dickbraswell

Word for Today:  September 27

If you are Born Again, you are the Elect.

God Himself calls you His Elect.  (Mat 24:31)  You have been selected and elected.   You have been called and chosen.  You are a unique and specialized creation.  You have a divine and holy destiny.

You were born with a Plan inside.  A built-in Plan.  A divine Plan.  A God Plan.  This plan has been in place before you were conceived inside your mother’s womb.  Even before the creation of all things in heaven and in earth.

This Plan was not formulated at the time of your conversion… it was set in place before the foundations of the universe were laid.  (Eph 1:4)

This is why satan has fought you since you were born.  Just why do you suppose you have experienced such attacks and afflictions and circumstances?  The devil knows about The Plan.  he does not know what it is but he knows it is in there.   And it just might be The One.

The One that ultimately spells his defeat in this dispensation.

You are Significant

Word for Today:  September 25

The things of the world are becoming less and less important

The purpose for our existence is coming into focus.

There is new intensity in the Body of Christ.  New determination.  New diligence.  New resolve.  Many are developing a sharp focus and a determined objective.  The Goal is in sight.  We want to Know Him.  To be conformed into His Image. Our main quest is to come into the Fullness of God and accomplish the purpose of our Redemption.

The powers of darkness are screaming to distract us.  The forces around us are vying for our attention.  The noise is loud.  The sights are glittering.  The temptations are real.  And strong.  But we will not turn aside.  Never.  We will not be distracted.  We will not be lured away from where and what God is calling us.

We know what we want.

We have tasted and discovered that the Lord is Good.  We want what He has to offer.  We know what it is.  It is more.   It has been good but we want more.  It has been wonderful but it is not enough.  More.  We want more.  More of God.  More of Jesus.  More of the Holy Ghost.  More Word.  More anointing.  More Revelation.  More Power.  More Love.   To be more like Jesus.

Others know also.  They may be in the Far Country.  But they Remember.  Just like the prodigal son… they remember how good it is to be in Father’s House.  What they have tasted they can never forget.  And they will return.  Soon.

As this universal Pull of the Holy Ghost covers the earth… they will come home.  They are coming from the north, the south, the east and the west.  They know what they want the world cannot satisfy.  The flesh is too shallow.  The pleasure is too temporal.  The peace is too fleeting.  There is unrest.  There is dissatisfaction.  There is turmoil in the soul.  There is unhappiness and stress and anxiety.

Those who have wandered off will come home.  The prodigal will “come to himself” and return, with repentance, to Father’s House.   Because

This is the Day of our Visitation

Word for Today:  September 24

You know and I know Something is about to happen.

There are indications everywhere.  There is a witness in the heart of every turned-on believer.  You feel it.  God is moving.  The earth is responding.  The world is waiting.  There is a stirring in the church.  This is the hour.  Something is about to happen.

There is a drawing toward God.  The Holy Ghost is reaching into the hearts of men (all kinds of men) and drawing… attracting… pulling them toward God.  It is relentless.  It is miraculous.  There is resolve.  There is Hunger.  And this Hunger is indicative of the Divine Plan and Purpose of God in this hour.

You feel the drawing.  It (your relationship with Jesus) is not like it used to be.  It is changing.  There is a dissatisfaction that is driving you to seek His Face and to be conformed more and more into His Image.

The things of the world are becoming less and less important to you.   The reason for our existence is coming into focus.  Our reason for “being” is that in this time of His Visitation, we may Glorify God.

All things are coming together.  The signs are everywhere.  The world is waiting.  Nature is groaning.  Believers are expecting.    (Rom 8:19)

A contemporary Reformation is at hand

Word for Today:  September 23

We must be missing something.

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Eph. 3:19

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Eph. 3:20

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.  2Cor. 4:7

There must be something we have not understood about this.  Do we really know what these verses mean?  Have we come into a Revelation of the awesomeness of these statements of fact?  How is it that we have settled into such wimps and weaklings when all of Heaven’s Power is in us?  What is wrong?  What has happened?  Where have we missed it?

God has made an awesome investment in you.

• God has confidence in you.
• God believes in you.
• God’s Miracle Power is in you.
• You have the potential to change anything that needs to be changed.
• You can even change you.
• Nothing is too hard for God and God lives in you.

The Word says that with God all things are possible.  Paul wrote:

 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…  Phil 4:13

The Word declares that if:

 You can believe all things are possible to him that believeth…”  Mk 9:23.

When you got saved, God made a Divine Deposit in you.  Your body became the Temple of the Holy Ghost.  You are no longer your own because you were bought with a price…

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.   1Cor 6:19-20

Your “earthen vessel” is a mine filled with priceless treasure.

Word for Today:  September 22

Do not faint in your mind.

Your Mind is the key to the power in you.  That is why satan attacks the mind… he knows if he can get you to faint in your mind you cannot draw from the Power within.  (Eph 3:20)

When you faint in your mind:

1. You forget what you know (the Word)
2. You become caught up in the problem… moved by the circumstance
3. You begin to doubt and fear sets in
4. You fall into this seven-fold temptation:

(1) Discouragement

(2) Depression

(3) Despair

(4) Resignation… (“Nothing will help… it will always be this way”)

(5) Acceptance of Failure

(6) Condemnation, guilt, inferiority

(7) Death

The way to fix your mind… your “fainting” mind… your “shaken” mind… your “weary” mind is by considering Him…

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Heb 12:3

Just think about Jesus

Word for Today:  September 21

Understanding.

When you were Born Again you received the Character, Nature and Attributes of your Heavenly Father.  That is why Jesus said, Except a man be Born Again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God… John 3:3.   The word “see” means to “know” or “have knowledge of.”  It means to “perceive” or to “understand”.

Jesus was not talking about Heaven in this passage.

He was talking about living and functioning in God’s Place and in God’s Kingdom on this earth before we die and go to heaven.

If you are Born Again you have had God’s power transferred to you.  You receive God’s Power by getting Born Again.  If you are not living in God’s power it may be because you do not understand how to.  You can have God’s Power and yet not live in God’s Power.

Thousands of Believers are right there.  Maybe you are one of them.  You can have God’s Power and yet not activate it and release it.

God’s Power will do for you exactly what God will do for you.

The awesome power of God is in you.  And this Power is activated and released by your Faith.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…   Eph 3:20

When you determine to activate that power by your faith, you bring God to the scene of your need.  The Word becomes flesh.  The Kingdom of God comes.

And hell has to move over

Word for Today:  September 20

Use what you have. Begin where you are.

David, the sling shot boy, did not wait until he had something else or something better… he took what he had and trusted God to make it work…  He took his staff… his sling… and five smooth stones.  He did not wait for something better or delay for more equipment to arrive… He used what he had.

You can take what you have and defeat the devil today.  If you have been waiting for something else you have been waiting in vain.  Some are waiting for more faith…. more strength… more favorable circumstances… more money…  but God wants you to take what you have and use it to overcome the devil.

You are a New Creation in Christ Jesus and you can do all things through Him.  You have more than enough right now to overcome the devil. Remember… the devil’s biggest and best is still no match for the smallest and weakest in the Kingdom.   Jesus said: “He that is least in the Kingdom is greater than John the Baptist…”

David took what he had and partnered with God. And that, friend, will always give you the advantage over the powers of darkness.  Any warfare with the devil is always unfair to the devil…  he always has the short end of the stick and is at the mercy of the weakest Believer.

What you have is enough.

Just. Use. It.

Word for Today:  September 19

One factor.

There is only one factor that gives credibility to any ministry.

There is only one factor that guarantees the success of Kingdom work.  There is only one factor that makes preachers really preach and churches really produce lasting results.

Effectiveness and productivity are not the result of man’s effort, ingenuity or education.   Success is not correctly measured by size.  Bigger is not always better.   And smarter is not always wiser.   Breadth is never as important as depth.

In Kingdom Ministry it is the Anointing that produces results.  Without anointing all our efforts are but sounding brass and tinkling symbols.  Where there is no anointing, there is no LIFE.

It is the anointing that breaks the yoke and sets the captive free.  It is the anointing that brings revelation and produces conviction.  It is the anointing that moves the heart and rends the soul.

With all our getting let us be certain we get unction.  Education is good, but it can never substitute for anointing.   Personality and popularity and acclaim are good, but they can never accomplish what the anointing can accomplish.

In all the years of ministry, I’m not so sure I can explain what the anointing really is, or how to adequately describe it, but I can surely tell when I haven’t got it.  And so can you.

The anointing gives credibility to ministry.  The anointing eradicates human limitation.  The anointing speaks the truth.  The anointing breaks the stronghold of the enemy.  The anointing ignites the hearts of complacent Christians and impregnates the barren church to produce spiritual children.

We must have the anointing

Word for Today:  September 18

God has always had a Voice.

In times of trouble and distress and confusion… God has always had a Voice.   His prophets and His servants would come into great anointing and they would speak forth the message of God.

They were Perceptive.  They operated with great insight, foresight and anointing.

They were Receptive.  They were not blinded by or hindered by the fear of men.  They were courageous and bold.  They were determined and persuasive.  Turned on and Tuned in.

They were Called.  Anointed and Appointed and Commissioned.  They were extensions of God on earth and spoke with His authority and His power.

They were Radical and Unreasonable.  They were distinctive and different.  They were careless (toward the world) and careful toward God.  They walked humbly and circumspectly before God.  They respected Him and feared Him. (Held Him in awe and reverence).

We will come into a fresh end-time anointing.  More than ever before… at any time in the history of man… we will speak as the very Voice of God to a seeking generation… to a wounded and hurting Church…  to a world in desperate need.

The voice of the Prophet will be heard once again

Word for Today:  September 15

Attitude.

Notice the attitude of those gathered in the Upper Room in Acts chapter 2:

FIRST:  They were serious about God.  They were serious about Church.  They were serious about Spiritual Things.  They were not playing games or pretending.  They were committed.

SECOND:  They were praying.  They were believing.  They were expecting.

THIRD:  They loved each other and forgave one another and were together in unity.  Petty differences were forgotten.   Hurt feelings were forsaken.

FOURTH:  They wanted IT.  They wanted fire from heaven.  They wanted power.  They wanted God and all that God had for them.

FIFTH:  They were “In one accord…”   They were not arguing doctrine or comparing spiritual gifts.  They were not competing for attention or envious of others.

SIXTH:  They were filled with praise and thanksgiving to God.  They were unashamed and they were bold.  They were not intimidated and they were not shy.  They were not embarrassed about the Holy Ghost.

FINALLY:  They were not going to quit until they got it and until the whole world was touched.

What we are content  with determines what God can do in us.

Dissatisfaction leads to greater possibilities