Hosting the Presence

by Bill Johnson

  Heaven’s answer came. The revelation and release of God’s redemptive program is now unstoppable.

  Heaven is a Person

  The water baptism of John was known as a baptism of repentance. That made Jesus’ request of John to baptize Him strange and quite difficult to process. Jesus had no sin to repent of. But John’s baptism was also a part of his announcement of the Kingdom being near. When John said the Kingdom was near, he was prophesying about what Jesus would manifest and release.

  John knew he wasn’t worthy to baptize Jesus. In fact, he confessed his need for the baptism that Jesus would bring—in the Holy Spirit and fire (see Matt. 3:11). But Jesus insisted. Being willing to do what you are not qualified to do is sometimes what qualifies you.

  Jesus answered John’s objection, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). Righteousness was fulfilled in this act because here Jesus became the servant of all, identified with sinful humanity, and was now positioned to announce that the Kingdom of God is at hand. The announcement brought the release, as nothing happens in the Kingdom until first there is a declaration.

  When Jesus was baptized in water, Heaven took notice. Here is an interesting description of this divine moment.

  Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased” (Mark 1:10-11).

  Jesus saw the heavens opening. What had been promised through the ages had started. But no one expected this: Heaven invading earth through the humility of a man—the Son of God, the Son of Man.

  The word opening means to cleave, split. It is translated as opening, split, and tears one time each, divided and tear two times each, and torn four times. Interestingly, it is the same word used to describe both the veil in the temple being torn and the rocks splitting open at Jesus’ death, as Heaven and earth shook as a witness to the injustice of that moment—One so perfect dying for those who deserve death. “And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split” (Matt. 27:51). In other words, the heavens opening at Jesus’ baptism by John was not a simple parting of the clouds. It was a violent act, first represented by Isaiah’s language when he prayed rend the heavens and come down (Isa. 64:1). An invitation had been made on behalf of humanity, and God answered in person.

  Tearing the heavens was in itself an act of ultimate grace and glory, resulting in spiritual forces of darkness suffering serious consequences. The Man, Christ Jesus, is now clothed with Heaven, thoroughly equipped for all His earthly purposes. And His equipping was a prophetic foretaste of what would soon be made available to all.

  Signs to Make You Wonder

  The veil in the temple, the rocks around Jerusalem, and the heavens all experience the same act of violence. They give witness that the King with a superior Kingdom has just come onto the scene.

  The veil—God was not tied to an Old Covenant anymore as the requirements had been met through Jesus’ death. It was torn top to bottom, as it was His doing.

  The rocks—the hardest places on earth were responding to the change in seasons, splitting open to signify that Jesus, the King of glory, was welcome to rule here.

  The heavens—the prince of the power of the air had no authority over Jesus, who would be the prototype of every believer who would walk the earth after His death, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven.

  So then, what happened when the heavens were torn open in this act of violence? The Spirit of God came down. This is the answer to Isaiah’s prayer. This is in response to the cries of the kings and prophets who all ached for this day. Jesus paved the way for His experience to become our experience. The Holy Spirit, the treasure of Heaven that Jesus and the Father spoke so reverently about, has been released on earth. To look for another open Heaven is to incorrectly steward the one we’ve been given.

  Open Heavens

  Every believer has an open Heaven. For the believer, most closed heavens are between the ears. Living as though the heavens were brass over us actually plays into the devil’s hands as it puts us in a defensive posture. This violates what Jesus accomplished. He put us on offense with His commission, “Go!” Remember, believing a lie empowers the liar.

  This certainly doesn’t mean that darkness isn’t able to cast a long shadow over a person, or even a city or a nation. We often find ourselves in spiritually dark environments. I can take you places where just being there could cause you to tremble, as the realm of darkness is so prevalent, destructive, and dominant. Even so, it is an inferior power, one I cannot afford to be impressed with. My attention must be on the provisions and promises of Christ and the open Heaven over me. I believe that keeping my focus on those things describes at least in part what it means to abide in Christ (see John 15:4). Plus, our refusal to fear reminds the devil that he is finished! (See Philippians 1:28.) If for some reason you can’t seem to sense what to do in a given environment, worship. When in doubt, always worship.

  We cannot let darkness shape our awareness of the heavenly atmosphere that dwells upon us. The size of the open heaven over us is affected in some measure by our maturity and yieldedness to the Holy Spirit. Think of the open Heaven as a big oak tree. The bigger and more stable the tree is, the more people can stand under its shade. Mature believers carry Heaven’s atmosphere in such a way that others are able to stand under their shade and receive protection. To use another analogy, others can draft on our breakthroughs and become changed.

  To live unaware of the open Heaven over us is to contribute to the war over our hearts and minds as it pertains to the truth of Scripture. Then we will always see what hasn’t happened instead of living from what has happened. We owe it to God to live aware of what He has done and draw from the reality He has made available. Not doing so costs us dearly. The heavens were torn open, and there is no demonic power that is able to sew them back together. Besides, the Father longs for the Spirit who lives in us. What power of darkness exists that could block their fellowship? But when we live with a primary awareness of the enemy and his plans, we instinctively live in reaction to darkness. Again, if I do, then the enemy has had a role in influencing my agenda. And he isn’t worthy. My life must be lived in response to what the Father is doing. That is the life Jesus modeled for us.

  Heaven is filled with perfect confidence and peace, while this world is filled with chaos and mistrust in God. We always reflect the nature of the world we are most aware of. Living aware of open heavens has incalculable results.

  Can God Come to Where He Is?

  Some are bothered when we talk about God coming into a situation, His Spirit falling upon us, or the Holy Spirit moving in a meeting, etc. Often, as we get ready to minister to people, we will invite the Holy Spirit to come, in the John Wimber fashion. The question is, “Why invite God to come when He is already here?” It’s a good question. It makes no sense whatsoever to pray that way unless we understanding that there are different measures and dimensions of God’s Presence. When He is here, there is always more to come. It’s important to hunger for and invite that increase. Isaiah had a perception of this reality, saying, “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple” (Isa. 6:1). The word filling implies that His robe filled the temple, but then continued to fill it. He came, but He kept coming. There is always more!

  This is at least a partial list of these measures of His Presence; each one is an increase of the previous:

  God first inhabits everything and holds all things together (see Col. 1:17). He is everywhere, the glue that holds His creation in place.

  A second dimension of God’s Presence is His indwelling Holy Spirit in the lives of those who have been born again. He specifically comes to make us His tabernacle.

  A third dimension is seen when believers gather in His name. As He promis
ed, He is “there in their midst” (Matt. 18:20). This is where the principle of exponential increase comes into play.

  A fourth measure or dimension occurs when God’s people praise Him, for He says He “inhabits the praises of His people” (see Ps. 22:3). He is already in our midst but has chosen to manifest Himself upon us more powerfully in that atmosphere.

  A fifth measure is seen when the Temple of Solomon was dedicated: God came so profoundly that priests were incapacitated (see 1 Kings 8:10-11). No one could even stand, let alone play instruments or sing. They were completely undone at that measure of Presence.

  I mention these five levels only as principles, in an effort to give a snapshot of how He longs to increase His manifestation upon His people. The day of Pentecost and the gift of the baptism in the Holy Spirit may in fact illustrate all of these principles combined as an entire city came under the influence of God’s manifest Presence.

  These various measures of Presence are recorded both in history and in Scripture. Reformation and revival history shows us what’s available. The responsibility for the measure of God’s Presence that we carry lies with us. We always have what we earnestly want.

  Living for One Thing

  It’s easy to get so preoccupied with the vision for our lives that we miss the process entirely. We are here to grow into the maturity of Jesus, bring as many converts to Him as possible, and transform everywhere we have authority and influence. What we sometimes fail to realize is that all of those assignments are impossible. Every one of them. But strangely, they are possible if they are the fruit of something else. And this is something we can actually do. Let me explain.

  We are called into fellowship with God. In this process, He has made it possible for us not only to come to know Him, but also to have Him live inside of us and even rest upon us. Everything we could ever want out of life flows from that one privilege. King David understood this concept better than most New Testament believers. He referred to it as the one thing (see Ps. 27:4). All of life gets reduced to one thing—how we steward the Presence of God. Stewarding the Presence of God, hosting the Presence, is the only way these impossible dreams can be accomplished.

  The fulfillment of these dreams is actually the byproduct of hosting Him well. Jesus affirmed this principle for life when He taught, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). The Kingdom of God is not something separate from His actual Presence. The Kingdom has a King. In reality, the Kingdom of God is within the Presence of the Spirit of God. “For the kingdom of God is…in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). This command by Jesus is to prioritize our lives down to the one thing which is eventually evidenced by righteous living.

  I once had the Lord wake me in the night with His voice. He said that He watches over the watch of those who watch the Lord. It’s been a number of years since that encounter. Thinking of that moment still excites and yet puzzles me all at the same time. The “watch” represents God-given responsibilities. It’s what a watchman does—he looks over his responsibility to make sure things are safe and properly taken care of. God was essentially telling me that He would watch over my watch (responsibilities) if I would make “watching Him” my only responsibility. It was His invitation for me to become Presence-centered.

  When we discuss our responsibilities in life, many good things come to our minds. But for me now it always boils down to the one thing—His Presence. What do I do with His Presence? What place does the manifest Presence of God have with how I think and live? Does the Presence of God affect the vision and focus of my life? What is the impact of the one thing on my behavior?

  The Gate to a Transformed City

  In Acts chapter one, Jesus appeared to five hundred people, telling them not to leave Jerusalem until they received the promise of the Father. The remaining eleven disciples of Jesus were a part of this group. The eleven had already received the Holy Spirit in John 20, but were still commanded to stay in Jerusalem for what the Father had promised. A prayer meeting was formed. After ten days, only one hundred and twenty people were left.

  As highly regarded as this day is in our hearts, I’m not sure we really see the significance. On the day of Pentecost, the baptism in the Holy Spirit was given. This baptism in the Holy Spirit is called the Father’s Promise. The Father, the One who only gives good gifts, has given us this gift. All life flows only from Him. He is the One who is the orchestrator and conductor of life, and He has given a promise. And this is it. This is His special gift. It’s a promise that reintroduces us to the original purpose for humanity—a people suited to carry the fullness of God on earth (see Eph. 3:19). This is only possible through the baptism in the Holy Spirit—a baptism of fire!

  And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting (Acts 2:2).

  A noise came from Heaven. Two worlds met. It was like a violent rushing wind. The word rushing is phero. Out of the 67 times that word is translated in the New Testament, it is rushing only once. The other times it has the meaning to carry, to bear, or to bring forth. It would be foolish for me to suggest changing how it’s translated. But I would like to suggest adding the bring forth aspect to our understanding of its meaning. So then, could the word rushing imply that this was a noise, a violent wind, that carried or brought forth something from its place of origin to its destiny—from Heaven to earth? I think so.

  Noise can be translated roar. God spoke the worlds into being. His word is the creative force. “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host” (Ps. 33:6; see Gen. 1:3-24). This sound could have come from the mouth of God releasing something on the earth that the prophets longed to see and be a part of from the beginning. Add to this the fact that God Himself rides on the wind (Ps. 104:3). We then see that this is a moment when God, riding on wind, a sound, Heaven’s breath, is restoring humankind to purpose. Without question, the most dramatic invasion of Heaven to earth happened in this moment. It was the defining moment. This is what the Father promised.

  The Airwaves Carry Heaven’s Sound

  This sound did in fact carry a reality from that world into this one. This heavenly sound transformed the atmosphere over the city of Jerusalem. In one moment it was changed from the city that crucified Jesus to a city that wanted to know what to do to be saved. How did that happen? Through sound—a sound from Heaven. Both sound and light are vibrations. And on this day it was the vibration of Heaven that introduced a different drumbeat to a city that was unaware of whose drumbeat they were marching to. For the first time they could see.

  The house of God is the gate of Heaven. Remember, it’s the house built on the edge of two worlds. And right here we see the effect on its surroundings when they became open to what God is doing. There was a literal release of something from that world, through the gate into this one. And a city was positioned to experience unfathomable change.

  The heavenly sound was heard and experienced on earth. The roar of Heaven summoned this city to its purpose and call. In this moment, two worlds collided, and the inferior realm of darkness gave way to the superior nature of His Kingdom. We have the unique privilege of carrying His Presence. In doing so, we cause this kind of conflict so that these two realities, called Heaven and earth, could dance together in perfect harmony.

  This picture is similar to the picture given at Jesus’ baptism in that it was a violent activity from Heaven. It upset the powers that were accustomed to occupying that space. And in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit was released in the same way as at Jesus’ baptism—this time upon His people instead of upon Jesus. It’s important to note that violence in the spiritual realm is always a peace-filled moment for His people. That’s how the Prince of Peace can crush satan under our feet (see Rom. 16:20). Another way to put it is every peace-filled moment you experience brings terror to the powers of darkness. Only in the Kingdom of God is peace a military tool.


  A City Restored

  When that mysterious sound was released at Pentecost, thousands of people began to gather to the one hundred and twenty at the upper room. It was nine o’clock in the morning. People were still preparing for the day. But they dropped everything. Men laid down their tools, women had their children put down their toys. A sound filled the air that also filled their hearts. Imagine an atmospheric shift over an entire city.

  This is the city that rose up to crucify Jesus. His Presence among them was the one good thing they had, and they destroyed it by responding to the spirit of murder, the one thing civilized people pride themselves on resisting. Yet what erupted out of the heart of God, the sound that was released through that open Heaven, erupted over an entire city. No one knows why the crowd gathered in front of the upper room. No handbills or posters were distributed. No announcements were made. But a sound was released over them that cleared the air for the first time in their lives. Their thoughts were clear. They could reason. They sensed divine purpose. It seemed as though God was summoning people. And that’s exactly what happened.

  Growing up, I always thought people gathered because the one hundred and twenty were speaking in tongues, which was in the people’s native languages. But that doesn’t make sense, especially for an international city where foreign visitors are common. They gathered to a sound, an indistinguishable sound, one that reached deep into the hearts of people. Apart from an act of God, it would be nearly impossible to cause people to leave their businesses, homes, and activity centers to gather for no known reason. This sound called to something deep within the heart of this city, calling to restore it to its original purpose. This city was to be known as a city of His Presence. King David made that dedication so many years earlier in the tabernacle he built within that city which was dedicated to 24/7 worship.