Hosting the Presence

by Bill Johnson

  To honor Him fully, we have to live in such a way that unless God shows up, what we are attempting to do is bound to fail. This kind of abandonment was the nature of Jesus’ life on earth and is now the nature of the believing believer. This is how we are “co-missioned” into this assignment. He said, “Go into a city. Find a place to stay. Don’t bring any money. Don’t take enough clothing that you can take care of yourself for extended periods of time. Make yourself vulnerable in your abandonment to My purposes, so that unless I show up to provide and direct, it will not work.”

  This is a context that Jesus gave the disciples in which to live safely as sheep that wolves would like to devour. You would think that becoming vulnerable to risk would be the most unsafe place to be. But this Kingdom works differently. Just as we are exalted by humbling ourselves, and we live by dying, so in this Kingdom we are the safest when we are the most vulnerable to danger because of our “yes” to His assignment. The frontlines of battle are really the safest place to be. David missed out on this truth in his greatest failure.

  Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle . . . David stayed at Jerusalem. Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her (see 2 Sam. 11:1-4).

  David lost the battle with his eyes, which opened the door for him to lose the battle over his heart, all because he was not in the battle he was born for. It was the season for kings to go out to war. In this season, war would have been a safer place than on his rooftop.

  It would be foolish to think the danger of frontlines kind of ministry isn’t real. But when the manifest presence of God is with you in your assignment, dangerous places become safe. And the measure we are aware of our need for Him is usually the measure we become aware of Him. It really is all about the Presence. It’s about hosting Him. This is what the 70 discovered. Neither their ignorance nor lack of experience disqualified them. They had been sent by One who was going with them.

  True Provision

  My idea of protection is quite a bit different from God’s. I would make sure all the needed arrangements for the trip were taken care of—the contacts, the meeting places, the finances, and sufficient training. I would have also sent about ten people or so to each city to make sure they could minister more effectively. I am constantly amazed at how differently Jesus thinks. He sent them on a journey that was fully prepared, but not in the ways that often matter to me. It was fully prepared because God would go with them. Two people would be enough: they would benefit from the principle of unity, but not fall to the possible conflict that the twelve spies had who spied out the land in Moses’ day. Too many opinions easily undermine the purposes of God. Two spies brought back a good report. I’m not saying that traveling in pairs is the only model for ministry. I’m saying that Jesus sent them fully prepared in ways we don’t always recognize—God would go with them in their assignment to release peace on a house, heal the sick, raise the dead, etc. Jesus made sure that they stayed Holy Spirit centered. They were prepared the best way possible. They saw Jesus do it, and He commissioned them to an assignment that required them to stay dependent on the Holy Spirit.

  As stated, I would have provided all the natural things they needed. Jesus provided the direction and the Presence as seen in the power and authority given to them. What He gave them insures the natural provisions will be there because the Holy Spirit is at work. This is the concept that Jesus taught the multitudes in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God…and all these things will be added.” His Kingdom works entirely on the first things first principle. The provision of the Lord is not just food on the table. The supernatural provision of the Lord is divine protection and full impact in our assignment. That is the whole issue: Giving up the reins of being in control of my life to become truly Holy Spirit empowered and directed. His commission was to go learn how the Holy Spirit moves. Go learn His ways.

  Noah’s Prophecy

  A rather surprising place in Scripture to find Jesus’ lesson for His disciples is in the story of Noah and the flood. There’s one part of the story that illustrates in an Old Testament context what Jesus would train His disciples to do.

  So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself (Genesis 8:6-9).

  I remind you that the dove represents the Holy Spirit in Scripture. This is especially clear in the story of Jesus’ water baptism. And here in the story of Noah we find an interesting description of Noah’s connection with the dove. There is no other animal that received the same attention or had the implied bond with Noah as did this dove.

  The dove was released because he would look for a resting place. When he didn’t find a place to rest, he returned to Noah and the ark. That is the picture given of the release of the Holy Spirit through the disciples as they go into someone’s home. The implication is that the Holy Spirit is still looking for places to rest—and those places are people. When the dove couldn’t find a place to rest, he returned to Noah, the sender. Once again consider Jesus’ words concerning their release of peace to a home. If there’s no one there that will host this Presence well, “it will return to you” (Luke 10:6). When the dove could find no place to rest, the dove came back. Noah put out his hand and brought the dove back to himself. It is interesting phrasing: “from himself” and “to himself.” This is an Old Testament glimpse into New Testament ministry.

  So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark. The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her beak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the water was abated from the earth (Genesis 8:10, 11).

  The dove was released again, but the dove returned giving Noah a progress report. God designed the ark in such a way that there were no windows, except the one in the roof from which to release the dove. Noah was only to look heavenward and rely on the information he received from the dove. The waters were receding from the earth.

  Then he waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; but she did not return to him again (Genesis 8:12).

  The next time he released the dove it didn’t return. I believe for most of us this lesson is abstract because we receive so little teaching and experience in learning to recognize the Presence of God. Most would never know in a ministry situation if the dove was released, let alone if He came back. It would be really tough to know if the Holy Spirit that was released from us is now resting upon someone. I state this not to shame anyone but to create hunger for what is legally our privilege and responsibility. We are to know the ways and Presence of the Holy Spirit so we can cooperate with Him in a way that changes the world around us. This is true ministry.

  Finding the Worthy

  Part of the instruction Jesus gave the 70 was to find those who were worthy to release His peace upon. The whole of Scripture teaches that God doesn’t look at the outward appearance of a person. He looks at the heart. This was evidenced in the story of the prophet Samuel looking for a new king for Israel. He had all of Jesse’s sons pass before him for examination. In the natural, the prophet found the perfect candidate. But God said no. After looking at all of them, Samuel asked if there was another son who wasn’t present. They said yes and went to get David, who was watching his father’s sheep. God saw his heart and said he was the
one.

  David wasn’t treated the same as the rest of his brothers. His own father Jesse didn’t consider him a possible choice to become king. I’m not sure if this was a simple oversight, or if something else was going on. David spoke of being conceived in sin. “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Ps. 51:5). It is possible that David was the child of another wife of his father Jesse, or possibly even an affair, which would make him the half-brother to the rest. Regardless, neither his father nor his brothers would have chosen him. But God saw his heart and chose him to be the next king.

  How do you tell if someone is worthy? The upstanding citizens of the community were not always His first choice. More often than not, it was the demon possessed, the tax collectors, the harlots, etc., who were all considered worthy of a touch from God. I have watched this mystery for years and must admit this is one of the most wonderful and mystifying things about God’s choice of a person. God stated that He chose Israel because they were the least of all. This applies to individuals, too.

  Consider this: it’s obvious that Jesus didn’t expect his disciples to know who was worthy when they walked into the house; otherwise, He would have had them release the Presence of the Holy Spirit only when they found the worthy. In other words, they would not have needed the additional instruction to take back the peace if there were any natural indication of who was worthy. They could only know who was worthy by their response to the Holy Spirit—did He rest upon them? Were they responsive to the person of the Holy Spirit or not? Or did the Holy Spirit return to the sender? That is what constitutes worth. It’s how they respond to the dove. Amazing.

  Great sinners have lost their innocence in so many areas of their lives. But for most of them, there remains deep in their hearts an innocence as it pertains to the Holy Spirit Himself. For most caught in deep sin, this part of the heart is still virgin territory. I’ve seen it so many times. The most corrupt, the most immoral and deceptive, are changed in a moment when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. Under all the callousness caused by sin was a place of deep tenderness. It is a place that none of us can see without help from the Holy Spirit. Amazingly, their hearts responded to God when He showed up. It’s the ones Jesus referred to when He said, “Her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” (Luke 7:47) And it’s that response that declares they are worthy of the dove.

  Conversely, it is often those who have been overexposed to the things of God that actually build a resistance to Him. Overexposure often happens when a person hears much teaching from the Word but doesn’t come to a place of total surrender. This was the issue with the Pharisees. The ones who were the most trained to recognize the Messiah when He came missed Him altogether. Total surrender draws us into encounters with God that keep us tender. Without that element, we become hardened to the very word that was given to transform us. It would be similar to the way a vaccination is made. We are exposed to small portions of a particular disease, which in turn causes our body to build a resistance. Jesus is not to be tried in small portions. He is to be surrendered to completely and wholeheartedly. Anything less will often have the opposite result than what He desired for us.

  This is a fascinating venture for sure: finding those who are responsive to the Holy Spirit. I know that I’ve not always responded to Him well. Even now it feels like a lifelong goal to learn to let Him lead in the dance.

  Abiding—Being Conscious of Him

  In Heaven there are no thoughts void of God. He is the light, the life, and the heart of His world. Heaven is filled with perfect confidence and trust in God. On the other hand, this world is filled with mistrust and chaos. We will always release the reality of the world we are most aware of. Living aware of God is an essential part of the command to abide in Him. Brother Lawrence of the 1600s illustrated this theme remarkably well. It is presented in the book The Practice of the Presence of God. It was said of him that there was no difference between his times of prayer and his times working in the kitchen. His awareness of God and His communion with Him were the same in either role.

  Living with a continual awareness of Him has got to be a supreme goal for anyone who understands the privilege of hosting Him. He is the Holy Spirit, making holiness a huge part of the focus of our lives. Yet He is as good as He is holy. I get concerned when people have the holiness ambition without discovering the cornerstone of our theology: God is good. I have learned that all my ambition, discipline, and deeply felt repentance had little effect on my life as it pertains to holiness. A holy lifestyle has become the natural result of delighting in the One who is holy—the One who accepts me as I am. All the sweaty efforts have not changed anything in my life worth mentioning, except to make me prideful and miserable. I wish I had discovered this aspect of the Christian life much earlier in my walk with the Lord. It certainly would have saved me years of frustration.

  Developing an Awareness of God

  Every believer is aware of God, but not always at a conscious level. Developing this awareness is one of the most important aspects of our life in Christ. He is called, “God with us.” Knowing Him that way is essential to our development.

  A pilot friend of mine once told me of a test they give to pilots in training. They put the trainee in a flight simulator that is able to recreate the atmosphere of an actual plane at a high altitude. Pilots must be able to recognize if there is a systems failure on the plane. For example, a warning goes off when the oxygen levels get too low. The backup oxygen is then used to keep everyone alive. But what do you do if the system that is to warn you of impending danger fails? And that is the point of the test. They’ve discovered that every person’s body reacts differently to diminishing oxygen levels. One person’s leg muscle may twitch while another will have the hair on his arms stand up. It really is that diverse. The one who runs the simulator duplicates the atmosphere of a plane flying at a high altitude. They then slowly cause the levels of oxygen to diminish. The pilot is then to write down any sensation they feel in their body. And right before they pass out, the levels are restored to normal. When they are through, the pilot has a list of warning signs to help them realize that if while flying, their leg muscle begins to twitch, they know to check the oxygen. Note that without the flight instructor training to turn their attention to the signals their bodies are picking up, these potential pilots would never know anything was happening to them that was out of the ordinary. Certainly, they would never know their bodies were giving them a warning of low oxygen. We often live in a similar ignorance to the Presence of God.

  Every believer experiences God’s Presence in some way, but we often remain untrained. This is especially so in a culture that has emphasized cognitive strengths over spiritual and sensual (physical sense) capabilities. For example, our bodies were created with the ability to recognize God’s Presence. The psalmist said even his flesh cried out for the living God (see Ps. 84, NKJV). The writer of Hebrews taught that a sign of maturity was the ability to discern good and evil through our senses: “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Heb. 5:14).

  Those who are trained to recognize counterfeit money never study counterfeit money, as the possibilities for making fake money are endless. They immerse themselves in being exposed to the right currency. Then the bad automatically stands out. It’s the same with developing our senses to discern good and evil. Immersion in the discovery of God’s Presence upon us (the Spirit given without measure) will cause anything contrary to stand out. Generally, my heart can tell when something is right or wrong. But I’ve had Him speak in a way that only my natural senses could pick up what He was saying or revealing. He does this intentionally to train us as good soldiers in His army to hear in all contexts in which He may be moving or speaking. This makes us capable of being “instant in season and out.”

  Discover Him Through Affection

  The Holy Sp
irit is such an amazing lover. He is so tender and always near. One of the things I have discovered, almost by accident, is that whenever I turn my affection toward Him, He begins to manifest upon me. Learning how to release affection to Him and then recognizing His response is valuable to me beyond words. He comes. And His coming is always wonderful.

  It has been a practice of mine for many years now to go to sleep at night with this simple act: release my affection for Him until I sense His Presence rest upon me. Now because I’m interested in sleep, I don’t use this time to sing praises or even intercede about some great need. I simply love Him until my heart is warmed by His Presence. If I wake in the night, I resume and turn my heart toward Him again and go to sleep engaged with Him.

  It’s important to know how life works. When God created everything, “there was evening and there was morning, one day.” This is repeated many times in Genesis chapter one. The day starts at night. Giving Him our nights is the way to start our day. Many would do better in the daytime if they’d learn to give Him their nights. For many, the torment that is experienced in the night watches would end by this simple action. Start your day at night by giving Him your affection until He warms your heart. Learn to maintain that sense of Presence throughout the night, and it will affect your day.

  Returning to an Old Lesson

  After His resurrection, Jesus met with His disciples in a room where they were hiding. But it was not a meeting they were planning on. They were hiding because they feared that the religious leaders would kill them next. Jesus either walked through the wall or just appeared in the room. That couldn’t have helped their fear issues. Jesus responded to their panic with “Peace be with you” (John 20:19). They didn’t catch what Jesus made available. When peace is given, it must be received in order to be of benefit. After that, Jesus showed them His hands and His side that they might see the scars of his crucifixion. “The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20). Only after seeing those scars did they realize who He was. He then spoke peace to them again.