Yesterday, just as I was waking up, I briefly closed my eyes only to see a vision of my daughter, Abigail, coming into my bedroom and handing me a white paper lunch bag with a couple of party ribbons on it along with a note taped onto the front. The note read, "Congratulations, Brian. It's Sovereignty Week." Then it was over.
For the past two days I have been trying to understand what it meant.
About 15 years ago I was at a church in Garden City, Idaho, right next to Boise. I had gone to the front to receive some ministry. A man began to pray for me and he told me that the word "sovereignty" would be very important in my life.
Also for a number of years, I have come to see the rising river in Ezekiel 47 as representative of various stages in a persons life. The "ankle stage" relating to a time of refreshing, the "knee stage" a call to prayer, the "loin stage" as a season of fruitfulness and the "could not be crossed stage" as a time when the sovereignty of God takes over a person's life.
I don't know why it would be Abby bringing me the bag. She is my firstborn. Maybe she will be the one that helps me interpret some of God's dealings in my life. I do not know what was in the paper bag, but I have to assume that it was something to do with my destiny in the future. The issue at hand however is my willingness to take the bag regardless of what is inside. That is part of what it means to come under the Lord's sovereignty. It means to say yes before we know what is in the bag.
Since He is in charge, will there be any risk? Of course. Every situation always presents a challenge and a choice. We do not have to respond to divinely orchestrated events. We can ignore them or complain about them. We may find them to be very inconvenient. But for sure there will always be something important to God wherever He guides our steps. I asked the Lord about sovereignty and this is what I journaled.
The season of sovereignty is an unprecedented opportunity for fruitfulness and fulfillment. I will never carry you to places that will yield nothing. I will place you in places that will shift the plates of the earth. I will make you exceedingly fruitful and productive. But at the same time these opportunities may not look like anything important. But do not concern yourself with appearances or what you hope to gain from it. These issues are but distractions. I have purposes in everything. So go and embrace the places I send you.
I am being asked if I want to belong to God and give Him permission to do anything He sovereignly chooses for my life. The answer is yes.
Take me away, River of God.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
The Narrow Gate, Part 2
From my journal...
The Father: What brings you happiness, Brian? Could you be content just knowing that I have drawn you to myself and deprived you of everything that you thought made you you, just so I could call you my own? Would such a process make you happy, for I tell you it makes me happy, especially when you see what I am doing and then give way to my process of bringing you near? I am looking for a people who are not ashamed to be small and to be nothing. They are content with ownership and nearness and dearness to me. They are finding their renewed identity in belonging to me. These are they that I will make my jewels.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
The Narrow Gate Part 1
The way into the kingdom is not conspicuous. It is hidden, obscure and often not even observable to the naked eye. That is because it is concealed by the Lord from all except them who have humbled themselves before Him. Great victory and success has a way of filling us with pride so that the next provision or direction of the Lord goes unnoticed. The narrow gate is often only observed by them who have recently experienced some great failure or injury or defeat. It is the way of brokenness. It is way of servanthood. It is the way of the meek. It is made available to those who have "fallen on the rock" and been broken. This way cannot be forced. It must be revealed and then accessed by the grace of God. It must be opened to you.
Recently someone told me that they felt that Revelation 3:8 was for Suzanne and me. It reads, "I know your works. See, I have set an open door before you, and know one can shut it...." I was blessed to receive it but I did not know how it could be possible. It seemed like a distant reality and that our way was sealed shut.
Recently we have had some situations over which we are powerless to fix. They have been humbling to say the least. I have been asking the Lord for a way through. Yesterday my faith was quite depleted as we contemplated our options. In that state, even if God did show us a divine strategy for overcoming it would do us no good if we could not believe that it is His provision.
Early this morning I began to meditate on the words from Matthew 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate..." I said, "Father show me this gate. Show me how to access your will for our lives. It is hidden from me but I know you love me and want to show us your way." That is when He began to show me that the narrow gate is never accessed by the proud, the arrogant or the powerful. It is accessed by the weak, the powerless, the insignificant who can do nothing in themselves but who simply look to the Lord for direction. Then He said to my heart, "The narrow gate is the open door before you that no man can shut." In other words, they are one in the same and they will remain open to you as long as you believe Me. Something came alive in me as I heard the Lord confirm His promise. Suddenly my heart was stirred to believe Him and I felt a divine release.
This morning the narrow gate was simply faith to believe Him that all is well, that He sees our comings and our goings and that He has a plan to see us through.
I do not know what the open door looks like in its fullness. I do not know everything that is behind the narrow gate. But I am confident that the Lord is going before us to make our way plain and that along the journey there is provision to sustain us in times of weakness, fatigue and spiritual exhaustion. Dear one, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. "Faithful is He who calls you, and He will bring it to pass." To be continued...
Recently someone told me that they felt that Revelation 3:8 was for Suzanne and me. It reads, "I know your works. See, I have set an open door before you, and know one can shut it...." I was blessed to receive it but I did not know how it could be possible. It seemed like a distant reality and that our way was sealed shut.
Recently we have had some situations over which we are powerless to fix. They have been humbling to say the least. I have been asking the Lord for a way through. Yesterday my faith was quite depleted as we contemplated our options. In that state, even if God did show us a divine strategy for overcoming it would do us no good if we could not believe that it is His provision.
Early this morning I began to meditate on the words from Matthew 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate..." I said, "Father show me this gate. Show me how to access your will for our lives. It is hidden from me but I know you love me and want to show us your way." That is when He began to show me that the narrow gate is never accessed by the proud, the arrogant or the powerful. It is accessed by the weak, the powerless, the insignificant who can do nothing in themselves but who simply look to the Lord for direction. Then He said to my heart, "The narrow gate is the open door before you that no man can shut." In other words, they are one in the same and they will remain open to you as long as you believe Me. Something came alive in me as I heard the Lord confirm His promise. Suddenly my heart was stirred to believe Him and I felt a divine release.
This morning the narrow gate was simply faith to believe Him that all is well, that He sees our comings and our goings and that He has a plan to see us through.
I do not know what the open door looks like in its fullness. I do not know everything that is behind the narrow gate. But I am confident that the Lord is going before us to make our way plain and that along the journey there is provision to sustain us in times of weakness, fatigue and spiritual exhaustion. Dear one, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. "Faithful is He who calls you, and He will bring it to pass." To be continued...
Monday, March 22, 2010
Consoling our soul in times of crisis
Psalm 131:1-3 A Song of Ascents. Of David.
O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.
God has been teaching many that the reposturing and quieting of our heart is essential to being able to receive more of what the Lord has for us. In the midst of chaos God is teaching us how to quiet and compose our heart so that in that place of peace we might receive His word clearly and directly from Him.
Over the last several days I have been relearning this lesson again and again. It seems some event comes into our lives that causes us trouble and we have a decision to make at that point. We can either panic or we can compose our soul and see what the Lord has to say.
At some point last week Suzanne and I were facing what we thought was a major issue and we started scrambling for answers but there just was no where to turn. I prayed, “Lord what do we do?” It was like he shrugged his shoulders and said “Eh, it isn’t that bad.” Then he gave us some suggestions for facing the crisis. We did what He said, and in a couple of days an amazing deliverance manifested in our lives. That was a huge breakthrough on two fronts. The first breakthrough happened internally when we stopped panicking and actually came to a place of faith and peace. Then the deliverance manifested outwardly and it was almost anti-climatic.
People of God, there are a number of huge crises looming before us. This weekend the U.S. Congress is poised to pass a Health Care Bill that is unprecedented not only in its far reaching impact on this nation’s march toward socialism but also in its demoralizing influence and undermining of all faith in our system of government. There is an enormous amount of shouting going on. People are screaming for the train to stop. But no one is listening.
Perhaps it is time for the Church to stop screaming and start listening. In the midst of enormous fear and panic, the Spirit of God is brooding. The enemy may be busy, but God is always miles ahead of Him. The enemy cannot ambush God. He always sees him coming. On the contrary, God is preparing to ambush the enemy. Something much bigger is taking place at this hour than what is going on in Congress and the White House. There is a divine strategy being unfolded in the Heavenlies. Let us pray that we do not miss it.
Quiet and compose your heart. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
Grace and Peace,
Brian Harrison
O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.
God has been teaching many that the reposturing and quieting of our heart is essential to being able to receive more of what the Lord has for us. In the midst of chaos God is teaching us how to quiet and compose our heart so that in that place of peace we might receive His word clearly and directly from Him.
Over the last several days I have been relearning this lesson again and again. It seems some event comes into our lives that causes us trouble and we have a decision to make at that point. We can either panic or we can compose our soul and see what the Lord has to say.
At some point last week Suzanne and I were facing what we thought was a major issue and we started scrambling for answers but there just was no where to turn. I prayed, “Lord what do we do?” It was like he shrugged his shoulders and said “Eh, it isn’t that bad.” Then he gave us some suggestions for facing the crisis. We did what He said, and in a couple of days an amazing deliverance manifested in our lives. That was a huge breakthrough on two fronts. The first breakthrough happened internally when we stopped panicking and actually came to a place of faith and peace. Then the deliverance manifested outwardly and it was almost anti-climatic.
People of God, there are a number of huge crises looming before us. This weekend the U.S. Congress is poised to pass a Health Care Bill that is unprecedented not only in its far reaching impact on this nation’s march toward socialism but also in its demoralizing influence and undermining of all faith in our system of government. There is an enormous amount of shouting going on. People are screaming for the train to stop. But no one is listening.
Perhaps it is time for the Church to stop screaming and start listening. In the midst of enormous fear and panic, the Spirit of God is brooding. The enemy may be busy, but God is always miles ahead of Him. The enemy cannot ambush God. He always sees him coming. On the contrary, God is preparing to ambush the enemy. Something much bigger is taking place at this hour than what is going on in Congress and the White House. There is a divine strategy being unfolded in the Heavenlies. Let us pray that we do not miss it.
Quiet and compose your heart. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
Grace and Peace,
Brian Harrison
Friday, February 5, 2010
The following is an article I wrote a year ago. Writing this article released something in me as I wrote it and became a foundation of much of what is in my heart today. I am reproducing it here because I feel that it's message is vital and foundational in this hour.
"...in me you have peace.
In the world you shall have tribulation;
but be of good cheer,
I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
The words of Jesus quoted above highlight two entirely different realities. “...in me you have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation..." The contrast is striking and reveals the reason why many tonight are rejoicing, while so many others find themselves in the grip of despair and fear. It all comes down to focus.
This is not to say that a disciple of Jesus should deny that he or she is experiencing difficulties? This is a fact of life and Jesus does not shy away from it. He, without apology, states that in this world Christians will experience trouble, but in the same breath commands His disciples to "be of good cheer."
How is this to be done? Is it possible to be of good cheer even when we are experiencing tribulation or life threatening circumstances? For the believer in Jesus, absolutely, by not becoming obsessed with our troubles, nor finding our identity in them. Rather, we must be focused upon the greater reality created by the impact of the life of Christ. We are to be of good cheer because Christ has overcome the world and our own personal victory is wrapped up in His. The second truth trumps the ugly reality. The perfect storm may be raging around us but God has called His people into the eye of the storm, the place of total peace as we focus upon Him who has overcome the world.
But what does it mean that Christ has overcome the world? The Greek word nikao, translated "overcome," means to prevail over, to conquer to vanquish or to be the victor. The sporting equipment corporation giant, Nike, gets its name from this Greek word. Nike means victory. Nikao is the verb form of the same word and it means that there has been a conflict that produced a clear winner.
So what does this word mean in the mouth of Jesus? When Jesus stated that He had overcome the world, He was speaking of the world's systems rooted in rebellion and unrighteousness and death. Jesus has simply stated that He has engaged in warfare against the system that rules this earth and defeated it. He has not been caught up in it, compromised by it, or been taken captive to its rule. Rather, He has taken the high ground, gotten an upper hand, taken dominion of the conflict and changed the core nature of everything.
He has rendered the world’s systems obsolete and replaced them with another reality, the
How did He do this? In a word, it was through submission. He was “born of woman, born under the law that He might redeem those who were under the law...." Galatians 4:4, 5. He refused to bend to the pressures of this world, submitting to God, to the law, and to His mother and father. When the prophetic voice of John the Baptist was heard in the wilderness, Jesus submitted to it and was baptized. The Spirit of God came upon Him and compelled Him into the desert for His final crucial test before launching into His ministry. Again He submitted and there He encountered Satan, the prince of this world. He resisted his temptations and scorned his offer of partnership. Instead, He bound Himself to His Father's will, established through obedience the Father's word, sealed His obedience with His own blood at the cross, and died, still loving, still caring, still forgiving, still trusting, still raising the standard of true righteousness to the very end.
And when He announced that he was finished, it truly was finished and the earth shook, and to the old order was delivered a death blow. Therein He released a power that shook and continues to shake everything that can be shaken and bending the kingdoms of this world to Himself.
"The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ
and he shall reign forever and ever." Revelation 11:15
In other words, Christ has tapped the root of the global rebellion through a life of submission, broken into its nerve center, hacked into its mainframe computer and released a virus of judgment that shall not relent nor be aborted until the world system is utterly incapacitated. The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 1:17 Christ has defeated at the root level everything opposed to God, everything opposed to His will, and everything opposed to His design. It is finished!
He has overcome the world. Christ has had his day in court. The verdict has been rendered in favor of Jesus. His blood has been sprinkled on the heavenly alter and been accepted. His witness is vindicated in the courts of heaven and His decisions are being enforced. There is no more argument. There is no rebuttal. There can be no overturning of the court's decision. Therefore let all the house of
He has overcome the world. He has changed the guiding principles upon which the earth is established. He has written a new constitution. His life has established a new order and a new law, the law of liberty, and that new law has become the new center of gravity for the nations, whether they realize it or not. Jesus Christ has raised a standard and it has become the plumb line for the nations and the gravitational pull of His moral excellence shall cause every tribe, tongue and people to align with Him.
"Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end." Isaiah 9:7
Therefore, since the victory of Jesus has become the new ultimate reality and released the
Inevitably the old gets jealous. Is there trouble in this world for the Christian? Absolutely and the reason is that this world is desperately trying to hold onto a life that is doomed to come to nothing. We who are followers of the new order, the new creation, not only testify to Jesus’ resurrection, power and relevance in this life, but we are also part of that trumpet sound signaling to the world that its days are numbered. We live in this world but we do not participate in its dying nature. We are a testimony to its defeat because we are alive in Christ and with increasing measure the laws governing this age do not affect us. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2
Christ does not deny the reality of conflict. He simply states that the decisive blow has already been delivered and that His people must reflect that irrevocable change. He insists that His followers align themselves with His victory- Be of good cheer... for our cheerfulness is part of His victory. Our hope is a sign of His conquest.
How does one know that he or she is starting to grow up into the maturity of Christ? Answer: When our emotions no longer align with outward circumstances but with the inner witness of the Spirit of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The scriptures prophetically state about Jesus, "He will not fail nor become discouraged till he has established justice in the earth." Isaiah 42:4. Outwardly things can look very bad. Inwardly our Spirit man is telling us that God has everything under control and that the Kingdom is abounding, expanding, immeasurably, irresistibly, abundantly. When the voice of circumstances is in conflict with the testimony of the Spirit, our soul must align itself with the Spirit.
The mature in Christ have taken their stand with the Lord! "Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world."
Let us all join this company of overcomers. Let us rejoice this day in Christ the Lord...
For He has overcome the world!
Friday, January 22, 2010
A Deeper Place of Abiding
Recently I was meditating on some things that I felt that the Lord had told me he wanted me to do. As I envisioned myself attempting to obey the Lord, I saw myself over come with self doubt, unbelief, and fear. I heard the voice of others who were observing me saying, "Who does he think he is?" and "What are you doing here?" In my mind I began to crumble.
Suddenly my thoughts became like a vision and I saw myself wrapped up and reinforced in Jesus and I began to advance through the crowd of antagonists effortlessly. The Lord began to speak to me saying, "I have never asked you to do anything that you could accomplish on your own. Neither have I ever asked you to do something that was impossible to do in Me." The Lord has not set us up to fail. He has called us as sons to learn, grow and mature. The sooner we understand the secret of abiding, the sooner we will begin to advance.
Ever since, the Lord has been speaking to me about a deeper place of abiding. What we often misunderstand is that though He is always ready to abide in us, we abide in Him sporadically. But He is faithful, and if we ask Him, He will take us to a deeper place. We do not have to find it ourselves. Actually, this place is beyond our reach unless He leads us there. But a willing and trusting heart will be escorted into new realms of grace and peace.
Interestingly, it is often the difficult circumstances we face that push us to a deeper place in Him. Life presses against us and we will either be crushed or find the place of safety in His abiding presence. We are forced to find our life in Him. I sometimes wake up early in the morning with panic or unrest that is profound and terrifying and I have fallen on my face crying out for relief. The agony of my soul compels me to go deeper until I find refuge from the pressure. I stay there until I know that I have been heard. When the breakthrough comes, I step into clarity, peace, and confidence and I can tell that I have been clothed with the armor of His presence. It is only then that I am able to accurately assess the situation and lay hold of the solutions I need to deal with the current crisis.
I have come to understand that this is my training ground. I used to dread it. But now I let it serve me. I hate the pressure that life brings on me, but the secret place is becoming a place of great delight regardless of what forced me to go there.
David asked the Lord to "train his hands for war." There is a training that goes on in the secret place that can be found no where else, for it is in this place that the Lord fashions our heart and reinforces our inner man. As we emerge from this place equipped, we will be armed with "the word that sustains the weary" and be able to to give "to every man an answer" and find solutions for the complexities of life.
In days to come, the pressures of life are going to increase. It is time to find a deeper place of abiding!
Suddenly my thoughts became like a vision and I saw myself wrapped up and reinforced in Jesus and I began to advance through the crowd of antagonists effortlessly. The Lord began to speak to me saying, "I have never asked you to do anything that you could accomplish on your own. Neither have I ever asked you to do something that was impossible to do in Me." The Lord has not set us up to fail. He has called us as sons to learn, grow and mature. The sooner we understand the secret of abiding, the sooner we will begin to advance.
Ever since, the Lord has been speaking to me about a deeper place of abiding. What we often misunderstand is that though He is always ready to abide in us, we abide in Him sporadically. But He is faithful, and if we ask Him, He will take us to a deeper place. We do not have to find it ourselves. Actually, this place is beyond our reach unless He leads us there. But a willing and trusting heart will be escorted into new realms of grace and peace.
Interestingly, it is often the difficult circumstances we face that push us to a deeper place in Him. Life presses against us and we will either be crushed or find the place of safety in His abiding presence. We are forced to find our life in Him. I sometimes wake up early in the morning with panic or unrest that is profound and terrifying and I have fallen on my face crying out for relief. The agony of my soul compels me to go deeper until I find refuge from the pressure. I stay there until I know that I have been heard. When the breakthrough comes, I step into clarity, peace, and confidence and I can tell that I have been clothed with the armor of His presence. It is only then that I am able to accurately assess the situation and lay hold of the solutions I need to deal with the current crisis.
I have come to understand that this is my training ground. I used to dread it. But now I let it serve me. I hate the pressure that life brings on me, but the secret place is becoming a place of great delight regardless of what forced me to go there.
David asked the Lord to "train his hands for war." There is a training that goes on in the secret place that can be found no where else, for it is in this place that the Lord fashions our heart and reinforces our inner man. As we emerge from this place equipped, we will be armed with "the word that sustains the weary" and be able to to give "to every man an answer" and find solutions for the complexities of life.
In days to come, the pressures of life are going to increase. It is time to find a deeper place of abiding!
Friday, January 15, 2010
The New Voice of Authority
What you are about to read, you already intuitively know. But I pray that it will encourage as well as challenge you nonetheless...
A new voice of authority is rising among God’s people. This voice is not coming from the trained professionals. It isn't necessarily coming with slick packaging. It may even be a bit rough around the edges. Nevertheless, a voice is rising with the ring of authenticity that is undeniable.
It is immerging from the simple hearted people who have decided to believe God’s word over any other. They have humbled themselves before the Lord, listened to His voice and have obeyed His word. Their obedience may well have led them into "deep waters," where only Jesus can sustain them and save them. But pleasing the Lord has become the deepest passion of their hearts and when the Spirit clearly prompts, obedience is the only option.
The mysteries of God's word resist the proud, the arrogant, the intellectually superior, because for these "seeing is believing" and the mysteries do not open up except to the humble, the contrite, the obedient.
Divine revelation will often disrupt before it sets right. It breaks a person before it makes him. Confusion typically comes before understanding, tongues before interpretation, the evening before the morning, weeping before the shout of joy.
The depth of God’s word is revealed in a person before it is made manifest outwardly. This is simply one of the ways of the Lord. Those who understand this cease to be offended by the delays or the silences.
Those who speak with this new voice are not trying to make a name for themselves. They are not anxious to make their voice heard. They are quietly content to allow others to speak. In pleasing the Lord they have all the reward they are looking for. But when they start to share what is on their hearts, the atmosphere changes and everyone knows that the one speaking has walked out something with God. These voices are not just speaking the truth. They are witnesses to the truth.
The days have arrived when the overcoming church will no longer have an ear for mere teaching rooted in intellectualism, or charismatic cleverness, or entertainment. Those who speak in the name of the Lord must become “witnesses” to the truth. The church is listening for the sound of death... and resurrection!! "Deep is calling to deep." One cannot witness to what he or she does not participate in. The times call for an authentic words, tested-in-the-fire words, from authentic voices.
Let the true witnesses arise.
A new voice of authority is rising among God’s people. This voice is not coming from the trained professionals. It isn't necessarily coming with slick packaging. It may even be a bit rough around the edges. Nevertheless, a voice is rising with the ring of authenticity that is undeniable.
It is immerging from the simple hearted people who have decided to believe God’s word over any other. They have humbled themselves before the Lord, listened to His voice and have obeyed His word. Their obedience may well have led them into "deep waters," where only Jesus can sustain them and save them. But pleasing the Lord has become the deepest passion of their hearts and when the Spirit clearly prompts, obedience is the only option.
The mysteries of God's word resist the proud, the arrogant, the intellectually superior, because for these "seeing is believing" and the mysteries do not open up except to the humble, the contrite, the obedient.
Divine revelation will often disrupt before it sets right. It breaks a person before it makes him. Confusion typically comes before understanding, tongues before interpretation, the evening before the morning, weeping before the shout of joy.
The depth of God’s word is revealed in a person before it is made manifest outwardly. This is simply one of the ways of the Lord. Those who understand this cease to be offended by the delays or the silences.
Those who speak with this new voice are not trying to make a name for themselves. They are not anxious to make their voice heard. They are quietly content to allow others to speak. In pleasing the Lord they have all the reward they are looking for. But when they start to share what is on their hearts, the atmosphere changes and everyone knows that the one speaking has walked out something with God. These voices are not just speaking the truth. They are witnesses to the truth.
The days have arrived when the overcoming church will no longer have an ear for mere teaching rooted in intellectualism, or charismatic cleverness, or entertainment. Those who speak in the name of the Lord must become “witnesses” to the truth. The church is listening for the sound of death... and resurrection!! "Deep is calling to deep." One cannot witness to what he or she does not participate in. The times call for an authentic words, tested-in-the-fire words, from authentic voices.
Let the true witnesses arise.
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