You have more than enough Power

In a 24 hour window I heard two different conversations and the words “satan strong” were uttered. In the first conversation I did not respond but the second time around I took the opportunity to make it clear that satan is not strong according to the Word (1John4:4). I understand that the situation, challenge and our emotions may get the better of us sometimes but try not to allow yourself to take ownership of this thought that satan has more power than you do.
As children of God and even unbelievers we have windows of opportunities to resist the devil. Think about it. Before you got saved (accepted the free gift of salvation Romans 10:8-10) we resisted the devil long enough to ask Jesus Christ to replace our old spirits with a new spirit. More than likely the day you got saved was not the first time you felt the urge to give your life to Jesus. Likewise since the time you became born again you have experienced challenges that made you felt weak and powerless. Do you remember the account of Peter walking on water until he shift his focus to the Ocean of uncertainty and not Jesus. Note Jesus’ encouragement to Peter (Matthew 14: 28-32) When Jesus told Peter to come Peter had faith then but when he shift his focus to the challenges/issues/problems/people and what is not working the way we expected then Jesus said “You of little faith. Peter had faith but when our focus shifts then our faith diminishes and we give satan an entry point into our lives.
James 4:7 God encourage us to give satan a black eye by simply resisting. Psalm also says praise the Lord at all times and we know that praise is a weapon, prayer is a weapon as well as the weapons listed in Ephesians 6:10-18. The challenge comes when we believe the tricks of satan more than the promises of God. When we allow the facts of life to over take the truth of God’s word then it appears that satan has strength but he really does not. God loves us too much to leave us powerless. The Holy Spirit is our Help in ALL things He will show us truth and that should give us comfort. I leave you with this thought: Love God, Love yourself, Love others and Live life.

Relationships

We are always looking for companionships/relationships to share our Joy, happiness, sorrows and dissatisfied moment with. We are drawn to others for the purpose of fellowship and I am not talking about eating only. When God created Adam He saw “it was not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him” Genesis 2:18 states. This is the foundation of the family and we can thrive very well in environments where we have the love and support we need from the people we love and respect. Many of us knows these following common phrases “no man is an island, don’t forsake the fellowship of believers and iron sharpens iron” because we need each other.

You may say and strongly believe that God gave you a mission or ministry and you think it only involves yourself and does not require the help of others I question the source of your idea. Look at of Paul’s mission and examine the salutations of all His letters in the New Testament for example Galatians 1:1-2. Paul wrote “I was not chosen to be an apostle by human beings, nor was I sent from human beings. I was made an apostle through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead. This letter is also from all those of God’s family who are with me.”Jesus’ relationship with His disciples is a demonstration of the closeness he desires for us to have with each other. Humans need each other to survive in our true identity God created us for. From the beginning of time the devil our adversary/enemy/satan has been trying to cause division and negative tension. Satan’s first successful division was God’s fellowship with man when sin entered because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve. The enemy’s tactic is always to attack the family. From the identity of the family comes a husband and a wife fully functioning in each other’s roles, children who respect and love their parents and respect those around them, strong communities and a powerful government.

The work is necessary for us to restore the relationships God has given us and the identity of the family. Though I am a strong believer that Jesus’ death and resurrection fulfilled the codified commandments of Moses, I can identify the effect of the first commandment that came with a promise, “children obey your parents, honour thy father and mother” Ephesians 6:1-2. We will have to take back the God ordained relationships that we let go due to disagreements. Our relationships need preservations by the love of God we read about in 1 Corinthians 13. Restoring our relationships will not be easy but it is do-able through Jesus Christ. The best thing we can do to is to submit to God’s word. The first place to start is will forgiveness, a pure repentance of the heart and the pass. I am not telling you that you will be able to get along with everyone but live peaceably with all men according to Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

 Identify the broken relationships in your life. Ask God to help you to restore your brokenness and give you the wisdom to restore what the enemy has stolen or we have destroyed in the past. Remember we were born into a family, created to be a family and we need to live as a family. May God continue to bless your relationships.

By Dean Brown

Is it me or is it Him

Is it me or is it Him

“Prayer changes things”, we have all heard that profound statement. How about, “God told me that you are the one or to do something”? What happen after the prayer manifested or you where obedient to what God said and now you encounter some difficulties or challenges? So many questions and it seems we can go on for a lifetime without finding satisfactory answers.

Many believers approach to the Gospel with a false sense of reality. What do you think Christ meant when he said “Pick up your cross and follow me” (Matt 16:24) or “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and turns around is not fit for the kingdom” (Luke 9:62). There is WORK to be done and we are shying away from every opportunity to grow. To walk with Christ you will get dirty, you will go through battles, you will be engaged in warfare, you will experience seasons when it seems like you cannot get a break from challenges ect. The fact of the matter is that if you are a serious threat against the plans of the devil then you become a target.

Jesus said “If the world hates you remember they hated me first” (John 15:18-25), this means you are in good company if people you were once close to stop calling you, you don’t get invites to hang out, co-workers and family members start making up things about you or your spouse.  Christianity comes with a price and once you are able to take control of the inner struggles dealing with your mind (Mind Renewal) the easier your journey becomes. When you embrace each challenge as an opportunity to grow and to give the devil some blows then you will demonstrate the PEACE that Christ gives and count ALL things joy (James 1:1-4).

I am convinced that Christianity is not difficult, I am the one that is difficult because I feel the stretching of my flesh and the discomfort of been discipline, consistently doing the word without physical proof of instant results and been patient. When I take myself out of the way, God is able to accomplish a lot more. The limitation of growth is a lack of self disciple and a lack of trust that God knows more than I think (Isaiah 55:8-10). I encourage you to continue to walk the path that seems foolish to the world (1Corinth 1:27) because your Heavenly father has a plan to use your life to be light to a world that is in darkness. We are the salt and the light the world needs to find the Jesus Christ (Matt 5:13-14) Satan does not want you to be successful living the life your creator created you to live so he will go to extremes to distract you from the path God has set for you. I have good news for you, God will restore the years you have sown in darkness (Joel 2:25) and He will not take back the plans he has for your life (purpose of your life) according to (Romans 11:29).

By: Dean Brown

The Sinner’s Sin

The Sinner’s Sin

We inherited a nature of sin; we had no choice in the matter. When you think about it this is not fair. We have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. We were once there and could be still dealing with sinful habits and that is the main reason we should not point the finger at any person who habitually sins. Remember that we are slaves to who we healed our members to (Romans 6:16).

Through the sacrifice of one man we can be save by faith in Jesus (Romans 5:12-17). When you think of it this is not fair either but thank God He had us on His mind when Jesus was crucified. Jesus paid a hefty price for us all. He died for His enemies because we did not know any better and that is His Grace extended towards us. We need to extend that grace today to sinners. Jesus came to fulfill the law and to give everyone access to the kingdom of God through faith. If someone did not tell us about Jesus and what He made available for us we would not have walked out of our old lifestyles.

Recently I asked a question to several people “What is Grace and what does it mean to you?’’ One person’s response reads “Grace to me is the overflowing blessings God gives to us when we do not deserve it. He continues to give me grace I know I’ll always receive it with joy for my sorrows, hope for tomorrow and strength for everything I do and go through. He will always be there with me”. So I ask the person a follow up question: “Is it difficult to extend that Grace to others?” The response was: “If you are focused on Jesus and not the person or circumstance that surrounds them or our yourself, after all we have the Holy Spirit to help us. Remain obedient & submissive to Him,” Another question could be “Why some Christians have a difficult time receiving or believing the Grace God has given us?

As a believer we are told that the just/righteous shall live by faith, walk by faith and not by sight, and renew our mind. So there is a common theme which I believe deals with something not perceived by our natural senses but with our spirit. When a person is saved only their spirit is transformed. We would love it if our occupation, social status, habits, relationships, appearance etc. changed but no. The part of us that cannot be seen with our natural eyes, that is what was instantly reborn and received the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patients, kindness, faithfulness, long suffering, goodness (Galation5:22).

So we need to understand who we are and what we are capable of doing so we can be effective in our daily lives. We should be witnessing to the unsaved. Things that the church (Christians) does should be centered on winning the lost for Christ and living a life of example (Ephesians 1:18-20). We will not be perfect and we will miss the make (sin) sometimes but do not let that makes you feel disqualified as a believer. Dr. Creflo Dollar asked it well in his series Righteousness vs. the Law. “When you were in the prison of sin (unsaved) did you do good deeds, did that take you out of the prison of sin? and in the prison of righteousness you sinned did that disqualify you from the prison of righteousness?” asked Dr. Dollar.

Frowning or points the finger or been disgusted with sinners’ actions is almost like having a baby and not expecting to change their diapers. We have to be compassionate, loving and extend grace to the unsaved. Remember there is amazing Grace which is renewed every day. God’s plan is still the same and will be done through willing vessels who are ready to blow God up in their lives. Remember you were once a sinner and someone minister the love of God to you the sacrifice of Jesus (Romans 2:1). Be bold, courageous and loving in the harvest field because Jesus said in (Matthew 4:19 NIV) “come follow me and I will send you to fish for people”. This is an invitation that many people will not accept, unfortunately. There is an abundance to be harvested but the word says in (Matthew 9:38) “the workers are few”. Be counted in the number of committed workers who will share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many believers are comfortable sharing with other believers but the sinner needs to hear about how God has transformed you and He can do the same for them if they will repent, confess Jesus as Lord of their lives and get baptize (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Victory

Recently I felt discouraged and all the messages, meditations, reading and words of encouragement I could hear where: Be courageous, Everything is going to be alright, You serve the God who sent His son to conquer the prince of this world (satan) (Romans 8:3-11), The rest of your life is the best of your life etc.

I went through the weekend seeking to get clear instructions from God and can I tell you that it seems like satan had other plans for me. I felt drained, powerless, defeated and heading to hopelessness. I quickly examined my actions and realized I was not speaking God’s word and taking authority over the thoughts in my mind (2 Corinthians 10:5). The mind is a battlefield and this was what satan was trying to get control. The mind is a battlefield and the devil playground if you will allow him to. This is why guarding the heart, mouth and eye gates are so important.

Realizing where I was mentally and spiritually, I started declaring something’s in my life according to God’s word and immediately sending the devil a warning that he has no strongholds in my life, Glory to God! I became excited about my situation because I know that it is temporal and subject to change. Later that night I felt in my heart the need to let go, let loose and allow God to bring His word to past. Throughout the process I was not enjoying life enough and allowing God to put things in place without my help, God does not need my help; He needs me to agree and trust Him. I was trying to learn where or when my input was necessary which comes with experience. See I am a child of God and He has started a good work in me and He will finish it (Philippians 1:6). That’s His job not mine. The fear I had and still have at times is not doing what God wanted me to do which is not a bad thing but like anything else there is a healthy dose and there is overdose.  Can you tell which side I was on? God does not want us to live in fear of anything and He never gave us a spirit of fear but a spirit of power and love and a sound mind (2Timothy1:7).

Situations will always come with various magnitudes and the bigger the magnitude of the situation will determine the amount of pressure you need to apply to your faith in God and this is the area where faith grows and character is developed. How a situation is handled now will give an idea of personal growth the next time you are faced with the same or similar decision. When temptation, test or trials presents themselves know first of all that God is not the tempter but satan is, but also know that this is an opportunity for growth and if you are not ready now or you did not handle things the best way don’t be too harsh on yourself because God is not mad at you but His love and power will allow you to be a conquer and victor the next time you are in that position or even if you are in that situation you can come out with a testimony that will set someone else free. For me, I have learned not to take challenges so personally because I would start casting blame and not realize the opportunities. As a father, I am able to navigate through these challenges, learn lessons, become stronger in my walk with God and become more able to pass wisdom on to my children. My wife and I have declared that our children’s lives will not reflect the hardships we had and we will be able to give them wisdom (natural and spiritual) our parents could not give to us.

By Dean Brown.
Live11Radio.com

Work Place

I constantly have to keep my mind focus on the word of God by not taking thought when others around me start discussing activities in their lives. Even during work especially after a weekend or holiday that’s when I realize that the voices seem louder. Everyone talking about their overwhelming weekend activities and is it a coincidence that none of their activities had anything to do with God or their so-called faith in Jesus. I may sound a bit harsh but I am extremely tired of people who say the know Jesus, they love Him and they are Christians when they never have anything to share about what He has done or what they desire to do for His Kingdom. I would be more at ease if none of these people said they were Christians.

As the week progresses then their problems start unfolding: Marriage, kids, job, family members other social relationships, health and so on. No peace, no joy, no fruit of the spirit growing in their lives. What I think is the worst part is that the persons who say that they are faithful to Christ are in the thick of these conversations and at times leading these unfruitful conversations.  Then I remember and read Matt 28:19-20 which tells us/believers to go and make followers of Christ, teaching them the word of God through our conversations/lifestyle and He will be with us.

I think that many Christians are not bold or zealous enough to share the gospel with others. Been saved is not for us just to get to heaven/ (fire insurance) but to encourage others to want to live for Christ. The term keeps been pushed around: “I don’t want to offend anyone”, this is just an excuse and an area we all can work on. Our lifestyle, conduct, conversations should be a reflection of who we serve. All of us are serving something or someone and we have to wear our salvation jerseys, hats, ride on our salvation rims and blast our salvation music. Living for God is not about behaving goofy or super spiritual but more so of renewing our minds, going to a church that teaches the word of God, diligently seek Him and ask Him to open your heart to his truth. Psalm 37:1-9

When I really got serious about living for Christ I had to get ride of the religious things I’ve been taught and get to know God for myself. The amazing thing that was revealed to me is that God created this world for His children to enjoy. Many things have been perverted by satan and we have to be very careful when we entertain certain thing. The bible says that we need to shun all appearance of evil 1 Thessalonians 5:22.  Having a personal relationship with God will reveal what is acceptable and what’s not. So let’s become the ambassador for Christ in the work place and everywhere we go. I am not talking about slapping people with the bible but rather your conduct. Romans 15:5

By: Dean Brown

A Bad Name

Jesus said that many fox would come and try to scatter the sheep and this Judgment Day prophesy is just an example. It amazes me that so many people are panicked and trying to get baptized so they won’t be on the wrong side of judgment. God does not operate by fear tactics, only satan and what this does is try to create an image in people’s mind that God’s word is not real, salvation is a fade and the list goes on.

The people who are responsible for spreading this false information have a judgment to face for themselves. The bible clearly warns those who lead Gods sheep astray and if God says it, it shall happen. The other thing that is clear is that people know that God is real and salvation is free but it is sad that many prefer to live their lives anyway they please and try to catch God at the tail end. We are completely forgetting (Romans 12:1-2, 1John 1:7 and Acts 20:28). We are purchased by the blood of Christ if we decide to accept it by doing 1John 1:9 and follow through by living (Romans 12:2).

God is not capable of lying (Numbers 23:19).  If He says that no man knows the time of His return, then guest what no man knows (I Thessalonians 5:2). This is an attack on the body of Christ to make the name of Christ look bad. Christians who knows the word should be confident knowing that these things were spoken in the bible. It is not the time to shy away from the things of God but the time to get plugged in and continually renewing our minds with the word of God.

Dean Brown

5/20/11