Bill Johnson - God Has Given You a Word to Get You Through This Season (08/16/2025)
Adversity came that God knew they could handle, but they had their rudder and sail set in a way that instead of going deeper into who they were and confronting mountains of opposition designed by God, they turned away from that and cried out for help. I’m glad that He puts us back on track, but the design remains the same. This word will get you through the next mountain. Do 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 drives me. The direction depends on how I control the sail and the rudder. It’s meant to drive me deeper into God, yet I’ve watched both favor and trial drive people away from the Lord. But it was never designed that way. Monitoring my heart, my value system, my attitude—my confession really sets the rudder or the sail. Favor, for example, is supposed to take me into becoming the best possible example of Jesus I can be. When the rudder is wrong, favor moves me into self-promotion, but the wind wasn’t designed for that. My liberty, my freedom, my will can distort divine purpose.
Possibly the best example is Solomon. Never before has a single gift, a single person, had such an impact on the course of history that kings would leave their position to sit at another king’s feet as the Queen of Sheba did with Solomon. She traveled an extraordinary distance with a huge amount of wealth to honor him for who he was. He had the most unusual measure of favor maybe ever seen. It would be hard to find anyone in all of history who had greater favor with God and man. Favor was to drive him into becoming all he was designed to be—a perfect, complete representation of the heart and nature of God. But something got into his heart. As it says in First Kings, «Solomon loved many foreign women.» There was all this favor, all this stuff coming at him, perfectly suited to impact the Gentile world with the God of Covenant, the God of relationship. But the condition of his heart, the direction of his heart was positioned in such a way that all that favor drove him to counterfeit favor.
The appetite for favor drove him to counterfeit favor. In those days, kings would marry the daughters of other kings to secure peace through a covenant, avoiding war. Solomon already had peace; he was a man of extraordinary peace. But he tried to do what Adam and Eve tried to do for themselves. The serpent said to him, «If you partake of this forbidden fruit, you will be like God.» They were already like God; they were created in His image, but they tried to obtain through their labor what they already had. Solomon tried to secure false covenant for what he already possessed. This wind of favor, because of the setting of his sail and rudder—the attitude of his heart—actually drove him into something that led Israel, from what I understand, into a season of bondage, taking them 300 years to recover from. Wow! The more favor you have, the more costly your mistakes are. The more favor you have, the more costly your sins are.
I had lunch with one of the generals in God’s army 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. We had a wonderful time together; it was great to finally meet this hero of the faith. He used an analogy that I thought was impactful. He said, «The bigger the boat, the bigger the wake created.» He loved boating and told me about a time he pulled into a harbor where other boats were docking. One boat was being launched, and he came in too fast for the size of his boat, creating a wake that threw the other boat against the dock. He said the man could have sued him and won easily because he was responsible for the wake he created. Everybody in this room has a wake. The further we go into God, the greater our journey, the greater our season of walking with God, the greater the anointing—the greater our responsibility. The bigger that gets, the bigger the wake. I’m responsible for the wake I create. It’s foolishness to think that I can get away with this or that and that people will have to adjust. It’s foolish to think that way because I’m responsible for the wake I’ve created.
Favor is 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 working my way through it; please be patient. Favor is supposed to lead me to the center of my design, which finds its fullness in covenant, in relationship. 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. It’s a verse I’ve quoted to you probably 20 times in the last few years, but I will do so again because the Queen of Sheba prophesied to Solomon, saying, «God has highly favored you, Solomon, because of His love for Israel.» I’ll never forget when I first saw that; it pierced my heart. «God has highly favored you"—put your name in there! He has highly favored you because of His love for the people around you. The implication is that favor upon me must benefit the people around me or else it’s misused favor. It’s not given to me for my sake. You say, «Well that doesn’t make sense.» Yes, He loves me. He does, but here’s how it works.
The woman took a bottle of costly ointment, broke the alabaster vial, and poured 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 Him. 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 personality, your gift, your family—because you determined to invest it wisely in the people around you. Somehow, in the process, you get splashed. If I use this costly ointment for myself, 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 requests, my petitions before Him, but when God increases my favor with people, it is not for self-promotion.
So imagine favor as a wind that drives me to the center of more meaningful, impacting relationships. It’s favor that drives me to the center of what I was designed for—my role in what God is doing here—driving me deeper into the expression of Christ in a loving body of believers who have given themselves to transforming a city and transforming nations. Either that favor drives me into that or it drives me into my own unique, selfish expression of my imitation of Christ. Amen? Good point, Bill. It’s too late; I gave you a chance. Trials are the same way—winds of adversity.
There’s 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, I believe. Exodus 13:1. I wave this bottle around so much that it sparkles, and so it baptizes me every time I open it. I think I’ll leave the top off. There we go!
Exodus 13:17—Are you there? If you have your Bible, say, «I love my Bible!» I really, really, really, really love my Bible. Some of you got the amount of relas you were supposed to get, while some of you shorted it. It’s alright; it’s fatiguing; I know.
Exodus 13:17: «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.'» Again, 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. I love this verse and this season in Israel’s history. I love it because God was the one fighting their battles. It wasn’t like this victory over the Philistines depended on their wisdom and strength, but God knew His role would be limited by their fear. Wow—that’s a great point! God knew that His role, His place in the journey with His people, would be limited, restricted, or cut off by their fear. When they saw war, God said, «I’m not going to take them the direct path. The Philistines are in the way; they’re too young. Even though God fights their battles and delivers victory to them, He said He would take them another way because they may see war and become discouraged, going back to bondage.»
Wow! How many people go back to bondage because they don’t know how to handle conflict? I’m not talking about just arguments or disagreements with friends; I’m talking about the lifestyle that recognizes, «I was designed for something greater, and I keep running into this wall.» We sang about that wall tonight—the wall that becomes a way! That’s the challenge right there: every time God leads us into a place, it’s for victory.
In this passage, it would be reasonable to assume that God chose this route because the people were young and inexperienced; they might become afraid and want to go back to bondage. God says, «I’m going to direct them around this enemy because I don’t want them to face that prematurely.» A month later, they’re down the road, and the Lord leads them into an enemy. What’s the implication? They’re ready! Come on! They’re ready!
A month ago, they were still going to mess themselves up. Now, He’s taking them right into a war! The implication is that they’ve handled stuff over the last 30 days (just using 30 days to illustrate). I trust them now. It’s never been a question of what God can do; it’s never been a contest!
There has never been a contest between the devil and God. That’s right—zero. So when the Lord leads Israel into a conflict, it’s because they’re designed for victory; they are ready for victory! When I choose fear instead of faith, I’m violating my design. Wow! When I choose fear instead of faith, I’m not acknowledging that this moment was divinely orchestrated for me to illustrate once again the victory of Christ in this situation.
How many of you believe Jesus rose from the dead? Absolutely! Your victory proves it. It’s not as though He needs evidence in your life or in my life to validate it; it’s validated on its own. But when you pray for the sick and that person is healed, it demonstrates the resurrection power of Jesus! When you overcome personal habits, that change in your life demonstrates the resurrection power of Jesus!
When you face mental battles and resolve to obey the Lord no matter what, sticking with that process until you achieve ongoing victory, you’re demonstrating the resurrection of Jesus. Come on!
I want you to look at Mark 4. We’re going to look at a passage that I’ve probably taught on more often than any other in the last 10 years. I had the privilege to be with Hillsong in New York last week—a situation that came out of nowhere. I already had that time blocked to be at home, but when I asked my team about it, they felt it was the Lord. The real test was when I asked my wife; her voice and the voice of the Holy Spirit sound so similar that sometimes I can’t distinguish between the two. Often, 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.»
Alright, I had a wonderful time, so moved by Carl and Laura Lentz and the whole Hillsong movement. I mention it because I shared on this verse, but I want to read a story I’ve taught on many times, emphasizing a different verse than I ever have before.
So Mark 4—are you there? How many of you still love your Bible? How many of you still love the person next to you? Good! Good—don’t get weird on me now; just leave them alone until we’re done.
Alright, you may remember a while back I read that thing that says, «Have you ever woken up in the morning just happy to be alive, and you kiss the person next to you?» And then he says, «Yeah, I just tried that, and apparently, I won’t be allowed to fly on that airline anymore.»
Alright! Mark 4:35—"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, and other little boats were also with Him. And 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. And 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 and 40 again: «He arose, rebuked the wind, 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? '»
I love this story because it illustrates for me the 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 so He can run to fulfill our requests. I believe strongly in the importance and power of prayer, and we are to bring our petitions and requests to Him, so it seems almost contradictory.
Jesus had His disciples in this boat, and they were in a life-threatening storm. The boat was already starting to fill up, and they were afraid they were going to die—it was a legitimate fear without God. So they woke Jesus up to ask Him, «Don’t You care that we are perishing?» He stands, rebukes the wind, and says «Peace» to the storm. Everything stops. Then He says, «How come you don’t have any faith?»
That scenario is mind-boggling! My upbringing taught me that if I prayed well and effectively, I’d get answers and things would happen. In part, that’s true. But it’s not what Jesus was grooming 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. 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 He slept in the storm because the world He dwells in has no storms. He illustrated what it means to live in communion with the Father. It’s a heavenly realm that Paul later finds language for when he says we are seated in heavenly places in Christ.
Unfortunately, it’s been reduced to a doctrine rather than an invitation to experience. And all experience is an invitation to a lifestyle. What is initiated by an experience is a promise of a lifestyle, and should we want to pursue it, God never introduces us to joy, for example, and gives us so much joy that we can hardly contain ourselves. That was never given simply as an experience to help heal the wounds of the last 20 years; it’s a doorway that gives legal access to this realm of inheritance whenever we need it.
When that sense of comfort or prophetic gift comes upon us, we enter those moments as invitations to a sustainable lifestyle; they are not tastes we must ignore while struggling through life. So when the Lord opens insight into our lives as an invitation for encounters, which is also an invitation for lifestyle—a sustainable one—once I’ve tasted, I will seek more.
In the Kingdom of God, a taste initiates transformation! Oh, it’s the taste! John 7 has the perfect example: «Come to Me and drink.» Alright, when you do, «Out of your innermost being will flow rivers.» A drink becomes a river; a taste changes your capacity.
A taste transforms your nature. A taste gives you access to the resources of heaven itself flowing in and through you. A simple experience changes your capacity to give and serve. Nothing is given merely to help you cope. He has no coping mechanisms.
He doesn’t say, «Here’s joy; now that will help you get through the next season because it’s going to be a real trial.» No! When He gave you joy, He opened a key to that realm that is now yours. All these realms in God are gifts of favor meant to be stewarded—not for self-promotion, but to continue in the journey of being the best possible representation of Jesus Christ that I could possibly be. I’m driven by favor into that, but trials are meant to do the same.
So we have this life-threatening storm. The disciples come to Jesus and make a request out of absolute panic, and Jesus saves the day. That’s how we learn sometimes—we pray wrong, He answers anyway. He’s just teaching. He never spoke to anybody about their weak faith and then withheld an answer; He would address weak faith but then provide answers to give access to greater faith. Every answer is a place of surrender and yieldedness as we step more fully into our design. We were designed for obedience—we represent Him best in our yes.
Every time we say yes to the Lord, we strengthen a muscle—the will—that profoundly impacts our destiny. I’ve asked people numerous times why, when we worship, doesn’t Jesus just manifest Himself in His glory while we’re here? Because then our worship wouldn’t be voluntary! When you see Him in His glory, everyone falls on their face; there’s no choice. The Lord likes to restrain Himself in measure so that we can make the choice aligned with His heart, strengthening our will.
The will is so deeply connected with God’s heart that He can trust us to pray for whatever we want, and it will be done for us. He’s building us into a generation that represents Him well. Since Jesus never had an unanswered prayer, it might be good if we find out what He’s praying and pray it.
Put a hand on someone next to you and pray for them—they need help! They need help more than they know. Pray for them in earnest. Pray for God to remind them of any word they have forgotten, any word that is not at the forefront of their thinking, that they would steward well. Give them the grace to steward well all that You have said—everything You have spoken.
Pray for them: God, help them adjust the direction of their heart so that both favor and difficulty drive them further into Your will and purposes. Thank You, God! Keep praying; push into it a little further! The Lord will increase your insight on how to pray.
To those watching on Bethel TV, we make the same declaration over you: every household, every house of faith, every individual will step more fully and deeply into this beautiful representation of who Jesus is and what He’s like. You were designed for obedience, and we become our best when we say yes to Jesus. I pray that over everyone in this room—God, enhance the yes!
Give us 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 alone I long to worship; You alone are worthy of my praise! I will give You all my worship; I will give You all my praise! You alone I long to worship; You alone are worthy of my praise!»
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, and Acts chapter 2 describes him as a prophet. He was a package that well represented 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 also that God fought with him. He was treasured by his nation, and I want you to hear the words of the man who, at that 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 point.
This is what he said: «Lord, my heart is not haughty; my eyes are not lofty; I don’t concern myself with great matters nor with things too profound for me. Surely I’ve calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. Oh Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth.»
See, the favor of God didn’t increase his self-confidence. Self-confidence is no greater than self; the favor of God increases God-dependency. So, Father, increase our 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 alone; every breath that I take, every moment I’m awake, Lord, have Your way in me.» Thank You so much, Father! Thank You that You have entrusted us with this priceless, wonderful Holy Spirit. Thank You that You have entrusted us with Your word, which never lacks power. I ask that tonight You take us a little deeper into the use of Your word—not for self-promotion or gain, but to establish Your purposes on earth.
Never again would we find ourselves cowering in front of a mountain of opposition, but instead, we’d be searching for what You’ve said about this before we got here. How did You prepare me for this moment? How did You set the stage to ensure victory? I ask that You’d give that grace to every person in this room in Jesus' mighty name. Amen! Amen! Amen!