Bill Johnson - Feasting on Giants
Wave, and yet they’re lacking in the nutrients or in the very thing that was meant to define their future because they became preoccupied with the devil instead of with the Lord, who created a place of intimate fellowship in the middle of a problem. Psalms 23 fascinates me for many reasons, obviously, but it particularly interests me because it says, «You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.» We’ve gone through this; I know you’ve studied it on your own, I’m sure, but let’s just mentally walk through this very strange setting. God has prepared a table of the richest, most glorious food you will ever eat in your life. Everything! God’s probably a pretty good cook.
So here is this table, a place of nourishment, interaction, and fellowship—connection. You are on the other side of Jesus, whose eyes burn with fire but also express tenderness, compassion, and love like you’ve never seen in your life. His words give you the courage to face anything you could possibly encounter. This interaction with Him at this table, so to speak, defines our purpose, our reason for being—our destiny. It’s a life-giving encounter, and here it is in the presence of enemies. I fear that many people sit at this table day after day, rebuking and binding and doing all these things because they are preoccupied with the enemy around the table, and they never benefit from the nutrients of the moment.
They may come out victorious, saying, «Well, we took care of that problem, didn’t we?» Yet, they are lacking in nutrients or in the very thing that was meant to define their future because they became preoccupied with the devil instead of with the Lord, who created a place of intimate fellowship in the middle of a problem. Once we come to Christ, it doesn’t mean everything that comes my way is designed by the Lord. I’m facing things right now I know He had no hand in because He gives life, and these things bring death. He came to give life; the enemy came to kill, steal, and destroy. So if there is death, loss, and destruction involved, guess what? That’s the devil’s fingerprints, not from the Lord.
But here’s the guarantee: all things work together for good for those that love God and are called according to His purpose. Something happens in this life in Christ where this unexpected event becomes redefined. God says, «All right, I’m turning this into a meal. This thing that was set to destroy is now dinner, breakfast, brunch.» I don’t know about you, but I love brunch. I love brunch, but they only have them on Sundays, and I’m here all day! So when I’m on vacation, I look for brunch because brunch is where bacon goes to die—that’s what it’s called. I know I’m not supposed to eat bacon, but I eat bacon. So the Lord takes that which was thrown your way and says, «All right, I am going to put in the purpose of this giant. I’m going to put in its makeup the food you will need for the next season.»
Now repent, which means change the way you think, change your perspective on reality. Why? Because if you don’t, you’ll only see the giant and won’t see dinner. I want you to turn with me to Joshua chapter one, and we’re going to read a portion of scripture. I think I could honestly say that if I could choose the three most important portions of scripture in the Bible for me in the last 50 years, this would be one of the top three, and for me, it’s like a refrigerator—I go to it when I’m hungry; there’s always something in this refrigerator to eat. Joshua chapter one feeds my soul. I remind you that Joshua was one of the two who went into the land of promise and came out with a good report.
Tragically, Israel could not enter to take the promised land, and every person in the nation died, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, because promises give you a reason to live. Promises insulate you from what destroys others; it does not destroy you. Why? Because you have a reason for being alive, and God protected and honored their faithfulness. Verse 5: «No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.» Stop right there. Let’s change this for just a moment; instead of Moses, let’s put Jesus in there and read this to you because that actually reflects the reality of the New Testament: «No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life; for as I was with Jesus, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.»
Do you know that that is absolutely true? Do you know that the promises given to the Son, Jesus, have been given to you? Do you know that Jesus said, «All things the Father has are mine, and I give them to you»? All things, the entire realm of sonship that was upon Jesus, He passed on to you and to me. It’s called grace. None of us could ever earn that; we could never jump through enough hoops to get that. It was a gift—a gift of God. Verse 6: «Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.» Do you understand your obedience positions you to redistribute the inheritance of God to many others? All those under your influence receive promotion and blessing because of your «yes.» If you don’t see that, you’re not thinking right.
Hello, Bethel TV online community; bless you! If you don’t see that, you’re not thinking right. So, I wanted to welcome you into this joyful experience that we’re having. Verse 7: «Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses, my servant, commanded you.» I realize we’re not under the law of Moses, but we are under the law of love, and in the law of love, we find the capacity to obey everything Jesus said to do. Your giant is your next meal. «Give us this day our daily bread.» God, create the table in such a way that I am so overwhelmed by who’s at the table and what You put there for me to eat that I never again become impressed with the enemy who is watching.