If one is driving on the wrong side of the road they will get a fine. If the driver continues driving like this his license is taken away. Spiritually speaking, Bill Johnson’s answer is “I’m not on the wrong side of the Road you are.”

His is perfect example calling what is dark as being light.

I say this because many do understand basic Scripture, the word that counters his particular view of Christianity that he with others have made popular.

He says “A powerless Word is the letter not the Spirit. And we all know, ‘The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.’” (When Heaven Invades Earth 116).

Did not Jesus say The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. Meaning if you read the word you are reading what the holy Spirit is saying. Didn’t Jesus also say If you love me you will continue in my word?

Johnson insinuates the powerless word is the Bible, what is written. That the Spirit overrules the word. There is no such dichotomy presented. The Spirit wrote the word through men so we would ALL have the same instructions throughout the centuries.

“But in reality, the Bible is a closed book. Anything I get from the Word without God will not change my life. It is closed to insure that I remain dependent on the Holy Spirit.” (When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles p.93)

Johnson’s interpretations of Scripture are all colored by his dedication to supernaturalism. He cannot let the scripture speak clearly.

“Those who feel safe because of their intellectual grasp of Scriptures enjoy a false sense of security. None of us has a full grasp of Scripture, but we all have the Holy Spirit. He is our common denominator who will always lead us into truth. But to follow Him, we must be willing to follow off the map—to go beyond what we know.” (Johnson, “When Heaven Invades Earth” p. 76)

None have a full grasp of the scripture which includes him as well. Does he have a full grasp of the Holy Spirit? I think not. We all have the Bible too, so his argument is moot and void. But this is the kind of logic that he presents to his young naïve audiences.

What we are to know is NOT to go be beyond scripture, otherwise it is not truth. 1 Cor. 4:6 Paul used himself and Apollos as examples. “That you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.”

Not to think means not to act.

The spirit ALWAYS leads us into what is written, which is the truth. And it is the Spirit who had Paul write “not to think beyond what is written” (1 Cor.4:6). We may all have the Holy Spirit but does he have us? Johnsons off the map statement really means apart from the word with new revelation. The “map” for Christians is Scripture which is from the Holy Spirit. The “map” has boundaries and when crossed we find our self in error territory. Following off a map gets one lost.

Not only is the Bible continually undermined by Johnson, Statements are said like “Yesterdays anointing is like yesterdays manna” which has become a new cliché within the church. Think of what he is saying about the HOLY Spirit. Manna was food to sustain the body, the Holy Spirit is God who does not get stale, stagnate or wear out.

Are we to be unsatisfied with the Holy Spirit given? Johnsons purpose in saying all this is to convince people to seek for something more, which is something else. Get the new impartation.

“Jesus made a frightening statement regarding those who hold to Bible study vs. experience, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). If our study of the Bible doesn’t lead us to a deeper relationship (an encounter) with God, then it is simply adding to our tendency towards spiritual pride. We increase our knowledge of the Bible to feel good about our standing with God and to better equip us to argue with those who disagree with us. Any group wanting to defend a doctrine is prone to this temptation without a God encounter . . . Jesus did not say “My sheep will know my Book;” it is His voice that we are to know.” (Bill Johnson, When Heaven Invades Earth, op. cit., p. 93.)

Whenever someone lifts a quote like this we should confirm it is put in context. Here it is not. Jesus begins by saying in v.38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.” So it is about recognizing who Jesus is, not about growing ina relationship per se.

v.39-40 “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”

It is also said in Heb. 10:7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come--In the volume of the book it is written of Me-- To do Your will, O God.' "

Jesus then ends his discourse with For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" John 5:46-47)

The summarize his point, they did not believe the Old Testament therefore they could not believe Jesus

(BTW we should all defend doctrine, especially on the nature of God.)

Bill – we know his voice by his book, Even Isaiah said “If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isa 8:20-21). Contrary to how Johnson interprets this passage with a dismissive attitude, Jesus was saying his written word will lead you to him after all He is called “the Word” (among other titles as the Son).

He was dealing with the false prophets who went beyond the Scriptures. This gives us the principle of saying words that are not from God as if they are.

It was Branham who touted new revelation outside Scripture “we're ready for the Seven Seals on the backside of the Book, that's not even revealed to men, not even wrote in the Bible.” (62-0909E, In His Presence, Branham Tabernacle, Jeffersonville, IN)

Johnson says “Revelation comes piece by piece, layer upon layer, to generation after generation.” (Hosting the Presence, Kindle edition, page 52)

This is NOT true. All the revelation God has given for us to know is written and completed with the book of Revelation, this is a progressive view of God still speaking new doctrine.

If we do not hear his voice in his word to learn doctrine any other voice will have sway over us.

"I'm convinced that the pace of revelation will increase very rapidly in these last hours of history. That acceleration of revelation is beginning in our day. It's about the purposes of God being unveiled on the planet. On-going revelation and encounters with the power of God launch us into understanding of things we've never understood before." (The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind, page 68)

That is because the revelations they are receiving are not from the Bible.

There are basic rules for interpreting the Bible, called hermeneutics. First is verses must be interpreted in their overall context. To who was message being conveyed to and why. A text cannot mean different than what the author wrote in its original context. It may be applied at times but the original meaning should not be changed. Johnson and others constantly extract a new meaning that is not there, they have visions that overrule doctrine.

Listen carefully to how Bill Johnson teaches. It is about his view, his idea of what things are to be like. He then occasionally uses scripture in a sermon to uphold it his view. It is not based on the word but on his concepts first. And when you do not begin with the word of God you will certainly will not end with it. He is not teaching the Bible but using Bibles words for his own revelation.

Jesus constantly quoted the Old Testament, the prophets to confirm his teachings. He did not refer to the Spirit in the way Johnson speaks of it.

Let us not ignore Luke 11:28 “blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

John 14:23-24 "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me."