¹And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

   ²And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

   ³And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

   ⁴And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

   ⁵And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

   ⁶And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

   ⁷And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

   ⁸And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

   ⁹And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

   ¹⁰And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

   ¹¹And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

   ¹²Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

   ¹³And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

   ¹⁴And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

   ¹⁵And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

   ¹⁶And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

   ¹⁷And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

 ¹And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

   ²And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

   ³And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

   ⁴And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

   ⁵And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

   ⁶And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

   ⁷And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

   ⁸And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

   ⁹If any man have an ear, let him hear.

   ¹⁰He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

   ¹¹And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

   ¹²And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

   ¹³And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

   ¹⁴And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

   ¹⁵And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

   ¹⁶And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

   ¹⁷And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

   ¹⁸Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Now in the sixth month [after that], the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 To a girl never having been married and a virgin engaged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, Hail, O favored one [endued with grace]! The Lord is with you! Blessed (favored of God) are you before all other women! 29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled and disturbed and confused at what he said and kept revolving in her mind what such a greeting might mean. 30 And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace (free, spontaneous, absolute favor and loving-kindness) with God. 31 And listen! You will become pregnant and will give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great (eminent) and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His forefather David, 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob throughout the ages; and of His reign there will be no end. 34 And Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I have no [intimacy with any man as a] husband? 35 Then the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a shining cloud]; and so the holy (pure, sinless) Thing (Offspring) which shall be born of you will be called the Son of God. 36 And listen! Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. 38 Then Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said. And the angel left her.   Luke 1:26-38 AMP

 

Mary was a remarkable young woman. There is no indication from the scripture that she was sinless or that she was more holy or more divinely endowed with any characteristics or abilities more than any other young woman of her generation – except that she was a virgin, godly and pure, with a deep respect for God. The call of God was on her life, but the thing that set her apart was her humility, her obedience and her commitment to the will of God at any cost. God calls many people, but not many choose to accept His will for their lives over their own will and choices.

 

And at that time Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town of Judah, 40 And she went to the house of Zachariah and, entering it, saluted Elizabeth. 41 And it occurred that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud cry, and then exclaimed, Blessed (favored of God) above all other women are you! And blessed (favored of God) is the Fruit of your womb! 43 And how [have I deserved that this honor should] be granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, the instant the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from the Lord.  Luke 1:39-45 AMP

 

Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, was also a woman of God. The moment she heard Mary’s voice, the anointing fell on her. She knew, by the Spirit of God, that God had spoken to Mary and that she was carrying the Messiah in her womb. The power of God fell on Mary and she began to prophesy about the Salvation of the Lord:

 

And Mary said, My soul magnifies and extols the Lord, 47 And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 For He has looked upon the low station and humiliation of His handmaiden. For behold, from now on all generations [of all ages] will call me blessed and declare me happy and to be envied! 49 For He Who is almighty has done great things for me–and holy is His name [to be venerated in His purity, majesty and glory]! 50 And His mercy (His compassion and kindness toward the miserable and afflicted) is on those who fear Him with godly reverence, from generation to generation and age to age. 51 He has shown strength and made might with His arm; He has scattered the proud and haughty in and by the imagination and purpose and designs of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree. 53 He has filled and satisfied the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty-handed [without a gift]. 54 He has laid hold on His servant Israel [to help him, to espouse his cause], in remembrance of His mercy, 55 Even as He promised to our forefathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.   Luke 1:46-55 AMP

 

When you first welcome and receive the Word of the Lord into your heart and life and you accept His will and His purpose for you, you also receive an anointing to do what He has planned for you. After that, it is up to you to believe God’s Word to you and to walk it out in the face of opposition and criticism.

    

And Mary remained with her [Elizabeth] for about three months and [then] returned to her [own] home.  Luke 1:56 AMP

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].  James 5:16b AMP

 

When a righteous man prays a continued, earnest, heartfelt, prayer, there is a tremendous power that is released – a dynamic active power that effectively goes to work – producing the desired result. If you want our prayers to be answered, there are a few things that you must do to ensure the desired result – you must walk righteously before the Lord, you must pray sincerely and fervently – and very importantly – you must pray according to God’s will. As a Christian, yielded to the Spirit of God, you have the right to represent yourself in God’s presence and ask for the things you need. Because you have the right to come boldly, you can approach God with confidence.

 

14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him.  1 John 5:13-15 NIV

 

The Bible says that if you ask God for anything – according to His will – you can have absolute confidence that He is hearing your prayer. Some people pray as if God isn’t even listening, but the Bible says that if you ask anything according to His will, He does hear you. The Bible says that if you know that He hears you, you also know that He gives you whatever you asked for. Obviously that means that if He hears, He answers and if He does not hear, He does not answer. It is not hard to receive from God those things you ask for as long as you know that He is actually hearing you. Therefore you need to pray in such a way that you know that He will hear your prayer – your prayer must be in line with His will. His will is His Word. You must pray the way that the Word tells you to pray and you must pray the things that the Word tells you to pray, because God will only give you the things that He has already promised that He will give you.

 

The Lord says that His people are destroyed for the lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). People are generally misinformed about God – He is not looking for an opportunity to punish you or deprive you of anything – He is looking for an opportunity to bless you, but there is a process that you must go through. You must purify your heart and come both humbly and boldly into His presence to ask according to His will – which is already revealed to you in His Word. He has shown you how to ask – you need to get the revelation of it and do as He says if you want to see a result. If you are not going to pray properly, according to God’s guidelines, then you are basically wasting your time. It would be better to find out what He wants – do it – and reap the blessing!

 

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:26-28 NKJV

 

If you want God’s best for your life then you should spend time praying in the Spirit. When you pray in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit within you prays through you. The Holy Spirit prays the perfect will of God for you through your own mouth. The Spirit stands before God and makes intercession for you, praying God’s will over you on your behalf. You must open your mouth to pray and the Spirit of God will give you the utterance and pray through you. He will pray things through you and over you that only the Father, Jesus, and He (the Holy Spirit) understand and know about. The Holy Spirit asks God for things we cannot ask for, or do not know what to ask for, or do not know how to ask for. Remember, God always speaks things before He does them. He always speaks His will into existence. You are made in His image. If you want to see results, then you must do things the way He does. If He speaks things into existence, then you must also speak things into existence. When you pray God’s will, you are speaking God’s will for your life into existence. God has good plans for us – to give us hope and a future.

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

 

 

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  Luke 6:27-31 NIV

 

There is a big difference between having a religion and having a relationship with God. Religion is about what we can do and relationship is about God’s grace. Religion is about conforming on the outside with little or no regard for the condition of the heart, but when you have a relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ, it is your insides that He cares about and your heart that He asks for. When you are saved, the change first takes place on the inside and then on the outside. First, your spirit is born again. Second, you continue to change and grow as you renew your mind and soul to God’s word. There is a different, higher standard for God’s children than the children of the world, and it is the Holy Spirit that works in you to change you.

 

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners’ love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners’ do that.   34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners’ lend to `sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”  Luke 6:32-36 NIV

 

When Jesus lives big in our heart, we are kind and loving even to those who don’t love us, expecting nothing back from them. We are merciful, just as our Father is merciful.

 

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”   Luke 6:37-38 NIV

 

Religious people, obsessed with the outward, tend to be overly judgmental of others. None of us are perfect and it is not that hard to find fault with each other. Thank God, He does not judge us according to our behavior alone, but He looks at our heart. God does not want to judge us, but He does want to forgive us. Religion does not want to forgive you, but it wants to make you conform to a set of rules.

 

He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, `Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  Luke 6:39-42 NIV

 

When we just have religion, we have a tendency to judge others, whilst we do not judge ourselves. However, God wants us to judge our own heart and mind our own business. We need to let God take care of other people and we need to take care of ourselves. We must remember that every one of us will stand alone before God and give an account for our own life, our heart and our attitude. We need to show mercy if we want to receive mercy.

January 16, 2009 – January 23, 2009

Rodney Howard Browne will be speaking at Christian Life Center in Riverside California on Friday January 16, 2008 through Friday January 23, 2009. Services for this life changing event will start at 7:00 p.m. each night. Saints from Southern California and across America are also invited to attend this 7 night event.

 

Speaker: Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne
Christian Life Center
9085 California Avenue
Riverside, California 92503
United States
(951) 689-6785
Power Evangelism January 12th-24th @ 9 am

The Tounge

Proverbs 18:20-21 NKJV

 

There is a saying, heard most often on the playgrounds of the world, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me!” However, according to the Bible, words are extremely powerful. They are powerful when they are positive and powerful when they are negative. Words have power to replay over and over in our minds. All of us are more strongly influenced by words than any other force.

Why do coaches give pep talks to their athletes before the competition? Because it works! They pump them up with words of encouragement. “Go on! You can do it! You can win! You are the best! You’re a winner!” Those words ring in the athlete’s ears. “I can do it! I will do better than before! I will reach up higher and push myself further! I will do the best that I have ever done! Coach believes in me! I believe in me! I can win!”

 

A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.  Proverbs 18:7-8 KJV

 

By the same token, negative destructive words can deeply wound us and bring defeat and heartache. There are people with great potential, who never fulfill that potential because someone told them that they were worthless and useless. These words continue to influence them for years after they were verbalized. They want to achieve more, they want to be successful, but fear and insecurity hold them in bondage. Only the love of God can change them. Only the precious Holy Spirit can go deep on the inside and begin to heal the scars and bring value to that person’s life.

 

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  Luke 6:37-38 NIV

 

Our OWN MOUTH brings either life and blessing or death and destruction to our OWN LIFE. Whatever we allow to come out of our mouth, whether good or bad, is what we will have to live with. We bring judgment upon ourselves according to the standards we set with our own mouths. The measure we use will be measured back to us. We EAT the FRUIT of our OWN LIPS. The Bible says that we have to be satisfied with the fruit of our mouths. We cannot blame God or anyone else for our harvest

 

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”  Matthew 12:33-37 NIV

 

You set the standard of your own judgment, so that when you finally stand before the Lord your own words will either acquit you or condemn you. God looks on your HEART. The words that flow out of your mouth, spring forth from your heart. Your heart is the source and your mouth is the fountain that pours forth either blessing or cursing.

 

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Proverbs 4:23-24 NIV

 

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3 NIV

 

In order to lead a blessed, peaceful and successful life, you need to do two things: guard your heart (get an attitude adjustment) and put a guard on your lips (watch your mouth)!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Holy Spirit our teacher 

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

John 16:12-15 NIV

The Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of truth.” God’s Word is true and sure. He never changes and His Word never changes. He cannot lie or deceive. What He speaks comes to pass. All His paths are straight paths. The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are in one accord. They speak the same things and they do the same things. They never contradict each other — they uplift and confirm each other. Jesus spoke the Father’s words and did the Father’s will and so does the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit exalts and glorifies Jesus. He reveals the character and nature of God to us and He confirms every word that Jesus spoke to us. When we act on God’s word and do what Jesus said to do, then the Holy Spirit acts to confirm the Word with signs and wonders following (Mark 16:20).

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.

As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit– just as it has taught you, remain in him.  I John 2:20 & 27 NIV

The anointing of the Holy Spirit on us and in us teaches us all of the truth that is revealed in God’s Word. One definition of the anointing is that it is the presence and power of God manifested. The anointing is the tangible presence of God. These scriptures do not mean that no one can teach us anything and that we do not need pastors or teachers or other Christians to instruct us. It means that as we receive God’s Word — whether by reading it ourselves or by hearing it preached by others — the Holy Spirit will give us revelation of what it means to our lives. He will speak to us personally and show us the things that apply directly to us. Everything that the Holy Spirit reveals to us and teaches us will cause us to move closer to God and to become more like Him.

God’s word and His will are not hidden from us – they are revealed in His written word. We cannot understand the things of God -– no matter who tries to teach us — unless the Spirit of God opens the eyes of our understanding. Without the help of the Spirit, it is as if we have a veil over our eyes and we walk in darkness (1 John 2:11). The more of the Spirit we have, the more of God we come to know and understand. The natural mind does not understand the things of the Spirit. When we are born-again, we understand more of Him. When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, we understand even more. The more we submit ourselves to God and the more we allow Him to work in our lives, the more we come to know Him. We are made in the image of God. He wants us to think like Him, talk like Him and act like Him!

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.  1 Corinthians 2:9-16 NKJ

 

 

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 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. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.   Romans 10:8-17 NKJ 

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Doubt and unbelief come from listening to the world’s opinions and ideas and the devil’s lies. Faith means simply ”believing that God will do what He says He will do”. Your faith in God is built on what you know about Him and His plan for you and His will for your life. There is only one place you can go to find what you need to know about God and that is His Word.   Shortly before you were born again, you heard the Word of God and faith rose in your heart. You acted on your faith, believing in your heart that God’s Word was true – that Jesus died for you and that God raised Him from the dead and so you confessed with your mouth that He is your Savior and your Lord and you were transformed. Faith for healing and the blessing of God comes to you the same way – you hear the Word. Your faith is what makes the promise of God as reality in your life. Jesus made this statement regularly, “YOUR faith has made you whole!” At other times He rebuked people for their doubt and unbelief. YOU are the one who chooses to walk either in faith or in doubt.  

After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them– the children of Israel. “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.  Joshua 1:1-3 NKJ “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:8-9 NKJ 

 God told Joshua to take the children of Israel across the Jordan because He had given them all the land of Canaan. He told Joshua that He would be with them and would cause them to be victorious over their enemies. Joshua had never fought a battle, never mind led anyone else into battle. He had to use his faith and trust that what God said would be, would be. God gave him some sound advice to build up his faith and give him wisdom. God told Joshua to take the Book of the Law and read it and study it and meditate on it. He needed to get it from his head into his heart. You will never move God’s Word from your head to your heart, unless you meditate on it constantly. It must become part of you so that you see it as your ultimate reality and you believe every word and your faith is established in and on God.  The Hebrew word “meditate” also means to murmur; to ponder; to imagine; to mutter; to roar; to speak; to study; to talk; and to utter. If you want the Word of God to build your faith, you must take time to not only study it, but to speak it out loud to yourself all day. Even if you just take one scripture and mutter it to yourself over and over – the Holy Spirit will cause it to become revelation to you and it will drop down from just being head knowledge into a heart understanding. Knowledge without understanding is not very effective. Faith comes from your heart so you must put God’s Word deep down into your heart.  People want God to just pour faith into them without any effort on their part. Some people wait many years for this to happen, but it never does. God is not going to just douse you in faith. You have to make a decision to fill yourself up with God’s Word and when you do, doubt will never bother you again. You will be saturated in God’s Word and infused with faith in God. So then faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the Word of God! 

1 Corinthians 2:4-5  (NKJ)

4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.One day, I was reading a Bible commentary written by a theologian who had decided to explain away every passage of scripture that contained any reference to the anointing or the supernatural power of God.  He said that it was asinine to think that in this day and age the anointing can actually be transferred by the laying on of hands.He had chosen to overlook the supernatural aspect of God’s Word.  He said that the supernatural occurred by the laying on of hands under the Old Covenant, but under the New Covenant it was merely symbolic.  He was confused. The Old Covenant is symbolic (types and shadows), while the New Covenant is the substance.  The Old Covenant made promises, but the New Covenant delivers them! The laying on of hands for impartation is New Testament.  It is one of the basic doctrines of Christ (Hebrews 6:1-6).

 

In many church circles they deny the power of God its rightful place.  Why?  Because they deny that the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Apostle Paul moves now like He did in Bible days.  Many also believe what is called the “passed away” theology – that everything in the Gospels and the book of Acts passed away with the last Apostles.  I DON’T BELIEVE THAT – NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL.

I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER (Hebrews 13:8).

It is no wonder that many people, especially our youngsters, are turning to rock, heavy metal music, grunge music, drugs, alcohol, free sex, and alternate lifestyles.  The yuppie generation is turning to the cults, the psychics and the New Age movement.  This happens because they have a hunger in their hearts for the supernatural.  They want something that is real.  The Church is not meeting or fulfilling the need of the heart of man for the touch of God.

The church has become a referral system.  Alcohol and drug addicts are sent first to other places for rehabilitation, instead of being set free by the power of the Holy Ghost.  God is so awesome and so powerful that if the world could see Him as He really is – they would be changed!

One of the things I have a hard time understanding is that people would want to have a church meeting without God and without His presence.  Is it because, maybe they are afraid that if God manifested His presence then He might offend someone?  Or is it because they might have to change?  Why is it that some people pray for revival, but they don’t welcome or accept it when it comes?  Is it because it is not packaged the way they want it packaged?

They want something that is dignified and something that is acceptable to man.  However the move of God must not become acceptable to man, but man must become acceptable to the move of God.  If you are going to have a church meeting involving Almighty God then something is going to happen.  It is impossible for God’s presence to be made manifest and then nothing happens.

Don’t tell me that the anointing of the Lord was present in a meeting, but nothing happened!  You might have a large church, thousands of people, a beautiful robed choir, beautiful chandeliers, clarinet solos, celebrity speakers, and a large television ministry, but without the anointing and the touch of God – you have nothing at all.

Foundational Scripture: Romans 5:12-19

 

V12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for all that all have sinned.

V13 (For until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

V14  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

V15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift.  For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

V16  And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

V17  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.)

V18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

V19  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. As born-again believers, it is very important that we understand exactly what transpired at

Calvary’s Cross.  Jesus was paying the price for the sins of the world.  He was the second Adam and He came to get back what the first Adam lost.  When Adam sinned and committed high treason, he bowed his knee to the devil and death reigned.  For this reason Jesus had to pay the price, being obedient to die on the cross.  Even as by Adam’s disobedience death reigned, so by Jesus’ obedience, life came.  He didn’t do it for Himself, but for us.  He went to the cross as 100% Man and 100% God.

 Phillipians 2:5-8V5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

V6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.

V7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

V8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  He was despised for us – He bore our grief – He carried our sorrows – He was wounded for ourtransgressions.  He was bruised for our iniquities – He was chastised in order to obtain peace for us – Hebore stripes so that we could be healed.  He bore the iniquity for us all – He was oppressed – He was afflicted – He was cut off from the land of the living.  He was stricken for the transgression of His people – He made His grave with the wicked and the rich man in His death.  He was bruised and put to grief by God’s pleasure for us – He was made an offering for sin. Isaiah 53:1-10

V1 Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

V2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

V3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him: he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

V4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

V5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

V6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

V7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

V8 He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

V9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

V10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Adam, by His disobedience, went to the tree of knowledge of good and evil and brought death upon mankind.  Jesus, by His obedience, went to the cross and died, resulting in eternal life for us.  Jesus took your and my place.  By His obedience we have life.  Adam’s disobedience was a selfish act, motivated by sin, resulting in death.  Jesus’ obedience was an unselfish act, motivated by a love that knows no limits.  Jesus’ act of unselfish love resulted in our eternal life.