TRANSFORMATION ZONE!
Transformation Zone!
**Prior to reading Bill Johnson’s amazing new book “Strengthening Yourself in the Lord” I had written about “Identity Theft” and “Identity Crisis” and was moving into how to be able to walk in all we are designed to BE and how to instruct others in doing so. I began writing this and upon reading his book realized that this word is something that is being trumpeted abroad all over, in fact after teaching this in our weekly fellowship, I saw at least two other ministers talking on much of the same subject that said: I pray you will take time to really study and digest this message. Go back to the Word and check out Bill Johnson’s book. EACH minister is receiving different perspectives in revelation which is how prophesy works! Bless you dear ones!
We have AUTHORITY, now it’s time to “take” dominion!
SO how do we do this…first it means “KNOWING” who GOD really is and who we are created TO be!
You won’t take dominion over what you do not understand you have authority over! No more than you can “receive, what you do not really believe”!
BELIEVE…is MORE than verbally acknowledging you have “trust” in something or someone.
“Our internal reality often defines the nature of our external reality…if we prosper in our heart- our life will prosper.” From Strengthening yourself in the Lord by Bill Johnson.
III John 3 “2 Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually].”
Strengthening yourself in the Lord is crucial to stewarding your heart.
John and Paul both understood something about shalom and prosperity how they are equated. In Hebrew, Shalom is everything “right” and prosperity and divine health, wealth and tranquility of soul is included. It is why Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2 to offer our bodies to the Lord as reasonable service, because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. AND to be renewed by our thinking so we can prosper in our soul. Prospering in our soul affects our body! EVEN science has confirmed the Word of God on how what we think and believe affects our bodies.
The way we “strengthen” ourselves in the Lord has to do with knowing foundational truths that will change the way we think, which always affects the way we speak and behave!
Heart is the seat of the mind, intelligence, imagination , will, desire, emotions, affections, memory, communication, and conscience.
The heart (mind, will and emotion) is also the key place of communion with Holy Spirit and possesses the faculties that perceive spiritual reality.
Quote from Bill Johnson: “OUR internal focus and agreement with spiritual reality- EITHER the reality of God’s Kingdom established on TRUTH- OR the destructive reality of the enemy’s kingdom, established on lies- gives permission for THAT reality to flow into the “issues of life”.
Issues of life meaning- exiting of our flesh….what is inside of us in other words…our “heart”.
“WE have constant access to the manifest presence of GOD …we ARE an open heaven! BUT we have to take advantage of that access, and we do that by turning our focus on Him which is communion. Only in that place of communion with Him do we come to KNOW Him, consequently, gain the revelation of our identity and purpose: And, as we agree with the revelation of WHO He is, that reality of WHO HE is starts to flow into our lives, and transforms us into HIS likeness.” Bill Johnson
Heart being the seat of the mind, intelligence, imagination , will, desire, emotions, affections, memory, communication, and conscience: then influenced by TRUTH will perceive differently than a Heart that is seared by the world culture, doctrines of men and/or demons, or beliefs based upon experiences.
“The enemy uses lies to make problems appear bigger than the solutions we carry. God never sets us up to fail- only to grow!” Bill Johnson
We live in the crossroads daily- that place between mystery and revelation. Our job is to trust our Heavenly Father with problems and situations we do not understand; and focus on stewarding our will to what we KNOW to be true.
For us to reach the place of “dominion” we have to learn to steward our hearts by strengthening them in the TRUTH so we can live in the authority Jesus gave to us! Otherwise, we are constantly giving into whatever emotional wave comes to influence our thinking generally through what we perceive in the natural realm of reality…when this occurs, it isn’t the spiritual reality of the Kingdom of Heaven/God but the kingdom of darkness and we know who is the ruler of that!
Stewardship of the heart begins with CHOOSING with the will to “do” something!
“Your heart is what enables you to have faith, which is the evidence of things not seen! Hebrews 11:1 ‘Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]”.
THAT unseen realm (spiritual reality) governs the visible realm and brings your mind and will into agreement in the Kingdom.”
James 1:22 “22 But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].”
When you steward your heart, then you must practice it! Faith comes by hearing …then DOING!
Faith is a confidence, a support to uphold us in HOPE-which is expectation, anticipate with pleasure! Reminds me of “waiting on the Lord” meaning “eager expectation! They are connected, as we contend for and eagerly expect we are strengthening ourselves in the Lord, building our faith to hold us up in HOPE or anticipation with pleasure and expectation!
DOES this sound like doom and gloom or a dismal outcome to you?? NO!!
Then our focus cannot be on the outward situation, but on Him! This is where transformation begins!
By turning our focus on Him we are in communion with Him. Only in that place of communion with Him do we come to KNOW Him, consequently, gain the revelation of our identity and purpose: And, as we agree with the revelation of WHO He is, that reality of WHO HE is starts to flow into our lives, and transforms us into HIS likeness.
As we are transformed we begin to truly “BELIEVE” because we are truly being changed in our thinking and actions. When this happens we begin to “do” the Word in power because we “know”! We know what the TRUTH looks like!
Remember the quote from Bill Johnson: “The enemy uses lies to make problems appear bigger than the solutions we carry. God never sets us up to fail- only to grow!”
WE have the solutions! WE are an open heaven and have constant access to the presence of GOD our Heavenly Father!
WE have power within us to DO His will! WE have His love in us to overcome and WE have sound thinking when our minds are renewed because we are in communion with Him, know Him and know what HIS will is so we can act upon it according to what it is like in Heaven!!!
THIS is the beginning of becoming rulers and reigners on earth!
“10 And You have made them a kingdom (royal race) and priests to our God, and they shall reign [as kings] over the earth!” Revelation 5:10
When you know WHO He is, and learn who YOU are, then you will begin to walk, talk and live in authority in order to “take dominion” over this earth wherever you are placed or sent!
RULERS and REIGNERS who are Ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven…neve allow darkness to rule over the places they are going, living or sent too! JESUS never tolerated darkness:
“8 The devil has been sinning since the beginning. Anyone who continues to sin belongs to the devil. The Son of God came for this: to destroy the devil’s work.” I John 3:8 ERV
We were commanded and commissioned to do what JESUS did! HE told us we would and commanded us to continue what HE started! What was finished at the cross?
The end of the reign of death on earth and the end of the separation of mankind from our Heavenly Father!
THIS meant we can and will become the royal priesthood who are rulers and reigners on earth!
Go to Romans 8:9-22 and read it! For the moment let’s look at verse 14-17
“14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father! 16 The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God. 17 And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.”
The word “suffer” means: to experience persecutions. And, we will! BUT who wants to focus on that? Each day has trouble of its own, it is why JESUS said SEEK FIRST the Kingdom of God!!!
TO live in the authority we have been given is to be obedient in all our ways of thinking, speaking and doing in accordance with the WILL and PLAN of our Heavenly Father. AND that means to “take dominion” for HIS Kingdom sake….to BE ON EARTH as it IS IN HEAVEN!