Bill Johnson · Bethel Church · Preached October 4, 2026 · Published October 9, 2026
0:00 His design is to do such a redemptive work in you and me that we burn for what He burns for, not because He programmed us, but because there's a seamless connection. His heart becomes my heart, and I pray the things that burn in Him, and it is His delight to respond to those cries and release things into the earth. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. This is a wild group. My goodness. Wild.
0:49 I love you too. Thank you. So how many from Brazil are in the room? How many are here and you have survived the Brazilians being in the room? You're not from Brazil. Oh, okay, okay. It just looked like everybody when I had to raise your hands. How many don't know where you're from? Yeah, that's just a few. Excellent. Well, it's just been a rich time.
1:27 Oh, goodness. The last 50-some years, but the last couple weeks, man, it's been so good having you here. And we've just been so touched, so moved deeply by what God is saying and doing. You know, I heard this story years ago about a forest fire up in, I think it was Yellowstone. and the winter came and of course the fire ended but when spring came and things dried out the fire started up again because it had gone underground. It was actually burning like the roots and the fires of revival have always been burning and what's happening right now is the Lord is bringing to the surface once again and helping us deal with the stuff that gets in the way, the stuff that piles on top of the things that God has given us and gifted us with. And I just feel like we've just had this, uh, uh, the, the hit by a truck. Yeah. I feel like I've been hit by a truck the last two weeks and I keep standing up and say, hit me again, hit me again, hit me again. It's just been so good, but the Lord is just truly reviving and refreshing. And I'm just so encouraged.
2:45 So Ben and your Egyptian crew, thank you. You guys ought to stand up so everybody can see who you are. These guys from the... Bless them, good. Thank you. What's that? They made it through the Red Sea. Yes, you did. We're so glad for you. Man, I was thinking the other day, the angels, you know, got to watch the Red Sea open, and I'm sure they were impressed by the miracle. But they've never been more impressed than when you got born again. Amen.
3:26 That's a miracle. That's a miracle. All right, I want to talk to you tonight about why you're alive and what fruit you've been designed to bear. We all have this incredible opportunity to connect with God. when you're born again, first of all, sin came into the world. It says, for all have sinned, fallen short of the glory of God. So the glory of God was the original target for every human being to live in that manifested presence of God. That was the original design. That was the prescription written. Sin came, and we all fell short of that. But when you were born again, you were restored to original design. and there's actually a seamless connection between a person washed by the blood of Jesus and the heart of the Father there's this seamless connection The blood of Jesus didn't just wash me clean from the past, but actually imparted to me the nature of Jesus himself.
4:50 and when you're connected to the Father that connection bears fruit you see it in John 15 the whole vine and branches lesson that Jesus gave the branch that's connected to the vine bears fruit and when it bears fruit God prunes it God rewards all growth with pruning Thank you. he prunes it because he's actually the way he's created things is he's actually created us to bear fruit we actually our lives in Christ is to bear continuous fruit if you remember, if I can change analogies here, if you remember the story of the talents, it was the person who had the one talent that hid it.
5:50 Let me change the language. He took what he was given and he protected it from any kind of destruction or thievery. And he was the one that was cast into outer darkness because the Lord's not interested in protecting what we have. he's interested in us having a connection that bears fruit. Everything that he made was designed for increase. and so our relationship in Christ, actually, we are positioned to have the result of our relationship with Christ to have a certain effect on the earth, and I want to take you through just some of the scriptures on this. I've been dabbling in this subject for years and years and years, and even the last couple weeks, been talking a few times that I've had a chance to talk, talking about this, but I want to take you back to the book of Genesis. And I want you to go back with me to Genesis chapter 2, if you would.
6:46 And we're going to take a few passages there. And what I'm going to start with is I want to talk to you about the tree of life. The tree of life is mentioned in three books of the Bible. Genesis, Proverbs, and Revelation. Genesis is what was. Proverbs is what is. Revelation is what will be. But the tree of life theme is, I think it's important for us to understand especially when we see the significance of it in the original creation of the garden. And then we see the Holy Spirit bringing that analogy or that tree, back to life so to speak, in the book of Proverbs, connected with wisdom, connected with speech, is actually describing a certain kind of supernatural fruitfulness that each of us have access to bear. If the connection is right, we actually bear supernatural fruit.
7:52 this is a little bit off subject, but I love hearing stories of people who have been taken to heaven. And I love them so much. And I realize that they don't replace scripture, but they evidence something that's in scripture. And one of the things that I've seen on many occasions is those who have been taken there before they're sent back, while they're there, the closer they get into the glory and the manifest presence of God, the more they actually have to eat the fruit of heaven to stay alive. Otherwise they become so faint and so weak. There's something about that presence of God that requires that we partake of, I can't see you, partake of.
8:44 Sorry. One thing a child doesn't need is to be, you know. That was the spirit of dumb that just got on me. It's all right. But if you think about it, in heaven itself, if you were to be taken there right now in your earthly body and you were to experience that glory, it's so extreme that you wouldn't survive without eating heavenly fruit. So here's what I want you to think in terms of. There is an ingesting of things of Scripture, of the Spirit of God, that is needed continuously to be able to withstand the glory we've asked for. you were born for more than what we've seen i'm so thankful i think one of the things that people miss is i've watched people be hungry and desperate for god but i've watched it take them into resistance of the spirit of god in unbelief how can hunger take you into that it's because they were hungry without thankfulness i've seen people who are thankful but they're thankful and they come into a place of complacency because they're no longer hungry.
9:56 And it's the responsibility of the believer to stay passionately hungry for more, but extremely thankful for what we have, realizing, I was thinking about it tonight, again, during worship. I've said so many times through the years, he actually never has to do anything else for me. No answers to prayer, nothing. and I still owe him every breath of my life for what I've seen and do already. I am so indebted to him.
10:25 So there's a fruitfulness that you were born for and I... this message could go any one of several ways. And the one thing I would never want to do is to instill in believers this sense that we get to be selfish before God and demand our own way.
10:49 And that's nauseating to me. We've seen enough of that. Nobody likes it. All of us hate entitlement in other people. That was so good. That was so good. All right, did I ever go to Genesis? We need to get reading before I lose my way. Genesis chapter 2, verse 9.
11:26 Do verse 8. Lord planted a garden eastward of Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. I realize that most of you would know the story of the fall of Adam and Eve into sin when they partook of the forbidden fruit.
11:58 And something happened. They died, not physically. They died in their relationship, their sensitivity, their openness to God. And it was not their hunger for God that saved them. It was God's hunger for them that saved them. We have people all the time say, I found the Lord, and I understand what they mean. But the reality is most of us were jumping over rocks and running around trees and swimming in the ocean trying to do anything to get away. And we tripped and fell and looked up in the air and Jesus was standing there. And we said, I'm so glad I found you. And most of us came to Christ in some similar manner. but in this fall of man where sin entered the world and they partook of the forbidden fruit something had to be done and it's found in chapter 3 and in chapter 3 verse 24 let's go ahead and do verse 22.
12:58 The Lord said, Behold, the man has become like one of us, remember Father, Son, Holy Spirit, to know good and evil, and now lest he put his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever. Therefore the Lord God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. And he drove out the man and he placed cherubim at the east end of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. This is a very significant moment that if we can understand it, the rest of the times God makes reference to the tree of life will take on fresh meaning. And let me just start with this. I'll just kind of give you the conclusion at the beginning. He says here that as soon as they partook of the forbidden fruit, he sent a cherubim with a flaming sword to stand by the tree of life.
13:58 Why? Because the tree of life, God said they would live forever. What does that mean? They were already designed to live forever. So it's not their eternal potential that's at risk here. when he put an angel in front of that tree of life so that they could not eat it after they ate the forbidden fruit. It was to protect them from something that would mark their present condition as their forever condition.
14:27 In other words, they are in sin. They partake of the tree of life. You add the tree of life to sin, it marks forever that condition. So just think now in terms of tree of life means there's something in that symbolic language or that prophetic picture that it marks with eternal purpose whatever it touches. You okay so far? All right. Look with me at Proverbs chapter 13. Thank you. Proverbs chapter 13, verse 12. hope deferred makes the heart sick but when desire comes it is a tree of life Okay, now think with me.
15:42 Hope deferred makes the heart sick. What does that tell us? Disappointment makes us spiritually vulnerable to disease. and every one of us face disappointment in one measure or another continuously. Knowing how to navigate disappointment is one of the most important things you can learn to do in your walk with Christ. There has to be a bottom line confidence in the sovereignty of God no matter what happens around us. We are not in control. We have influence, but we are not in control. And the surrender of the heart to the sovereignty of God, who is able to work all things for his glory, is one of the most important ingredients of our faith in Christ. But think through this verse with me. Hope deferred, disappointment, hope put off, makes the heart sick. but desire realized is a tree of life.
16:40 God gave every human being a capacity to desire. We know that so many disasters have happened in the world because of wrong desires. We know that every person probably in this room has testimony of when they desired the wrong thing and it brought such death or disappointment or destruction in our lives. and yet when you were converted the Lord never took away the capacity for desire because it's one of the things he protected in his death. The crucifixion of Christ was to protect your ability to think for yourself and your ability to choose right and wrong. It's important because that's what makes you a unique part of his creation. But his longing is to co-labor with us in such a way that out of relationship, not out of control, he didn't make us robots or programmed computers, but out of relationship with him, we have the capacity to mirror and express his passions as though they were our own.
17:58 One of the true signs of conversion in a person's life is that we begin to recognize we desire things we never desired before. We don't desire things we used to desire. And that life of Christ in us causes this burning for things that we never used to have. And it's one of the evidences of a life in Christ as he changes the values on the inside. He changes perspective. He changes the ability that we have to choose. And so here we have this picture that is actually Jesus expands and explodes the concept beyond anything anybody could have wished or imagined. And I'll get to that in a moment. But here he says desire realized is a tree of life. What does that mean? You had a desire.
18:53 You pursued the desire. It was fulfilled. the prayer was answered. What is that prayer that was answered? It's fruit from the tree of life that marks you with an eternal purpose to bring things before God and have them happen. That's why you're alive. eternal purpose. John chapter 16, Jesus says, you've asked nothing of the Father, but in that day you will ask the Father in my name, and anything you ask for will be done for you that your joy may be full.
19:38 Fullness of joy. Now, joy is an extreme subject. Jesus had more joy than everybody around him combined. None of the movies show him happy, but he is. It's in the book. You can trust the book above the movies. The movies have him like Spock, you know, he's Mr. Stoic. But it was the essence, the perfect pure picture of joy. And that is your inheritance. That joy of the Lord is actually your inheritance. but how should you get it? You are able to get that joy through answers to prayer. You owe God answers to prayer. Yeah, but he's the one who answers. How can that be?
20:32 He's already promised to do it. If it's not happening, find out why. If it's not happening, find out why. Because you were actually designed to move heaven with your faith, with your childlike cry to the Father, who would respond on your behalf and give answers to prayer. That answer is a fruit that marks you with eternal purpose. It enables you to withstand the increasing glory that becomes manifest through answers to prayer. When Jesus turned water to wine in John chapter 2 at the wedding, the least necessary miracle, and it's how he started his miracle ministry, turning water to wine at a wedding. It says, when he did that, it manifested the glory of God. Miracles manifest glory. for us to withstand the increasing measure of glory in the earth. We have to eat the fruit of heaven.
21:26 It's what sustains us. And that fruit is answers to your own prayers. Wow. If God's promised it and it's not happening, either he's a liar... Don't stone me yet. I'm giving options. I'm giving options here. Either he's a liar or something else in the equation is broken.
22:00 If guilt and shame could get us into the realm of great answers to prayer, then we'd all be there by now. guilt and shame never does anything to promote Christ's likeness in our in us but there's an invitation of the Lord to discover this incredible connection that we have seamless connection with the heart of the father to see things happen in the earth that you were created to ask for I personally I know there's great teaching in scripture about Holy Spirit leading in prayer it's a very significant thing I know what it's like personally I've been in prayer gatherings where you can tell the Holy Spirit is moving in a certain way and he is actually directing the choir on how to pray and what to pray for it's a very significant part of our prayer life but most of the time us as pastors take these possibilities for extreme answers to prayer, and we try to sanitize them. We sanitize them by saying, well, it's true, he'll answer whatever we pray for, but we have to pray for what he tells us to pray for. Yeah, that's true in measure.
23:15 then why didn't Jesus just say, ask for what I tell you to ask for, instead of saying, whatever you desire. You may look at this and go, oh boy, I get whatever I want. This scares me. This scares me because what I become in some measure In some measure, what I become is what qualifies me for answers. what I become. He's constantly measuring us. He measures us. You know, the obvious tests that we face, those are the easy ones because they're all open book tests. You can open your Bible and find the answer. But the hardest ones are the ones you don't know you're in. And he's measuring to see what you do with attention, what you do with praise, what you do with difficulty, what you do is slandered, what you do when you have opportunity to criticize somebody who actually deserves it, to pay somebody back who betrayed you, and all these little moments. And they are often, most of the time, these moments where we're being really tested by the Lord. It's not testing in anticipation of sin. It's testing to see what measure of glory can I live under without it crushing me. Because that weightiness of God releases something of substance of God himself over my life. And if I begin to collapse and take the glory for myself or blame somebody else or whatever it might be, these moments where we are being measured, it's in those moments where it's actually my immaturity says, I can handle no more of what you want to do in my life.
25:19 And if he does any more than that, it would actually crush me. God always reserves the right to not answer a prayer that would undermine my purpose. He reserves the right to not answer any prayer that would undermine my purpose. He wants to answer to edify, strengthen me, give me the taste of the fruit of heaven so that I can withstand the ever-increasing measures and manifestations of his glory. you alright the glory of the Lord is supposed to fill the earth how is that going to happen is that from a military invasion I'm serious is it because God just decides one day alright I've had enough I'm filling the earth with my glory or is it according to the way Jesus did it turn the water to wine glory was manifested every time there's a miracle the glory is manifested is it possible that it's the answers to prayer of everyday believers that releases such a manifestation of presence and glory that the earth begins to be more and more filled with this wonderful presence of King Jesus we had an unusual miracle happen here in Reading we've had it happen twice twice that I know of where somebody went to a drive-in coffee place.
26:57 and they came up to the window to pay, and they said, oh, I'd like to pay for the car behind me. And so they paid for their coffee and breakfast roll or whatever and paid for the person behind them. When that person came up to the window, the person at the window said, oh, the guy who just drove off paid for your coffee.
27:23 And that person said, well, that was nice. Let me do that for the person behind me. And so then they paid for the person behind them. When that person drove up, she told them, hey, the person who just drove off paid for your coffee. I said, well, that was kind. Well, I would like to do that for the person behind me. Twice it's happened. We're an unbroken chain for six hours. Six hours. Now, I'll tell you what happened. It's very simple obedience, but that little gift of $5 for somebody else's coffee releases something of the fragrance of Christ.
28:11 And I can promise you just by law of averages for the amount of people that went through that line in a six-hour period of time, not all of them were generous. not all of them are generous. What happened? They came into the realm of presence and became generous. Do you understand? Do you remember what happened to King Saul when he was in pursuit of David to kill him and then he ran into the prophets and he completely changed? It says he changed into another man and he began to prophesy. Here he's bent on murder, and he comes into an atmosphere of the prophetic, and he himself begins to prophesy. I'm telling you, the Spirit of God that rests upon you becomes manifest in your obedience, becomes manifest in simple things.
29:10 It's not just the raising of the dead. Of course that's glorious. What marks me is that that miracle of water to wine um didn't save a life. I mean, it's fun, and I thankfully did it, but it's not what many of us would think was necessary for a miracle to bring glory to God. And yet it's where Jesus began to reveal who he was, what he was here for. If you look with me at Proverbs 15, before we move out of the book of Proverbs, go to chapter 15. And there's a verse here I want you to see. Proverbs 15, verse four.
30:09 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the bone or excuse me, breaks the spirit. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. That word wholesome there, the word is actually healing. One of the most interesting studies you can do if you ever want to just study the subject of the power of language, speech and miracles in the physical body all you have to do is take the book of Proverbs and mark every time you see it. You get on your computer or whatever just do a word search on healing, health, vitality, those kinds of things. And you see all through the book of Proverbs that divine health is connected to our speech. And it's not just our speech to someone else. When I choose to live from the wellspring of Christ in me and speaking words of life to you, the Bible teaches that I actually partake of that fruit myself.
31:05 life and death is in the power of the tongue is it true or is it figurative it's actually true I don't understand. why Christians curse. Makes no sense to me. Hmmphihihi curse life and death is in the power of the time what part of that gives life it just doesn't I'm off on a tangent now.
32:03 What did Peter do when he wanted to convince the serving girl he didn't know Jesus? That's right, he cursed. All right. Proverbs 15, verse 4. Look at it again. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. A wholesome tongue, a healing tongue, is a tree of life. so how many of you think right now you could choose to say something you could think for a moment choose to say something really beneficial for the person next to you it'd be an encouraging an authentic word of encouragement you have the ability to choose that yes so you have the ability to produce the tree of life for somebody else what does it do when they partake of what you have spoken to them, you have marked their life with eternal purpose. Did you hear me?
33:01 Ephesians 4 says, Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, only such a word, as is good for edification, according to the need of the moment, listen to this phrase, that it might give grace to those who hear. Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, only such a word that's good according to the need of the moment. Recognize the moment you're in. Be present. that you bring edification and impart grace to those who hear. So think with me. Your words can bring grace to somebody? God's the one who gives grace.
33:43 How is it your words can bring God's grace into somebody's life? What is grace? It's God's favor. I like to define it as it's the enabling presence of God. It doesn't just cover me from wrong things. It enables me to do right things. It's the manifested presence of Jesus in a person's life. So here I can choose to pick somebody out and I can give wholesome, encouraging words to you. But according to Scripture, my words will bring grace. What does that mean? It means the Father has given me delegated authority to choose someone that should taste of God's grace. And he listens for my words, and then he pours out grace. When my words are consistent with what he's thinking and saying, he pours out his divine favor on that person.
34:40 First time I went to Israel, I got to see all three places where Jesus was born. Coming up in 17300 mod reli prevent Russian ि Speaker 5 planted crops different in Bible days than today. Today we plow a field, we plant the seed, cover it up. In Bible days they threw the seed out on the ground and then the plow came. And the plow actually plowed the seed underground.
35:30 Some of you have ministered the gospel to some of your family members or neighbors and they've told you, I don't want to hear anything about that. You can smile because the seed has been thrown on the ground and the plow is on the way. Your words attract the plow. And in this analogy from Ephesians 4, your words, you actually choose to minister to people, whether they are open to it or not, you just do the best you can. You mark them to taste of God's grace, divine favor.
36:13 Now I want you to see some passages with me out of the Gospel of John, and then we'll close in a little bit in the Gospel of Mark. but go with me first to the Gospel of John. We'll look at a few passages here. Go to chapter 14. Thank you. I talk on these verses fairly often because in a sense they bother me. they bother me because they are standards that Jesus set that we have not yet measured up to, reached, whatever. I don't know how to explain it, but I can feel the ache in my heart for what he says.
37:10 What I don't want to do is become complacent and not pursue in hunger for the breakthroughs that he promises. So here's what I want you to see, verse 12. Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will also do. Greater works than these he will do because I go to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. Look at verse 13 again. You ask anything in my name that I will do that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Your answers to prayer bring God glory. Your answers to prayer bring God glory. Just imagine with me the angelic realm that beholds humanity and the crash and burn that took place in the garden and people growing with this vile opposition to God and then watch Jesus come and suffer a brutal death in our place and redeem people.
38:21 Just think about the angelic realm that watches these people who are transformed and then they have their way with God where they pray and God actually responds. The God of the universe responds to these broken individuals that were redeemed. You can imagine the entire angelic realm is stunned by what you experience and I experience on a daily basis. They don't get to taste of what you and I taste of continuously day after day after day. In my mind, they watch and they see a broken person restored beyond what they ever could have imagined and then watch that person pray, and the Father responds on their behalf. And all of heaven erupts with shouts and praise and glory to the Father who had such a plan to take such broken people and bring them into a place of co-laboring with Him where when they pray, all of heaven is moved.
39:15 The angelic realm must absolutely celebrate these kinds of things. Not only do we give God glory, not only do we rejoice together when we see a simple answer to prayer or an incredible, bizarre answer to prayer. We celebrate together when we see these things happen and God receives glory. The importance of sharing the stories with each other is huge. It wasn't that many years ago, an 11-year-old boy stood up here who had come from Norway. He was dying. His family, the doctor told his family, you need to take one last trip with your son before he dies.
40:08 Schedule something that you can do together so that you have good memories. His body could not receive food. and for whatever reason, they decided to come to Reading. I'd never been here before. They had, if I remember correctly, 350 kilos of medical supplies. They didn't know if he had survived the plane trip. He did. He sat in his motorized wheelchair over here, a breakout session. They're praying for people. They said, anybody need a miracle? One of the students, he put his hands up and one of our students prayed for him, don't know who. long story short he was dramatically healed in that moment and he stood before us Thank you.
41:02 Now, I shared that story for a different reason. Did you give God praise? Did you give God glory? All right, good. Because if I wouldn't have shared the testimony, that glory he never would have received. See, our language, the freedom that we have, the authority that we have to choose, language of encouragement and strength that actually stirs others to give God thanks and to give Him praise. Paul talks about even in financial giving. He said, this gift produces in us a thankfulness to God. So it's actually something that ignites something in my heart to bring glory to God. So it's actually, we're all about bringing glory to God. And how do we do that?
41:54 By having words that are beneficial for edification and strength, for praying prayers that actually mark the course of history. All of these are the things we've been born to do, assigned, designed to do, to see earth impacted by heaven. It's the nature of the believer. So here we have in 14, we'll read through, go to chapter 15. chapter 15 verse 16 he says you didn't choose me I chose you I appointed you you should go and bear fruit and the fruit should remain that whatever you ask the father in my name he may give you look at verse 7 says if you abide in me and my words abide in you you ask whatever you desire and it will be done for you do you see the next verse by this my father is glorified what is this what's the fruit?
42:51 it's not hard to take the subject of fruitfulness of a believer's life and say the fruit is the character. And I am all behind that saying amen. But the context for this, and it's repeated throughout Scripture, the context is answers to prayer bring him glory. They are for him to be glorified. they're for him to be glorified and when we stop and say well if he wants to be glorified through his answers why doesn't he answer more of my prayers That's assuming the lack is on his end of the equation. I read it this morning. It says, may he grant you according to your heart's desire and fulfill your purpose.
43:50 May he grant you according to your heart's desire. His design is to do such a redemptive work in you and me that we burn for what he burns for. Not because he programmed us, but because there's a seamless connection. His heart becomes my heart. and I pray the things that burn in him and it is his delight to respond to those cries and release things into the earth. But when we live with compromise or we live with that distance or we live with a false belief system that says we weren't, that's not what we were made for. We are just here to be nice, kind people and eventually go to heaven. A wrong belief system sets us up to fail over and over and over again. When he's designed us to pray things that are earth-shaking. I've got to get to the end of this.
44:43 Look at me. You guys still okay? We're doing okay for time, 8 o'clock. We have three minutes left. That ain't going to happen. Yes. That ain't going to happen. If you get through before I do, just go home. Let me show you two more things about prayer and answers to prayer. Go with me to Mark chapter 9. There's more in John that we could read, but it basically says what I've already said, and that's Jesus invites us to pray things that would move the heart of the Father and that no matter what we ask, no matter what we desire, he would give.
45:23 I feel like his, I feel like in some, I don't understand this yet, but I can see it through a glass darkly if I can use that analogy. I feel like the revelation of the nature of God that is to be released into the earth, it's supposed to happen through answers to the prayers of his people. There's something about the prayers that you pray that when God answers, releases something into the earth that marks the people of the earth to understand his nature as a father, his tenderness, his closeness, his nearness, how he has moved. Two things I want you to see about this issue of prayer. This is a little longer story, but I'll try to abbreviate it. It's in Mark chapter 9. You guys still okay?
46:15 Everybody still? All right, Mark chapter 9. They brought a child to his disciples. In verse 17, Teacher, I brought you my son who has a mute spirit. Whenever it seizes him, throws him down, he foams at the mouth, gnashes at the teeth, becomes rigid. I spoke to your disciples that they should cast up, but they could not. Excuse me. He answered him and said, oh, faithless generation. Stop right there for just a quick moment. It's easy for us to look at the disciples when they didn't do well and just look at those guys just needed help. They needed counselors and therapists and everything. these guys were the most trained in deliverance of any people to ever live up until that time except for Jesus.
47:05 So when we're talking about a father that brings a tormented son, remember Jesus enabled and empowered them to go to cities on their own without him being with them to do the very things he did. So they had already gone to these cities and they had already brought deliverance and healing on their own just two at a time, not the 12, not Jesus. So these guys are trained and experienced. So they're not just shooting in the dark. They're doing everything they've learned to do up until this point. And they couldn't bring deliverance. And Jesus responds, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me. Then they brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, fell on the ground, and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. when the devil makes a scene,
47:56 it's... when the devil is drawing attention to himself in something like this, it's not his best card. It's his last card. He's been forced into the open. But what happens for many of us is we see displays like that and become fearful. And that's what he holds. It's his last card. If I can make them fearful, then I get to remain. fear empowers so many torments in a person's life fear empowers the enemy to kill steal destroy it's an agreement fear is an agreement with the enemy so here the demons manifest and i'm sure that must have happened for the disciples it doesn't say i'm assuming it did but they couldn't get breakthrough Thank you.
48:54 Jesus asked the Father, verse 21, how long has this been happening? He says, from childhood, throwing him both into the fire and the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said, if you can. So the dad says, if you can. Jesus said, no, if you can. If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. you know it's an amazing amazing journey that we're on that we know that Jesus is infinite we know that with him nothing is impossible right that was the easiest question I've asked you all night We know that nothing's impossible for Jesus, right? Yeah, all right.
49:51 That's good. You did so well. but it's like the infinite one wanted his children to know what that kind of atmosphere and possibility is like. We are all finite. We're very limited. He is unlimited. And here the unlimited one says, I tell you what, I want you to know what it's like to know there's no limit. so he says I'll give you access to my realm if you believe the average everyday believer has access to a heavenly realm that knows no limitation through faith. All right. Immediately the Father cried out, verse 24, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.
50:45 I'm learning something about this right now. My wife, Linda, and I have been talking over this the last, I think, couple weeks. There's something about heart faith and head doubt. So I'm going to put it in my terms. To me, the dad's got head doubt but heart faith. and what has to happen is our intellect cannot rule over our spirit because then we will move in constant unbelief but if we give rise to the spirit of God in us we will always move in faith there's something there we'll get it figured out Jesus saw the people came running together he rebuked the unclean spirit verse 25 deaf and dumb spirit I command you come out of him enter him no more then the spirit cried out convulsed him greatly, came out of him, and he became as one dead. Many said, he is dead. Jesus took him by the hand, lifted him up, he arose. When he'd come into the house, the disciples asked him privately, why could we not cast it out? And he said to them, this kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.
51:52 Now, for, goodness, almost probably 50 years of my life, when I read that passage, I think the gem of the story is the conclusion that some problems only come out of prayer and fasting. And I would say amen. That's absolutely a powerful truth. But in the last few years, what has stood out to me is something different. That when the disciples prayed and did everything they knew to do, they didn't get an answer. They didn't create a theology around their lack of experience. they took Jesus aside and asked why could we not cast him out they took him aside what happens for us is complacency sets in and almost empowers us to be okay with unanswered prayers We should never become comfortable with something that shouldn't happen.
53:08 If I learn to adjust to the discomfort of a situation, then I will actually accommodate thoughts, values, perspectives that are inconsistent with what Jesus taught and Jesus lived. It doesn't mean we live in frustration. It doesn't mean we live in constant turmoil. But what it does mean is that you know that you were born for something more. And when it doesn't happen, find out why. Take Jesus aside. Maybe it's prayer and fasting. Maybe it's generosity. Maybe it's times of silence.
53:46 Maybe it's extravagant worship. Maybe the answer is something else, but there is an answer. Jesus spit in the mud and a blind man was healed. Why did he spit in the mud? He only did what he saw his father do. So apparently he saw the father spitting in the mud.
54:07 Would he have been healed without the spitting in the mud? I don't think so. Why? Because the miracles were connected to the obedience to anything the Father was doing. So if I pray the way I've always prayed, but I haven't asked him, how come the breakthrough hasn't come? Maybe there's a way I need to pray that's different. Maybe that fasting will break it loose. Maybe it's radical generosity. Maybe it's that I quit striving. Advancement in the kingdom comes two ways. One is the violent take it by force. That's the energetic force of faith that apprehends and forces things to take place in our surrender to Christ. But the other is to sit as a child and receive the kingdom. In Mark chapter 10, the advancement takes place through rest. Maybe the best thing you can do for a breakthrough is to rest.
55:05 It's to not strive. To not fast, to not cry out. Maybe it's to actually rest and give thanks. Maybe that's the key to the breakthrough. But the point is, find out from the Father what needs to be done. Because Jesus taught us. He only did what he saw the Father do. So it's the awareness of the heart of the Father that links us to proper responses in critical and easy situations. All right, one more, one more, one more. Go with me to, what? oh keep going okay I'll keep going Mark 11 we'll make this the end Mark 11 has a story in it that I find so fascinating. If this was the only thing I was sharing tonight, I'd read through this entire story, but I've already talked probably too long as it is.
56:05 So we're gonna just look at verse 12. This is where Jesus curses a fig tree because it didn't have figs. And it was the season for figs. Jesus is the only one who has the right to demand fruit out of season. In the kingdom, there's no drought because you're planted by a river.
56:41 The trees along the Sacramento River are clueless about the drought we experienced five years ago. They never knew. They never heard. See, when you're planted by a river, and that's the way this kingdom is, there's continuous fruit, and the Bible teaches pretty strongly, 12 months of the year, continuous fruit. Doesn't mean there's not challenges, and we know for sure that happens. But you're actually designed to be fruitful continuously.
57:16 And to accept this idea that you're going through a winter where no fruit is coming just means you're agreeing with something you don't need to agree to. My wife had, my late wife had an office over at the prayer house, and in the office was a, in that 24-hour day prayer house, there was a, she had a plant in there that would bloom every November. It had little flowers on it in November and December. But in that atmosphere, it bloomed 12 months of the year. I have a friend who has an orange grove, and he's got several thousand trees, and 12 of them bear fruit 12 months of the year. Pastors walk through praying continuously because their ministries are supported by the sale of these oranges. And they have 12.
58:09 Half of their orchard has fruit the wrong time of year, the opposite time of year, so their fruit is worth many times more than normal. And 12 trees have fruit 12 months of the year. I don't think you get that stuff because you ask for it, to be honest with you. I think it happens just because his glory just increases. And it just starts happening. At my house, in my home, in my front yard, we have iris flowers. We have a lot of plants around our home. And we have these iris flowers, beautiful flowers. I think irises are just beautiful. and we had this one plant. So my wife died in July of 2022. And for about 18 months before that, we just noticed that this iris plant would have blossoms, would have flowers every month for like 18 months.
59:17 winter there'd still be a flower there the heat of summer when they always die there'd still be a flower there it'd just always produce for about 18 months before my wife died the last flower was in June she died in July and now you can't find the plant nobody dug it up nobody moved it It's just not there anymore.
59:49 Sometimes he works mysteriously. And what you want to do is you don't have to try to interpret everything he does. Just be in awe. Just the God who works wonders. Signs that make us wonder. What was the purpose of that? I don't know. It just helps me to know he's present and he's in charge. You say, well, where is that in the Bible? It's in Psalms 115. If you read it, you'll find out this verse. God does whatever he pleases. All right, so the fig tree dies. Verse 20. Now in the morning, you guys have your Bibles, right? In the morning, as they pass by the fig tree, dried from the roots, Peter remembered, Rabbi, look, the fig tree you cursed is withered away. Jesus said to them, have faith in God. Some translations have the faith of God, which I think is probably more correct.
1:00:42 Assuredly, I say to whoever says to this mountain, be removed, cast into the sea, does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done. He will have whatever he says. Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them. All right. Here's a very, very critical portion of scripture. Let me, there's one more point we got to make out of the story and then we'll, we'll end the night. But here Jesus uses a pretty extreme illustration to reveal the nature of prayer and the effect of prayer. What does he say? If you speak unto this mountain and you command it into the sea, it'll be done. listen, if somebody, let's be practical here. If somebody were to say to Mount Shasta, go into the Pacific Ocean, there would be a tsunami throughout the entire Pacific Ocean that would destroy islands, cities, unbelievable damage would be done.
1:01:51 News, the news would report this phenomenon all over the world, within 24 hours, every place on the planet would have heard the news. So this that we're talking about is an answer to prayer that impacts the earth.
1:02:11 Are you with me? That's what he's using to illustrate here. The effect of your prayer life in mind is here is something that could impact the globe. and so he says in verse 24 therefore i say to you whatever things you ask when you pray believe that you receive them you will have them verse 25 and whenever you stand praying if you have anything against anyone forgive Verse 25 is what defines how verse 23 and 4 have impact. If I were to illustrate it, earth-shaking answers to prayer are like a spear, and the tip of that spear is forgiveness.
1:03:07 Wherever you forgive, the power of God is ready to go in redemptive solutions. you're praying not seeing a breakthrough god am i holding any kind of resentment towards anybody find out because it'll it'll kill the power of the authority of your prayer life that tip of that spear is to be led by the sharp edge of forgiveness because in that sharp edge of forgiveness it is followed by this thrust of the power of prayer in which god desires to answer things that actually affect the planet. Please stand.
1:03:48 All right. God loves Brazil. Yes, he does. Yes, he does. He does. I actually have a Brazilian soccer team coat somebody gave me. Yeah. I should probably oh yeah. I should probably wear that to church some Sunday Put underneath is a t-shirt from Argentina. There's soccer teams. So I don't know.
1:04:33 What? Yeah, you have to forgive quickly. That's right. Yeah, everything we just heard just went right out the window. That's right. One of the biggest desires of my heart is not only for me to see the answers to prayer.
1:05:10 Desire realizes the tree of life. There's something of eternity that marks us every time we have been answered to prayer. It nourishes us spiritually. It draws us near, increases our awareness of God. Answers to prayer help us to think more clearly of our purpose of being here on the earth. What is our purpose in life? All these things are generated. And what I long to see is the multitude of prayers that are answered in your life, in mine. the wayward son or daughter, the broken situation in a family member, or a business that went south and needs to be healed, whatever it might be, to see these things restored redemptively. Because there's something of the nature of God that needs to be revealed in the earth.
1:06:09 Do you know the main reason Jesus came to earth? We know he came to die, absolutely. He took our place in death. He came as an offering. But if you read through the Gospel of John, the overwhelming reason, motivation to come, was He came to reveal the Father. Everything He did was to reveal the Father to a planet of orphans. And sometimes what we do in prayer, God, how can I pray this differently that you would respond to? Is there something in the way? Sometimes it's in me. Sometimes it's in this situation. So you fast that that would be broken. But the point is, God, I know this is your heart. What can I do to see this come about? Because there's something of the nature of God that's to be released into the earth, the revelation of God as our Father that comes through answers to prayer. We owe him. We owe the world answers to prayer. So grab a hand if you would.
1:07:03 Grab that sweaty hand next to you. Go ahead. Grab that sweaty hand. Pray for each other out loud. Pray for each other out loud for their prayer life. for the things they were designed to ask for.
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