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DESTINY IMAGE BOOKS BY BILL JOHNSON Hosting the Presence A Life of Miracles Dreaming with God Release the Power of Jesus Strengthen Yourself in the Lord The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind When Heaven Invades Earth
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© Copyright 2014–Bill Johnson All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request. Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973, 1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version. Scripture quotations marked ASV are taken from the American Standard Version. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. Please note that Destiny Image’s publishing style capitalizes certain pronouns in Scripture that refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may differ from some publishers’ styles. Take note that the name satan and related names are not capitalized. We choose not to acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules. DESTINY IMAGE® PUBLISHERS, INC. P.O. Box 310, Shippensburg, PA 17257-0310 “Promoting Inspired Lives.” This book and all other Destiny Image, Revival Press, MercyPlace, Fresh Bread, Destiny Image Fiction, and Treasure House books are available at Christian bookstores and distributors worldwide. For a U.S. bookstore nearest you, call 1-800-722-6774. For more information on foreign distributors, call 717-532-3040. Reach us on the Internet: www.destinyimage.com. ISBN 13 TP: 978-0-7684-0524-8 ISBN 13 Ebook: 978-0-7684-0525-5 For Worldwide Distribution, Printed in the U.S.A. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 / 18 17 16 15 14
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HOW TO USE THIS DEVOTIONAL
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he quest to host God’s Presence does not begin with formulas or principles. It starts with an increasing awareness of Who lives within you. When you were born again, you became the temple of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 6:19). Jesus’ blood made it possible for God to come and take up residence in your heart in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Though this truth is absolutely stunning and, at the same time, confounding, it is nevertheless the reality for every single person who has said the ultimate “Yes” to Jesus. It is the cross that provided your entryway into the Kingdom. Now, it is time for us to learn how to host the Presence of the One Who shows us how to live out the resurrected life. The Spirit who lives within you desires to also rest upon you. He lives within you for your sake. However, He rests upon you for the sake of others. As you discover how to host His Presence every day, you will take one step after the next into practically living the Kingdom lifestyle. Remember, it is not simply a matter of implementing the right Kingdom principles to experience a desired result. This quest is about developing deeper intimacy with a Person. He is the prize. He is the breakthrough.
Daily Scripture Readings These verses and passages of Scripture will reinforce the topic covered during a particular day. You may see some verses repeated. This is intentional. The key is not study or even memorization; it is meditation. The vision is internalizing and, ultimately, living out the biblical truth that you are feasting upon. Remember, His words are spirit and they are life! (See John 6:63.)
Prayer These prayers are tools to help you give voice to what you discover each day. They are not comprehensive. Instead, they are launching pads designed to help you talk with the Holy Spirit about what you discovered about hosting His Presence.
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JANUARY Your Ultimate Assignment
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Ja n u a r y 1 There was something different about the atmosphere that surrounded the apostle Peter. His lifestyle changed quite dramatically after he was baptized in the Holy Spirit.
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ne moment, Peter stood fearful, intimidated, and trembling before a servant girl, denying that he ever knew Jesus. It was only aft fter er he was transformed by the Presence that his true identity was awakened and he became the rock Jesus saw him as in Matthew 16 16.. When you are empowered by the Presence of God, Heaven awak awak-ens your true potential, positioning you to step out and be the person you were divinely designed to be. You are a completely new creation—a human being possessed by God. This truth alone should embolden you to step out, absolutely confident that the Greater One lives within you and that everything He has called you to be and everything His Word describes you as—this as—this is who you really are. Remember, the One Who identifies you also inhabits you!
Daily Scripture Readings M atthew 26 26::69 69--70 ■ Acts 5:15
Prayer
Holy Spirit, come… Show me the person Your empowering Presence has anointed me to be.
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Ja n u a r y 2 People not only were healed when he prayed for them, they just seemed to get well when they were near him.
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eter’s shadow released the Presence of the One Who overshadowed him. Th This is apostle lived from a place where having the Spirit dwelling within him was glorious, yes, but not enough. He desired to walk in a dimension where this Presence Who indwelt him also rested upon him and changed the environment around him. Th This is is why Peter’s very shadow was charged with supernatural healing power. This Th is same reality is available to you because you have access to the same Holy Spirit Peter had access to. The challenge: Will you take the steps that Peter did to make this transition? All believers have the Holy Spirit living within them. He makes salvation possible and is the gift we receive when we are born again. However, there is a difference between living with the Spirit dwelling within us and walking with His empowering Presence rest rest-ing upon us.
Daily Scripture Reading Acts 5:15
Prayer
Holy Spirit, I cry out for more. I know You live inside of me. I ask, please show me what it looks like to live with Your presence and power resting upon me.
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Ja n u a r y 3 The anointing is a Person.
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he Presence of God, or the anointing, is not an abstract conconcept; it is a living reality for every single believer. In order to walk in the power of God’s Presence, you must fi first rst discover Who the PresPresence really is. Th Thee Presence is not another member of the Trinity. We are not discussing a force, a wind, or even some kind of physical manimanifestation. Th Thee Presence of God is the Person of the Holy Spirit. In the Book of Acts where Peter’s shadow carried and released supernatural healing power, the apostle was not merely walking under the influence of some kind of energy. He was inhabited by a Divine Person called Holy Spirit. Spirit. This Person is as much God as both the Father and the Son. He is not an “it.” The Holy Spirit is God Almighty fulfilling the promise He made in Ezekiel 36 36::27 27,, ““II will put My Spirit within you.” you.”
Daily Scripture Readings Ezekiel 36 36::24 24--28
Prayer
Father, increase my awareness of the One Who lives inside of me and empower me to represent Jesus well in the earth.
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Ja n u a r y 4 For He dwells with you and will be in you (John 14:17, NKJV). NKJV).
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s you come into a deeper understanding that God’s anointing lives inside of you, you will begin to recognize more and more that the Presence is actually the Person of God, the Holy Spirit. Spirit. When introducing us to the Holy Spirit’s ministry, Jesus introduced Him as a “He” not an “it.” He would dwell with us, live inside of us, and bring us into greater revelation of Who the Father is. How How?? Because the Person of the Holy Spirit is actually the Person of God, and God is the One Who is most qualifi qualified ed to reveal Himself! The more you know God—study His attributes, encounter His nature, and review His characteristics—the more you receive deeper revelation of Who the One living inside you truly is. Remember, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are one. This is the mismission of the Holy Spirit within you—to you—to represent Jesus accurately in both word and demonstration, which brings great glory to your Father in Heaven.
Daily Scripture Readings John 14 14::15 15--18
Prayer
Lord, open my eyes to the wondrous reality that You—the Maker of Heaven and earth—live inside of me through the Person and presence of the Holy Spirit.
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Ja n u a r y 5 Jesus was known for healing people with and without prayer. There were times when it looked as though He was not inv in volved at all in the miracle that happened through Him.
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onsider the woman with the non-stop blood fl flow ow in Mark 5. In approaching Jesus for healing, she was not trying to implement some type of miracle formula. Neither was she responding to some teaching she received on the “Five Keys to Get Your Healing.” She simply said to herself, ““If If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well” well ” (Mark 5:28 28,, NKJV). The point of emphasis in this story is not Jesus’ clothes; rather, it is what made His clothes the woman’s point of contact. Her faith was not in the hem of a garment, but in the One whose very presence caused the garment to be charged with healhealing power.
Daily Scripture Reading M ark 5:25 25--34
Prayer
Thank You, Holy Spirit, that Your presence releases Your power. More than anything, I hunger for Your Presence, Your nearness, and Your closeness. May You and You alone be my life’s great pursuit.
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Ja n u a r y 6 Extraordinary miracles operate at a higher level of mystery, anointing, and authority.
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ohn 14:12 extends an incredible invitation to all believers throughout all generations. Jesus tells us, ““Most Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” Father” (NKJV). While the Holy Spirit has been bringing the body of Christ into a place where the works of Jesus are becoming embraced and experienced again, there is also a call to operate in the greater works. Though our natural minds may have trouble processing these words, this does not make them any less relevant to our lives today. As a people filled with God, we have been empowered to do the same works as Jesus—and yes, even greater works—because works—because the same Holy Spirit Who anointed Jesus with supernatural power has fallen upon us.
Daily Scripture Reading John 14 14::12
Prayer
Holy Spirit, You have invited me to not only do the same works that Jesus did, but also to pursue and expect even greater works. Thank You for this amazing invitation.
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ABOUT BILL JOHNSON
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ill Johnson is a fifth-generation pastor with a rich heritage in the Holy Spirit. Together Bill and his wife serve a growing number of churches that have partnered for revival. This leadership network has crossed denominational lines, building relationships that enable church leaders to walk successfully in both purity and power. Bill and Brenda (Beni) Johnson are the senior pastors of Bethel Church, Redding, California. All three of their children and spouses are involved in full-time ministry. They also have nine wonderful grandchildren.
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