You Are the Holy Spirit’s Dwelling Place - Bill Johnson Sermon | Bethel Church

0:00 The man of the Gadarenes is set free in his right mind and an entire region is shaken. How much more when those lives are hundreds and thousands of people in whom the Holy Spirit dwells? You and I have the privilege of hosting the Spirit of God in such a way that atmospheres are changed. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. Wow. Wild and crazy group. How many of you are leftovers? I'm sorry, that sounds negative. You were at the Wonder Conference.

0:40 Good. I walked in for a couple minutes Friday. I was thinking of attending one of the meetings. and I walked in I stood back there for about two minutes and I thought I just can't handle it there's just there's so much estrogen in the room that it just it felt contagious I it was too big of a cross to bear I just couldn't do it I know you had a glorious time but it was without me that's for sure but I honestly I love those those events there's so much deposit made and You know, in our story, the Weaverville, then the Reading story, one of the most major breakthroughs in the outpouring that we were beginning to have in Weaverville in infancy actually happened through a women's event. And it actually impacted the entire church on one day, in one day. And so I believe so much in that.

1:38 And so I'm going to read, you know, it's hard to, I don't have a lot of new stuff. So I have to do oldies but goodies. And I did see one this week that I thought was cute, but it's just cute. It was, I came into the world with nothing and I still have most of it. I thought that was funny. So this is one of the first ones I ever got years ago. So the guy's 84 years old and he loves to fish. He was sitting in his boat the other day when he heard a voice say, pick me up. He looked around, couldn't see anyone. Thought he was dreaming when he heard a voice say again, pick me up. He looked in the water and there floating on top was a frog. The man said, are you talking to me? Frog said, yes, I'm talking to you. Pick me up, kiss me.

2:31 I'll turn into the most beautiful woman you've ever seen. I will be your bride. The man looked at the frog for a short time, reached over, picked it up carefully, placed it in his shirt pocket. The frog said, wait, are you nuts? Didn't you hear what I said? I said, kiss me, I will be your beautiful bride. He opened his pocket, looked at the frog and said, nah, at my age, I'd rather have a talking frog.

2:57 Oh, well, okay, okay. Yeah, yeah, so, so, so, so. All right, I've got two portions of Scripture I want to look at today. We'll start with Mark 5. And just to be honest, we're going to skip around a bit in that chapter, but go with me, if you would, to Mark chapter 5. And then we're going to go to Luke chapter 10. And back in January, which seems like an eternity ago, I started a series in which I was going to talk to you for I think four weeks about transformation and looking at stories in history, looking at the mandate given to us in scripture, what it looks like to actually be commissioned to disciple nations, and look at the stories that we have in revival history. There are extraordinary things that took place.

3:51 For example, in Ephesus, in Acts chapter 19, there was such an incredible outpouring of the Holy Spirit that an occult center was transformed to the point that in Asia, every single household heard the gospel. Imagine a region that large being that impacted because of an outpouring of the Spirit in a cult center that was transformed. And so we look at biblical examples, the teaching of Scripture, the testimony of Scripture, and then the testimony in history. One of my favorite stories, I don't remember all the details, but I remember reading a wonderful book by Winky Pratt and he called Revival. And in it, he talks about Atlantic City. Atlantic City, many years ago, had 100,000 people living in it. And all but four were converted. Four.

4:44 Maybe it was five. Let's just say five, so I'm not exaggerating. all but five were born again. It's an extraordinary thing. Here's a sad reality, is that in church life in America, the cities that have the highest church attendance are not the most transformed cities in the culture of the city itself. The enemy doesn't mind, obviously he would like for everyone to be destroyed. I get that. But he doesn't mind church attendance. And I don't want to put that down because I'm so glad we get to meet. I'm glad across Reading there are thousands of believers that are meeting at this moment worshiping Jesus. I'm so thankful for that privilege. But if you look at just the statistics, the cities that have the highest percentage of church attenders are not necessarily the most transformed. They still have the cultural problems and defects that exist all throughout society. And I think the reason, at least in part, is that there is a way of thinking that has to be changed, not just fire insurance. A way of thinking actually has to be changed in a person's life for them to make a full effect of the gospel in and through their life to actually bring transformation to our surroundings. We have to believe it's possible.

6:19 We have to get out of the mindset that we are here to meet weekly, which I'm thankful for, learn what we can out of scripture, have a healthy family, a good business, etc., and move into a transformational position to change atmosphere and bring influence, not through manipulation and control, but through transformation. And I'll try to illustrate this in the best example I have. I have to review a lot today because it's been so long since I talked last. I need to review a lot today to set the stage. I hope to tie the knot on this thing in a couple weeks. Whenever it is, I talk again, which I think is two weeks. So I want you to go with me to Mark chapter 5, and we're going to look at a story of the man of the Gadarenes. It's a transformational story of an individual that actually brought reformation in measure to an area, to a region. All right?

7:14 Mark chapter 5, let's begin with verse 1. Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when he had come out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit who had his dwelling among the tombs. No one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had been often bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces. Neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out, cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped him. To me, that is one of the most extraordinary statements.

8:07 That here's a man who has many demons. It never gives us a number. It just calls him a legion. and it's a great number, a host of the demonic that lives in this person's body. This man, demonized, tormented, controlled in measure, saw Jesus and ran and fell at his feet and worshiped him. let's just say a thousand demons, two thousand if that many demons can't keep one person from worship what keeps the church from worship?

8:42 there's no excuse the error is not in the existence of the demonic or not the error is in a way of thinking that is valued above the standard of scripture and this is where the rub comes this is where the transformation either happens in our families in our neighborhoods, in our city, our state, or it doesn't happen. It's the transformation of thought.

9:08 It's not mind over matter. It's the mind of Christ versus the carnal mind that just fuels man-centered everything. So here, this man comes and falls at Jesus' feet. Now, I'm going to have to make just quick references, and you can study them on your own later if you're interested. In Mark chapter 7, Jesus brings correction to Pharisees. Now I remind you, the religious spirit, the Pharisaical spirit, is not just a tame, other than the gospel attitude. It is the spirit that crucified Jesus. It is anti-Christ in nature. I remind you, the Antichrist is not called anti-Jesus.

10:02 It's called Antichrist, but Christ means anointing. And the opposition is always against the work and the move of the Holy Spirit. The target is always to undermine the move of God. Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and he said you have you have rendered powerless the word of God because of your traditions you have rendered powerless the word of God. A loud instrument playing on the stage. I go over to the wall and I pull the plug. I have rendered it powerless. Suddenly there's no sound. There was sound, now there's no sound. Rendered powerless. The most powerful thing in the universe is the word of God. He spoke and said, let there be light, and there's light. His voice, his word shakes and creates.

11:00 But here in this moment, Jesus says to the Pharisees, you've made the word of God of no effect because of your tradition. We all have traditions. Traditions for family, Christmas, Sunday dinner, whatever it might be. Those things are not vile and evil unless they are in conflict with scripture and we elevate them above the standard of scripture. Then we have elevated something above the word of God. That way of thinking actually opposes what God is saying in the earth. And that pharisaical spirit is actually in partnership with the traditions that war against the principles of the kingdom of God. What brings transformation to a family? What brings transformation to a city? What brings transformation to a state, to a nation? It's the mind of Christ.

11:52 don't be conformed to this world be transformed by the renewing of your mind transformation takes place in the same measure as our mind is renewed our transformation takes place in the same measure as we embrace and live in the mind of Christ verse 7 he cries out with a loud voice and he said what do i have to do with you jesus son of the most high god i implore you by god that you do not torment me jesus has come out of him and the man is delivered. The demons go into 2,000 pigs.

12:44 The first record of deviled him. I'm sorry, it just the whole economy went belly up, you know it's all the pigs killed themselves

13:04 verse 15 the city that had come because the pigs were dead came to jesus saw the one who had been demon possessed and had the legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid they weren't afraid when the demonized man was in the tombs howling at night. but when the power of God came, something they couldn't understand, couldn't explain, and could not control, they were terrified. The power of God forces a decision. The power of God, and some will decide for, some will decide against. But the power of God forces a decision.

14:02 people can become comfortable with our Christianity if there's no power Jesus reminds us that the kingdom of God is not in word. It is in power. we are not the powerful ones he is but our obedience gives him place to demonstrate his extravagance it says he was sitting in his right mind and they were afraid. The word, the right mind there is actually two words. It's the word sozo, which is a dear word to us. It's the word for salvation that refers to the forgiveness of sin, the healing of disease, and the deliverance of torment.

14:57 So here is a man who's got probably multiple generations of the demonic that has put him in such a place of torment. And he's finally set free. And the Bible says he had a saved mind. Two words, sozo and mind. So he had a saved mind. His mind was transformed. That which was bound is now liberated and free.

15:22 I don't have time to develop this. I've done it other times. But one of the reasons the enemy wants so badly to keep us bound in our thinking is because it keeps us from creativity. it keeps us from freedom. Liberty, freedom is the atmosphere of creativity.

15:44 Actually, in culture, it's either the atmosphere of freedom that's creativity or pain. And a lot of people use pain for creativity. Thus, country music. Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry. Sorry, I can't believe I said that. I just offended at least half the crowd. and I'm sorry but I'm not sorry. All right, let's just leave that. I apologize to all, actually most of my family are country music fans which shows you how effective my prayers are. Where was I? All right, I'm back here. Right mind, saved mind. I remind you, don't be conformed to this world, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Transformation comes in the measure that our mind is renewed.

16:41 Now, why would he want our mind renewed? Obviously, to think like Christ. But in that posture, in that position, we have access to realms of creativity that we don't have access to otherwise. It's a strange story. I'll let you research it on your own. but it's in Zechariah chapter 1, there's this moment where the scripture says four horns. Horns represent powers, authority. Four horns, four usually represents the earth worldwide, north, south, east, west. So it's a global influence. Four horns were raised up in the earth to terrify and torment the people of God. So four horns, authorities, realms were released into the earth to bring torment to the people of God. God's answer was to raise up four artisans. In other words, a global movement of creativity. That was the solution. it wasn't a new brand of military it wasn't new weapons it was people who are free enough in their relationship with christ their identity strong enough that they can think creatively about the situations that they face in life and those creative expressions are actually manifestations of heaven on earth Thank you.

18:03 remember anxiety kills creativity we move from creativity in other words being a a positive influence to the world around us we shift from that to being survivors yes amen amen all right let's move on so he's clothed in his right mind they were afraid by the time you get to the end of the chapter the people the people of the city have chased jesus and this new convert out of town the new converts with jesus saying i want to travel with you jesus says you can't come go back and tell them all the great things i've done for you which really looks cool on paper, but let's be honest, this guy's been saved for an hour. He doesn't have, you know, Jesus makes him in charge of the Jesus Christ Evangelistic Association for that region, and he's the only member. He's like the only member. I mean, do you put the most demonized person you've ever seen in your life in charge of anything? This guy wouldn't be qualified to pick up paper in most of our church's parking lots, but Jesus made him in charge of the evangelistic thrust into a region.

19:21 So he goes back, and by the time you get to chapter 7, which theologians think is probably about a year later, one year later, after this one guy is in this region that chased Jesus and the disciples out of town, by the time they come back in Mark chapter 7, every person from every village, every city, comes to hear Jesus. What happened? They chased him out. A year later, they all come to hear him. What happened? I can't prove it, but I know I'm right.

19:57 Here's what I think. The devil has no authority. Would you agree with me on that? He has no authority. So scripture says, Jesus announced, all authority has been given to me, which means there's someone out there who has none, which is the enemy. He's got no authority. So where can he get authority? He has to get it from those who have it. How do you usurp what belongs to another? You have to bring them into agreement. So the enemy talks until we agree.

20:24 When you listen to a lie and you change your heart from believing truth, gradually it happens. You begin to believe the lie. When I believe a lie, I empower the liar. oftentimes, and we've got to really up our game on this one, oftentimes we empower the enemy through our words. Many people unintentionally actually make covenants with the powers of darkness through their cursing. And I don't mean saying bad words. I mean speaking negatively towards an individual, towards a given situation. they actually curse their children who are not living right. They'll speak things that are there's life and death and the power of the tongue and sometimes covenants are made where the enemy feeds on the words that we speak that are completely outside of God's word completely outside of his purpose and his plan.

21:25 so this one man I believe was the point of contact for a principality a demonic realm over a region Jesus sent him back to a region as I'm told there were 10 cities in this region Jesus sent him back to 10 cities he went back with his story and that's all but because he was now delivered from that point of contact from the demonic realm, this ten city area was clear to think and to see correctly. The demonic influence over their values, over their appetites, over their thoughts had been broken because the one man was delivered. Jesus did not teach his disciples how to pull down principalities.

22:22 He taught them how to love broken people. and then deliver through the ministry of the Spirit, bring deliverance and healing and salvation to broken people. That breaks the contact that empowers the enemy. Does that make sense to you? So here we see Jesus comes into this area, and now the people that chased him out of town are now running to hear him speak. Why? Because they can think clearly. They can see clearly. Go with me to Luke chapter 10. you guys all right

23:02 Luke chapter 9 is, let me give you just a real quick run through. It's what we studied a little bit more intently back in January.

23:23 In Luke 9, Jesus commissions his 12 disciples to go into their hometowns, two by two, to go into their hometowns and to bring his message, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. They were assigned to heal people, deliver them, et cetera. And they come back and they bring the reports and there's a celebration together of all that God had done. But what follows is the fascinating part to me. The very next part of the story is the disciples are arguing with each other as to who is the greatest. Jesus corrects that problem. The very next scene they are talking about how they didn't allow this one group to pray deliverance for somebody who was demonized and the disciples told him to knock it off. You're not following Jesus like we are. We are the ones assigned to do this. So that problem Jesus corrected and then James and John had the brilliant idea of calling down fire to kill an entire city of people in Jesus' name. We'll give you all the glory, God, to kill all these people because they oppose the gospel. So we have this self-preservation. We have competition. We have elitism. We've got all this stuff developing in a group of 12 people that have been assigned to change the world.

24:47 in chapter 10 verse 1 after these things what things after the disciples were arguing as to who was the greatest elitism hatred and fire and killing people after these things the lord appointed 70 others also and he sent them two by two before his face into every city and every place where he himself was about to go. I know we've stated this before, but I want you to see, to me, the seriousness of this moment. For most of us, we would see the experiment with the 12 and say it didn't work, because look at the character of the people. As they ministered in power, they came back, and they were in competition with each other. We need to rethink the plan. Jesus didn't do that. He increased the number of people involved. Why? Because when it's an elite few, the opportunity for competition, the opportunity for elitism is exaggerated. When you spread it out over a multitude of people, no individual stands out. Now all of a sudden, it's about the responsibility. It's not about my gifting versus yours. Jesus took what was on the 12, gave it to 70 others, and as we know through the scripture, it was then to be passed on to the entire church. How do we know that?

26:20 Matthew 28 verse 19 is the great commission. Go into all the world, preach the gospel, you know the story. Then he says, teach them everything I taught you. What did he teach them? He taught them how to bring deliverance. He taught them how to bring healing. It was always meant to be passed on to every generation of disciples, Jesus followers. I am not Pentecostal and then a disciple. I'm not Catholic and then a disciple. I'm not Methodist and then a disciple. I'm a disciple of Jesus and then I'm whatever tribe I am. Being a disciple of Jesus defines who I am and what my responsibility is, not my history, not the title. So I'm a disciple of Jesus and every disciple was given the mandate. We also know this from Ephesians 4. Ephesians 4 gives us the great instruction about apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers are given to do what?

27:21 To equip the saints for the work of service. What is the work of service? That, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers. There'll always be generals that hand out equipment but the work is to be done by the family. And the more it's embraced by the family, no one individual stands out. That's essential because of how we are.

27:45 I remember Chris shared a story years ago that really touched me. He was asking the Lord that, you know, all of us have a lot of heroes of the faith in church history. And there's one in particular that really stood out to him and does to me as well. I'll let him tell the story of who it is. But there's somebody he really admired in history. He said, Lord, he said, I would like to have that man's anointing. I would like that you'd use me the same way that you used him. And the Lord spoke very clearly to him and said, you couldn't handle it. It would destroy you. And his response was, and this is the moving part to me. His response was, well, then, Lord, don't just give it to me. Give it to the whole family. I don't know if you caught that. If you give it to me and I stand out, then the answer shouldn't be, we don't want to move in that kind of anointing or power.

28:41 Do it in such a way that everyone walks in that kind of anointing. That way there's no competition. It's about glorifying you with the manifestation of your life and your power in the church. And when he prayed that, he felt the pleasure of the Lord. That story has really, the story of Christmas really has moved me because that's really what we're talking about here. Now, when you get to verse 17, it says, Then the seventy returned, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name. And he said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Stop right there. I saw Satan fall like lightning. Jesus never said that when the twelve went out. Jesus never said that when the 12 were released. It was when the larger company of people went into an area they had so disrupted the spiritual realm, not by attacking demons, but by loving people.

29:41 They had so disrupted that Jesus said, I saw Satan himself, not a demon, not a principality. I saw Satan himself fall like lightning. What happened? there was a disruption with the agreement that the enemy had with the lives and the hearts of people. And they went out in mass with the same purpose, the same understanding that our assignment is to bring the life of Christ into the broken situation of this world. And when they did that, Jesus's testimony was, I saw Satan fall like lightning. The ministry of the gospel from Luke 10 on is completely different than before. The deliverances, the way things happened after this point, they were completely different. Jesus sent them out two by two. Here's the point I want to try to make, and I'll try to hit this a little better in a couple weeks.

30:40 Jesus sent them out two by two. Why? Because we're just better together. The scripture says, wherever two or three of you are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst. Why? Because we're better together. if two of you agree as to touching anything on earth it will be done for you in heaven what's the point the point is the government of God is most clearly demonstrated in the unity of simply two or three people that make a point of contact to agree for the transformation of a given situation and it does not stop when we start thinking in terms of the state of California California historically is a state of great revival. Azusa Street impacted the entire globe. That's not an exaggeration. Missions experts will tell you that what took place in Southern California in 1906 actually has impacted the entire globe of what happened there.

31:47 the Jesus people movement the late 60s charismatic renewal 60s and 70s where the Holy Spirit was being outpoured in Catholic churches in Episcopalian, different kinds of churches that what was commonly known to experience that kind of a move of God all these things have taken place in California I'm not trying to exalt California in an unhealthy sense I'm just saying there's a mandate of God on this state. It hasn't been canceled. It hasn't been removed. It has been perverted. It has been distorted. And it's happened on our watch. It's happened while you and I have been meeting here. That's not a point of shame. It's a point of responsibility. I believe that by, with the renewed mind and intentional display and practicing of the principles of God, we can see churched cities become transformed cities.

32:49 Not just through attendance, but through transformation of society and culture itself. Changing atmosphere with that point of contact that the demonic has had through this broken life and this broken family and this particular business. Those things are broken because the gospel comes and brings healing. I know Jesus is coming back and he's coming back for Spotless Bride and I rejoice in that. But I'll tell you, many people... many people don't have the blood of Jesus as that which sets them free. They don't think they'll be free until Jesus returns. In other words, he'll come to vindicate.

33:42 And listen, his return is going to be the most glorious thing ever. So I in no way want to diminish the significance. But the sobering reality is that many people have greater faith in the return of Christ than they do in the power of the gospel. The power of the gospel. The power of the gospel. the power of the gospel is enough to transform one individual life. This is before the cross. We've got the man of the Gadarenes is set free in his right mind, and an entire region is shaken by this man's life. How much more when those lives are hundreds and thousands of people in whom the Holy Spirit dwells and is looking for manifestation. you and I have the privilege of hosting the Spirit of God in such a way that atmospheres are changed.

34:36 I'm not talking about controlling things. I'm talking about yielding our way into this atmosphere of heaven itself. There is a lifestyle available that is more than just fancy words on a page. But it's actually living, engaged with the Spirit of God. from heaven to earth.

35:04 It is how Jesus lived. in a couple weeks I'll try to tie the knot on this one and give a much more specific agreement but here's what I want to encourage you in the government of God is demonstrated in the unity of two people, two believers that come into unity of faith with Jesus himself.

35:34 I love the prayers of a thousand. I love the prayers of a million. But give me two people that will agree they can change anything. And that's the point of contact where you and me in our homes, spouses, parents, children, workplace, employees, employer, employee, agreements together. We purpose to make this agreement to give the Spirit of God a place where He can come and transform and heal California and restore us to the state that becomes apostolic, which means we become the servant of all, and we become the people that actually, through creativity and through the outpouring of the Spirit, release something into the earth again that heals nations. it not only can happen, it must happen. And it must happen, not because I think it's a good idea, but because we think.

36:37 There's got to be the we. There's got to be the realization, I'm just better with you. We are better together. Why don't you stand? Thank you.

36:57 One of the prophets of God. who lived in our lifetime, saw over 100 times open visions of stadiums being filled with no special speaker, no special band, just spontaneous gathering of people to worship Jesus. Newscasters saying, we actually don't have any bad news tonight. and just telling that there are things happening. People have been raised from the dead in this stadium. They've been delivered of demons. I want you to dream about it. I want you to dream about it. What would it look like?

37:52 What would it look like for you to host the presence of the Spirit of God so powerfully in your home that neighbors come and say, what did you do? What is it? Father, I ask that you'd mark us with the glory. Mark us with the glory. And give us the wisdom, the grace for intentional living in this next season. And we ask for your mercy. Heal us as a nation. Heal us as a state. Restore us. Restore us as a state that hosts your presence and your purpose in the earth. I pray this in Jesus' name. In Jesus' name. we

38:42 Thank you. Let me ask the question, if there's anyone here, you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, but you know you've been brought here for this very thing, you have the opportunity to come into a relationship with the Almighty God where you are forgiven and you're brought into his family. he adopts you as a son, as a daughter. And you learn what it is to actually live born again. If there's anybody in that position, I want you to just put a hand up and I'm going to make an agreement with you as soon as you do. I just want to see your hand. Just put your hand up real quickly. You're just saying, I want to give my life to Jesus. I want to follow him. I want to be a disciple of Jesus. If that's you, put a hand up real quick.

39:36 Okay, I'm going to assume you're all in. Thank you.