Bill Johnson - The Winds of Favor and Trials
You know everything about yourself: your personality, your intellect, your physical body, your history. Everything about you is perfectly designed for obedience, and disobedience violates that design. Both favor and trial drive us somewhere; it’s like a sailboat where the wind’s direction is determined by how I control the sail and the rudder. It’s supposed to drive me deeper into God, but I’ve watched both favor and trial lead away from the Lord. It was never designed for that. Monitoring my heart, my value system, my attitude, and my confession is really about setting the rudder and the sail.
What is supposed to be favor, for example, is intended to take me and help me become the best possible example of Jesus I can be. When the rudder is wrong, favor shifts me into self-promotion, but the wind wasn’t designed for that. My liberty, my freedom, my will enable me to distort divine purpose. Possibly the best example of this, certainly one of the best, is Solomon. Never before has one single gift, one single person, had such an impact on the course of history that kings would leave their positions to sit at the feet of another king, as they did with Solomon. The Queen of Sheba traveled an extraordinary distance with an enormous amount of wealth to honor him for who he was. He had an unusual measure and level of favor, perhaps the greatest ever seen. It would be hard to find anyone in all of history with greater favor from God and men.
Favor should have led him to become all he was designed to be, a perfect representation of the heart and nature of God. But something infiltrated his heart. In 1 Kings, it states, «But Solomon loved many foreign women.» Despite all this favor surrounding him, aptly suited for impacting the Gentile world with the God of covenant and relationship, the condition of his heart was such that all that favor drove him to counterfeit favor. His appetite for favor somehow drove him to counterfeit favor. In those days, it was customary for kings to marry the daughters of other kings to ensure peace; this was counterfeit favor. When you marry foreign women to maintain peace with these nations, he already had peace. He was a man of extraordinary peace, yet he attempted to do what Adam and Eve did: they were tempted by the serpent, who said that if they partook of the forbidden fruit, they would be like God. They were already like God, created in His image, but they tried to obtain through their labor what they already possessed. Solomon tried to achieve through false covenant what he already had: extraordinary favor.
Thus, the wind of favor, altered by the setting of his sail and the attitude of his heart, drove him into something that, from what I understand—though I haven’t been able to verify this—led Israel into a season of bondage that took 300 years to escape. The more favor you have, the more costly your mistakes become; the more favor you have, the more costly your sins are. I had lunch with one of God’s generals several years ago, a man I had admired from afar. We were speaking at a conference together, and he requested private time with me. So we met in a separate room and had a wonderful time together. It was great to finally meet this hero of the faith. He shared an analogy I found quite impactful: the bigger the boat, the larger the wake created. He loved boating and recounted a time he pulled into a bay where other boats were parked. One boat was being launched, and he came in too fast for the size of his boat, creating such a wake that it pushed the launching boat against the dock or its trailer—I forget the exact details. He mentioned that the owner could have sued him and won easily because he was responsible for the wake he created.
Everyone in this room has a wake, and the further we go in God—the greater our journey, the greater our season of walking with God, the greater the anointing—the greater the responsibility. The larger that gets, the bigger the wake created, and I’m responsible for the wake I create. It’s foolishness to think that I can get away with this or that, assuming people will just have to adjust.
It’s foolish to think that way because I’m actually responsible for the work that I create. Favor is actually supposed to drive me deeper into the center of my design, which is always more fully realized in the context of relationship. I don’t have the language I want for this yet, so I’m kind of working my way through it, so a little bit of patience here. Favor is meant to drive me to the center of my design, which finds its fullness in covenant relationships. In other words, favor that drives me away from covenant relationships and people is a misuse of favor. Favor, by nature, is supposed to increase my capacity for impact. By nature, favor increases my capacity. That’s a verse I’ve quoted to you probably 20 times over the last few years, but I will do so again because of the context where the Queen of Sheba prophesied to Solomon. She says, «God has highly favored you, Solomon, because of His love for Israel.» I’ll never forget when I first saw that; it just pierced my heart. «God has highly favored you,» and put your name in there. He’s highly favored you because of His love for the people around you.
So the implication is that the favor upon me has to benefit the people around me, or it’s a misuse of favor. It’s actually not given to me for me. You might say, «Well, that doesn’t make sense; He loves me.» He does, but here’s how it works: the woman takes Bethany, pours a bottle of costly ointment, breaks the alabaster vial, and pours it all over Jesus, wiping it into His body with her hair. It was entirely for Him, but she left the room smelling just like He did. In other words, what gets on you is because of what you get on Him. Yes, you walk away with the blessing of favor, but it was never directed at you; it all impacted your person, your personality, your gift, your family—all the stuff—because you determined to invest it wisely in the people around you. Somehow, in the process, you get splashed. In other words, if I use this costly ornament for me, I’ve missed it, and that’s really what favor is.
Favor is access to divine recognition; it’s access. I have undivided attention from a perfect Father, and He does care about my needs. There is a place for me to present my needs, my requests, my petitions before Him. But when God increases my favor with people, it’s just not for self-promotion. So imagine favor as a wind that is to drive me to the center of more meaningful, impactful relationships. It’s a favor that drives me to the center of what I was designed for—my role, in this case, in what God is doing here, driving me deeper into the expression of Christ in a loving body of believers who have given themselves for the transformation of a city and a transformation of nations. Either that favor drives me into that or drives me into my own unique, selfish expression of my imitation of Christ. Amen. Good point, Bill, still late. I gave you a chance.
rials are the same way; they come like winds of adversity. This is a great passage in Exodus. Why don’t you turn to it? Exodus 13. We’re going to look at two portions of Scripture tonight, so Exodus 13 is one. I wave this Bible around so much that it’s sparkling, and it’s like it baptizes me every time I open it. I think I’ll leave the top off. There we go. All right, Exodus 13. Are you there? If you have your Bible, say, «I love my Bible.» I really, really love my Bible. Some of you got the amount of revelation you were supposed to get; some of you shortcut it. It’s all right. Done? Yeah, it’s fatiguing; I know. All right, Exodus 13, verse 17: «Then it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, 'Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.'»
Verse 17 again: «Then it came to pass when Pharaoh had let the people go that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, 'Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.'» I love this particular story, this particular verse, the season in Israel’s history. I love it because God was the one fighting their battles. It wasn’t like this victory against the Philistines depended on their wisdom and strength, but God knew His role would be limited by their fear. That’s a very good point. God knew that His role, His place in the journey with His people, would be limited, restricted, or cut off by their fear. So He actually said, «I’m not going to take them the direct path; the Philistines are in the way. They’re too young,» even though God is the one who fights the battle for them and delivers the victory to them, and sometimes through them.
He said, «I’m going to take them another way because they may see war, become discouraged, and go back to bondage.» Wow! How many people have I seen go back to bondage because they don’t know how to handle conflict? I don’t mean a counterfeit argument with a friend or something like that; I’m talking about the lifestyle that says, «I was designed for something greater,» yet I keep running into this wall. We sang about it tonight—that wall! But that becomes a challenge. Every time God leads us into a place, it’s under victory. So, here in this passage, it would be reasonable to assume that God chose, in this case, young, inexperienced people who might become afraid and want to go back to bondage. God says, «I’m going to direct them; I’m going to take them around this enemy because I don’t want them to face that prematurely.» A month later, they’re going down the road, and the Lord leads them into an enemy.
What’s the implication? They’re ready. A month ago, they weren’t ready, and now, they’re going to mess themselves. I’m just going to take them; I’m going to take them around. A month later, He takes them right into a war, and the implication is I’ve thought this through. They’ve been able to deal with stuff in the last 30 days—just throwing out 30 days, Taylor, Shay. They’ve been able to deal with stuff in the last 30 days. I trust them. I think there has never been a question of what battles God can win. That’s not even a contest. There’s never been a contest between the devil and God. Zero. So when the Lord leads Israel into a conflict, it’s because not only were they designed for victory, they’re ready for victory. So when I choose fear instead of faith, I’m violating my design. When I choose fear instead of faith, I’m not acknowledging that this moment was divinely orchestrated so that I might once again illustrate the victory of Christ in a given situation.
How many of you believe Jesus raised from the dead? Absolutely! Your victory proves it! Your victory proves it! I mean, it’s not as though He needs any evidence in your life or my life to validate it; it’s validated on its own. But when you pray for the sick and that person is healed, it’s a demonstration of the resurrection power of Jesus. When you defeat a personal addiction, habit—when that thing changes in your life, it’s a demonstration of the resurrection power of Jesus. When you face this mental battle, this conflict of the mind, and you resolve to obey the Lord no matter what, you stick with that process, and you come into ongoing victory; you’re demonstrating the resurrection of Jesus.
So I want you to look at Mark chapter 4. We’re going to look at a passage that I have probably talked about more than any other in the last 10 years. I’ve had the great privilege to be with Hillsong in New York. Last week, it was a situational opportunity that came up out of nowhere, and I already had that time blocked to be at home. When I asked my team about it, they felt it was the Lord, and the real test was I asked my wife. Her voice and the voice of the Holy Spirit sound so similar! Man, sometimes I think we know too much, and sometimes, I’m pretty sure they’re the same voice. Yeah, I had one prophet point to my wife and say, «She’s your hearing aid.»
It was a wonderful time, so moved by Karl and Laura Lentz and the whole Hillsong movement. I’m so thankful for them. I mention this only because I shared on this verse there, but I want to read a story that I’ve taught on many, many times here. However, I want to emphasize a different verse than I’ve ever emphasized in this story. So, Mark chapter 4, are you there? Do you still love your Bible? How many of you still love the person next to you? Good, good! No, don’t get weird on me now; just leave them alone until we’re done. Alright, you may remember a while back I read to you that thing that says, «Have you ever woken up in the morning, just happened to be alive, kissed the person next to you, and then it says, 'Yeah, I just tried that; apparently, I won’t be allowed to fly on that airline anymore? '»
Mark chapter 4, verse 35: «On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side.' When they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. Other little boats were also with Him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. They awoke Him and said to Him, 'Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing? ' Then He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Peace, be still.' And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. But He said to them, 'Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? '»
Verse 39 or 40, again he arose, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, «Peace, be still!» The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, «Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?» I love this story because it illustrates for me this role of maturity that God requires from us. He did not design us to ask Him to do everything for us; He’s not the cosmic bellhop waiting for us to ring the bell and come running to fulfill whatever requests we have of Him. I believe strongly in the importance and power of prayer, and I believe strongly that we are to bring petitionary requests to Him. So, it’s almost a contradiction, but in lifestyle, it’s not. Jesus had His disciples in this boat during a life-threatening storm. The boat was already starting to fill, so they were afraid they would die. It’s a legitimate fear—without God, it’s a legitimate fear. So, they woke Jesus up and asked Him, «Don’t you care that we are perishing?» He stood, rebuked the wind, said «Peace» to the storm, and everything stopped. Then He said, «How come you don’t have any faith?»
My upbringing was such that we prayed, and He would do stuff. Here are the disciples; they come to Jesus and they make requests. Who is Jesus? He’s God. What do we call petitionary prayer? So, they pray, Jesus turns, answers their prayer, and then says, «How come you don’t have any faith?» That’s a mind-boggling scenario to me because I grew up with the belief that if I prayed well and effectively, I’d get answers to prayer and things would happen. In part, that’s true, but it’s not what Jesus was preparing His disciples for. He was grooming them to do what He would do if they were in His shoes, which in this case was to speak to the storm. In this case, they were to deal with the obstacle to God’s will.
I’ve heard people say that Jesus slept in the storm because He was exhausted. I don’t believe that’s true. I think the reason He slept in the storm is that the world He dwells in has no storms. It illustrated what it is to live in the reality of communion with the Father. It’s a heavenly realm that Paul later found language for; we are seated in heavenly places in Christ. Tragically, it’s been reduced to a doctrine. It’s an invitation to an experience, and all experience is an invitation to a lifestyle. What’s initiated by an experience is a promise of a lifestyle should we choose to pursue it. God never introduces us to joy, for example, holy laughter, and you get so filled with joy that you can hardly stand yourself. That was never given to you as an experience; that was just to help heal the wounds of the last twenty years. Then you go on struggling through life. He opened a door that gives you legal access to this realm of inheritance anytime you need it. When that sense of comfort or prophetic understanding or whatever it is comes upon us, we move into that moment. Those moments are invitations to a sustainable lifestyle; they are not merely tastes that we then have to ignore and suffer through life.
So when the Lord opens up insight for us, it’s an invitation for encounter, which is an invitation for a lifestyle. Let me just take the joy aspect again, since you’re giving me that look. Once I have tasted—understand in the kingdom of God, a taste initiates transformation. It’s the taste: John 7 is a perfect example. At the end of the chapter, on the left side of the page, at the very top, is where it is in your Bible. In John 7, He says, «Come to me and drink.» Alright, «Come to me and drink; out of your innermost being will flow rivers.» A drink becomes a river; a taste changes your capacity. A taste changes your nature. A taste gives you access to the resource of Heaven; it’s all flowing in and through you.
A simple experience changes your capacity to give and to serve. Nothing is given to us merely to help us cope. He has no coping mechanisms. He doesn’t say, «Here, here’s joy. Now that will help you get through this next season because this next event is going to be a real trial.» No, when He gives you joy, He gives you the key to that realm. That reality is now yours, and all these realms in God are to be stewarded. They are gifts and favors that are to be stewarded, again not for self-promotion, but so that I continue on the journey of being the best possible representation of Jesus Christ that I can be. I’m being driven by favor into that, but trial is supposed to do the same.
So, we have this life-threatening storm, and the guys come to Jesus and make a request. By the way, I haven’t thought this all the way through. I’ve been thinking on it for maybe a year and I need to come to some better language, but I have this sense that prayers of panic and fear are prayers of a servant, while prayers of authority are prayers of a son or daughter. Both are accepted.
I’m so glad you can be bitter, and he welcomes you. I can be as angry as I want, and he doesn’t turn me away, but my responsibility is that when I come into that presence, I must not leave the same. If I left the same, I was not praying; I was complaining. Time with God is not a time to vent; it’s a time for exchange. He welcomes me in so that God and man’s passion mingle together. Translation puts Jerusalem as the city where God and man mingle; that’s prayer—God and man mingled together. Now we have this particular trial where the disciples are in a life-threatening storm and make a petition out of absolute panic, and Jesus saves the day. Well, that’s how we learn sometimes; we pray wrong, yet he answers anyway. He’s just teaching us; I can’t find one place where he spoke to someone about their weak faith and then withheld an answer. He would address weak faith but then provide the answer to give them access to greater faith.
Every answer is a place of surrender, yielding enough for us to step more fully into our design. We were designed for obedience; we are designed to represent him well. As we look at this story, verse 35 is key. Do you still have your Bibles open? On the same day, when evening had come, he said to them, «Let us cross over to the other side.» I wonder what the will of God is. Hmm. Trial and difficulty, from the enemy’s perspective, aim to dislodge me from what God has said. The serpent comes into the garden, «Has God said if you eat of this fruit, you will surely die?» See, the enemy knows that at the very center of all that God has made—his economy, his way of life—everything at the very center is his voice, his word. And God said, «Let there be light,» and there was light.
The work of the enemy is always to dislodge me from the most powerful expression in the universe, and that’s the voice of God. The last Adam is Jesus Christ, the first Adam and the last Adam. He’s baptized in water; the Father proclaims over him, «You’re my beloved Son, in whom I’m well pleased.» The next moment describes him at the end of 40 days of fasting, and Satan comes to him and says, «If you’re the Son of God.» What was the last thing Jesus heard the Father say? «You’re my beloved Son.» The serpent comes, «If you’re the Son.» So, here we have two things: I personally believe all temptation and every distraction from the enemy come in one of two forms, either to give me a question about what God said or to question who I am. Those two realities, when compromised in my heart, become compromised in my thinking, and it puts me on very weak ground to stand on.
When things are shaking around you and you’re shaking too, it’s because you’re not standing on the unshakable rock of the kingdom. That’s why insecurity is wrong; security exposes insecurity. God, in His mercies, is dialing up something in me so I realize I’ve got one foot on the kingdom here, but I’ve got part of my identity wrapped up in something else, and this is not healthy. I’m shaking, I’m getting fearful, and I can question this and question that. But it’s the mercy of God saying, «Son, just scoot over; it’s good over here. Get both feet on the rock so that the world that can be shaken is shaken, but you stand stable so that you are a resource of life and strength to those being shaken.»
Winds of adversity don’t come from the Lord, but they don’t make Him nervous. You don’t see Jesus having a prayer meeting in the cabin of the boat. The disciples didn’t come in to interrupt a prayer meeting while he’s interceding for them to survive this next test; he was so confident in the outcome that he slept. God’s not nervous about your ability to confront what’s in the way of your destiny; he’s not nervous about it. He’s already set the stage for your victory, and probably in every case represented in this room, he has already spoken the word that is needed to get you there.
The problem is that the fear, the stress, the anxiety is to dislodge me from what God has set. I can assure you when the disciples came and woke up Jesus, none of them were thinking, «You said let’s go to the other side.» His word is our sword. One of the aspects of the kingdom that probably none of us like is found in Matthew 13, where Jesus teaches the parable of the seed and the sower, and he makes this statement: «When tribulation or persecution arises because of the word.» Tribulation, conflict, difficulty, persecution, opposition—difficulties in life, opposition in life are attracted to the word spoken over you.
I received a very significant prophetic word from an amazing person I’d never met before. They know very little about me, but my life was in another country, and they brought a very profound word in extreme detail. It gave me great hope. The reality is that what was declared now looks more impossible than when it was declared. As they say, this isn’t my first rodeo. I know that the word of the Lord actually attracts opposition, and it must, because if there’s no opposition to the word, then I don’t have any choices to make on the journey. If I have no choices to make, then there’s no basis for reward. If I have no opportunity to question what God has said, then that thing called the will, which is like a muscle, gets strengthened every time I say yes and obey God. As that develops in me, something is being formed in me that qualifies me for even greater impact and greater conflict.
Ah, bummer. I like the first part, but I like the second part in it too. But it is true; it is the way this kingdom works. A word is released over us that has to be valuable enough that we protect it. It says of Mary regarding the prophetic words she received over Jesus that she pondered these things in her heart. They weren’t clay mugs that you drink coffee from; they were crystal goblets that needed to be behind glass and brought out for special occasions to be examined. They’re not things you let the grandkids play with. The word of the Lord over your life is to be delighted in, enjoyed, celebrated, but not treated carelessly. When it is treated carelessly, then you’re actually inviting other people to critique what God has spoken to you. They will chip away and break it, and they will take this thing that is fragile, and when they’re through, it won’t look anything like it did when it was given to you.
We have a responsibility to guard well what God says about our lives. It’s a responsibility to put it in a safe place and protect it. I’ve told you, maybe too often, about what I do with words and prophetic words. I remember flying back last year when the fires were happening here. I was in the UK, and Benny called me and said, «I think we lost our home,» and went on and on. I got on a plane, flew home, and on the plane, she texted me that our home was spared. But I spent a large part of that flight reviewing prophecies. Why? Well, I’m going into a war zone with a whole bunch of people that I love and care for, and I don’t know what it’s going to be like.
So I’ve got to make sure that I’m thinking what God is thinking. I read the word and the prophetic words. I really fill my heart and mind with these. I sat on the plane; that’s what I did. I had my iPad with videos and pages and pages; that’s what I did flying from the UK to San Francisco. I just read word after word, looking for anything that might bolster courage, a sense of purpose. I knew there was no word about fires; I didn’t expect to find a word about fires. But what I expected was to see what God is saying and come out of it with supernatural courage that is not intimidated by the size of a problem. When God said, «Let us cross over to the other side,» He actually gave them the tool that would defeat and destroy the mountain of opposition.
In 1 Timothy, I’ll just read it to you. We probably studied this about three or four months ago, but I can’t shake it. I can’t shake it. If I can’t shake it for me, you’re going to hear about it, and I’m going to take it out on you. This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, verse 18 of chapter one: «This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, by them wage a good warfare.» The word did not come simply to gratify me; the word did not come simply for me to feel good about my life. Those are good, but it’s not the whole picture. It’s also to build in me a sense of responsibility. Paul said a soldier who is committed is not committed to many tasks; he embraces one to please the one who enlisted him in the army. I quoted that badly, but you get the principle. When the Lord gives you a word, it’s a divine assignment for conflict. Sometimes they’re won easily. Sometimes a person makes a decree, and it’s settled. Sometimes there’s an act of obedience; sometimes there’s sacrifice in any area of life.
If financial breakthroughs sometimes require a gift to help unlock potential, we must search for the breakthrough points in our lives. Often, it’s not just in a single act; it’s in the perseverance of our actions. It’s about saying things over and over again, showing generosity repeatedly, stepping outside of our comfort zones again and again, and praying for others continuously. It’s the repetition of the same gestures that call us into action. In this case, adversity arose that God knew they could handle, yet their rudder and sail were set in a way that led them away from their true design, which was to confront mountains of opposition. Instead, they cried out for help, asking Jesus to save the day and put them back on track. I’m grateful that He does redirect us, but the design remains unchanged: this Word will guide you through the next mountain. This Word, as we sing tonight, can turn walls into pathways. So, use this decree wisely; minister to yourself.
I’ll wrap this up since I might be going a bit long. In Ephesians 6, we find a beautiful description of the armor of God: the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness… People often ask if I put on my armor this morning, and my response is, «Nope, I didn’t. But I didn’t take it off last night either, so I found it wise to sleep with my armor on.» That’s my mode of operation.
You have the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace, etc. In this analogy, the sword isn’t one of those long swords used in combat; it’s more like a dagger suited for hand-to-hand combat. This dagger serves another purpose: if an arrow gets past my shield of faith and lodges into me, the dagger will help me remove what has bypassed my faith.
What has God spoken to you? Sometimes we find ourselves stuck by a fiery dart we didn’t see coming. We didn’t anticipate that betrayal, that criticism, or that unexpected opposition. We thought a certain deal would succeed only to watch it fail. God already knew, though, and so He provided us with a sword to remove the fiery darts that got past our faith. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. His Word, His voice sustains life. You are breathing because God spoke. The cells in your body hold their place because He spoke. All things hold together by the decree that God has made. If God can speak and bring forth light, and if He can bring you—once destined for eternity apart from Him—into His family, then surely the word He spoke over your life can handle any wall and turn it into a way.
Don’t you stand? One of my greatest prayers is that the Lord would grant us countless chances to remember what He has said. He is kind enough to do this. However, I want to consciously bring it to mind this time because I am determined to hold fast to what He has said, regardless of what happens around me. The one thing I will do is guard well what God has spoken over my life. I may not always understand how things should work or what my role is, but I do know I have a responsibility to protect what God has entrusted to me. You are at your best in obedience; we function in the fullness of our design when we say yes. Every time we say yes to the Lord, we strengthen a will that significantly impacts our destiny.
I’ve asked many times why Jesus doesn’t manifest Himself in all His glory while we worship. The reason is that then our worship wouldn’t be voluntary. If everyone saw Him in His glory, everyone would fall on their faces; there would be no choice. The Lord likes to restrain Himself so we have the opportunity to make the right choice, strengthening our will in a way that aligns us with the heart of God. Because of this alignment, He can trust us to pray for whatever we desire and see it fulfilled. He is shaping us into a generation that represents Him well. Since Jesus never had an unanswered prayer, it would be wise for us to discover what He is praying and join in.
Put a hand on someone next to you and pray for them; they need help, often more than they realize. Pray for them in this regard: God, remind them of any word they may have forgotten, any word that isn’t at the forefront of their minds, so they can steward it well. Give them the grace to steward it faithfully. Well, all that you have said, all that you have spoken, pray for them. Pray God helps them to adjust the direction of their heart so that both favor and difficulty drive them further into the will and purposes of God.
Thank you, God. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord. God, keep pressing into it a little bit further. The Lord will increase your insight on how to pray. Those of you who are watching on Bethel TV, we make the same declaration over you: that every household, every house of faith, and every individual steps more fully and deeply into this beautiful representation of who Jesus is and what He’s like. You were designed for obedience; we become our best by saying yes to Jesus, and I pray that over everybody in this room. God, enhance the yes, enhance the yes. Give a supernatural courage for the deep, deep yes of God. Supernatural courage for the deep, deep yes of God. Thank you, Lord. I will give you all my worship; I will give you all my praise. You want it all; you are worthy of my breath. I will give you all my share; I’ll give you all my praise. You are my long desire to worship. I’ll sing it again. You are my Master.
I get fascinated with people in Scripture who got it right and how they got it right. One of the most impactful individuals in the Bible for me personally is David. He was a king; he ministered as a priest before the Lord. Acts chapter 2 describes him as a prophet. He was this package that seemed to well represent Jesus. David was the king of Israel, the most powerful nation on the planet; he was greatly feared because of his military strength. But it wasn’t just physical strength; it was the fact that God fought with him. He was feared by everyone, respected by everyone, treasured by his own nation.
I want you to hear the words of the man who, in that moment in time, had the greatest wind of favor blowing on his life—certainly more than most who have ever lived, if not more than anyone who ever lived up to that time—and this is what he said: «O Lord, my heart is not haughty, my eyes lofty; I do not concern myself with great matters nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother. Like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth.» See, the favor of God did increase his self-confidence; self-confidence is no greater than self. The favor of God increases God dependency.
So, Father, increase the God dependency. Like David, we just choose simplicity of thought, simplicity of heart, simplicity of life. At the end of the day, we just want to know that we did what You celebrated, what You directed. Lord, I give You my heart; I give You my soul. I live for You every breath that I take, every moment I’m away. Would You have Your way in me, Lord? I give You all my breath. Oh, Lord, in me. Thank you so much, Father. Thank you that You’ve entrusted us with this priceless, wonderful Holy Spirit. Thank you that You’ve entrusted us with Your Word, Your Word which never lacks power. I ask that tonight You take us a little deeper into this thing of using Your Word well—not for self-promotion or self-gain, but to establish Your purposes in the earth—that we would never again find ourselves cowering in front of a mountain of opposition, but instead, we’d be searching for what You’ve said: what did You say about this before I got here? How did You prepare me for this moment? How did You set the stage to ensure victory? I ask You to give that grace to every person in this room, in Jesus' mighty name. Amen, amen, amen.
Come on up; let’s—how we want to be able to pray for folks. Let’s have a ministry team come on up. Thanks, Papa Bill. Can we just thank You, God? We are going to have our ministry team come up for some prayer, but before we move on, if you heard Papa Bill speak and you’re in this room and you don’t know Jesus, you don’t have peace in the middle of the storm. I just felt like there was an invitation from the Lord to actually receive Jesus into your life for the first time as Lord and Savior.
If that’s you, or maybe you’ve just been far off and you felt the Lord speaking to you about coming back to Him and letting Him lead your life again, would you just be bold and brave enough to put your hand up in the air? Is there anyone here tonight? Don’t wait; don’t wait. He loves you; He’s calling you. All right, we’re all family. Thanks, Jesus. Okay, so we have the ministry team up in the front. If you would like to be prayed for—for healing or for breakthrough or anything of that sort—we have people in the front. We’re going to play music, and you are welcome to come up. We’ll have our ministry team put their hands up in the air if they are available, and you can go to the next person who’s got their hand up.