The Vision

2009-02-11T06:03:00.000-08:00

Motivation very often makes the difference between success and failure. We see this every day, especially as we go about different tasks. We know that we are more excited to do those things that interest us, and less interested in doing the things we see as "chores." The answer to stagnation, then, could be something as simple as motivation.

In terms of the Christian life, a loss of motivation can have devastating outcomes. Remember, when we think about the task before us-making disciples of all nations-the results of inaction go far beyond ourselves. In fact, the implications for our unbelieving friends may well have eternal consequences.

What motivated the early church? It was the transforming work of Christ. He gave them hope, help, strength, power, and purpose. Moreover, He gave them the assurance of His own unending presence.

Think about that. The disciples knew that in order to do what He had called them to do, they would have to go into a hostile world without Him. So, what did Jesus do? He assured them that He would never be far away, and that He would send the Holy Spirit of God upon them. (Acts 1:8; John 14:23-31) He met their need-and also provided their greatest motivation-by promising to be right with them every moment, no matter what they faced. This was their fuel in spreading the Gospel around the world!

The good news for us is that the same motivation is available today. Jesus still stands with us, empowering us to action, and providing the motivation to accomplish His call to service.

Rodney Howard Browne and his ministry team, under the banner of Revival Ministries International, travel about 46 weeks of the year, holding weekly meetings in cities across North America and around the world. They also pastor a church in Tampa, Florida, The River at Tampa Bay, which he founded and which now has 3000 members.

Read more about Rodney Howard Browne on his other websites and blogs:

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THE GENERATION GAP

2009-01-29T01:28:00.000-08:00

And you shall know, understand, and realize that I am in the midst of Israel and that I the Lord am your God and there is none else. My people shall never be put to shame. 28 And afterward I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. 29 Even upon the menservants and upon the maidservants in those days will I pour out My Spirit. Joel 2:27-29 AMP

The Lord spoke through the mouth of Joel about the coming of the day of Pentecost and the rain of His Spirit that would be poured out upon God’s people from that moment on. The Spirit of God would fall on His people—on every generation—from the very old to the very young. The Holy Spirit would not differentiate between men or women, rich or poor, nobles or servants, but He would fill, and use, every one of them to preach, pray and prophesy.

Many of the religious denominations, that we know today, who oppose the gifts and manifestations of the Spirit, and who have none of the power of God in their midst, were actually birthed in the fire of revival! Why do people stray so far from their roots? How can you start in the fire and end up with only smoke and be satisfied with that? How can you be happy with less than what you could have had? Somehow the power of God was not transferred to the next generation. It became the ultimate generation gap.

Not only does each generation have the responsibility to press into God for themselves and receive the baptism of fire promised in John 3:16, but they have the responsibility to preach the next generation hungry! Unless each generation presses in for themselves, they will lose what they never had. Nobody expects to be appointed to a position in a company based on their parent’s education—they must apply for the job based on their own education. However, people think that they can get by on their parent’s relationship with God.

Rodney Howard Browne teaches us that you cannot be lukewarm where God is concerned. God has no grandchildren, He only has children. Every person must get hungry for God for themselves and press in to hear His voice, feel His touch, and know His plan for their life. Lukewarm people are so highly sensitive to persecution that they pull back from anything remotely controversial and miss out on the blessings of the liberty of the Spirit of God. Some people are not even being persecuted, but they are motivated by such a strong desire to be acceptable, that they will do anything to please people and make people like them.

On the other hand, if you have had an encounter with the Holy Spirit and if you have a revelation and an appreciation of what Jesus did for you—how He suffered in His flesh, in His mind, and in His spirit, and how He endured violent abuse and public humiliation—then you would be far less likely to care what other people think of Him or you. Jesus promised that He would bless us back thirty, sixty, or one hundred-fold of whatever we gave up for Him, but with persecution. If you want the blessing, you must be prepared to rise above the persecution without compromising, whilst you continue to contend for the Holy Spirit and for the supernatural power of God.

God promises a crown of life to every Christian who does not love their own life more than they love Jesus and who endures to the end. Only when we have been filled with the Holy Spirit, and have had a personal encounter with Him, will we care more about what God thinks than what people think and we will go on to do the will of God in our generation, no matter what!

Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne

The Vision

THE GENERATION GAP