The Importance of Discernment in Today's World

We live in an age when information travels around the world in seconds. Millions of people turn to YouTube, podcasts, social media, and independent broadcasters for news, opinions, and warnings about the future. Many commentators have enormous audiences whose followers trust their opinions and sometimes make important decisions based on what they hear. But how often do we examine the accuracy of these reports, especially when someone makes alarming predictions about what lies ahead?

Recently, I watched an online video warning about approaching international conflict, economic instability, and possible disruptions to everyday life. The presentation included references to government emergency preparations, military security measures, and growing international tensions. Some of these concerns are genuine, but does that necessarily mean a catastrophe is imminent? It reminded me of the importance of examining warnings before accepting them as established facts.

Over the years, commentators have warned about impending economic collapse, international wars, political upheaval, health emergencies, and the breakdown of society. Some warnings have proved justified, while others have not materialized. In certain cases, specific dates were suggested, yet the anticipated events never occurred. This does not mean those issuing the warnings were deliberately misleading their audiences. Many sincerely believed their predictions. However, sincerity does not guarantee accuracy, and popularity does not give anyone special knowledge of future events.

Another difficulty is that predictions often have no definite time frame. When someone announces that economic collapse or war is approaching, does that mean next month, next year, or ten years from now? Without clearly defined expectations, almost any prediction can remain open indefinitely. If nothing happens, the danger can simply be described as delayed. A prediction should be evaluated by what was actually predicted, when it was expected, and whether the evidence supported it.

One of the greatest challenges is distinguishing genuine facts from the conclusions commentators draw from them. Governments regularly prepare for emergencies, military installations strengthen security, and intelligence agencies investigate potential threats. These are legitimate responsibilities, but does government preparation automatically mean catastrophe is imminent? A military base developing independent electrical supplies does not mean officials know the national power grid is about to collapse. A commentator may present accurate facts but draw conclusions those facts do not establish. We must remember that facts are not the same as interpretations, and interpretations are not the same as predictions.

Modern podcasting and YouTube broadcasting are highly competitive. Thousands of content creators compete for viewers, subscribers, advertising revenue, and sponsorships. Dramatic headlines and alarming predictions attract attention, often generating more interest than balanced reporting. While many broadcasters sincerely believe their warnings, financial incentives cannot be ignored. More views can mean greater revenue, and fear can motivate people to watch and share content.

Repeated exposure to alarming predictions can also affect our peace of mind. When people continually hear that war, economic collapse, or social disorder is just around the corner, they may begin living with unnecessary anxiety about events that may never occur. We should remain informed about genuine dangers without allowing fear to dominate our thinking. There is a considerable difference between warning that something could happen and declaring that it will happen.

We have a responsibility to examine important claims rather than accepting everything we hear. A commentator's confidence, popularity, or political position does not guarantee accuracy. When someone claims a government has issued an extraordinary warning, examine the original announcement. When military preparations are presented as evidence of approaching war, distinguish confirmed developments from speculation. It is also reasonable to consider a commentator's previous record. Were earlier predictions accurate? When predictions proved incorrect, were those mistakes acknowledged? Admitting an error demonstrates integrity and respect for one's audience.

Common sense should guide our response. There is nothing wrong with maintaining emergency food, water, medications, and essential supplies. Living in Florida, we understand the importance of preparing for hurricanes and unexpected emergencies. However, sensible preparation does not require accepting every alarming prediction circulating on the internet. We can be prepared without being fearful, informed without becoming alarmed, and cautious without allowing worry to control our lives.

As a Christian minister, my calling has always been to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and encourage believers to grow in faith, confidence, and trust in God. I have no desire to attack individuals because of their opinions or predictions. My concern is that believers should exercise wisdom and not allow unnecessary fear to take root in their hearts. The Bible provides excellent guidance concerning the information we receive. First Thessalonians 5:21 (KJV) tells us, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." Although Paul was addressing spiritual matters, the principle of carefully examining what we accept is valuable in everyday life. We should not blindly believe everything someone tells us, regardless of their reputation or influence.

Proverbs 14:15 (KJV) declares, "The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going." Scripture encourages wisdom, prudence, and sound judgment rather than gullibility. Proverbs 22:3 (KJV) also reminds us, "A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished." There is no contradiction between exercising discernment and taking reasonable precautions. We can recognize genuine dangers while refusing to be controlled by speculation and fear. The Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV), "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." That is the attitude I believe Christians should maintain, regardless of what is happening in the world around us.

People who communicate regularly to large audiences carry considerable responsibility. Their words can influence emotions, financial decisions, family relationships, and public confidence. Whether someone is a journalist, podcaster, political commentator, or minister, there should be a commitment to distinguishing verified facts from personal opinions. We should communicate uncertainty honestly, avoid unnecessary sensationalism, and acknowledge mistakes when they occur.

My purpose in sharing these thoughts is not to criticize any particular broadcaster. Independent media provides valuable information and perspectives, but independence does not automatically guarantee accuracy, just as popularity does not guarantee wisdom. We should appreciate the freedom to hear different viewpoints while exercising our responsibility to examine what is presented. A compelling presentation is not proof, a confident statement is not necessarily accurate, and a dramatic prediction is not the same as a verified fact.

As believers, we have something far greater than the latest headlines or predictions about tomorrow. We have the promises of God, the guidance of His Word, and the assurance that our Heavenly Father remains faithful regardless of circumstances. Jesus said in John 14:27 (KJV), "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Let us remain informed without becoming alarmed, prepared without becoming fearful, and discerning without becoming cynical. Above all, let us continue walking in wisdom, living by faith, and encouraging one another with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (KJV)

Gil Howard-Browne  

www.revivaltimes.com

Living In The Supernatural Power of God Pt 1

The Holy Spirit: Our Resident Teacher

Over the last 30 years of traveling and conducting revival meetings, I have ministered in many different churches and denominations. They certainly have not all agreed doctrinally, but I have watched God move supernaturally in the lives of people again and again. God loves people, and He understands that as human beings we do not always have everything figured out. We may differ in our understanding and revelation of the Word, but there is a common denominator that we desperately need: the Holy Spirit.

First John 2:27 tells us that the anointing we have received from Him abides in us, teaches us all things, and teaches us how to abide in Christ. We have a resident Teacher on the inside of us. The Holy Spirit is there to teach us, show us, guide us, and lead us. The purpose and will of God come from the Father through the Son, and the Holy Spirit works within us to bring us into what God has for our lives.

Through the years, I have seen people from many different denominations and circumstances come into revival and have a life-changing encounter with God. I have seen marriages healed, people set free, drug addictions broken, bad habits overcome, and people in desperate emotional need touched by the power of God. The early church was a supernatural church. Wherever the disciples went, supernatural things happened, and people were touched in remarkable ways.

God Working Through Ordinary People

We see this when Paul was preaching and encountered a man who had been lame from birth. As the man listened to Paul preach, faith began to arise in his heart for healing. Paul looked intently at him and perceived that he had faith to be healed. Then Paul said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet,” and the man was immediately healed. Paul did not stop and intellectually calculate what spiritual gift he should use. He simply flowed with the Holy Spirit. As the Holy Spirit prompted him, he spoke, and the power of God brought the miracle.

That is important because there is nothing I can do in my own human strength to work a miracle. The power is the power of the Holy Spirit operating upon me and through me to touch the lives of others. God knows who needs what in every meeting. I do not have to determine everything from what I can see or understand naturally. I minister with love and compassion, trust the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and give God room to do whatever He needs to do.

That is what happened in the early church. The disciples went out, and the Lord worked with them, confirming His Word with signs and wonders. Consider Philip ministering in Samaria. Mighty signs and wonders were happening, and great joy filled the city. Then, in the middle of that successful ministry, the Spirit of God directed Philip into the desert. Philip obeyed and encountered an Ethiopian eunuch who was reading from Isaiah. Philip shared Christ with him, explaining what Jesus had done, and the man asked to be baptized.

After Philip baptized him, Philip was supernaturally transported away to continue with what God had for him. What a mighty sign and wonder! Could God still do supernatural things today? Absolutely. God is supernatural. We should never limit what He can do simply because something goes beyond our natural understanding.

Keep Your Focus on the Greater One

One of the problems I have witnessed, however, is that Christians can become far more focused on what the enemy is doing than on what God is doing. There is no commandment in the Word telling us to spend every day paying attention to the devil. Yes, we deal with him when necessary, but we do not make him the focus of our lives. The Bible says he goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He is not omnipresent. He is not God.

Our focus needs to be on what Jesus accomplished for us and on the Holy Spirit who lives within us. We need to recognize that the enemy has been defeated and put under our feet. When I walk somewhere, I do not spend all my time wondering what is underneath my feet. I simply walk confidently toward where I am going. That is how we need to live as believers.

Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world. When our attention begins to center on the greater One living within us, we will begin to see things change around us. We will begin to recognize God moving supernaturally in us and through us.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” That is where our attention belongs. Seek the kingdom. Focus on Jesus. Focus on the anointing. Focus on the joy and peace that come from God.

Let Peace Rule and Renew Your Mind

When you feel sad, discouraged, or depressed, do not immediately decide that you are experiencing a demonic attack. Not everything that happens to us is demonic. Sometimes we are tired. Sometimes we have not slept enough. Sometimes we have eaten the wrong things or have not taken proper care of our physical bodies. There can be natural factors affecting how we feel. The enemy may try to take advantage of weakness, but we should not automatically label every human difficulty as a demonic attack.

The same is true in our relationships. Sometimes people say their family is under attack when what has actually happened is that emotions have gotten out of control and an argument has developed. Instead of escalating the situation, allow the peace of God to rule in your heart. We all have moments when our emotions get the better of us, but we need to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts and redirect us into His peace.

Many of the calamities people face are connected to their own decisions. Do not spend your life looking for demons under every bush. Sometimes your greatest enemy is what is happening in your own mind. The Bible tells us to cast down imaginations and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Do not allow wrong thoughts to capture your attention and establish themselves within you.

The moment a thought comes that contradicts the Word of God, cast it down. Reject it. If a thought of failure comes, do not sit there dwelling on failure. Find the promise of God that pertains to your problem. Find the promise that speaks directly to your situation and stand upon it. Renew your mind with that promise until the truth of God becomes the foundation upon which you stand.6

The Holy Spirit lives within us, and His presence changes how we face life. As we keep our attention on Jesus and renew our minds with His Word, we make room for His power to work in us and through us.

Gil Howard-Browne

www.revivaltimes.com

Living In The Supernatural Power of God Pt 2

Walking in Faith, Joy, and a Fresh Anointing

By Gil Howard-Browne
www.revivaltimes.com

In Part 1, we looked at the Holy Spirit as our resident Teacher and the importance of keeping our focus on Jesus. Now let us consider how to live from that truth every day, receive His refreshing, and allow His life to flow through us to others.

Receive What Jesus Has Accomplished

Seeking God is not complicated. Some people think that seeking God means they must spend hours and hours struggling in prayer before God will respond. But He is already here. He lives within us. I do not have to pray hard enough to open heaven so God can finally come down and bless me when the Holy Spirit already lives on the inside of me.

Think of having money in the bank. You do not walk into the bank and beg the manager to please give you your money. It already belongs to you. You access what is yours. Through Jesus, God has accomplished tremendous blessings for us. Scripture speaks of being blessed in the city, blessed in the field, blessed coming in, and blessed going out. Jesus became the curse for us so that we could inherit the blessings promised to Abraham.

Believe God. Trust Him. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Seek the things that have been made available because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. He will give you joy unspeakable and full of glory and peace that passes understanding. This is not something human beings can manufacture. The peace of God is supernatural.

The early church was supernatural, and God wants the modern church to be supernatural. We need to walk in the power and demonstration of the Spirit of God every day and experience the hand of God moving on our behalf.

Respond to Problems with Faith

The next time you are confronted with a problem, do not allow your first reaction to be fear and despair. Go immediately to God. Go immediately to His Word. Take His promise and believe it for yourself. Worship God and praise Him in the middle of whatever you are facing. Do not allow gloom, despair, fear, or depression to dictate the direction of your life. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength. Let the peace of God rule in your heart so you can walk in the supernatural power of God.

Jesus asked in Luke 18:8, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” What is Jesus going to find when He comes? Will He find a body of believers living by faith and trusting Him every day? Will He find a church on fire and living an anointed life? Or will He find people focused on all the wrong things and arguing about doctrines that do not produce life-changing results?

Our attention needs to return to the life-giving and life-changing presence of God. We need His power that heals, changes, sets free, and delivers.

The Oil of Joy and the Garment of Praise

Isaiah speaks about the oil of joy instead of mourning. There is an anointing of joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. It is something we can experience every day. That does not mean we have to walk around laughing every moment, but there can be a joy living on the inside of us that eventually begins to bubble out. People can recognize when the joy of God is present in someone’s life.

Scripture also speaks of a garment expressive of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit. When the presence and power of God touch us, praise begins to flow. It does not have to be forced.

That is one of the things I love about revival. When revival meetings first begin, people may arrive tired, burdened, weary, or simply not ready to respond. But as the Word is preached and the presence of God begins touching people, something changes. After the second or third meeting, people begin worshiping God freely. Nobody has to force it out of them. Worship simply begins to flow because they have been refreshed by the presence of God. The heavy burden has been lifted, and the garment of praise begins to manifest.

The Church Needs Fresh Empowering

This is especially important for people in ministry. Ministry can be difficult. Pastors deal with the burdens and problems of other people while also dealing with challenges within their own families. Every family has issues that need the touch of heaven. Ministers need more than human ability to carry these responsibilities. We need the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

We need to return to our roots. We need to return to the church God established on the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon and filled ordinary men and women. They were simple people, yet they were transformed by the power of God. They went out and did the greater works Jesus said they would do.

God wants that for His church today. He wants it for every individual believer. Whether you are in full-time ministry or simply attend a local church, God wants you anointed so that your life can make a difference in the lives of others.

Receive Christ and Be Filled with the Spirit

If you have never asked Jesus to come into your life, you can receive Him today. Thank Him that He died for you and shed His blood for your sins. Receive Him as your Lord and Savior. Ask Him to come into your life and make you a new creation in Christ, where old things pass away and all things become new. Ask Him to change you by the power of the Holy Spirit as you serve Him and live for Him.

If you are born again but have never been filled with the Holy Spirit, invite Him to fill you. If you are already filled with the Spirit, then seek a fresh encounter with God. We need fresh oil from heaven.

Drink of the Living Water

Jesus said that if anyone is thirsty, let him come to Him and drink, and out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. He did not say merely to come and think about it. He said to come and drink. When you drink of the living water, something happens within you. Living water brings life. Living water brings peace. It brings the blessings Jesus accomplished for you at the cross.

Ask the Lord for that fresh oil. Drink of the living waters He promised. Thank Him for the river flowing out of you to bring change into your life, your family, your church, and everything you set your hand to do.

Get alone with the Lord. Find a quiet place where you will not be distracted. Put aside your phone, close your eyes, lift your hands to heaven, and receive the glory and presence of God. Allow the Holy Spirit to refresh you. God wants to bring change, freedom, healing, joy, and peace into your life.

Revival Leads to the Harvest

Revival is not supposed to end with us simply enjoying revival. Revival produces something beyond itself: the harvest. When people are revived, refreshed, filled, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, the gospel can go outward and touch the lives of others. That is what revival is meant to produce. We are revived so that the life and power of God flowing through us can reach people who desperately need Him.

Source: Episode 0150, Revival at Cape Henry, with Host Pastor Larry Reece and Guest Gil Howard-Browne.

www.revivaltimes.com

Walk By The Holy Spirit

When you are born again, the Holy Spirit comes to live within you. He is your Comforter, Teacher, and Guide. As you become conscious of His presence, you learn to listen to Him in everyday life.

That does not mean the flesh never gets in the way. We all have thoughts and emotions that can run ahead of us. We must choose whether to feed those impulses or follow the Spirit. As the Bible teaches, sowing to the flesh brings corruption, while sowing to the Spirit brings life everlasting.

The Holy Spirit helps us recognize when something is wrong. You may be about to say something and sense an inward restraint. You may be about to make a decision and feel a check in your heart: “Don’t do that.” Learn to pay attention. He is helping you.

We are not perfect. Sometimes we speak too quickly and hurt someone. But the Holy Spirit continues to correct and guide us. Because we love the Lord, we want to respond to Him.

There are also times when His presence touches us deeply. I have lain before God and wept until there were no tears left. It felt as though He was working within me, removing things that needed to go. When I got up, I felt washed on the inside, and He filled me with joy. That was very different from simply feeling sorry for myself.

The Holy Spirit also helps us when we do not know how to pray as we ought. We have a wonderful connection with the Father through the One who lives within us.

The Father has called you His child and placed His Spirit within you. Listen when He corrects you. Receive His comfort. Allow Him to guide your thoughts, words, and decisions. As you become more conscious of His presence, you learn to walk by the Spirit rather than be controlled by the flesh.

God bless you richly

Gil Howard-Browne

Source: YouTube Broadcast  - Sat. 4th. Nov 2018 .  

Pt1- Ministering from the overflow - Pt2-Trusting God

Sometimes we become so focused on the process of ministry that we forget about the presence of God. We do everything we know to do, yet things do not seem to move forward. We may even wonder, “Has God forgotten about me?”

The truth is  ...  He has not forgotten you.

Some people may think that they have not studied the Bible enough.  But God is not rewarding us for studying more.  He is looking for the faith and trust in what He has promised.   

There is nothing wrong with studying and gaining knowledge. But sometimes another piece of information is not what we need most. We need fresh oil from heaven. We need to spend time with the Lord and allow Him to refresh our hearts, minds and souls.

When we become dry on the inside, serving God and our ministry can begin to feel like something we have to produce through our own effort. We try to make something happen. But as His joy and peace are renewed within us, the water of life begins to flow again. We can minister from the overflow of His presence.

I believe God wants to teach us to walk by His Spirit and trust Him, rather than lean on our own understanding. The same Holy Spirit who was present in the days of the apostles is still with us today. He wants us to be aware of His presence in our ordinary, everyday lives.

Perhaps you have been watching circumstances around you and have become discouraged. Perhaps your heart feels empty because you have been concentrating on everything you need to accomplish. Come back to His presence. Love Him. Worship Him. Spend time with Him.

You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God lives within you. You do not have to minister from an empty heart. Let Him refresh you, and minister from the overflow of His presence.

God bless you richly

Gil Howard-Browne

www.revivaltimes.com

Source: YouTube Broadcast - Sat. 4th. Nov. 2018

When something happens that looks bad, our minds can quickly imagine everything that might go wrong. I have done that myself. Yet many times, what I feared never happened. God brought us through, and what first looked enormous turned out to be much smaller than I had imagined.

Looking back over nearly fifty years of ministry and travel across continents, I can say that God has looked after us. That does not mean we have never faced difficulties. I remember an angry confrontation in a restaurant in Hampton, Virginia, when tables started flying and people were screaming. During a snowstorm, I once backed our fifth wheel into a steel post near a ditch. But considering all the years and miles, incidents like these have been rare. God has taken care of us.

That is why I encourage you: do not let panic be the first response when trouble comes. Say, “I’m trusting in the Lord. I’m putting my trust in God.” Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

I also do not want the enemy to become the center of your attention. I love Jesus. I serve Him, walk with Him, talk with Him, and spend time in His presence. He paid the price on the cross. My response to what He has done is faith, and faith, in its simplicity, is trusting God.

Trust Him to guide you, lead you, and bring you through. When your mind starts building a frightening picture of the future, return your attention to Jesus. You belong to Him, and He is with you.

You do not have to live from fear. You can live with your heart fixed on the Lord, trusting Him in every circumstance.

God bless you richly

Gil Howard-Browne

www.revivaltimes.com

Source: YouTube Broadcast - Sat. 4th. Nov. 2018

The Fathers Love

In 1 John chapter 3, John asks us to consider the incredible love the Father has bestowed upon us: we are called the children of God. We were sinners saved by grace, yet God has welcomed us into His family. Take a moment to think about the quality of that love.

We use the word love easily, but human feelings can change with circumstances. God’s love does not fluctuate with what is happening in our lives or in the world. His love remains the same.

Some people have known only religion or legalism. They imagine God waiting to punish them whenever they step out of line. But His mercy is wonderful, and He is patient with us. Those of us who have experienced the reality of Jesus can show others something of His love and power.

John says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God” (1 John 3:2, KJV). Now, not only when we get to heaven. If you belong to Christ, you are His child today. John goes on to say that when Jesus appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

I have often wondered what heaven will be like. Our finite minds cannot fully comprehend an infinite God. Whatever glimpses we may have now, I believe the reality will be greater than anything we have imagined.

John also says that everyone who has this hope purifies himself. When you begin to understand the Father’s love and the hope He has given you, you want to live close to Him. His love becomes more than something you know about. It becomes a reality that shapes how you live.

The Father loves you with an incredible quality of love. You are His child now. Let that truth settle deep within your heart.

God bless you richly

Gil Howard-Browne     Source: YouTube Broadcast  - Sat. 4th. Nov 2018  

Greater Is He That Is in You

I want you to understand something about the supernatural life of God: He is not far away from you. Through the Holy Spirit, He lives on the inside of you. God wants us to become conscious of that reality because when we receive a revelation of who He is within us, it changes the way we see ourselves and the way we face the circumstances of life.

I met Jesus when I was six years old. I was born again and experienced His presence throughout my childhood and teenage years. Then, when I was around seventeen or eighteen, I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, and it transformed my life. Even as a little boy, I knew there was a call of God upon my life. I did not understand it, but I knew God had placed something upon my heart.

After all these years, Jesus is more real to me now than He has ever been. We have experienced discouragement in our lives, marriage, and ministry. There were even times when I felt like quitting the ministry, but I never felt like quitting God. He was too real to me.

The Bible speaks about those who have tasted the goodness of God and the powers of the world to come. Salvation itself is supernatural. It took the miracle power of God to bring us into new life and wash away our sins. When you have experienced God in a life-changing way, you begin to understand that there is a realm beyond what your natural senses can perceive.

That is why we need a continuing revelation of the awesomeness of God and of the fact that He is personally represented within every believer through the Holy Spirit.

Smith Wigglesworth once said, “You are a thousand times bigger on the inside than you are on the outside.” Think about that for a moment. The Word says, “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”

We spend so much time being conscious of our physical existence because this is the realm in which we live. I sometimes call this physical body our “earth suit.” We feel its limitations every day. But one day we are going to leave this old earth suit behind, and then the full revelation of what we possessed spiritually is going to dawn upon us. I believe we are going to realize that it was far greater than we ever imagined.

But God does not want us to wait until then to begin understanding this. He wants us to become God-inside-minded now.

Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

Sometimes we need to say that over and over again until we convince our minds because our minds have been programmed for the natural realm. We think about God and consider Him with our minds, but our connection with heaven is spiritual. There are spiritual senses that we need to develop just as we have physical senses.

Sometimes our physical senses become so dominant that we need to bring them under control so that we can become increasingly aware of heaven. We need to learn that there is something greater happening on the inside of us than what we are seeing and feeling on the outside.

That is one of the reasons I encourage people to become saturated with the presence and anointing of God.

Think about something that has become completely saturated with water. Eventually it becomes waterlogged and sinks into the water. That is where we need to be spiritually. We are not supposed to stand outside admiring the water of God. Jesus said that if anyone is thirsty, let him come and drink, and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

We need to get into the water.

A saturated heart is a contented heart. This world is a strange place, and we can become completely wrapped up in what is happening around us. The stresses of life can be very real. Some people are going through circumstances that are extremely difficult, and I do not minimize that.

That is exactly why the saturating anointing is so important.

It keeps us aware of His glory. It keeps us conscious of His presence. It keeps us in the middle of the river so that when the pressures and stresses of life come against us, there is something on the inside of us from which we can draw.

If it had not been for the anointing and the presence of God in my own life, I do not know what I would have done. There have been many things that could have caused me to give up. But when you have a real experience with the Holy Spirit and He lives big on the inside of you, His presence sustains you.

This is not merely about attending meetings or listening to somebody preach. It is not about a preacher getting up and doing his thing. There are better singers than me, better musicians than me, and better preachers than me. That is not the point.

The purpose is to bring people into the presence of God, to encourage them to enter into His glory and become saturated with His anointing. We are not supposed to be spectators standing on the riverbank. We are supposed to experience His presence for ourselves.

God wants you to know how mighty He is on the inside of you.

When the circumstances around you are shouting something different, remind yourself: Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.

When your natural mind is trying to convince you that what you see is all there is, remind yourself that God is greater on the inside of you.

When the pressures of life begin to weigh upon you, do not remain standing outside the river. Become saturated again with His presence.

God wants us to live with a continual revelation of His presence and power within us. He wants us to become so conscious of Him that our awareness of what He is doing on the inside becomes greater than our awareness of what is happening on the outside.

Become God-inside-minded.

Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

Source: YouTube - Sat. 4th. Nov. 2018

Freedom In Christ Part 3 - Walking in Love, Joy and Thankfulness

Part 3

First Peter 4:8 says, “Have fervent love one for another, for love will cover a multitude of sin.” What a concept. The love of God will cover a multitude of sin. 

This is another important part of walking in Freedom in Christ. There are going to be times when somebody comes to you with a bad attitude and snaps at you, and there are two ways you can react. The flesh can immediately rise up and say, “I’m not going to take this. I’m going to give them a piece of my mind.” But that might be the last piece you have, so don’t do that! (Bad Joke) 

Instead, I can make a decision that I am not going to get into a confrontation and end up with a bad attitude myself. I can allow the love of God that is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Ghost to come forth, and I can respond with the love of God. When you do that, you can see something amazing happen. It is very difficult for somebody to maintain a bad attitude when they are confronted with the love of Jesus flowing out of your heart.

We ought to be kindhearted and tenderhearted toward one another. We ought to allow the tenderness of heaven to work through us. The flesh wants to say, “I’m not going to let that person get away with that. I’m going to tell them what I think.” But if somebody is not teachable, you may simply escalate the situation into a confrontation that is not worth having. There is a better way. Let the love of God rule the way you respond.

I saw a news report on YouTube about a gentleman who was around 67 years old. He was shopping in a store and wearing a mask, and a woman was standing very close behind him. He politely asked her if she could give him a little space. She moved aside, but apparently her boyfriend became angry because this man had asked his girlfriend to move away from him. According to the report, the boyfriend waited outside, followed the gentleman toward his vehicle, and punched him in the chest. The man had recently undergone open-heart surgery, and naturally he was concerned about what that blow might have done to him. The police eventually found the attacker and arrested him.

Think about what happened there. In one moment, somebody allowed anger and the flesh to take control, and suddenly his whole life was turned upside down. That is why we have to be so careful that we do not react or overreact in the natural. It is not worth it. I would rather react with the love of God. I would rather allow the Holy Spirit to rise up on the inside of me and show me how He wants me to respond.

When we have fervent love for one another, it also changes the way we look at other people in the body of Christ. There are people who may irritate you just by nature. They rub you the wrong way. But when you walk in the love of God, it does not really matter because love covers a multitude of sin. Instead of simply seeing somebody with a bad attitude, maybe I can recognize that this is a person who has a problem that I can help them with. Maybe, because there is compassion in my heart instead of irritation, God can give me a word of knowledge or a word of wisdom that will help that person overcome whatever is causing the bad attitude. Then we become the hand of Jesus extended, helping somebody else to become free.

Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” I love that. The joy of the Lord is your strength. The people had been hearing the scroll read, and they were sorrowful and crying, but Nehemiah told them not to sorrow. He told them to go their way, eat the fat and drink the sweet, because the joy of the Lord was their strength.

When I read about eating the fat and drinking the sweet, I think about the "fat" represention the oil of joy and the anointing, the presence of God. Get filled and stay filled with the anointing. Receive the anointing and live in the anointing, because the anointing destroys the yoke of bondage and lifts the burden from off your shoulder. 

"And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing." Isaiah 10:27   Of course God was talking about the yoke of the Assyrian occupation, that would be broken by the power of God.   But the same principle is true of our lives.  Whatever is opressing you, bad habits, anger, bitterness, fear etc, the anointing will destroy it and as the original Hebrew text puts it, "Will prevent it from coming back"

God does not want us continually living under the weight of human emotions, fear, anxiety, and all the other things that try to assail mankind. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

We can talk about the gifts of the Spirit. We can talk about how God wants to bless our ministries, and receive prophetic words, and all the wonderful things God wants to do through His people. But the things I am talking about here are foundational. We need these foundations in the body of Christ. We cannot become the true body of Christ walking in the freedom that is in Christ until we learn how to overcome these things.

Forgive and forget.  Walk in the peace of God. Walk in the love of God. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength. These are foundational truths that help us live every day in Freedom in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” Notice what it says. It does not say give thanks for all circumstances. It says give thanks in all circumstances. There is a big difference.

Maybe you are going through financial pressure. You can sit there looking at your finances and thinking, “What am I going to do? How am I going to pay this? Where is the money going to come from?”  If we focus on the problem all day and every day, depression, fear and anxiety will take hold,  because all we can see is the problem in front of us.

Instead of continually focusing on the problem, begin to give God thanks right in the middle of the circumstances. When you begin giving thanks, the joy of the Lord begins to rise up on the inside of you. The love of God is shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Ghost. Fear begins to leave because the word of God says "There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!" 1st John 4:18 AMPC.   I love the way the Amplified Classic translates the Hebrew text " love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror"

When we give thanks and praise the Lord, Anxiety begins to leave. The joy of the Lord becomes our strength, and the peace of God begins to flood our hearts. Suddenly we begin looking at the problem differently.

• God is never caught by surprise by human frailty. 
• He is never caught by surprise by the mistakes you and I make as human beings. 

God knows exactly where we are and what we are doing and thinking, and He will "always cause us to triumph in Christ Jesus"  2 Cor. 2:14 . 

So we can say, 

• Lord, I thank You that You are going to cause me to triumph through this thing. 
• I don’t know how I’m going to get through this mess. 
• I don’t know where the finances are going to come from for what I need, but I am going to trust You because You are my Provider. 
• You are El Shaddai, the God who is more than enough. 
• You are Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides all my needs. 
• I am going to trust You, and 
• I am going to give You thanks.

Give Him thanks on purpose, and do it with a rejoicing heart. Instead of coming before God continually rehearsing how terrible everything is, begin to rejoice. Say, 

• Father, I thank You Lord, that in the midst of the storm You cause me to triumph. 
• I thank You that whatever I am going through right now, You are going to bring me through.”

That is how we begin to walk differently. 

• Instead of allowing somebody else’s attitude to determine our attitude, we respond with love. 
• Instead of allowing sorrow and heaviness to dominate us, we let the joy of the Lord become our strength. 
• Instead of allowing circumstances to fill us with fear and anxiety, we give thanks in the midst of those circumstances and 
• allow the peace of God to fill our hearts.

* Walk in love.   * Walk in joy.   * Give thanks in all circumstances. 

Let the love of God determine how you respond to people. Let the joy of the Lord become your strength, and when you are facing something you do not know how to overcome, give thanks to God in the middle of it and trust Him to bring you through.

These are not just nice thoughts. 

They are foundational truths for living in Freedom in Christ.

God bless you richly,

Gil Howard-Browne  www.revivaltimes.com

Freedom In Christ Part 2 - The Renewed Mind

Part 2

Romans 12:2 says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” I love the way the Amplified puts it because it talks about the renewing of the mind by its new ideas and its new attitudes. That is what God wants to do in us. He wants to give us new ideas and new attitudes. 

The old ideas and attitudes that have been formed through the experiences of life do not have to continue controlling the way we think and react. As we press into God, rely upon the Lord, lean upon Him, and commit these things to Him, He begins to strengthen us and change us. Our thinking becomes different.

God begins to build a whole string of great memories in us. We often sit and talk about where we were thirty years ago and how the Lord has taken us through this incredible journey of revival. We remember what God did, how He touched our family, and how we saw Him touch the lives of the people He had us minister to. Those are incredible memories. 

When you begin building those kinds of memories 
in your life, the failures and negative experiences 
of the past begin to seem more and more distant. 

Sometimes you can look back at your old life and it almost seems as though those things happened to somebody else. The Bible says that when you receive Christ, the failures of the past fade away and your new life in Christ begins.   "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor. 5:17

God helps us forgive and forget. Those old memories become almost like something that has been stacked away in the archives. They may be part of your history, but they do not have to control who you are today. 

In place of them ... 

• God begins filling your life with the good things 
• That have happened since you became a believer. 
• You remember the great times together in the Lord. 
• You remember being in the presence of God. 
• You remember the things He has done and 
• The victories He has brought you through.

We also need to understand that not every negative thing that happens in our lives means we have to spend hours rebuking, binding, and loosing. 

I am speaking from experience because I did that for years. I spent a lot of time rebuking and binding, and many times nothing changed. My life was the same. Our marriage still had the same problems.  

Then the Lord touched us in those early days of revival. God began to touch us as a family and change each one of us. We began to live in a different realm with the joy of the Lord, the peace of God, and the love of God. Those things began changing many of the hindrances in our lives.

Today, we do not spend our days rebuking the devil and binding every negative thing that comes our way. We have learned to trust God and His Word.   If and when the Holy Spirit leads us to take authority over something, absolutely, we do it with the unction and authority God has placed within us. But we do not have to spend every day doing warfare. God has provided the Holy Spirit, and He lives in me. "because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4.  

I look to the Holy Spirit who lives within me to bring change. 

• I look to Him for 
• strength, 
• healing, 
• hope, 
• joy, 
• peace, 
• love, 

and whatever else I need in order to stay free and walk free in Christ.

We also have to understand that this freedom is a process. It is something we step into and continue to walk in it daily. It is not something we do once and then never have to do again. 

Think about your natural body. You do not eat one meal and say, “Well, that is it. I ate today, so I will not need anything else for the rest of the week.” We continually eat because our bodies need nourishment, and it is the same way spiritually. We continually apply these things to our lives. 

Maybe something happens today and suddenly triggers an old memory. Maybe somebody says something that reminds you of what somebody else said or did years ago, and suddenly the anger or hurt wants to come back. That is when you apply these truths again.

There are people who have been hurt in church situations and carry that hurt around with them. But you are never going to find a perfect church where nobody will ever say or do something that offends you. Why? Because churches are filled with people. They are human beings, and none of them are perfect. Yet God puts His precious treasure on the inside of imperfect vessels and anoints them. Hopefully, they yield to the Spirit of God, who corrects them, changes them, heals them, and sets them free. God is calling us to walk in the Spirit.

Romans 12:2 says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” 

If God says it is possible, then it is possible. 

I do not have the same issues today that I had when I was a young believer. I had memories from my childhood, my teenage years, and my early Christian life that God had to root out of me. Slowly but surely, my mindset changed. That is what God wants to do for every believer. He wants to put new ideas in our thoughts. He wants to give us fresh vision. He wants to build attitudes within us that are positive and based upon the Word of God.

 “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11    

I read the Word of God and trust the Holy Spirit, The Teacher inside, to make it part of my life, and it builds me up. My spirit becomes strong in the Lord. Then, when I need it, the Holy Spirit brings that Word back to my remembrance. I immediately yield to that Word and allow the Word to work in me. That is what begins changing us. That is what gives us new ideas and new attitudes.

Over time, positive memories and emotions associated with love, peace, joy, and goodness begin replacing those negative things. Then you can look back over your life and say, “Wow, look what the Lord has done. Look where He has brought me from.” 

Maybe there was a time when every little thing that happened affected you emotionally. Something happened and you fell apart. Something went wrong and you wanted to give up. But now you can look at yourself and say, “I’m not that person anymore. I have changed. I react differently.” The things that used to overcome you do not have to overcome you anymore because God has built an inner strength within you.

God also builds within you the memory of how He caused you to triumph. Then, when another negative situation arises, the Holy Spirit can remind you, “Remember what happened the last time? Remember how God brought you triumphantly through that situation?”  God is building positive things and good things within you. So how do we overcome? How do we live free from the things that used to assail us? The Word of God gives us the answer.

Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of God rule in your heart.” I love the way the Amplified describes it: let the peace of God be the umpire of your heart. Let His peace become the deciding factor. That means I have to walk in the peace of God every day. 

If I do not have peace, then I need to do the things that bring me back into that place of peace. Sometimes I just need to get alone with God. I need to find somewhere I can shut everything else out. I may put on some anointed worship and simply focus on the Lord. It might take ten minutes. It might take fifteen or twenty minutes. But I focus on Him until the peace of God begins to rule in my heart and absolutely floods my heart.

The Bible talks about the peace of God that passes understanding. Your understanding may be telling you one thing. Your thoughts may want to go in one direction. An old memory or emotion may be trying to pull you somewhere else. 

But when you allow the peace of God to rule, His peace rises up and overshadows the thought, the memory, and the emotion that was trying to lead you astray. I cannot allow turmoil to usurp authority over my life. I cannot allow anxiety, fear, and all those things to run rampant in my life. I have to rein those things in and bring them to a stop with the help of God, by the power of the Spirit of God, and by the peace of God that passes understanding.

That is part of walking in Freedom in Christ. Let God renew your mind. Let Him give you new ideas and new attitudes. Hide His Word in your heart. Remember the victories He has already brought you through. Walk in the Spirit, and when turmoil tries to take over, let the peace of God become the umpire of your heart. Let His peace rule.

God bless you richly

Gil Howard-Browne

Freedom in Christ Part 1 - Forgive and Forget.

Part One

There are two words that are really, literally life-changing for the believer. They are the words "Forgive" and "Forget"  If we can learn to live with these two words in mind, they will set us free from so many things that affect billions of humans around the globe daily. 

Micah 7:18–19 says, “Who is God like unto You, Who forgives iniquity?” God is a forgiving God. When you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior and asked Him to forgive you of your sins and received Him as your Lord and Saviour, He forgave you and accepted you. The Scripture goes on to say  "'He will again have compassion on us; He will subdue and tread underfoot our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." Micah 7:19

I often refer to that as the sea of God’s forgetfulness. He casts that sin into the sea of forgetfulness to remember it no more.

God is not sitting there with a checklist of all the bad things you have ever done in your life, reminding you about how bad you have been. God is not caught by surprise when you and I act like human beings. We are going to make mistakes. We are going to do things that are just plain fleshly. The flesh rears up and does what flesh does best, and that is usually the wrong thing. But God is a forgiving God.

The Scripture tells us that "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12 Think about that for a moment. How far is the east from the west? If you begin traveling east, as long as you continue east, it will never end until you turn around and travel west, there is no end. That is how far God has removed our transgressions from us.

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Isaiah 1:18   The shed blood of Jesus enables us to be washed whiter than snow, so that when God looks upon us, He does not see us as sinful human beings. He sees the redeemed, blood-washed, blood-bought saints whose sins have been forgiven. "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

That is the attitude in which we have to walk every day, recognizing the forgiveness God has extended toward us and recognizing His mercy. God is a God of great mercy and great love, and He is more ready to bless us than we are actually ready to receive.

• Likewise, we have to walk in forgiveness. 
• Forgive because we have been forgiven, and 
• Forget because God remembers our sins no more. 
• We forgive those who have done us wrong, and 
• We forget it by faith in Jesus.

Now, that is not always easy to do because we have a brain with an incredible ability to remember things. Our memories extend far back into our lives. You can sit and think about when you were a child and remember little things that happened, both good and bad.

I remember when I was about three or four years old, playing outside on the farm, and an aircraft flew very low over us.  This was not something I had seen nor heard. This was back around 1953. It was a big old prop plane, and it made an incredible noise flying perhaps one or two thousand feet above me. As a little kid, I heard the rumbling of those engines and ran into the house in terror. My folks had to explain to me that it was an aircraft.

I remember that very distinctly because it had an impact on me as a little child. Your brain stores things like that as memories. You have many good memories, but you can also have many bad memories. Sometimes there can be a series of bad things that happened that stand out in your memory, and those are the things God wants to help us overcome.  

Peter had a conversation with Jesus in Matthew 18:21. Peter came to Jesus and said, “Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him?” In other words, how many times can somebody do something wrong to me and I have to forgive him and let it go? Peter suggested maybe seven times.

Jesus answered and said, not seven times, but seventy times seven. That is 490 times. Why that particular figure? I do not know, but that is a lot of forgiving and Jesus wanted Peter to know that as long as he has a memory, he will need to forgive often..

I began to realize how our memories can be triggered throughout our lives. You can hear a sound or hear music played, and suddenly it brings back a memory. Every now and again, we will hear a song that was played around the time of our honeymoon, and we will say, “There’s our honeymoon song.” Thank God that is a good memory!

But sometimes what comes back is not a good memory.

• Maybe somebody did something to you that caused you a lot of grief or anxiety. 
• Maybe it became a source of great contention in your life. 
• Suddenly that memory crops up, and 
• you feel that anger or resentment coming back as 
• though the thing happened yesterday.

There are feelings and emotions attached to memories. When you recall certain events, you can suddenly feel the hurt all over again. The event may have happened years ago, but the anger or resentment can rise up as though it had just happened.

That is why these two words, forgive and forget, have to become part of what we do every day. You may have already forgiven somebody, but suddenly the memory comes back and you feel that resentment rising again. Immediately say, “Lord, I don’t want to have this resentment. I thought I was free of it, but evidently the memory is still there. Lord, I thank You in Jesus’ name that You help me overcome this.”

Then forgive that person again.

If you have to do it one hundred times, so be it. If that memory comes back and tries to stir those emotions again, take it immediately to the Lord and forgive again. It will set you free and eventually that memory will not affect you anymore. 

The person who hurt you may never even know that they hurt you. A lot of people do things without realizing how deeply their words or actions affected somebody else. They may just carry on with their life as though nothing ever happened.

Your forgiving them is more for you than it is for them.

I want that freedom in Christ. I do not want to be bound by the memories of the past. I do not want to be bound by anxiety, anger, hurt, and resentment over something somebody did to me years ago. I want to be free of that stuff.

So the minute those feelings arise, give them to the Lord. Say, 

• Lord, I thank You that You forgave me, and 
• I forgive them in the name of Jesus. 
• I thank You for the joy of the Lord that is my strength, and 
• I thank You for Your peace.

Maybe what happened involved betrayal. Maybe somebody deserted you. Maybe there was trauma or danger. Maybe there are memories that still produce anger, resentment, fear, discouragement, loneliness, or hurt.

Whatever it is, do not allow those memories 
to keep you bound to the past.

Jesus has provided freedom for us, and we can learn to walk in that freedom. When those memories rise again, we can bring them immediately to the Lord. We can forgive again. We can release the resentment again. We can thank Him for His joy and His peace.

Forgive because you have been forgiven.   Forget because God remembers your sins no more.

Do not allow yesterday’s hurt to control your life today. Give it to the Lord. Forgive. Let it go. And keep walking in the freedom that is yours in Christ.

God bless you richly

Gil Howard-Browne