Bill Johnson - Intentional Speech
All right, thank you. Hey, go ahead and sit down. Today, we are all guests. We are all guests! Finally, we get to have some people in the room. It’s so good to see you, and those of you who are joining us online, we’re glad that you’re with us as well. You know, it’s been an unusual season—perhaps the greatest understatement of our lifetime—but it’s been pretty amazing too. There are several things that I feel the Lord has been wanting to teach us. I certainly don’t have a handle on it all, but a couple of things stand out to me strongly.
Number one, the government of God rests on the two or three gathered in His name, and we’ve been forced to learn that at a level we’ve not seen before. I pray that that truth expands and explodes in every person’s heart. The second thing is from the passage in Psalms 107, verse 20, which says, «He sent His word and healed them.» What we have been seeing—so incredibly—is the power of a declared word over Zoom, over YouTube, over Bethel TV, over FaceTime, phone calls, etc. I actually know of two resurrections from the dead that have taken place. One happened after a death certificate was signed by a doctor in a hospital for a woman of another faith. The nurse was so grieved; she said, «God, this one didn’t have a chance to know You,» and prayed. I think it was two to three hours after she prayed that the woman raised from the dead and shared the gospel. Of course, she received Christ, so that’s good. My dear friend Jean-Luc in Switzerland has experienced that, in fact, two cases; another was a suicide, and the Lord, in His mercy, raised that one from the dead.
Our healing rooms have been functioning online and have seen great numbers of people—some coming out of comas. We’ve had, of course, the COVID stuff, with people healed of all the symptoms—just gone! So Jesus is still at work, even though it hasn’t been here in person as much as any of us would like. I felt this morning, especially during the worship time, and then the sealing touch was about the house of healing, and I did want to make a decree. I sense that the Lord is healing someone who has muscle damage down the right leg—there’s some sort of an affliction or injury there on the right leg that the Lord is healing and restoring. There’s also, probably more than one, but it’s between 10 and 15 years of trauma from an accident of some sort, as well as debilitating migraines that radiate from the back of the head to the front that Jesus is healing right now. The third thing is there’s some sort of deterioration or issue with the bones of the inner ear, and the Lord is breaking that cycle and restoring it—it’s a creative miracle.
So if you’re online or in the room and that belongs to you, grab hold of it, because it’s a wonderful, wonderful work of grace. Here’s the amazing thing: He said, He sent His word and healed them. He told the centurion, «Your servant is well.» He just made the announcement to him, and when he got home, he was able to see exactly what Jesus said, and it happened the hour He spoke it. I believe that this season, as much as I don’t like it, as much as I would so much rather us all be together and have this place packed out again with our family many times a day, it’s a privilege to see how effective and how powerful a declared word is.
It’s not make-believe; it’s not a truth that belongs to one stream in the body of Christ; it is something that has been assigned to each of us. The very fact that God spoke the worlds into being should bring conviction to our hearts about our responsibility over our speech and the opportunity we have to speak life and death. It all comes from our mouth. I know that people use this tool for personal gain—I get that—but it doesn’t negate the power of the tool; the tool is effective. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. I’m actually going to talk to you about that today, so open your Bibles to Isaiah 56. What a joy to have Charlotte in the room today! Charlotte is the happy worshiper in the back, and we are so thrilled that she finally gets to come back into the house.
All right, Isaiah 56. It’s going to take me a little while to kind of build a case, I guess, but let’s go ahead and start with verse 3: «Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord speak, saying, 'The Lord has utterly separated me from His people, ' nor let the eunuch say, 'Here I am a dry tree.' For thus says the Lord to the eunuch who keeps My Sabbaths, chooses what pleases Me, and holds fast My covenant: Even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.»
Also, the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord to serve Him and who love the name of the Lord to be His servants, everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath and holds fast My covenant, even them I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar, for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.
Verse 8: «The Lord God who gathers the outcasts of Israel says, 'Yet I will gather to him others besides those who are gathered to him.'» This is a very fascinating portion of Scripture. For me, probably a month or two ago, as I was going through Isaiah in my daily reading, these verses just really leapt out at me for several reasons. First, I want you to take note that in verse 3 it says twice, «Don’t let somebody say this,» and then it says, «Don’t let the foreigner say I’m outside of God’s plan,» and «Don’t let the eunuch say of himself, 'I am fruitless; I cannot bear fruit.'»
This is interesting; we actually have been given a responsibility to protect the speech of another person. It’s fascinating. It all leads up to one profound conclusion, and that is that the house of God is a house of prayer. It’s a house on a mountain. We have the picture in the Old Testament of Mount Zion and David’s tabernacle—it’s a place of continuous worship. IHOP and Mike Bickle and his amazing ministry have perhaps captured this theme better than anyone with the harp and bowl: the harp of ministry to God and the bowl, which is the overflow of intercession and prayer for the nations of the world.
That profound picture is the nature of the house of God. But this passage here, which says, «My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,» I think the only thing I’ve ever heard this described as was that it was a place where we pray for the nations, and that’s not what’s being said. That’s not the decree at all! I mean, we do that, but that’s not the decree. The amazing revelation of this verse is that every nation has reserved seating in the house of God.
Every nation has reserved seating; every nation has a place of priority seating to be in this place to make a difference. This word «prayer» is fascinating because it’s not just what we normally think of as petitioning; it’s a word that means to intervene. You hear about an intervention—perhaps you know someone who is horribly addicted to drugs and cannot break that cycle, or maybe they’re in a marriage where there’s horrible abuse; whatever it may be, there’s an intervention. Groups of people come together and stand right in the middle of the problem and say, «We’re not going to let you destroy your life with this drug any longer. We’re not going to allow you to abuse your wife any longer.» We step in and actually intervene.
This house of prayer being described here is actually known in the previous statement as a house of joy in prayer. So, Benny, you got it right: «the joyful intercessor"—yes, indeed! This whole house of prayer consists of people who care enough to intervene, to step right in the middle of where the conflict is going, and in prayer, take that posture that says, «Not on my watch!» There’s an intervention going on.
We’ll bring two or three into agreement once again. The government of God rests and is displayed upon two or three who are in agreement. The presence of God, the government of God, is released with unity and the heart of God.
We have this very fascinating portion of Scripture. I want to back up to verse 3 and read through it again: «Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord speak, saying, 'The Lord has utterly separated me from His people.'» Stop right there. Under Old Testament law, the Jews had access to God; the Gentiles didn’t. I mean, there was a way they could come in, but the point was that the people of God was the nation of Israel. Yet the Lord, through the prophet Isaiah, is interjecting, «There’s a season change coming.» And with this season change, don’t speak the language of the old season.
I’ll tell you what: probably most every one of us in this room needs to change our language about 2020. «Don’t let the foreigner"—who uses logic and reason, even biblical principles that were right for that season, but not for this one—"say it.» The foreigner is the one who just wasn’t born in the right family line. Some of you have no Christian history at all in your family line; you’re the first. In fact, how many of you are first-generation believers? The first-generation believer does not have the right anymore—not in grace—to say, «I just don’t have the momentum of believers in my history.» It’s illegal! Why? Because you’re in a season of inheritance, and in inheritance, you obtain by grace the momentum of prior generations.
Verse 3: «Nor let the eunuch say, 'Here I am a dry tree.'» For thus says the Lord to the eunuch who keeps My Sabbaths, etc.: «I will give them a name in My house better than the names of sons and daughters.» What’s the point? The eunuch was either born that way or made that way by the ruling king who wanted eunuchs to guard the queen’s household—something was done to them. Most of the time, it was either an unfortunate event at birth or something done to them. The one who feels disqualified because of something done to them—don’t let them say it! Don’t let them sit in that!
God is able to do something in this moment that makes them more fruitful than the sons and daughters who have the logical and correct inheritance of having children who have children who have children. It reminds me of a passage just a couple of chapters earlier where the prophet exhorts a woman—really, Israel—but a woman: shout for joy, barren one. You who have borne no child, because the sons of the desolate woman will become more numerous than the sons of the married woman! Shout for joy! Why? Because you’re going to move from a natural ability to reproduce into a supernatural ability, and in the supernatural capacity, you will surpass those who had a head start—surpass those who had everything going for them that you weren’t born with.
«Don’t let them talk themselves into being locked into an old season.» Verse 6 says, «The sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord to serve Him, who love the name of the Lord to be His servants, everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath and holds fast My covenant, even them I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer.»
Make them joyful in My house of prayer! How about we make it our ambition to be known for joy? It’s available! It’s not like we have to fake it; it’s a stream that’s flowing all the time. We just have to step into what’s already there: «Make them joyful in My house of intervention.» Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.
Now look at verse 8: «The Lord God who gathers the outcasts of Israel says, 'Yes, I will gather to him others besides those who are gathered to him.'» This word «outcast» means «banished.» A citizen of Israel was often banished or rejected from society because of sin. So we have the eunuch—something was done to him—but the banished ones were punished for what they did. It reminds me of what the Lord said about the Spirit of the Lord being upon Him to release prisoners and captives: prisoners are in prison because of what they did, while captives are in prison because of what others have done to them.
We have the same concept here in prayer. Now the Lord is announcing, «I’m not only going to gather the foreigner, I’m not only going to gather the eunuchs, I’m also going to gather the banished ones—the ones who have been rejected and put outside the camp because of their own sins. I’m going to restore them too, because everyone has reserved seating in this house of prayer. Everybody has a place of favor to intervene and affect the course of world history!»
Now, that’s a lofty statement, but it couldn’t be more true than it is in this moment, where the people of God actually take a stand in Christ and pray. If you’re not getting answers to prayer, change your prayers and find out what He’s doing. Honestly, every believer deserves the momentum created by answers to prayer. And if you’re not getting them, find out how to pray and pray accordingly, because there is such a sense of identity, purpose, and faith that grows in the momentum of answered prayers.
Coming in with no agenda, coming in—you know we all have our lists, and those lists aren’t wrong; it’s just you’re supposed to seek first the kingdom, and these other things will be added. Sometimes I want what’s added first, and then I’ll seek the kingdom. He’s saying, «Seek first the kingdom, and then let’s talk about these things.»
There’s one more passage I want you to look at, and it’s out of Isaiah 35. Isaiah 56 talks about what you don’t want to let others say, but Isaiah 35 has a very interesting twist on this. I love prophetic language. Anytime it talks about water in the Bible, like springs, rain, rivers—almost always, I did a study once and looked up every single reference in the Old Testament to water. Just about every time I could find was a reference to the Holy Spirit in some way. So whether it’s rain or it’s a river or it’s a spring, something’s going on!
God is at work, and I love that little book, «The Cure of All Ills.» It basically says, «Listen, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is really the answer for everything.» I’m kind of in that school right now; just more of Him is really all we need. I don’t understand what’s going on, but I know I need more of Him, and I know we need more of Him, and so that’s been the cry.
Here we have this kind of prophetic language in verse 1: «The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them; the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given to her, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God.» My goodness, what an incredible phrase! They shall see the glory of God. Mark my words: this next season is about the glory! It is about the glory! It is about the manifested presence of Jesus being discovered and realized, and we will behold and experience things we have no language for.
It’s about time we become speechless. It’s about time we lose our sense of knowing what’s going on. I really have that sense that is brewing right now as I speak: «They shall see the glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God.» I don’t know what your translation says, but my favorite right now is the glory, the excellency of our God.
But here’s the verse I wanted: «Strengthen the weak hands, make firm the feeble knees, say to those who are fearful hearted, 'Be strong; do not fear. Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.'»
Verse 4: «Say to those.» Isaiah 56 is about what you don’t want to let others say around you, but Isaiah 35 is about what we’re supposed to speak to those who are in crisis or need. Notice it’s not rebuke; it’s not scolding; it’s not shame. These are words that mark an individual for an invitation—excuse me, for an invasion of God! You mark them when you say to a person what God is saying, and you’ve marked them with a bull’s-eye that attracts the hand of God into that situation. Yes, amen!
Bill, that was very powerful. From verse 3: «Strengthen the weak hands, make firm the feeble knees, say to those who are fearful hearted, 'Be strong; do not fear. Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.'»
Verse 5: «Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened; the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped; the lame shall leap like a deer; the tongue of the dumb will sing, for waters will burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.»
This past 11 months have probably been the greatest, longest season of speech with very little boundaries that I have ever heard in my life, and I’m not talking about CBS and NBC—I’m talking about us using uncontrolled decrees. It’s wrong to say uncontrolled; we’re at the end of a very interesting season, and the Lord is giving us an invitation and opportunity. Grab hold of your speech! Whatever has happened, get over it, and look for those who are discounting and discrediting who they are in God.
Don’t let the eunuch say, «I can’t be fruitful.» Don’t let the person who has had everything work against them throughout their life say that! Don’t allow them to speak that way. In fact, go beyond that and say to those who are fearful-hearted; say to those who are weak in the knees; say to those, «God is about to take vengeance for you! He’s about to do something on your behalf that is absolutely extraordinary.»
Why say that if God’s just going to do it anyway? Because some things have to be spoken for them to take place. If our obedience isn’t involved in the unfolding of God’s plan and equation, then what’s the purpose of obedience? People say, «Well, He’s just going to do what He’s going to do.» I’m not sure if that’s true!
The will of God in the New Testament is represented by two different Greek words. One is absolute—God’s going to do it; you can vote yes or no; it doesn’t matter—your opinion is not taken into consideration in the outcome of this situation. But there’s another word that talks about the desire, the dream of God. God is not willing that any should perish. There’s that concept involved in that word. That’s not the word there, but there’s that concept involved in that word that God has certain desires that actually require participation from His people. Sometimes it’s radical obedience; sometimes it’s giving; sometimes it’s preaching, and sometimes it’s praying for the sick. In this case, it’s declaring a right word.
Say to the fearful-hearted, «Be strong; be strong!» Why should I say «Be strong»? Because in your words is strength! If your words originate in the heart of God, the same creative force that created the world is now imparting something through your words to any person who is halfway open to receiving something from God. It must be spoken for it to happen.
I don’t want to put us in charge; I’m not saying we’re in charge of stuff. I’m just saying when you discover the heart of God, you cannot keep quiet. When you discover the heart of God for another person, you’re not going to allow their self-image to control how you see them. Faith sees—it’s the nature of faith; faith sees. They need somebody to believe in them at their worst hour, at their worst moment. They need someone who will just stand up and say, «You know what? God’s about to vindicate you!»
«Well, it doesn’t look that way to me.» You need to stand where I’m standing, because if you can see what I see, you would be the most encouraged person on the planet, because God is about to vindicate you. And the Scripture says, «Then the eyes of the blind will be opened.» You say what you’re supposed to say, and then God says, «And I’ll do what I’m supposed to do.»
Amen! I’m pretty much done; that’s all I wanted to say. Let me talk into the TV for a moment. I know there are people watching. We’ve had so many people come to Christ on YouTube and on Bethel TV. To me, it’s just one of the most extraordinary things. We’ve had people literally stumble into a YouTube video—not looking for a Bethel service, not knowing anything about Bethel—just stumble in, and they hear the gospel and surrender their lives to Jesus.
What we’re noticing is the same presence, the power of the Spirit of God that falls on people in this kind of environment—we have time and time again where the power of God falls on an individual, resting upon an individual as they sit in their home or their office, watching on their phone. The same heavenly atmosphere that brings healing and deliverance in this room is not confined to this room; it actually touches people right where they are.
There are some of you watching online, and you just don’t know what it is to be born again. You don’t know what it is to be adopted into the family of God—to turn literally from a life of pleasing yourself. All of our heartaches happen because we tried to fulfill our lives without God at the center, and turning from that to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ—that is the invitation for anybody watching.
I would encourage you: The Bible says, «Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord"—His name is not the name of a thousand false gods; His name is Jesus. His name is Jesus. I heard this week someone famous saying there are many ways to God. If there are many ways to God, then the crucifixion of Jesus was a worthless, foolish act—worthless and foolish! But it wasn’t! He died for you, and He died for me.
Now I want to encourage you; turn your heart towards Him even right now and just pray and ask Him to forgive you. Get in the chat room because we’ve got a lot of people who serve in that capacity to pray with you and talk with you. I want to encourage you in your coming to faith today. This changes the rest of your life, and you can say over your own life, «I am no longer the foreigner outside of God’s plan. I’m at the center of what God is saying, what God is doing. I’m no longer the one who has had things happen to me; I am now the person that God has poured out His grace and favor upon.»
I encourage you to do that right now. The rest of you, why don’t you stand in this room? Let me pray over you, and then Chris, you’re coming up. Come on up, and I’ll just make a very smooth, seamless transition here. It’s going to be a miracle. Man, it’s good to see you guys.
And all of you who are watching online—your turn is soon! We are at work. We can’t give more details right now, but look on your emails and all that. All right! Father, I’m asking that this season would be hard to miss. It would be hard for us to miss what You’re saying in a given moment—that it would be like remedial reading; You just make it easy for us to hear what You’re saying so we can speak with courage that which changes the direction in how people do life.
I pray that for our own city, that we’d speak life into this city, into this nation, for the nations represented. We pray for that. Let the grace for prophetic decrees be upon us now in Jesus' name. Amen.