Supernatural Power of a Renewed Mind - Bill Johnson of www.iBethel.org www.BillJohnsonMinistries.com
 
Disk 8 of 8 - Developing An Understanding Heart

God really thinks different; it's not like I'm even close. God looks at a loaf of bread and thinks it's enough for thousands. He doesn't go wham, bang; He just looks at it and says, "That's enough."  He looks at someone who is about to choose someone else over themselves, and it's going to cost them, and He says, wow, they'll prosper because of that. Jesus illustrated the Father and showed us what the Holy Spirit thinks like. Everything He did was just so different. (Bill - in the past 15 years I've spent the bulk of my time in The Gospels, Psalms and Proverbs; 15 years before that in the Old Testament. I'm constantly overwhelmed at how Jesus just looks at things differently). Jesus tells His disciples, now when you go into a house let your peace rest on that house, and if they receive it, awesome, and if they don't, take it back. I mean I need diagrams on that one; pictures, you know, is that how you release peace on a house; how do you release peace on a house? No one knew. He took the dove on the ark and released it; it came back when it didn't find any 'resting place'. It's really a big deal to be real familiar with rest because that's the nature of God; He's not anxious. Faith comes out of rest. There is a rest that the spirit man comes into. It's to let us know that the Holy Spirit is at rest in you; the dove has found a place to land. The more I become familiar with giving Him a place to rest, the more I become familiar with His rest (when I'm engaged with you in conversation, ministry situation, home, business situation) the more I will recognize when it's proper to release the Presence of God into a situation. John 6:63 "... The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." In other words, the Words He spoke were actually the Holy Spirit in word form penetrating people's hearts. Anyone who is born again is familiar with this experience - you're in a place of confusion, a decision-making time, a trouble time where you've got to get a direction, and somebody speaks a word and it's supernatural. There is this invasion of peace, joy, encouragement, that settles everything. I may not even have all my answers, but for some reason, I don't care. What happened? Their words were spirit (Holy Spirit Himself) (Transcriber's Note: When my brother Brandon prophesied to me back on Nov. 10, 2006, he said he was initially reluctant to speak to me, but Jesus appeared to him for about 10 seconds and said, "you MUST minister to him." I had experienced an all-time low that morning and was desperate for direction, and healing of my internal pain. Visitation was also promised). Just as Jesus became flesh, the Holy Spirit becomes word; when we speak what we hear God saying, the Holy Spirit Himself is released into that situation. It's an amazing engagement we've been invited into because our words actually bring life and death. They actually have the ability to create things that weren't there a moment ago. It's an amazing privilege to partner with God and say what He is saying. (Bill loves to read Proverbs, the chapter that matches the calendar day; e.g. if today is the 26th day of the month, read the 26th chapter). You find out a lot about speech, the power of the tongue, when reading Proverbs. It's actually possible, with your words, to feed yourself and others. I don't have to understand it (wrap my head around it) to embrace it. Just wrap your heart around it; eventually it will start making sense. There are things that Jesus says that are just life to me; not sure what it means yet, but give me a year until I get this thing down. You just sense stuff.

Whenever you treasure something God says, it builds a foundation for greater revelation. No word comes simply to rest by itself. Proverbs says knowledge is easy to a man of understanding. Interesting phrase. Some people just get torrents of revelation, and others don't. Part of the reason is because of that verse just quoted from Proverbs. Why? Because a man of knowledge has certain things established in the heart. There are things called 'pillar truths' that are the most essential ingredients of the Gospel. They are pillars that help support structure. Once these are in place, God delights to add to what you have in place. A man of understanding has those issues settled; the belief structure; a part of how we view life itself. When those are in place, God is the Master Builder; the Great Architect who's not wasteful at all. He is extravagant, but not wasteful. I'm going to make too much bread and too many fishes out of this little boy's lunch, and we're going to have a bunch of leftovers, but they will pick it all up. I'm going to go overboard because I want you to know I can, and I like to, but we'll clean it up. It's like, how much sky does God need? People who think stewardship is stinginess need to slap themselves (everyone chuckling); how much sky does He need? It's really big out there, and it's still increasing at the speed of light. God is extravagant; He likes to give. It's my good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. It's His delight to give us the mysteries. The appeal: pray to be a person of understanding. His wife use to pray to make them "understanding parents." It's easy to completely misread someone's words, actions, responses, etc. It's just the biggest problem in all relationships. 90% of all problems known to man have to do with simple communication. Better just to give people the benefit of a doubt; would cause such a massive revival God wouldn't even have to show up :) (congregation laughing; now don't misread me :) I've been praying for my dad, who is very, very ill; we've just been praying for that breakthrough. There is a realm of mystery in the Kingdom that has an absolutely quick answer for that thing. I don't have it yet; hasn't been open to me yet. I can't live life knowing there is a key available to me, and sit back and say, "well, if it's God's will He will drop it in my lap." It just doesn't work that way.  Revelation is attracted to some people, and the mistake we make is that it comes to some because that is their gifting. A lot of stuff we discount that we have legally access or right to because we have a good reverence for giftings (people's divinely given abilities). What we don't realize is that every person in this room has giftings that are embryonic - they are there, alive, real, but they are not developed. The measure of anointing (grace) we leave to succeeding generations is determined by the price we paid to grow. Others can pray for me, and something will happen, but what I leave behind (not just when I die, but the wake of my present life) will be according to what I paid a price for. There are a couple things that attraction revelation. To increase revelation, obey what you already know. A guy comes to Jesus and wants to know how to find God, and He asks, what does Scripture say? Love the Lord your God with all your heart ... and your neighbor as yourself. Jesus said do that and you'll be fine. The guy says, what about this neighbor thing - who is he? Jesus wouldn't give him any more new information. We have set ways of talking to people instead of hearing what He is saying. When you live in rest, you know when somebody is responding to the person of the Holy Spirit you are there to impart. You know what they're all words and not ready to receive what you have to give. Two benefits: 1) you don't throw your pearls before swine (do not take something of value to one group and give it one who would trample on them). Jesus was careful with His words, there were times when He was liberal and generous, and other times He said nothing [accusers]). Do you know Jesus is willing to heal you even if no one else ever found out your were healed (said people come to him with justifications of why they needed healing - my doctor would be saved; my wife converted, etc., using it as evangelistic leverage - higher reason - God's love for you; His motive is superior). Please don't pray for my healing with words like, "Oh God, he has been so faithful in serving you, you've used him so powerfully, please honor his obedience." Please don't pray that way, that's not a high enough reason - it doesn't carry any weight as the simple love of God for you does. Jesus often healed and told people - don't tell anyone. It's not a reverse psychology thing - Jesus knew they'd tell anyway. No, He just didn't want anyone to know. Other times he said go show yourself to the priests, because I want them to know. He didn't do it the same way, ever. The greatest motivation for you to get blessed by God, healing, financial, whatever, is just because God loves you. Others may hear; great, we love the testimony, but we've got to get out from under the pressure to get something so that something else will happen (justifying why God should give us something). Too much pressure on people. Walk in obedience to what you already know (won't get anything new until you do). 2) attraction to revelation is to be a person of understanding (certain pillars, or absolutes, already established in your heart). His life is based on unmovable principles of what God has said and done in his life (not negotiable). That person will attract revelation (knowledge will come easy for him). Without framing on a house, you have no place to hang the sheetrock. The framework is the understanding; God wants to add to it but won't add to error. There will be a phrase that will lock 10 pieces of revelation together, that you had gained here and there over time.

Sell your clothes and buy a sword - it's time for you to possess (Luke 22:35 Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered. 36 He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.) We want the possess part, without going thru the time of selling all. Israel leaves Egypt with only what they have on their backs, God feeds them every day for 40 years. Some ministers teach that the ultimate in life is the daily, provision of the Lord to sustain us. God only planned to do that for about 11 days. In His mercy He did it for 40 years, because they kept going around the mountain. The goal was the Promised Land where they would grow abundant crops. The value system of heaven is radically different. We're all being dealt with to be people of understanding, so that in these last hours, in an accelerated way, can add to our knowledge as to what to do to shape and change history around us. Knowledge is going to come very quickly. Amos 9:13 "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills." Things will happen so rapidly, that before the harvest can be finished, the ground is being plowed again. Planting and harvesting going on at the same time - a supernatural season. Understanding will come quickly. Everything is accelerating in our time (knowledge, technology, etc.). Don't think for a moment that God is going to allow natural revelation knowledge to increase for mankind and not do equally, and more so, for the church. He is looking for men and women of understanding. He is ready to add the sheetrock, but you have to have the framing up; quickly. God wanted to bring Israel into the Promised Land so that they would have radical increase for their labor. But first He took them thru a wilderness, where they had to depend on the miracle everyday to survive. One was a school for the next. Same for the disciples - they are around Jesus 3 1/2 years, and they don't know what's going to happen next. They were being groomed for the season when they did possess. Bill: I stay in the Gospels, which includes Acts. I've got to get this thing down. The disciples are bummed because they only have one loaf of bread in the boat with them. Jesus asks them, "can't you SEE?" The Holy Spirit was speaking thru Him, the same Holy Spirit that's in you. He is asking us, can't you see? The same Spirit that spoke thru Jesus is speaking to us now. I cannot tap his realm of power and supernatural provision without my change in my view of reality - becoming a man of understanding. Sometimes I can get around someone and start talking, and that person's mix of understanding is so complimentary to mine, that I start getting stuff (revelation) so fast. I love that; I got it now :) Wherever He gives revelation, within that revelation is the power to perform it.

When God speaks, He creates. Psalms 33:6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He said, let there be light; it wasn't like he commanded someone else make it. The Word made it. That's got to increase your appreciation any time the Holy Spirit speaks to you. He doesn't just deposit ideas in us. He is not interested in making me smarter; if it happens, I'm convinced it's a byproduct. His main target is my transformation, not my intelligence (it's enough). They say we only use 10% of our capacity? Luke 1:37 For nothing is impossible with God." Original language: the word nothing is actually two words: No and Rhema. Two words for the Word of God are logos, the written word of God; and rhema, that freshly spoken, breathed word. God just spoke something to you. Faith comes from presently hearing the word (rhema) of God; not having heard. It's a present-tense relationship that has the constant activity of growing faith. When you get anxious and fearful, we sever the closeness of His communion with us. Anxiety shuts us down from hearing in the moment. A gift of faith never goes unanswered. But I had all the faith in the world, and nothing happened. No, you may have had all the hope in the world. All the faith in the world never goes unanswered. A gift of faith is not a swing and miss deal. We get to legally ask for this gift of faith. It's a supernatural invasion of God, His faith deposited in me, for a specific situation - not someday, it's here to be used NOW. When do you need it? Not until you face the situation. No rhema will be impossible with God. Impossible means without ability. No freshly spoken word of God will ever come to you without containing its own ability to perform itself. This makes me want to be a hearer. You maintain your rest and He will do the rest. You want to get into situations where you're praying for someone and you can tell the dove has found a place to land. Everyone wants to be used powerfully by God. We're not interested in building our kingdoms; we want to see the Gospel has an effect like it’s supposed to. We're seeing it in measure. The same power (Spirit) that raised Jesus from the dead is IN ME, and AT THIS MOMENT READY. We go out as a serious threat to all the darkness in the world. The enemy works to get us anxious about stuff, to get me to lose my rest, to shut me off from the gift of faith I need. I'm not as effective in the situations that I'm needed in. When I'm not at rest, I cannot recognize when the dove finds a place to rest. When you're in a crowd, how do you know whom to minister to? Release the dove to find a place to rest. Jesus taught to only do what we see the Father do; only say what we hear the Father saying - the point is there has got to be some other way to know who to start with (start looking thru your heart for the impression of the Spirit). There must be a consideration of the timing of when to minister (I've shot blanks before). (Inscriber's Note: Brandon said Jesus appeared to him for 10 seconds, and said he HAD to minister a word to me). Bill speaking: He's up front in a group, and he will move the ministry team in front of him. When the people come for prayer, they all group up in the front of Bill. He says he'll stay up on stage where they can't get to him :)  The shift has to get from the servant of the Lord to the Lord Himself. I let the ministry go on, then I sneak down around the side, and I come into the group without anyone knowing, and I look for where I see the anointing. If I come down right now, the people make the demands, instead of me being able to see where the spirit of God is resting. I get many more base hits, home runs if I get to find where God is moving. I walk around until I can feel a pull on the compassion of my heart (or anointing; they ride together). Pay attention to compassion (not sympathy). Sympathy locks people into a problem; compassion always has the hope and intent of bringing them out. (Bill hasn't ministered prophetically to individuals for years) I would look thru a group, while I was teaching, and I would just allow my heart to be drawn to an individual. Because that is my history, when we started aggressively going after, praying for the sick, I started watching and seeing, if I could look around and see where my heart was being pulled to, I'd usually find the anointing being released there. I can feel it. I'm just trying to open up some things in understanding so you can start experimenting. If you gain the understanding thru your personal experience, then revelation will come to you rapidly. Example of visiting neighbors: Lets say a wife is sick, but you're drawn to the 18 year old daughter. When you begin to pray for people, start with that daughter. All you're doing is picking up what the Father is doing. He pulls on that compassion issue of the heart. In the group, go with your compassion. It's not always by the greatest need (though sometimes it is; the most obvious); sometimes it's with a person I can't tell anything is wrong; but I let this thing inside me get stirred up and I follow it; when I do, the anointing is released on this compassion. I don't have this down yet; been experimenting for about 5 years, but when I follow the compassion leading, the percentage of people I see get healed is significantly higher; double, three times higher. So, I've been learning by trial, mostly error. Oops, I swung and missed again; I guess I should have gone to that lady over there that I was feeling really drawn to (note: Brandon saw Jesus; heard Him speak - minister to him). Learn to minister in the church first, and then you'll be ready for the marketplace. Follow the burdens you feel for your friends; they were on your mind (you made a phone call and didn't even know they were suicidal). Pay attention to those small impressions; the Holy Spirit is showing us His language. His language is compassion and pictures (see; snapshot). I've had some profound downloads, but those snapshots are amazing. You'll be talking to someone, and get that little snapshot, wow, where'd that come from, and you push it aside, not realizing God is trying to teach you His language. You're hoping for some kind of opportunity (when you get these impressions). Bobby Connor sitting in economy class on a plane when flight attendant says we've upgraded your seat to first class. But his heart was so stirred by the woman across the aisle (such a burden for her) that he declined the seat upgrade. He felt the Lord told him to minister to her. The woman across the aisle said he was crazy; she would have jumped at that chance. Then he explained to her why he had declined. She breaks down and receives the ministry of the Lord. You learn to live from the heart. There are highways to the Spirit; ways that He moves; and they are not typical for us. Bill's prayer for years: God teach me how you move. I know I'm not going to box it in with my understanding and put it into a book. The believer is to be like the wind (John 3) we don't know where they come from, or where they're going, but they are on that highway. We move like He moves. To move like He moves, I have to be tapped into another source of information. It's not that my knowledge or understanding is unimportant, but I have to maintain my rest.

Whenever you find yourself without rest, back up until you find it again. It may have been when you opened that bill that was five times higher than you thought; call from a relative; more bad news; somebody is mad. You owe it to yourself, and everyone around who are waiting for you to release the dove. Go back until you remember when you had the rest last. Look what I'm holding in place of my peace. Repent for making such a foolish exchange, pick up your peace again, and re-approach the conflict that steered you off course. You don't have the resources to pay that bill, or even the credit resources to do it ... how does the Holy Spirit think? He thinks differently. If you're going to think different from the Spirit, you're going to lose that rest. If your head violates how He views things, we lose rest, or find a counterfeit rest where we end up having to fix our own stuff. Back up until you find where you dropped it; repent; pick up your peace, then that bill again with the Mind of Christ. Stay there until you get it. Ya, but I have to get to work; take it to work with you. Stay on that issue until the Mind of Christ is functioning in you. Then you have something to give to alter the circumstances around you. I just wanted to give you some practical application. We're always giving you the "Charge" message; what do you do when you trip :) Where did my peace go? Do you know what it's like to go into a store or home and be troubled and not know why? Peace gone? Is it my surroundings or me? Sinful men oppressed Lot. It can happen in environments. Happens to intercessors all the time. They discern stuff and automatically feel critical, and shutting down. We are there to change the environment, not the environment us. The anointed church environment trains us to recognize the false; you don't recognize the false by studying it, but by staying in the Anointing. In the store where you feel unrest, immediately begin to pray. You have this tormented person in the checkout line in front of you and you are getting angry with the cashier. It will jump on you if you're not careful, and influence you. Bill had allowed his surroundings to influence him, instead of him influencing his surroundings. We've got to learn how to minister, releasing that peace of God into our situations.

Highlights:
It's really a big deal to be real familiar with rest because that's the nature of God; He's not anxious. Faith comes out of rest.
John 6:63 "... The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life." In other words, the Words He spoke were actually the Holy Spirit in word form penetrating people's hearts.
Just as Jesus became flesh, the Holy Spirit becomes word; when we speak what we hear God saying, the Holy Spirit Himself is released into that situation.
... Our words actually bring life and death. They actually have the ability to create things that weren't there a moment ago. 
It's an amazing privilege to partner with God and say what He is saying. 
Some ministers teach that the ultimate in life is the daily, provision of the Lord to sustain us. God only planned to do that for about 11 days. God wanted to bring Israel into the Promised Land (quickly) so that they would have radical increase for their labor. But first He took them thru a wilderness, where they had to depend on the miracle everyday to survive. One is a school for the next.
Faith comes from presently hearing the word (rhema) of God; not having heard. It's a present-tense relationship that has the constant activity of growing faith.
No freshly spoken word of God will ever come to you without containing its own ability to perform itself (Luke 1:37).
You maintain your rest and He will do the rest.
Sympathy locks people into a problem; compassion always has the hope and intent of bringing them out.