Barrier Breaker of the Month of February 2020

Barrier Breaker of the month of February 2020 is….

Mr. Howard Harvey aka Bro. Harvey aka Praise Machine. He does a radio show in Gloucester UK every Saturday on Gloucester FM 96.6 (Gfm 96.6) from 9 am to 10 am and I had the honor of being on the show last month. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to talk with him. Here is the link to our interview if you have not listened to it http://listenagain.canstream.co.uk/gloucesterfm/audio/gloucesterfm_18-01-20_6-9_1579338121.mp3. 

One of the things I desire to do with Barrier Breakers Corner is to walk according to God’s Will and not my will. But that does not mean I won’t plan or prepare, I have to always and also commit my plans into God’s hands. So even though I have people lined up each month of this year for the Barrier Breaker of the Month, I still submitted them into God’s Hands. Bro. Harvey was not the person I had for this month. I did not get worked up about it or be upset with the other person. Everyone has stuff to do and if they cannot it’s OK to say NO. It’s also important to say NO and to be able to accept when someone else says NO.

Jois: Thank you Bro Harvey for making time out to talk with me. I know people call you the Praise Machine. How did that name come about?

Bro. Harvey: I got that name Praise Machine, from The Gambia.

Jois: Oh Wow. I did not know that.

Bro. Harvey: Yes. When I went to your dad’s church (Rev. Dr. C.H. Donkor – The Glory Baptist Church, in The Gambia, West Africa), I went to the school. The school (Glory Baptist School) is in the same compound as the church. I called some of the children at the school to sing. I did not know that most of these children were Muslims. I said to them I want to teach you a song.

Control my life Lord, Control my life… Control me Control me control me (LIfe Life) who me ah talk to and they responded (Jesus Christ)…

The next day they told all their friends and they and their friends surrounded me and i was singing lots of songs and they were making so much noise and praising God. Pastor Felix at the concert (Bro Harvey came for a concert at the church) said this man does not need a stage to praise God, this man is a Praise Machine and I said Amen, I claim that name. Since then everyone has been calling me Praise Machine. Of course in the Beginning God breathed into man’s nostrils and man became a living soul and the Bible says let everything that has breath praise the Lord. So everyone that has breath should be a Praise Machine because God expects praise from us once you have breath.

Jois: Lol. I didn’t know that, I thought it was the name you’ve had since you were younger.

Bro. Harvey: No No No. I got it from Gambia.

Jois: OK. You also have a radio show on Saturdays.

Bro. Harvey: Yes

Jois: Has that always been your passion?

Bro. Harvey: Yes but that started in 2008. When I heard about the station and applied for a slot, they asked that I send a cassette with some songs and me talking over it. So I sent them my cassette but I did not hear from them for a very long time. Some time later, a guy called from there asking if I would want to come to the radio station and I said yes. At that time I thought it was for an interview but it wasn’t. They gave me a slot. I always talk to people about Christ so getting the job at the radio station was like a huge thing for me because I get to talk to more people at the same time about Christ. So I’ve been doing this since 2008.

Jois: Wow. That’s 12 years. That is a barrier that you broke cuz you started with that desire to share Christ and God made it possible for you and gave you a platform to share to more people.

Jois: So tell me some of the things you’ve been able to break free of from childhood.

Bro. Harvey: When I moved to England I couldn’t travel because I was under immigration. Therefore I was limited to who I could talk to about Christ. Of course the media was not so popular at that time. I said Lord when you allow me to come out of this situation, wherever I go I’m gonna tell people about you. I also said to Him if I get a chance to enter a plane, Wherever I go I’ll tell people about you. I went on to say, when I get on the plane I’m going to go to the back of it and praise you. As I got on the plane going back to Jamaica to sort out everything, I remembered the promise I made to God and I went to the back of the plane and started praising God. Then I said when I get home, I’m going to go by the hills and praise You. We have a thing called the Prayer Mountain which was started in Jamaica. While in Jamaica for 13 months we (my team and I) had another thing called the Praise Party which we also launched. So when I got through with Immigration, I just wanted to praise God. From then on we said wherever we go all over the world, we are gonna spread the Gospel. Now we have a Praise Machine/Praise Party which is going to go all over the world. Not just London or Jamaica. We are thinking of taking it to Gambia and Brooklyn New York too.

Jois: Yessssssss. I can’t wait

Bro. Harvey: So we are Breaking Barriers and Limitations because that Limitations came off me. Therefore I have no limit. I want to take it to Jerusalem and places all over the world whichever way we can.

Jois: So when you got on the plane and praised God, did you praise God out Loud or was it like quiet.

Bro. Harvey: No it wasn’t that Loud Lol. I praised Him quietly. Lol

Jois: LOL. Okay. Were you a Christian from childhood?

Bro. Harvey: No. I asked Jesus into my life when I was twenty-five

Jois: WOW.

Bro. Harvey: It was a dream for me to accept the Lord and to be honest when I came to England the way I saw people praising God, I was a bit disturbed by that. Because I’m used to  the way people praise God back in Jamaica, filled with the Holy Ghost and being on fire for God. I was like mannnn I am never getting baptized in England. I remembered this word ‘You be the difference you want to see’. And so when I got that word, I took my eyes off people and I tried to fix it on God. And I wanted to see people praising God from my energy of praising God and going to another level. Whatever I do I want to give God my Highest Praise.

Jois: Hmmmmmmmm… WOW

Bro. Harvey: The place we went to in the Mountain to Pray in Jamaica, we are naming that place, Praise Machine Paradise Garden. Where people overseas and around can come and have time out with the Lord. Just you and the Lord away from everything to build up yourself and ready to plug-in. Yea that’s what we’re doing as well.

Jois: This shows that when you have a relationship with God. God is committed to you as well as long as you stay connected to Him. He blesses you abundantly and also gives you ideas.

Bro. Harvey: Lotsss. LOL

Jois: Yeah. Yeaaaa. And the thing is that so many people have these ideas and they feel like they cannot do anything. They will just sit and relax but God brings people your way to connect with them. You just have to take a step of Faith and I believe that’s what you did. Even accepting Christ was a step of Faith because you did not know what was on the other end.

Bro. Harvey: You don’t know.

Jois: Right. Have you had any testimonies from people through the work you’ve been doing.

Bro. Harvey: Yes. Lots and Lots of people came to Christ through what we’re doing. One example is that when I came to the faith, I remember going to work in a place called Jamaican club where Jamaican’s were. This place is now called All Nations. The Christians were having an event there, they carried a little company and sat there and I later saw some guys bring a big box packing up and saying ‘oh these little Christians are going home’ but we have the fire and I was like what is happening here. So when we started out  we had to make some changes because I said we have the fire. We are the light right now. Sometimes when you accept Christ, people look at you like poor little you, bla bla bla. I’m like NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! We have the authority, we’re gonna step it up a little more and let people know there is life in Christ. 

A few weeks ago in January (2020) we had a Praise Party and about 3 guys accepted the Lord and we continue to encourage them in the Lord. We’re planning on having another Praise Party in April to keep it going and to win more souls. So yeah through the praise Party lots and lots of people have come to the Lord over the years and even on the Radio Station as well. We have also seen a lot of changes happen in Gloucester and in Swindon.

Jois: That’s Awesome. So what made you come to Christ since you did not grow up as a Christian. 

Bro Harvey: Well back home, every Jamaican has a Bible. The little pocket Bible. Either a red or a blue one in their back pocket.

Jois: Yea the New Testament. (Note if you have never seen the little new testament Bible, it has only two old testament books; Psalms & Proverbs).

Bro Harvey: Yes. The only book we read was Psalms for protection asking God to guide us.

Jois: Even if you were not a Christian, You read that?

Bro Harvey: Everybody in Jamaica had that little Bible asking God for protection.

Jois: WOW. LOL.

Bro Harvey: Even the thief had that Bible. LOL. So back in the day everyone had one.

Jois: Lol. So was that the reason why you came to Christ. The little Bible?

Bro. Harvey: Yea. I used to read the Psalms and then later, I had this desire to get baptized one day. That’s why when I moved to England and I saw the way people praised God I was like mannn how can you do that. People don’t understand how sin can tie up someone. Here I was sitting in sin, seeing people who claim they were free in Christ but they didn’t look happy in it. It’s like they didn’t know what they had.

I was sitting at the back of the church; That was the only place I felt safe due to my immigration status. No one really sees you when you’re at the back of the church especially with all that I was going through. So basically when I got saved, I was so excited, I told everyone about Jesus, even the dogs and the cats. Everything that moved I told about Jesus. If you feel pain, I’ll tell you that Jesus can heal you. I was so excited. And of course it was a gradual process because from church I’ll go to a party then to church then to a party until I did not enjoy going to parties anymore. I started thinking about God more. After church, I’ll go home and search the scriptures the pastor had preached on. I found myself talking more about God. While I was  going to party after party, I started feeling uneasy at the parties. Then I went to see my Pastor and I realized I was ready to get baptized. I told my wife who also decided to get baptized with me as well in 2005 and that’s where the exciting journey began.

Jois: Wow. That’s Great. So what message do you want to give to people out there? 

Bro. Harvey: Is the message for the saved or the unsaved?

Jois: Both

Bro. Harvey: First of all I would say this and this is the message I preach all the time. Number one, the Bible says seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all shall be added unto you. When you have Christ in you there is nothing impossible for you to do. The Bible says you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. When you understand who you are and whose you are in Christ (You are God’s masterpiece, You are the apple of His eyes, you’re a royal priesthood) your value has gone to the next level. When you accept Christ you become a Diamond. From nothing to Diamond. You are valuable. Then you must transform the way you think. The Bible says do not be conformed but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You will know what is the good and perfect will of God. 

And once you go back to your Daddy, you will understand the purpose for which you were made and you’ll understand that you’re more than what you’re going through. You are more than a conqueror. So whatever the mountain is that comes before you, you can conquer it. There is nothing you cannot do. So every negative thought, every negative thinking must go because you are a ‘Do It’ Person. God called Doers. You must be a doer. If you have a vision, mark it down and implement it. DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! That’s my advice.

Jois: Great. That’s Awesome. I like that part where you said Do it. Cuz the Bible says we should not only be hearers but be Doers. So when God speaks we have to do it. That is true.

Bro. Harvey: Yeah. DO! You have to do it. DO!

Jois: Thank you so much Bro. Harvey for this time, I’m really appreciative of you taking your time out to speak with me. 

Bro. Harvey: God Bless you. Continue to keep up the good work.

Jois: God Bless you too. Thank You.

I just want to add that there is so much power in knowing God and being in Him. The Bible says ‘if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask for anything and I will give to you’. The Bible also says David was a man after God’s heart. Meaning David desired to do everything God asked him to do. He was honest and he opened himself up to God. The spirit of God left Saul because of his disobedience and went on David. I believe because of this, the eyes of David’s heart were enlightened. He killed Goliath with a stone, how did he know that that would kill Goliath when all he had been doing was tearing apart lions, bears and all the wild animals that came after the sheep he was taking care of. The eyes of his heart were enlightened. David depended on God for everything, when he went to war, God gave him strategy, when things were rough and his own people were against him, the Bible says He strengthened himself in the Lord. Are you a man or woman after God’s heart? Are you willing to be obedient and ready to submit your will to His. Some of us can give everything to God but there is maybe one or two parts of ourselves we are not willing to give to Him. It could be our money, relationships, plans, etc. Bro. Harvey has given us an example of himself. If you are willing, if you surrender to Jesus, He will cause you to go higher and higher. He will make the impossible possible for you.

John 15:7 – If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 

Meditate on these words today and allow God to do a beautiful work in you. Amen!!!