Bill Johnson - The Power That Changes the World: Creating Eternal Impact in the Here and Now

A number of years ago I was speaking at a conference in the Netherlands. During an afternoon break our host took us to see some of the beauty of his country. We saw the windmills, the waterways, the dykes and some other things that contribute to the uniqueness and wonder of this nation. Because it was November, it was also windy, cold and rainy. This made the tour unpleasant. So that we could continue our sightseeing, he took us to one of the large greenhouses that contained a portion of the countrys incredible tulip crop. Hollands tulip-growing industry produces about 80 percent of the worlds supply of that gorgeous flower.

Once inside, we saw row after row of beautiful flowers in every color, all planted in color-coded sections. The weather conditions in the greenhouse were completely different from the outdoors. While you would never consider it warm inside, it was pleasant. Plus, we were just glad to get in out of the cold. As we walked through the amazing selection of flowers, we noticed a photographer taking pictures of a gorgeous bride getting ready for her wedding. She was posing next to a manmade pond. Her reflection on the water made for some spectacular photos. Add to that setting the brilliant colors of the extraordinary flowers surrounding her, and you can imagine the beauty captured in her wedding pictures. It was wonderful. In a sense, though, it was another reality, because none of what we saw inside would survive outside the walls of that greenhouse. The flowers would not survive, and there certainly would not be a bride in her bridal gown out in that weather.

In order to have a continuous supply of tulips available to ship all over the world, growers needed to find a way to grow them in inclement weather. The answer to this dilemma was the greenhouse, a building designed to enable growers to control temperature, light and moisture so that the plants inside will grow easily. Just as a greenhouse is a controlled atmosphere that enables the growth and development of specific plants, so is the nature of a Kingdom culture. It changes what is possible in any environment. Done correctly, it is an atmosphere impregnated with the presence of God and the values of His Kingdom, and it influences how life is lived.

Establishing a Kingdom culture is vital because in most cities people do not realize that the demonic realms that were given permission to influence that city are often influencing their thinking. What a Kingdom atmosphere does is give people permission to think for themselvesto think clearly, which is the essence of the freedom that only the Holy Spirit can bring. Grace really is irresistible for those who see it clearly. Influencing the atmosphere in a place helps set the stage in such a way that people are much more likely to respond to the profound invitation given in the good news of the Kingdom. This is the greenhouse effect .