dickbraswell

Word for today:  October 4

What Authority is:

Authority is the Ability to do something accompanied by the Right to do it.  Ability coupled with Right equals Authority and Dominion.

A policeman has authority that is enabled by the badge he wares.  And the right to use that authority is empowered by the .45 he packs on his belt.

What Authority means…

It means that every believer has the ABILITY and RIGHT to exercise and enjoy every privilege of Salvation.  This includes, Healing from all sickness and disease, deliverance from all demonic powers,  total protection from all dangers, catastrophes, accidents, or threats to life, prosperity and provision for every need,  preservation in and through every trial, test or temptation, soundness of mind and peace of heart.

It means that every believer has the ABILITY and the RIGHT to redeem every promise God has given.  It means that you are WORTHY to receive what God has promised on the basis of the Righteous Nature in you through Jesus Christ.

For God hath made Him to be sin for us (Who knew no sin) that we might be made the Righteousness of God in Him…  2 Cor 5:21

It means that every believer has the ABILITY and the RIGHT to take complete dominion over all the powers of darkness.  This is what Reigning in Life is.  The Believer is given all that he needs to Reign in Life… life on earth at this time and in this place.  Right now!

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

Word for Today:  October 4

Our main problem is a mind problem.

The mind tends to believe and act on what the senses tell it.  This is called “sense knowledge.”  When what we do is dictated by sense knowledge, we are living in and on the natural, carnal level.  The Word tells us that:

To be carnally minded is death, but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace… (Rom 8:6)

“Death” has many first cousins.  Worry is one.  Fear is another.  Then comes anxiety, dread, stress, unrest, sickness, poverty, bondage, terror, unstable marriages, messed up kids, fractured and broken relationships.

Death has many facets.  Sense knowledge invites death into our lives and hinders our Spirit from believing God.  This is why Paul tells us that it is important for us to “renew” our minds.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Rom 12:2

How you think and what you think determines who and what you are

 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:  Pro 23:7  

Word for today: October 3

Here are some Lies that many Believers have bought into:

• It’s a lie that you are a victim of circumstances.
• It’s a lie that you are helpless and can do nothing about your situation. (According to the Word is no such thing as “I can’t help it.”)
• It’s a lie that you are locked into impossibilities and hopeless conditions.
• It is a lie that “things will never change.”
• It’s a lie that you must be miserable, sad, depressed and defeated most of your life.
• It’s a lie that you must stay sick.
• It’s a lie that you must continually live in lack and need.
• It’s a lie that your family cannot be saved and delivered and that they will never love and live for God.
• It’s a lie that you can never change.
• It’s a lie that your marriage is beyond repair.
• It’s a lie that you will never have a good job, and that you will never make a decent living.
• It’s a lie that you will never be out of debt. (Unless you disobey the Word regarding your money, your giving and your spending.)
• It’s a lie that you must always live under a curse.
• It’s a lie that you will never get better, feel better, become stronger, stop worrying, overcome fear, or be a success.
• It’s a lie that you can’t.
• It’s a lie that it’s impossible.
• It’s a lie that you are weak.
• It’s a lie that you are a loser.
• It’s a lie that Prayer does not work.
• It’s a lie that it is “too late.”
• It’s a lie that things are going to get better in the world.
• It’s a lie that God does not care.
• It’s a lie that miracles never happen anymore.
• It’s a lie that God does not speak today.
• It’s a lie that the government and welfare will be your unfailing security.

“Fear Not” is the most reoccurring command in the Bible.

Fear believes the lie.

Faith believes the Word

Word for Today:  October 1

The natural world and the spiritual world.

We need to understand the Natural World as it relates to and exists with (alongside of) the Spiritual World.  Most people do not realize that there are literally two Worlds presently existing side by side.

One is the Natural World (the world we can see and touch and taste and hear and feel).  It is the visible, natural, physical world.  This is the world we live in and the world that our mind (soul) and our body understands and interacts with.  This world is easy to perceive because it is connected to our reasoning… our senses… our sight.   It can be experienced and understood by the natural faculties of man.  However, the “natural” man cannot receive (understand) the things of the Spirit of God because they are “spiritually discerned…” they relate to the Other World…The Spiritual World.

But the natural man (psuchikos) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor 2:14 

But he that is spiritual (pneumatikos) judgeth (investigates, examines, searches and discerns) all things, (as to whether they are Truth or Fact…)  1 Cor 2:15

Believing God begins in the Spirit and manifests in the Natural.  The Spiritual World effects change in the Natural World because it is more real and more authoritative.

What we make as a determined and conscious act of our human will starts things happening in the Spiritual World.   When it (our faith) explodes as a Revelation coming out of our Spirit, it produces change in the physical, natural world.  And in everything that relates to it.

The Spirit of God and the Truth of His Word are always more Powerful in operation than the natural and physical facts that are happening all around us.

Truth has more power than Facts

Word for Today: September 30

Conflict

The more active you get and the more vocal you become for God, the greater the conflict.  As long as you are satisfied being “average” and “normal” and “sensible” and “reasonable” there will be little or no opposition.  When you get determined, so does the devil.  The fact that you and I are threats… serious threats… to hell and hell’s mission, makes us the focus of satanic activity.  However, the

Weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds… 2Cor 10:4

God has equipped us for victory.  Our weapons are not natural, man-made or physical.  They are Supernatural and never-failing.  When we operate in the offensive, our Spiritual Weapons will tear down and destroy every fortress and stronghold the enemy has placed in our lives.

Every attack of the devil is a challenge to the God in us… he is fighting the God in you (therefore he is fighting a losing battle).  The battle you fight is not yours.  It is God’s.  The devil hates Him and when he sees God in us, he is foolish and dumb enough to come against Him.  Remember David?

This is the reason the devil hates you… you are where God is.  When he see you he sees God.  He hates God and defies God.  David realized this in his confrontation with Goliath.  He declared:  “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”  Notice, he did not say that Goliath was defying the armies of Saul or the armies of Israel… but instead, the armies of the living God.   Now, Who is the Champion?  Who is the Stronger One?  Who is the Victorious One?

It is God Who lives in you.

If He wins, you win.

If He can’t lose, you can’t lose.

If He overcomes, you overcome.

He has made you a Champion

Word for today:  September 28

Problem areas.

I have discovered that there are three main problem areas in the lives of Believers.  These problem areas, if left alone and not controlled, will prevent any Christian from living and walking in victory.

The problem areas are:

• The Flesh… which needs to be crucified and kept crucified.
• The Mind… which needs to be renewed and kept renewed.
• The Mouth… which needs to be controlled all the time.

The flesh is constantly warring against the spirit.  I do not need to tell you this.  You experience it every day.  It rebels against the spirit.   It is at odds with God.  It hates the Word.  It resists the Holy Ghost.  It likes to run loose.  It demands attention.  Uncontrolled, it causes misery, guilt, condemnation, and failure.

The Bible tells us how to have victory over the flesh.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Gal. 5:16

The way to overcome flesh is to walk in the Spirit.  It is our flesh that is constantly giving us trouble.  It is our flesh that causes us the most grief.  Flesh is not sinful in itself.  It was created by God.  It is when we allow flesh to be controlled by a carnal mind and an uncontrolled will that we are tempted to sin… and usually yield to it.

To walk in the Spirit means to have your total life (spirit, soul and body) controlled by the Holy Ghost, the living Spirit of the Most High God, Who lives in you.

The flesh lusts.  It is the nature and character of the flesh to lust.  Lust after food.  Lust after rest.  Lust after gratification.  Lust after comfort.  Lust after pleasure.  Lust after money.  Lust after attention.

In order to prevent lust from having its fulfillment our lives need to be controlled by our Re-created Spirit.

Problem solved

Word for Today:  September 27

Out of control.

Paul declared that he was wretched, miserable and frustrated because he could not seem to get control over his natural, fleshly, carnal desires.  (Rom 7:24)  They were ruling and controlling him.  They were overpowering his spirit man and leading him into bondage and condemnation.  He needed help.  Just like you and I need help.  And there is help… Thank God!

God understands our dilemma. He knows that we are “but flesh.”  He understands our failures and frustrations.  He wants us to draw from what He has provided so that we might live in victory and peace.   There is conflict between the flesh and the Spirit.  It is a war.

Paul says that this is a Law of Sin and it is continually warring against the Law of our mind.  The law of sin fights against our will.  What we will to do is overpowered by the strength of sin (the flesh) and we find ourselves defeated and overcome.

In order to overcome the strength of sin that fights against us, the human will must come into play.   If you overcome the flesh, you must want to overcome the flesh.  You will never get free unless you want to be free.  God will not work against the human will.  What you will and what you want, God will respect.  He will not intervene or force Himself into your life and your plans.  If you want out, God will get you out.  If you want to stay under the control of your flesh and continue to suffer the consequences… God will not stop you.  Your deliverance is up to you.  Not me.  Not the church.  Not some prophet or evangelist… or anybody else…. Your deliverance is dependent on you.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4

Let not (you have the power to “let” or to “let not”) sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Romans 6:12

It’s up to you

Word for Today:  September 26

God is moving.

A “Quick Work” is coming that will leave the world’s head swimming.  It is beginning.  It will continue day by day.  It will increase.  It will gain momentum.  It will escalate. There will be a crescendo.  There will be a shaking.  There will be a shocking.  There will be an uprising.

Where there has been social and political unrest… there is now an unrest in the Spiritual Realm.  A stirring.  A moving.  A release of Divine Energy.  You feel it.  You feel it here.  You see it.  You see it here.  It is happening NOW.  It is happening across the earth.  All Creation is standing on tip-toe waiting for the Revelation of the Sons of God.   Listen to this:

 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. Rom. 8:19

Now, guess who the Sons of God are?  The Church.  You and me (if you are saved).  Those who are Born Again.  The Body of Christ.  And, according to the Word of God, we are going to be Manifested.   Revealed.  Shown and displayed to the entire Creation.  Both animate and inanimate.  To the heavens and to the earth.  To all flesh… believers and unbelievers.  To all races.  Creeds.  Cultures.  To everything and to all things.

The neat thing about all of this is that it is God’s Plan.  And it is a Grand Plan.  And there is absolute nothing the devil can do about it.    It. Will. Happen.

The New Testament Church is where it is happening and the “happening” that is within the Church will surge outward like waves created from a pebble tossed into a pond, until it breaks forth and every nation and every kindred and every tongue on this planet is covered with the Glory of God.

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.  Hab 2:14

There’s A Great Day Coming

Word for Today:  September 25

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 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.

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 24

The things of the world are becoming less and less important to us.

The purpose for our existence is coming into focus.

There is a new intensity in the Body of Christ.  A new determination.  A new diligence.  A new resolve.  I have never seen so many with such a sharp focus and such a determined objective.  To Know Him.  To be conformed into His Image.  There is a quest in the Body of Christ 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.  We will not be distracted.  We will not be lured away from what God is calling us into.

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.

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 to Father’s House.

This is the Day of our Visitation