Hosting the Presence by Bill Johnson

Author:Bill Johnson [Johnson, Bill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780768441291
Amazon: 0768441293
Publisher: Destiny Image
Published: 2012-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Purpose of Outpouring

It is so easy to assume that something like the baptism in the Holy Spirit is primarily to make us more useful in ministry. That makes us top heavy in the sense that we become professionals in areas of life that were really reserved for romantics. My friend Bob Kilpatrick would call that approach law instead of art.1 There are parts of our walk with Christ that should never be reduced to a list of goals and accomplishments. Instead, this unimaginable privilege of carrying His presence should never reduce me to a laborer for God. The decision of being a servant or a friend is still being chosen by people around us every day. While it is one of my highest privileges to serve Him completely, my labor is the byproduct of my love. This baptism introduces us to intimacy at the highest possible level.

The heart of God in this matter is clearly seen in this amazing prophecy from Ezekiel. “I will not hide my face from them any longer, for I will have poured out my Spirit” (Ezek. 39:29). In the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the revelation of the face of God. There is nothing greater. “In the light of the king’s face is life, and his favor is like a cloud with the spring rain” (Prov. 16:15). Rain is a biblical metaphor for the move of the Holy Spirit, thus the term outpouring. This verse also links God’s face, His favor, with the outpouring of His Spirit.2

The revelation of the face of God through the outpouring of the Spirit is made available to everyone. The outpouring in Acts 2 was the beginning. The outpouring of the Spirit is the fulfillment of the quest for God’s face. This means that wherever we go in revival, we can’t go past the face. The only direction to go is to cry out for a greater measure of His Presence in the outpouring. Psalm 80 links the favor of His face with the work of His hand. The righteous who seek His face in intimacy are those who can be used to do great exploits. Heroes of the faith became men and women “of [God’s] right hand” (Ps. 80:17). He put them on like a glove and used them to display His signs and wonders. We must be those who see what’s available and contend for a greater measure of His favor to be upon us.

Moses experienced the transforming Presence on his own face. It was the result of his own face-to-face encounter with God. The outpouring brings us to His face again. And believe it or not, Moses’ experience pales by comparison. “How will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?” (2 Cor. 3:8). So then, as we prioritize hosting His presence, we learn to release His face of favor into the earth. That is what people of great favor do.

ENDNOTES

1. The Art of Being You: How to Live as God’s Masterpiece by Bob and Joel Kilpatrick tackles this issue beautifully.

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