Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne’s latest series has made an unexpected difference in my life. My heart has become more and more receptive to the word of God. With this new desire to receive the word in a deeper, more meaningful way, I have begun to see the fruit of the word coming forth in my life. I have heard the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-23) many times in the past but had never truly understood it because my heart was like the “stony places” referred to in verse 20. The problem with a heart in this condition, is that you hear the word and are temporarily encouraged but there is nowhere for the word to take root and become part of you. For this reason, I would constantly see the power of the word become diminished in my life as time went on. I had to continually run back to the word in search of a new revelation following a trial that caused me to stumble into my old ways. Without a heart that was open to receiving the word and allowing it to take root in my heart, I could never experience the breakthrough that I so strongly desired. I have finally become aware of my need for fervent prayer regarding the condition of my heart. Once I began praying that the Lord would take out my stony heart and open the eyes of my understanding, I began seeing a change in my reception of God’s word. This awareness has come at an extremely important time in my life. The change in my heart was the first step to cultivating the fruit of the spirit in me. The fruit is now evident in my faith walk and most prominently in my ability to trust the Lord for financial provision. God is so good and I am ever thankful for the anointed word that comes forth from Pastor Howard-Browne.
The parable of the sower in Matthew 13 can change your life if you let it. The reflection of my heart has been exposed. I have made adjustments and I’m still making more adjustments in my life as a result. The ground I found my heart to be was the thorny ground, it is way too easy for the things of this world to choke out the word of God, to get you distracted from meditation of the word and in fellowship with the Lord. I realize that I have been in this thorny ground way too long. I love the Lord with all my heart but I had not consecrated myself, set myself apart for His will to be done in my life. The good news is that I’m seeing more positive results from the changes I’ve made. I’m hearing the Holy Spirit more clearly; I depend on Him more than I ever have or thought I needed too. I have a boldness I did not have before to witness for Christ. My prayers are being answered quickly and supernatural favor is upon my life. Believing the Lord for financial blessings had been hard for me to stand in faith for, but now that I have stepped out in faith for even the smallest of needs, and then the bigger needs, I am seeing the breakthrough in that area also, even today I got another financial blessing that in the natural seemed impossible. My heart is now good ground. I refuse to let the things of this world ever choke it out and rob me of the harvest good ground brings. Thank you Pastor Rodney!
What is the cry of your heart? Is it for the Word or for the world? The parable in Mark 4: 1-20 is a vivid illustration of the sower and the seed. God desires that we understand His Word and what better way to explain it then in parables. It shows how we can get caught up in the Word or the world. It is easy to say we will serve the Lord with gladness for all our days, but when hard times come, will you still serve God? We are currently preaching on the fruit of the Spirit in our Bible Study and it amazes me of how when you preach the Word you get tested on it. I was at work and everything was running smoothly. Suddenly, I realized that a list of names and phone numbers that I was working on had shifted so that the majority of the numbers did not match the corresponding names. What a test of patience and self control. I thank God for the Word that is planted in my heart.
The Word being sown into the hearts of men leaves a lasting impression if it is planted in good ground. That is why only what comes out of a man can defile him and not what goes in because out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. A good tree can only bear good fruit and a bad tree can only bear bad fruit. The soil (heart) itself makes the plant grow and bear fruit. You can count how many seeds are in an apple but you cannot count how many apples will come out of a seed. What a great harvest that comes out of it!
When the heart is right and receptive to God, the Word being sown is very effective. If the heart is not right and receptive to God, then the Word will not be as effective. The Bible tells us that not only do we need to receive the Word will gladness; we also have to allow the Word to take root and not allow the things of the world or circumstances to pull us away from the Word. As for me, the Word was first sown in to my life at the age of 12. My heart was open and I received the Word. Although after time, the cares of the world and the desire for other things crept into my heart and I was pulled away. Even when I went to church, my heart was hard and I did not want to receive anything. I finally had to get to the place where I died to myself and to my flesh and I surrendered my heart to the Lord to do what He wanted me to do. The Word of God was then again able to do its work in me and I was able to begin to grow once again. The Lord has given me desires through the years that I had not had before without Him doing a work in my heart. The things that once mattered to me don’t really matter to me anymore, and the things that didn’t matter to me then, matter to me now. Coming to Bible school and working in full time ministry are just a couple of the desires the Lord has put in my heart in the past few years. Before I rededicated my life to the Lord, I never had a desire to be a preacher or be in full time ministry. In fact, talking in front of a group of people was the last thing I wanted to do growing up.
The Lord has been so good it’s been three weeks in the revival. God has been touching and revealing things to me. I had a stomach problem so bad that I had to go to the doctors. I had my mother, friends, and mentor praying for me. Because I could not keep my food in my stomach. So one day in service the lord put in my heart to take flaxseed. So when I did my stomach immediately cleared up.
I tell you what you have to trust the Holy Spirit that lives within you. He will not let you down. God has been showing me about getting right in the area of my finances. He’s been taking me from glory to glory. The Holy Spirit is the best teacher you can ever have. He does not condemn, he is understanding, and gentle. You can trust him with your life. He wants you to go from glory to glory.
I’m a second year student and I tell you that these three weeks have been more powerful then the whole 1st year of RBI for me. God is really doing something big. In these times that were in it is crucial that you allow God to do the work in you. The more he can do in you, the more he can do through you. So God has been taking things out of my life that I did know needed to be taking out of my life. Let God do the work, he knows what he is doing the meetings have been great, you have to stay teachable and not have an offence.
Rodney Howard Browne – Because it is very easy to get offensive but you just have to allow the Holy Spirit to do the work in you. We need to be effective outside of the four walls of the church. Jesus is so soon to come back, so let God do the work. Amen……David R.
Week three was just so Beautiful of just seen everyone giving what they had. That just touched my heart. I had never experienced something like that of seen everyone giving. Something that I would never forget, I always been a giving person even if it’s the last thing I have but if there was any gritty in me left, I can say that is all gone.
I think that having to extend the orientation for more than one week was Gods plans, I know he had to do what he had to do in my life and in the other students, there is a lot more to tell but I know I had passed more than three hundred word, I can say that I am not the same person from three weeks before, I also believe there is more to come, I fully depend on God for everything in my life and I am just so exited to see what is next for me so I can help other. RBI has been such a blessing to me in just three weeks, I pray to God so that he continues to blessing to all of you….Luz M.
RBI has Impact my life and showed me that God is preparing us for great things for His kingdom and His glory, thanks to these men and women of God. Being in these classes is a real oasis I could only see and feel the anointing power in this place is something I never had happened. The power of touch of the Holy Spirit in a supernatural way of life each one of us in these classes. The fire of God is here, thank you Jesus.
I could feel the touch of God in my life these three weeks have been one of the best, in my Christian life new level of glory. in this picture I command was the 5 day of class and power of the Holy Spirit touched me in a way that I could not understand, I prayed asking of him, new languages ??Holy Spirit.
I felt that someone took my hand, I think the Pastor said, bring me to where he was, and my mouth began to speak with new tongues, crying laughing was something beautiful that I will never forget.
The River International Church has been a blessing to me. I have been longing for a church, a place where people truly care for one another. The River church is a place that I can truly see that the people love the way Jesus loves. The staff is Outstanding, Giving ,Truly blessed and Anointed .
I came here with a big wall around myself not wanting to get hurt like in the past. It has been three weeks since coming here from Mobile, AL and I know the wall has been lowered more than halfway but I know without a doubt it will be totally gone.
I was told through a word of prophecy to pack my belongings, I will be moving, at that time I new nothing about The River International Church or about The Great Awakening. This occurred in March 2011 and I had just moved from Texas in January to Mobile, AL to attend college at the University of Mobile. While in Mobile I attended the Bay of the Holy Spirit Revival where Evangelist Nathan Morris was ministering (FIRE). I had no idea that I would find myself here in Tampa, FL until I watched and observed The Great Awakening on CTN and in my heart I knew this was the place I will be moving to. When I saw Pastor Browne on TV the older videos, I remembered watching TV with my mom and seeing Pastor Browne on TBN and I said to myself “ I wish I could go to his church” and at this time he was I believe just visiting from Africa or he had just moved to the U.S.A. AMAZING!!!
It is a miracle that i am here today at the Bible school, three months ago I was in Huntsville, Alabama. With God Grace I am here today. Since I got here my life has been radically changed. It is one this to read about believing God to provide for my life and it is another thing to have to live it. Three weeks ago I had to quit my job which provided security for me and my children and come to Bible school. I almost did not come because I was too worried about my kids and I though it was impossible for me to do it, But I can truly say it today with God nothing is impossible. I obey my God and let go of my Job and I surrender my life and my children to God completely. The day I joined the school some people thought I have lost my mind but I did not care much what they think, I care what Lord my God think of me. One week after the Bible school started the Lord gave me a Job which was perfect for the school schedule and more than that He gave me a Job that is
Five dollars more than what i was getting paid an hour in my former Job. I am telling you I said five dollar more an hour Halelujah, Glory to God. I know now without a doubt the my God is my provider and He is always on time. One more thing I was very afraid to pray for people but now not only I cannot wait to see God move, everyone i have prayed within call center and Soul winning time for healing, they received instant healing. It gets better i work at night when I am at work I speak in Tongues all night and I as the Lord be real to me and I believe He is real person of Jesus, He will feel me with His heavy presence my whole body receive shocks and i will feel Him holding my Hand like a Father leading a Child, I am having a blessing with the Lord in my whole life i knew the God of the Bible but now i know the one who comes to me all the time even during classes. God you are Good my Lord, you are too Good to me, Thank you for RBI and thank you for Pastor Rodney and the whole Church Lord…..Devotha M.
How blessed am I!! Extremely, not because of money, or things, but because I have the greatest opportunity to be part of a ministry that only focuses on eternal things. Pastor Rodney lets the Holy Spirit have complete control of the service. And when you let that happen, He can move in people’s hearts as He needs. I am so greatly thankful for a man of God that is obedient to do what God has called him to do.
When we let go, the Holy Spirit can move freely in our lives, and in turn we affect those around us. The Holy Spirit is there to help and comfort us, but He is more there for those around us. I have changed so much by letting the Holy Spirit have control of my life and heart. This ministry gets out of the way and lets the Holy Spirit have His way. I would have never done have half the things I have done, without the Holy Spirit, and the wonderful pastoral staff of RMI. They have poured out all that they have in them into me and others.
They have poured into us so that we can go and pour out to others. As I have sat under this ministry, my heart has gone from just loving the Lord to doing what the Lord has called every believer to do. Go out and tell others about Jesus! And it has radically changed how I look at people. My vision has gone just doing my thing to doing all that the Lord has for me. I can honestly say that I never had an eternal vision until coming to The River. -Teresa T