Comments on: Pastor Bill Johnson – Hosting the Presence

By: Larry

Larry — Fri, 30 Aug 2013 12:41:00 +0000

Thanks for your insight, Daniel.

I, we, and the team at Bethel would agree that there is choice, response and walk of faith that is needed on man’s end to actually walk in and demonstrate His Presence.

Pastor Bill’s book and curriculum is, above all, making believers aware of Who lives inside of them and what they offer the world in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Awareness and experience alone does not demonstrate the love and power of Jesus. There is a walk of faith that actually puts hands and feet these concepts. However, it is foundational that we are aware of exactly Who lives inside of us, and Bill has been an invaluable voice in championing this message for a long time – and rightly so.

We NEVER base our Christian life on experience. In fact experience is always the fruit and byproduct of a people who live grounded in the Word, for the Word is our basis of experience. Scripture is the invitation that shows us what is available in terms of experience with the Lord. It is foundational.

The key is, first and foremost, recognizing that the powerful Presence of God lives inside of us – and then living our lives accordingly.

By: Daniel Winfield

Daniel Winfield — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 19:03:00 +0000

I am all for experiencing the Presence of the Lord. I am 1,000% for it. I experience the Presence of the Lord. I have for many years. I experience the Holy Spirit just about every day of my life, several times a day. I support Bill Johnson, I support Bethel Church, I support Lee Grady. BUT–please hear my warning. As encouraging as it is to experience the Holy Spirit, you cannot use it as guidance. Repeat, you cannot use it as guidance. As in–DON’T DO IT. His presence is His loving, healing, encouraging touch. We need to stop right there. He still requires us to walk by faith. He still requires us to walk by trust in Him. Period. Period. Period. We cannot use an experience of His presence or touch as verification that we are right or wrong about something, or that we should do this or that. I have made this mistake so many times. And I have suffered the consequences of it. The one thing missing in the Church today is connecting people to the Lord Himself, bringing them to experience His presence, so they will know beyond any doubt that He is REAL. So they can personally experience His love, as His touch conveys His love for us. But so many want to use His touch as verification of His guidance. DON’T DO IT.

By: Pastor Bill Johnson Hosting the Presence | Mondays With Mimi

Pastor Bill Johnson Hosting the Presence | Mondays With Mimi — Thu, 22 Aug 2013 15:34:40 +0000

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