The Person and The Power Podcast with Pastor Tim Johnson is an invitation to cultivate a deep and profound relationship with the Holy Spirit within us as believers in Jesus Christ.
After 25 years of ministry, Pastor Tim’s desire is that all of us would experience both the Spirit’s transformational intimacy and supernatural activity in our daily lives.
Listen to new episodes each week! You can find them below, on Apple Podcasts, or on Spotify.
Experiencing the Spirit (Part 2)
A true and authentic experience with the Holy Spirit can never be just about emotions and goosebumps. It must include the two-punch formula of Acts 1:8. Yes, we will receive power – the first punch. But that power is never about us. The second punch? Becoming a bold witness to Jesus Christ in all the world. Ask, Seek, and Knock in prayer to experience the Holy Spirit and be prepared to be His witness.
Experiencing the Spirit
As we learn to Ask, Seek, and Knock even more effectively and efficiently in our prayer lives, it is incumbent that we understand more keenly the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. And as our prayer lives become more vibrant and more Kingdom-focused, then it is a no-brainer that we will experience the Holy Spirit more and more. Go ahead; ask to experience the Holy Spirit, and be prepared for the answers to those prayers!
Praying in the Holy Spirit
Some may remember Paul Harvey, the iconic radio announcer whose famous “The Rest of the Story” broadcast aired for more than 50 years. Those five words were near the end of every episode, and they always signaled some unexpected turn in the story that he had been sharing. Today’s podcast could almost qualify for a “rest of the story” moment as the exhortation to ask, seek, and knock in prayer is absolutely connected to none other than the Holy Spirit. Put bluntly: we have NO prayer life without the Spirit.
Asking, Seeking, and Knocking
Most of us Christians know this phrase all too well: “Ask, seek, and knock.” We also know what follows: “Given, found, and opened.” But in our familiarity with this passage of Scripture, have we missed the actual context? Could it be that the secret to our prayer lives might be a supernatural connection with the charging power of the Holy Spirit?
Locusts Devouring, Spirit Pouring
Israel and locusts have had a long history together. But even here in Joel’s prophecy about judgment, there is hope and restoration for those to turn to the Lord. And the greatest promise found in this chapter is the prophecy of Pentecost! Even as locusts prepare to devour the land, the Lord promises a pouring of His Spirit for all those who repent.
Spirit-Ordered Priorities
It’s easy to do… With hundreds of distractions always vying for our time and energy, it’s easy to get our priorities out of order. That was certainly the case for Judah and the restoration of the Temple. The Lord appointed Haggai to take the people to task and take a spiritual inventory of their lives. Praise God that the same Holy Spirit who did that for the people then is the very same Spirit who can help us order our priorities now.
Spirit of Grace and Supplication
This prophecy surrounding Jerusalem’s future is amazing and mysterious. As many have opinions, none of us can know for certain how this will play out in the final days. But this one thing we can be certain: the same Spirit who will pour out grace on the inhabitants of Jerusalem on that day so that they will have the desire to cry out to Jesus is the same Holy Spirit who gives us grace today to call out to God. May we receive His favor, and may we never stop calling on the name of Jesus!
Gratitude Comes from “the Filling”
It’s the day after Thanksgiving 2024. We may still be in our “turkey coma” or looking forward to leftovers. We may be braving Black Friday shopping or turning our attention to Christmas by cutting down the family tree. Wherever this day finds us, it seems like a good day to be reminded of this truth: being thankful is an expected fruit of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Known as the People of “Fresh Oil”
The Jewish people were just coming back from 70 years of their Babylonian exile. They were charged with rebuilding the Temple, among other things. They needed encouragement. In steps Zechariah with a word from the Lord and a vision. It won’t be in human might and power that anything of the Kingdom will be accomplished, but only by God’s Spirit. The Spirit is always good for a never-ending flow of “fresh oil.”
Justice is the Heartbeat of God
If one carries the title of “leader” in any way, there is a great expectation that comes with that. For God, that expectation is even higher. That is why the leaders of Israel - both politically and spiritually - were under such assault by the prophet Micah. If we want the heartbeat of God, then we must care about justice and doing the right thing for the people we say we lead.
Learning Lessons from the Letters: Ephesus
Perhaps the most infamous quote of all of these letters to the churches of Revelation is found in the letter to Ephesus: “You’ve lost your first love.” The indictment is clear, but the reason is not. But when we study the history of this city and read Acts 19, the shroud of mystery lifts, and we begin to get a peek into what may have caused this critical loss of love. Be careful when the business of the Kingdom becomes a business.
Learning Lessons from the Letters: Laodicea
Let’s play a game. Start naming things that we as Christians are supposed to be known for. How many did you have? Do you know when it’s not a game? When we as Christians are not representing the character of Christ well. And that happens when we “invite” Jesus OUT of our fellowship. Open the door; let Him back in. Let’s learn the lessons from the church of Laodicea!
Learning Lessons from the Letters: Philadelphia
Philadelphia teaches us the importance of perseverance and enduring suffering for the glory of God, a concept that seems to be lost to the Church of today. We are promised suffering in this world (John 16:33, 2 Timothy 3:12). Both Paul and Peter speak to how “good” our suffering is for our Christian character (Romans 5:3-5, 1 Peter 5:10). And James even tells us to count our sufferings as joy (James 1:2-4)!
Learning Lessons from the Letters, Part 2
An ancient city that was huge in reputation and prestige… and yet God’s people were called to repent. A church that thought it was fully awake and alive… and yet was so very dead. A people of God that had great influence... and yet rubbed shoulders with the world. What might the church in Sardis have in common with an Old Testament valley of dry bones? Let’s find out.
Learning Lessons from the Letters
From a rubble pile of clay pots in Thyatira, to Satan’s throne in Pergamum, to a martyr’s faithful last words in Smyrna, may we be ever so diligent to learn from the Seven Letters to the Seven Churches of Revelation. And may we be found without criticism by our Lord Jesus!
A New Spirit Removes a Heart of Stone
We’ve heard the term “hard-hearted” before. Even Jesus called the religious leaders of His day people with “stiff necks and hard hearts.” According to Ezekiel, the only way to truly have a “soft heart” is to receive a “new Spirit.” Praise God that that’s exactly what He wants to do in each one of us!
Trusting the Spirit of Supernatural
Yes, we as fallible people have misused and misrepresented God throughout history. Yes, we as broken and fleshly Christians have abused both the Person and the Power of the Holy Spirit. But we are still called to trust the goodness and purity of His Spirit, despite any and all damage that we have done. The exhortation is clear: God is a supernatural God, and we are to trust His supernatural Spirit.
A Watchman for the Spirit of God
Did you know we have permission from God to be hard-headed?! Indeed we do, as we are called by God to do the work of His Kingdom. We are also called, like Ezekiel, to be “watchmen” for God’s people. And while it can be “sweet as honey,” the task of the watchman is serious and daunting. Only by the Spirit of God can we answer that call!
Let’s Stop Digging and Start Flowing
Israel was confronted by the prophet Jeremiah with two sins: They had forsaken the source of their spiritual strength, the fountain of living water, and they had dug for themselves cracked and broken cisterns that caused their water to turn stagnant. Unfortunately, we as Christians need to learn the lesson from Jeremiah: we need to stop digging and start flowing. How? By trusting the Holy Spirit of God more!
The Spirit of Deliverance
One of the more consistent themes of the Old Testament prophets is that of deliverance. In this incredible passage of Isaiah, the Holy Spirit inspired the prophet to speak of every level of deliverance: from the immediate enemy, the Edomites; from our sinful and oppressed state, by way of the Messiah; and from our earthly exile from the very presence of God, by way of the return of the One wearing a white robe dipped in blood. Praise the Spirit of Deliverance!