“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

See what [an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him. 2 Beloved, we are [even here and] now God’s children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall [as God’s children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is. 3 And everyone who has this hope [resting] on Him cleanses (purifies) himself just as He is pure (chaste, undefiled, guiltless).  1 John 3:1-3 AMP

God has bestowed an incredible amount of love on us in making us His very own children. No other religion of man can make the same claims. Every other religion requires do’s and don’t’s. They have a long list of things you can and can’t do, and even if you fulfill all the requirements (which is impossible any way), you have no idea if you will actually make heaven and miss hell and damnation! The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only message that truly offers a guarantee! Since the Gospel offers heaven based on faith and not works, God made it very, very simple for every person on the planet to become His very own child and spend eternity in His wonderful presence.

He loved us so much that He did it all – He did all the hard work and left nothing up to us, except believing and receiving – so that we can be assured of eternal life, eternal peace, and eternal joy!

Wait and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing]. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy]. 3 Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive; and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with you, even the sure mercy (kindness, goodwill, and compassion) promised to David.  Isaiah 55:1-3 AMP

Even if we owned the whole world with a gold fence around it, we could not pay for one drop of God’s priceless mercy or one drop of the priceless blood of Jesus. He loves us so much that He freely offers His priceless blood, grace, mercy, and forgiveness to every person, no matter how bad they are and no matter how awful their sin. The only way to access this gracious, free gift is by humbling your heart and surrendering your life to the Lord. The way – the only way – that the blessing comes to you is by self-surrender, as it is only by self-surrender that you are able to accept the blessing!

Unfortunately, for some people, this is too high a price to pay. They will do anything else, but do not ask them to surrender their life to the will of the Father. Many people are outwardly religious – some of them ridiculously so – but they will not submit their heart to the Lord. Of course, there are many people who do not know that this is all that God requires of them, as they have never heard the Gospel and their eyes are blinded by the devil, but there are others who have heard and yet find it too difficult to do. You would think that people would be thrilled to know that they no longer have to fulfill a long list of difficult and uncomfortable, sometime tortuous requirements, in order to be guaranteed eternal life, but strangely they would rather suffer and feel like they DID something to pay for their salvation or their reward.

This is not humility – it is false humility – pride dressed up like humility. True humility embraces the free gift. True humility is bold to say, “Yes, I am the righteousness of God in Christ,” knowing all along on the inside that HE paid the price and that we are completely undeserving!

Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].  Hebrews 4:16 AMP

Because of God’s grace, you can come boldly into the presence of God to ask for what it is that you need. Because you have surrendered to Him and allowed Him to wash and cleanse and change you, you are unashamed to enter into His presence. Because you have a revelation of how much He loves you and how much He has done for you and how much He has promised you, you are not afraid to come straight to Him and ask Him personally for what you need!

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

PRAYER THAT GETS RESULTS
Foundation Scriptures: Ephesians 6:18; Luke 18:1

Ephesians 6:18 AMP
Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).

Luke 18:1
NKJV: Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.
AMP: Also [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up).

1. Prayer is communication with your Heavenly Father.
2. Prayer changes things—prayer changes people.
3. If you want results when you pray, you must follow the rules.
   

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   • There are different kinds of prayer in the Bible. You cannot pray the same prayer for every situation.
   • With different kinds of prayer, there are different rules just as different sports have different rules even though they are all sports.
4. Prayer of consecration.
   

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   • Some people say, “If it be Thy will” every time they pray, but this not the only way to pray.
   • This is a prayer of consecration. Even Jesus only prayed that once—in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Luke 22:42)
   • When it comes to getting something from God, we do not pray, “If it be thy will.” We already have God’s promise in His Word.
5. God’s will.
   

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   • We need to realize that it is God’s will that all our needs—spiritual; physical; material—be met.
   • Isaiah 1:19 AMP – If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.
   • 3 John 2 NKJV – Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
6. Prayer of petition.
   

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   • When you pray—when you ask God for anything— you must pray in faith and expectation.
   • Mark 11:24 NKJV – Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
   • Mark 11:24 AMP – For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. You can only pray this prayer for yourself.
7. Praise and answered prayer.
   

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   • There is a time to ask and a time to praise and worship God.
   • When Jehoshaphat and Judah were faced with several nations—a great multitude—coming to fight with them, they chose to praise and worship God and He delivered them.
   • 2 Chronicles 20:21-22 NKJV – And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever.” 22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
   • Paul and Silas were beaten and chained up, but when they began to praise and worship God, they were delivered.
   • Acts 16:25-26 NKJV – But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
   • Tell God what you want and then just worship Him and thank Him.
8. Don’t worry.
   

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   • Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV – Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
   • Be anxious for nothing means: do not worry about anything.
   • 1 Peter 5:6-7 AMP – Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, 7 Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
   • Cast ALL your cares—not just some of them—on Him.
   • When you believe God’s Word and refuse to worry, some people think that there is something wrong with you.
   • Casting your cares does not mean that you ignore your situation; it means you give it to the Lord—you put it in His hands.
   • Psalms 37:5 AMP – Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.
   • When you cast your cares on the Lord and commit your ways to Him, you demonstrate trust and faith in Him to bring it to pass.
   • Many people do not get their prayers answered, because they won’t stop worrying and won’t cast their cares on the Lord.
9. United prayer.
   

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   • If we, as the Church; as the Body of Christ, join our hearts, faith and voices together to pray and ask God for anything, we will see God do mighty things.
   • Acts 4:23-24a NKJV – And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord…
   • Acts 4:29-30 NKJV – Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.
   • Prayer that is prayed in agreement—in one accord—is answered prayer.
   • Matthew 18:19 NKJV – Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

For thus says the high and lofty One—He Who inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, but with him also who is of a thoroughly penitent and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the thoroughly penitent [bruised with sorrow for sin]. Isaiah 57:15 AMP

Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, lives in the realm of Eternity. He has no boundaries and no limitations—no boundaries of time or space. He can do anything He wants to do! When I say “no limits” I do not mean that He is not bound by any rules at all. He is also a good and a righteous God, therefore, even though He has no boundaries or limits, He binds and obligates Himself to His Word and all that He does is also only good.

I have seen that everything [human] has its limits and end [no matter how extensive, noble, and excellent]; but Your commandment is exceedingly broad and extends without limits [into eternity]. Psalms 119:96 AMP

Everything human has its limits and comes to an end, but God is unlimited. Things of earth; things of man; will all come to nothing—only eternal things will last. The humble and repentant souls are the ones who are destined to live forever in eternity with the Father.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men’s hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 AMP

• He has made everything beautiful in its time.

God has a wonderful plan for your life. Everything He has called you to do you can do—with His help. Don’t even try to do anything in your own strength or ability. Rather trust the Holy Ghost to do His work in you and His work through you. There is a direction and a time for everything. The Holy Spirit is the one who will drop a desire in your heart that is in line with His call and purpose and it is the Holy Spirit who will prompt you when it is time to move ahead. That is why we must remain both sensitive and obedient to His voice. You will not succeed unless you implicitly follow Him on the path He has laid before you, just as the Israelites followed the presence of God—the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire—when and where they went. As long as you are walking in obedience to the Lord, everything God has spoken to you will come to pass. You can’t make it happen and you can’t stop it.

Walking in God’s will requires collaboration—us cooperating with the Holy Spirit. Never be intimidated by other people and don’t compare yourself to others. It will only make you to feel either inferior or prideful. Your identity must be in who He has made you to be and what He has called you to do. It’s not a popularity contest. Just do what He tells you to do. God’s will! Nothing more! Nothing less! Nothing else!

• He also has planted eternity in men’s hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy].

God has planted eternity in your heart and mind. He has a Master Plan; a plan that was activated at the foundation of the earth and has continued to work through the ages; a plan that is still being worked out. Ephesians 1:4 AMP says, “Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.”

Every one of us is part of His plan. We are called to carry out our small part of His big plan. God is the one who puts a divinely implanted sense of purpose in your heart. He puts the desire in your heart and only He can satisfy that desire!

• Yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

No one can figure God out or know what He knows or what He is doing, so don’t even try. That is why it is so important to obey even if we don’t understand it all; even if we don’t have all the information. The Lord expects us to trust Him. He is blessed and glorified when we trust Him. You are not displaying weakness to trust God—you are displaying strength. The weak individuals are the ones who trust the arm of the flesh.

Eternity is planted in your heart; live your life for eternity; make your life, and everything you do, count for eternity!

For me to live is Christ [His life in me], and to die is gain [the gain of the glory of eternity]. Philippians 1:21 AMP

Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord! 18 Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 AMP

The fact is that God’s heart has opened a way for me to live free of condemnation through Jesus. My life has been in a constant state of gratitude and worship. There is no way that I can only give him part of my time, but ALL of it. That right there is the way that I reciprocate it back to Him.

The Lord is showing me that the work of the ministry is for the people. A lot of times you get so caught up in the work you forget about the reason you are doing it causing yourself to get caught in a works program. It’s about seeing people healed. It’s about seeing people delivered. Freely we received freely we should give. We should show love without condemnation the same way Jesus shows to us regardless of what we have done.