I started reading the book Dreaming with God by Bill Johnson a few days ago and the Lord has been revealing a lot about His heart and the ways He longs to have us be creative co-laborers with Him in this world to bring kingdom. How exciting! I’ll give you a little preview of what he’s been talking about in the book:
“Several paradigm shifts take place in our hearts as we embrace this promotion [of becoming Jesus’ friends instead of servants, see John 15:15]. First, what we know changes, as we gain access to the heart of the Father. His heart is the greatest resource of information we need to function successfully in all of life. Jesus paid the price of our access to the Father, thereby granting us the freedom that comes from the truth we gain through that unlimited knowledge of His heart. Liberty is found in this phase of the promotion. Second, our experience changes. Encounters with God as an intimate are quite different from those as a servant. His heartbeat becomes our heartbeat as we celebrate the shift in our own desires. The realm of His presence becomes our greatest inheritance, and divine encounters our greatest memories. Personal transformation is the only possible result from these supernatural experiences. Third, our function in life radically changes. Instead of working for Him, we work with Him. We work not for His favor but from His favor. In this position He entrusts us with more of His power, and we are naturally changed into His likeness more and more. Fourth, our identity is radically transformed. Our identity sets the tone for all we do and become. Christians who live out of who they really are cannot be crippled by the opinions of others. They don’t work to fit into other people’s expectations, but burn with the realization of who the Father says they are� (Johnson, 25).
“We are to pay attention to our desires while we’re enjoying the presence of God in prayer. Something happens in our time of communion with Him that brings life to our capacity to dream and desire. Our minds become renewed through divine encounter, making the perfect canvas for Him to paint on. We become co-laborers with Him in the master plan for planet earth. Our dreams are not independent from God, but instead exist because of God. He lays out the agenda — On earth as it is in Heaven — and then releases us to run with it and make it happen!� (Johnson, 34).
“To be free to dream with God, one must learn to be a co-laborer. The desire of the true believer is never independence from God. The goal is not to find ways to shape God’s thinking, as though He were in need of our input. Instead it is to represent Him well. Learning to display His heart instinctively and accurately is the passion of true lovers of God. His heart is to redeem all people, and the tools He uses to display His goodness are gloriously vast, reaching into the heartfelt needs of every individual. Only divine wisdom can meet that challenge. Learning the dreams of God for this world is our beginning place. Dreaming can be expensive. We know that the Father’s dream of redeeming humanity cost Him the life of His Son. However, partnering with Him in His dreams will release in us a new capacity to dream like Him� (Johnson, 39).
Good stuff, right?! It gets me pumped up to think about being able to dream with my Heavenly Daddy and allow Him to use my life as a paint brush for the work of art He wants to create in this world. I have creativity to dream about KINGDOM with Him because He has put those desires in my heart and wants me to run with them! All the while He will be the One leading, guiding, strengthening, and holding me up. What an amazing adventure with Jesus! I love my life. 🙂
