 KJV

When you worship God, bands are loosed.

3. Keep an attitude of gratitude

All these curses shall come upon you and shall pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. 46 They shall be upon you for a sign [of warning to other nations] and for a wonder, and upon your descendants forever. 47 Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness of [mind and] heart [in gratitude] for the abundance of all [with which He had blessed you]. Deuteronomy 28:45-47 AMP

If you have a bad attitude, you will miss out on the blessings God has for you. Serve God with joyfulness in your heart and mind. Be thankful for all He has blessed you with and show Him your thankfulness. Show it in your mouth and in your giving. Think back on all your victories. Remind yourself of all that God has done for you. Testify – talk about your victories. Tell others.

4. Stay consistent in your commitment to walking out the promises of Go

a. Church attendance – don’t forsake gathering together

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV

We need each other. We need to stand together and worship together, and encourage each other, and stir each other up to do good – to walk in love, and do good works.

b. Fellowship with the believers – don’t be a loner

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3 KJV

c. Prayer

Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12 AMP

d. Study the word

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

e. Walking in love and forgiveness

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. Mark 11:25-26 KJV

We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

1 John 4:19-21 KJV

f. Giving – keep giving

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 KJV

g. Be a witness and demonstrate the power of the resurrection

(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:2-4 KJV

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

Foundation Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 3:17 – 4:7 (ASV) Vs. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, (there) is liberty. Vs. 18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the spirit. 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not:  Vs. 2  but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

 Vs. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish. Vs. 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn (upon them). Vs. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. Vs. 6 Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Vs. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

 Wherever the Spirit of God is allowed and welcomed—there is liberty. If we allow the Holy Spirit free rein and free course, to do whatever He wants—then we will have liberty and freedom. If we inhibit and try to control Him, we will have bondage. Religion—man’s ideas, man’s tradition—always produces bondage. Because we are born again, because we handle God’s Word truthfully, and because we allow God to work in us, we see and know His glory. His glory is not hidden from us as if we look through a veil, but we see Him clearer and clearer all the time. God’s Word is the mirror we look into (James 1:23-25).

The devil blinds the unbeliever’s eyes to the glorious light of the gospel, as if they had a veil covering their face. They cannot understand God’s Word. It makes no sense to them. You will notice that the scripture (verse 4) says that their minds are blinded. The heart is the part of man ready to receive. We must reach past a person’s mind, into the heart, with the gospel. Preach the gospel to their spirit man. You receive the truth of God’s Word into your heart by faith. As your spirit lights up with God’s presence, your eyes begin to open to Him and you start to see Him more clearly. We do not preach of ourselves, by ourselves, nor do we preach our own gospel (2 Corinthians 3:5). We speak what we hear our Father say—or so it should be. Jesus did not preach His own ideas—He preached exactly what He heard His Father say to Him.

 Verse 6 – The light of God shines on us, in us, and through us as we allow His Word to enter our hearts and minds. The knowledge and truth that God has given us concerning Jesus is the light that shines in and through us. Imagine a book, lying open, in a darkened room—you cannot read it. Then you flip on the light switch and you can see every word. It is the same book, no matter how much light is in the room, or not. The amount of light, reflected on the book and bouncing into one’s eyes, determines how easy it is to read the words on the pages. God is the light. The more you have of Him, the more you know and understand Him. You begin to see things differently than before. Psalms 119:105 (KJV) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

 Verse 7 – God chooses to use “earthen” vessels so that when His glory is displayed through these vessels, He will be glorified. Everyone can see that the vessel does not have much to give and they realize that God is the One doing the work in and through that vessel, and God gets all the glory. God is glorified in and through yielded vessels.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

John 16:31-33  (NIV)

31      “You believe at last!” Jesus answered.

32      “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

33      “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

 

JESUS PRAYED THIS PRAYER FOR YOU.

 

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

 

“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name– the name you gave me– so that they may be one as we are one.

While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

 

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.

I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

 

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

 

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

 

“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

John 17:1-26 (NIV)

 

AS YOU MEDITATE ON THIS PRAYER – TAKE IT PERSONALLY – RECEIVE IT AS IF HE IS SPEAKING ABOUT YOU – BECAUSE HE IS!