by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

On April 6-7, 2024, me and some of the School of Revival family headed out to Thomasville, Georgia to host an encounter night and to minister at Victory Fellowship Church after a one year delay. See blog about our kairos moment in Macon, GA immediately following this time in Thomasville to learn more of the back story.

While in Thomasville, we got to be a part of a regionwide encounter night where God met us in a powerful way. At the end, we called up the leaders of the various ministries and churches in the region and got to lay hands on them and bless them.

Then on the Sunday, we got to minister at church and so many people came to the altar to surrender afresh and lay down their lives fully consecrated unto Jesus. It was so beautiful. Watch the teaching in video below.

Thanks for all the prayers in partnering to see God pour out His Spirit across the globe. I pray you are blessed, inspired, challenged, and ignited with fresh fire for first love of Jesus as you watch this session.

Blessing you!

Jen

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D. Revival Historian

Welsh Revival (1904-05)

Less than 20 people (17 people) gathered at Moriah Chapel October 31, 1904 when Evan Roberts preached. All present gave their lives to Christ. When these 17 people came to Christ, Roberts knew that the revival he had been praying his whole life for had come.

In less than six months, over 100,000 people got saved and the entire nation was radically transformed. This later became known as the Welsh Revival and released impartation for the Azusa Street Revival. Roberts, only 26 years old at the time, led that first catalytic meeting with less than 20 people present.

Azusa Street Revival (1906)

On April 9, 1906 in a little home on Bonnie Brae St. in Los Angeles, less than 20 people (around 15 people), many of whom were on a 10 day fast, gathered together with one agenda, to be baptized by the Holy Spirit. They wanted to tap into what those at the Upper room waited for. As William J. Seymour preached on Acts 2, the Spirit fell upon them, baptizing several of them in power. A few days later, after their porch fell through because of the weight of the increasing people coming who were hungry for an all-consuming encounter from God, they moved to Azusa Street, Global Pentecostalism was birthed, and the rest is history. But, it all started with a remnant of hungry ones. Around 15 people gathering in a home with no other agenda than to position themselves and call out to God for Him baptize and utterly consume them with the Holy Spirit.

Asbury Revival (2023)

Fast forward to today. On February 8, 2023, in Hughes Auditorium at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, less than 20 students (around 19 students) remained to linger in God’s presence after a required chapel service where the speaker shared about Romans 12. Other students began to filter back into the chapel later throughout the day. More people continued to be drawn to this well of revival. People gathered non-stop in the auditorium for a few weeks with eventually over 25,000 people came to partake of this well in a town of only 6,000.

This would be the 9th revival since 1905 that was birthed from this deep well at Asbury, many occurring in February. This fire has since ignited many other revival fires around the globe. It has given people permission to linger.

The re-opening of the well of revival at Asbury was catalytic to unstop wells around the globe all at the same time. There was some anointed in this Kairos moment where He used that well as a key unlock and cause other wells to spring up and new wells to arise.  It gave people permission to linger.

In letter to intercessor Frank Bartleman, Evan Roberts wrote:

“Congregate the people together who are willing to make a total surrender. Pray and wait. Believe God’s promises. Hold daily meetings. May God bless you, is my earnest prayer. Yours in Christ, Evan Roberts.”

We don’t need huge crowds; we just need the hungry.

Remember, it was less than 20 people who were a part of catalyzing the Welsh Revival, the Azusa Street Revival, and the 2023 Asbury Revival.

Do not despise the day of small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). Gather the hungry, pray, seek the Lord with no other agenda than to love Him with everything inside you.

In another letter from Roberts to Bartleman, he says,

“I believe that the world is upon the threshold of a great religious revival, and pray daily that I may be allowed to help bring this about. Wonderful things have happened in Wales [Asbury] in a few weeks, but these are only a beginning. The world will be swept by His Spirit as by a rushing, mighty wind. Many who are now silent Christians will lead the movement. They will see a great light, and will reflect this light to thousands now in darkness. Thousands will do more than we have accomplished, as God gives them power.”

I wonder what would happen if we substituted the word “Wales” for “Asbury” above… They were in Kairos moment in the early 1900s, a special window of opportunity where God accelerated the expansion of His kingdom all around them. We are in another Kairos moment today.

We are alive for such a time as this. We must keep our eyes on Jesus. The Tsunami wave of revival we have been praying our whole lives for has already begun and is upon us. It’s time to lean in for the ride of your life and don’t let Him go.

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.  

Ankeny, Iowa

October 1-2, 2022

October 1, 2022 I found myself at Heartland Church in Iowa for Fan the Flame Women’s conference (2 Timothy 1:6-8) revival fire day conference. So much prayer, fasting, and expectation preceded this beautiful assignment. I was invited earlier this year to speak at the women’s conference at Heartland church by Kate McGovern. When she was praying for who to invite, she felt God told her to watch Sid Roth. When she did, it just happened to be the episode I was on! The very next day, a beautiful one named Sandra who I had helped with her book project years ago via Writing in the Glory called Kate to suggest if she hadn’t found a speaker yet to consider inviting me. That was crazy confirmation. Immediately, when I got the invitation to go to Iowa for a revival fire women’s conference, I felt God all over it and knew deep within my spirit this was not just a nice little ministry trip, this was a God ordained and orchestrated assignment from heaven. As our team of intercessors and theirs too, prayed and fasted leading into the event, we all felt there would be a birthing and also saw that the fire of God would mark people.

Episode on Sid Roth where I share about the Welsh Revival and Azusa Street Revival

The first meeting on Saturday, I invited the women to spend some time simply waiting upon the Holy Spirit. As we “dove into the River” of His presence and waited upon Him, He began to move in power. People were weeping, others having birthing pangs as if in labor, some singing out prophetically, and others experiencing freedom simply by taking the time to hear what God wanted to say to them. After a good time of waiting upon the Holy Spirit, I proceeded to share about a teenage girl named Florrie Evans who loved the Lord Jesus Christ with all her heart and boldly proclaimed her love in a 1903 meeting in Wales. Her sold out and personal devotion to Jesus was the match that lit the revival fire that would later spread to and ignite a young coal miner named Evan Roberts who in turn led the Welsh Revival (1904-05). During and after sharing about the Welsh Revival people came up to the altar to lay their lives down and welcome the fire of God to burn in them.

I was so blessed to have Sara and Christy from School of Revival and Amy from Destiny House come all the way to Iowa to partner together in helping birth this church and region into a greater realm of the Holy Spirit. After the first meeting, Christy shared

I've had many instances of people being ignited with fire when I laid hands on them but something new took place this time; women would instantly start weeping with the laying on of hands and I would literally see Jesus over them cupping their hearts, their faces, their dreams, their visions, their families and releasing his Fatherly love so preciously that I started weeping as well. It was the most touching experience I've had while ministering. It was a love for his daughters that was like giving the gift of a Father's blessing to be fully known and fully loved in the purest form possible so that they could burn brighter for him. 

In the morning session, while standing in the back of the room after Jen took time to wait on the Holy Spirit I saw the Spirit sweep across the room touching people and releasing them from restricting lies and affirming them of their worthiness to be loved. So much love being released to fan the flame of the fire that these women were carrying with their hunger for more of Jesus. And then, at the end of the 1st session, I was led to just start prophesying to women's hurts with love from the Father. That He saw their pain, disappointments, discouragement and hopelessness but he was giving them the ability to move past it and receive the truth of how he saw them. More tears and so many redeeming hugs!! Hearts were getting filled with the spring of life like Jesus did for the Samaritan women at the well in John 4.

In the second session, we opened it up for people to share testimonies of what God had done earlier so we could all celebrate and give Him glory. In Revelation 19:10, it says that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Celebrating what God did in the past prophesies and releases breakthrough for Him to do it again! Here are a few of the testimonies that were released:

• One woman who laid her life down at the altar, was healed of mental health issues.

• Another had her voice restored to her where she had previously felt shut down. God revealed that He had always heard her!

• One woman felt fire as she laid at the altar and deep pain from her past was healed.

• Another testified that she believed she was healed from ovarian cancer.

• One saw a vision from the Lord of her dancing with Him and Him restoring her first dance.

• One woman who had been devastated by loss of many in her family within the last year was completely delivered and set free from fear, anxiety, death, and oppression from the enemy. Her countenance was visibly different the rest of the conference. 

The evening session that same night was open to men, women, and children. After waiting on the Holy Spirit and sharing about the Azusa Street Revival, God came with His power from on high and baptized people with the Holy Spirit. Many people were trembling under the mighty hand of God, on the floor, shaking, feeling electricity. God was empowering people to live boldly and become burning ones for Him. Saturday night was a commissioning where many were set apart and marked.

I got asked that night to speak at church Sunday morning by Pastor Dave who is an incredible intercessor and has a passion for revival. I felt so welcomed by him and his team all weekend long! I was so honored to continue in the flow of what the Holy Spirit was pouring out in the region. On Sunday morning, we continued in the momentum of what God had been pouring out and began by waiting upon the Holy Spirit and then diving deep into the Ezekiel 47 River. The altar was full again of those ready to dive all the way in. I found out that while we were fully immersed in the presence of the Holy Spirit and just lingering in His presence and glory, one man’s neck was fully healed. I later got a testimony that one person’s mom had come to church that day, was overcome, and weeping in the presence of God, went to the altar. She wept for about an hour there, encountered Jesus and received her prayer language!

The hunger in that region and preparation of the soil by prayer made it ever ready for a fresh wave of revival. Please continue to pray that every seed that got planted and every encounter, revelation, move of God remains and only increases in their fire and devotion for Jesus. They are perfectly positioned for a mighty move of God to spread from the heartland like wild fire. They’ve experienced revival in the past and are a praying church, positioned to steward a fresh move of the Spirit. Pray for more oil and that the fire was ignited afresh spreads across the land.

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

The Shift is now

Did you know that October 31 is a day of Reformation, Revival, and Destiny? Contrary to popular views, October 31st is not the “day of the devil.” It is God’s day full of inheritance where He birthed two major Reformation and Revival movements that are still impacting us today, hundreds of years later. There is great momentum for us to step into on this significant day in revival history. October 31st is a time for revolutionary shifts to happen. It is a day pregnant with world-changing movements waiting to be catalyzed as we fiercely follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, even in unusual ways. It is a day of religious freedom and of freedom from the religious spirit. It is a day when God is waiting for His yielded lovers to pursue His heart with reckless abandonment.

Halloween Roots

It is interesting that even in secular tradition, many believe that October 31st is the time when the physical and spiritual worlds are the closest, when heaven invades earth in a greater measure than on other days. This was also a time of celebrating the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. In the year 609, Pope Gregory III introduced May 13 as a Catholic holiday to honor saints and martyrs who came before. This was called All Saints' or All Hallows Day. In 835, the date was changed to Nov. 1, the same day as the Samhain, which was an Ancient Celtic pagan festival initiating summer's end. The evening before “All Hallows Day” became known as All Hallows' Eve, which was later changed to Halloween. Even more importantly, this day was set apart from Heaven as the day God wanted to catalyze significant Reformation and Revival movements.

Reformation

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther (1483-1546) posted his 95 Theses on Wittenberg Church door which lit a flame that reformed the Christianity of his day, breaking people out of religious cycles that had entrapped them for hundreds of years.

His 95 Theses were then translated into German, printed on the newly invented Gutenberg printing press, and then quickly began to spread. Originally, this was simply an act of inviting people to debate over these issues within the Catholic Church, rather than a rebuke against the pope. However, God breathed on his declaration for justice and it served to be the catalyst to set things in motion for the Protestant Reformation.

Welsh Revival

Nearly 400 years later on this same date in history, a spark for the Welsh Revival was ignited. On October 31, 1904, Evan Roberts (1878-1951) followed the leading of the Holy Spirit back to his hometown to conduct a catalytic meeting where 17 confessed Christ. He realized at that time that the revival he had been praying his whole life for had arrived. Less than four months later, over 80,000 people were saved and the nation of Wales experienced a powerful revival. From Wales, the revival began to spread to cities in England, Scotland, and Ireland and then around the world.

The revival was also a precursor and believed to be a catalyst for future Holy Spirit movements like the Azusa Street Revival. Frank Bartleman, who participated in and scribed the happenings of the Azusa Street Revival, asked Roberts to pray that a revival fire similar to the Welsh Revival would break out in Los Angeles. The Azusa Street Revival exploded to the scene not long after this in 1906 contributing to the influence of Pentecostalism around the globe.

Momentum of the Ages

The Protestant Reformation transformed a religious system and freed people to worship God in spirit and in truth. The Welsh Revival ignited a flame that inspired and gave birth to future Holy Spirit movements. October 31 is pregnant with potential to once again be a powerful day of ignition for reformation and revival. There is an inheritance waiting to be tapped into for those who are brave enough to step out in faith to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit on this special date in history. There is a deep well of revival to be accessed on October 31st, filled with fresh flames waiting to be ignited and spread around the world.

The momentum has already begun. Martin Luther, the Moravians, John Wesley, Evan Roberts and many others have already paved the way for us to walk in great freedom today. This is not a new wave of revival but one that has been building for generations. There is great momentum toward a new billion-soul harvest, another great awakening, and new wave of revival on the horizon. And in fact, I believe it has already begun and is all around us for those who have eyes to see.

What are we going to do today with the ground already gained on our behalf? How will we position ourselves to build upon the momentum that has gone before us? What further ground needs to be taken to advance God’s Kingdom in our generation today so that it will set things in motion for the next 500 years ahead? We are in a historic shift. God is calling us to a new level of holiness, consecration, connection, surrender, and possession of the Holy Spirit. This is necessary so that this upcoming wave of revival will not crush us. It’s time to walk in purity, passion, and total obedience so that when the swell comes, we are positioned to ride the biggest wave of revival this world has ever seen!

Activating the Anointing in October 31st through Worship

Since 2012, the Destiny House tribe of worshippers has hosted an encounter night each year on Halloween to tap into the deep wells of revival, seek God for an even greater Reformation in our day, and worship Him with all of our strength. Last year there were celebrations in Redding, CA, in Australia, and in Maui, Hawaii where we gathered together to worship and proclaim the name of Jesus. We have seen people radically encountered by the presence and power of God in these meetings where they were marked for life in His presence. We will also be doing this together this year in 2020 around the world with the School of Revival family. Learn more on how to join us here.

Wherever you are in the world, I encourage you too, to gather with friends this October 31st to share Holy Ghost stories, pray and worship together on this significant day in revival history. Let’s gather together with one agenda, simply to worship Jesus and lift up His name on high. Together, we can tap into what God wants to do in our day by giving Him higher praise. Let's take back this significant day in history by releasing the fragrance of worship that pleases the heart of God, causing the darkness to tremble.

Send the Spirit Now

Evan Roberts sent on a prayer ahead of him to the children in the towns he was going to visit. When the children prayed this prayer, revival broke out before he even arrived to the scene. As you pray this catalytic prayer and take risks to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit into new territories, may you see the Holy Spirit move in greater ways than ever before.

Send the Spirit now, for Jesus Christ's sake.

Send the Spirit now powerfully, for Jesus Christ's sake.

Send the Spirit now more powerfully, for Jesus Christ's sake.

Send the Spirit now still more powerfully, for Jesus Christ's sake. 

---

Join us for one of our upcoming School of Revival modules

---

To go more in depth on significance of what happened on this day in history, see

• How October 31st is a Catalytic Day for Reformation, Revival, and Destiny: Extended Version

• Reformation Fire: Why the 500 Year Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation is Significant for us Today

• Tapping into the Power of the Testimony: Launching into Greater Destiny

•  Defining Moments by Bill Johnson and Jennifer A. Miskov (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2016).

• Ignite Azusa: Positioning for a New Jesus Revolution by Jennifer A. Miskov with Heidi Baker, Bill Johnson, and Lou Engle (Redding, CA: Silver to Gold, 2016).

*As a disclaimer, we also want to recognize and honor our Catholic brothers and sisters today and celebrate the whole Body of Christ as we move forward together, hand in hand to see God’s Kingdom come here on earth in our day.

By Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD

October 31st, A Day Pregnant with Destiny

October 31st is pregnant with world changing opportunities to be catalyzed as we fiercely decide to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit even in unusual ways.

In my personal research, I recently discovered that there is rich redemption hidden in this date in history that we can pull from. October 31st is a powerful date in revival history that was catalytic for Reformation and Revival movements.  On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther lit a flame that reformed the Christianity of his day, breaking people out of religious cycles that had entrapped them for hundreds of years. Nearly 200 years later in 1904, this date was an important spark for the Welsh Revival. The revival’s primary leader, Evan Roberts, followed the leading of the Holy Spirit back to his hometown to conduct a catalytic meeting this very day. This day was also significant in 1918 in the life of Aimee Semple McPherson. She was 28 years old at the time and on her journey to the land of her destiny when she got to meet healing evangelist Mariah Woodworth-Etter in Indianapolis.[1]

In light of the wells of revival that emerged, there is something about how we respond immediately to the leading of the Spirit on this day that has the potential to impact not only our generation but generations to come. There is freedom from religious bondage and the breaking of generational curses. Do not be afraid to face opposing spirits head on. There is victory as we walk through the fire and through our fears (Isaiah 43). October 31st is a day to step into brave communication with others, to confront injustices around us, to no longer partner with lies that once held us back, and to declare truth all around us.

It is a day of religious freedom and freedom from the religious spirit. It is also a day that is waiting to be set aflame with the fire of God. It is a day to hunger and seek after God with everything inside of us, to take risks, to step out of our comfort zones and to push the envelope just a little more. It is a day of stepping out in faith into the unknown, following even the smallest sign of the Holy Spirit wherever that might lead. It is a day of being led by the Spirit and by our hearts immediately. It is not a time to process and think over decisions and weigh them. It is a day to take action immediately and to act on the whispers of God in the moment as we align ourselves with Heaven’s best. It is a shift into a new season. It is a time where dreams come true, where significant life-giving connections for our destiny will be released. It is a day when one generation rises up in the midst of those who came before in order to run alongside them.

October 31st is a day of breakthrough and of revolution. It is a day of new paradigms being released, where old wine skins are challenged and abolished and where new wine skins are filled to overflowing with the wine from Heaven. Be sharply in tune with the Holy Spirit October 31st and don’t hesitate on responding to His impulses. There are significant parts of our destiny that will be catalyzed and released this day that have the potential to not only impact the rest of our lives but also impact those around us for generations to come.

Halloween Roots

Let me give you a little background on this special date in history. Halloween is an interesting holiday that I never thought much about until I recently discovered the significance of the date it falls on. Originating in the early Middle Ages with roots in an Ancient Celtic pagan festival of Samhain (summer’s end), some believe that this is the time when the physical and spiritual world’s are the closest. October 31st is also a celebration of the end of harvest and beginning of winter. In the year 609, Pope Gregory III introduced May 13 as a Catholic holiday to honor saints and martyrs. This was called All Saints’ or All Hallows Day. In 835, the date was changed to November 1, the same day as the Samhain. The evening before “All Hallows Day” became known as All Hallows’ Eve which was later changed to Halloween. I love that in tradition, this day is believed to be one where Heaven invades earth in a greater measure than other days. It is also a day to honor saints and those who have come before which is what we will now do.

Reformation (1517)

Even though he was mid-semester at law school in a nearby town, Martin Luther (1483-1546) decided to journey home to visit his family. It was on July 2, 1505 when he got caught in a thunder storm and nearly was hit by a bolt of lightning. Fearful of his life, he called out, “Help me, St. Anne. I will become a monk!”[2] His life was spared. Two weeks later, true to his word, he joined the Augustinian order. In November 1510 - April 1511, he journeyed to Rome and was disillusioned by the hypocrisy going on within the Catholic Church. This seed of discontent with the church would later grow. In 1512, Luther received his doctorate and then moved to Wittenberg to become a theology professor. In 1515 when he studied Romans 1:17, he understood that he was justified by faith. For the first time he began to realize his freedom and salvation in Christ in a whole new way. He gave lectures to his students on Romans from April 1515 - September 1516.

About a year later, Dominican priest Johann Tetzel came to his town to sell indulgences. Luther was outraged at his approach and disagreed with certain premises behind this in a similar way that Jesus was upset by the way the people were selling items in the temple courts of the Lord. The same night Fredrick the Wise was due to offer indulgences on All Saints Day on October 31, 1517, Luther posted his 95 Theses (also known as the Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences) written in Latin on Castle Church door. These were translated into German, printed on the newly invented Gutenberg printing press, then quickly spread. Originally, this was an act of inviting people to debate over these issues within the Catholic Church. Luther’s 95 Theses were not initially intended to be a refined amendment to the pope. However, God breathed on his declaration for justice and it served to be the catalyst to set things in motion for the Protestant Reformation which freed people from the religious spirit at the time.

Catalytic Fire in the Welsh Revival (1904)

On October 29, 1904, both Evan Roberts (1878-1951) and his friend Sidney Evans had a vision of an arm stretched out from the moon towards them. They believed this was a sign that revival was coming to Wales. Roberts was then stirred to believe God for 100,000 souls to be saved.[3] On October 30, 1904, Roberts got caught up in a vision when he heard a preacher speak on the text, “Father, the hour is come.” His body shook and all he could see was the people of his hometown sitting and waiting for someone to speak to them. He felt this was God calling him to go to them. When he finally yielded, he felt the light of the glory of God fill the whole chapel in a marvelous way.

The next day on Monday October 31, Roberts immediately responded to the leading of the Holy Spirit and left for Loughor by train. He originally only planned to be in his hometown for a week. While on the train, he also wrote a sermon and practiced preaching it to the other passengers. The same night he arrived home, he was able to arrange a small meeting following a main session. There were 17 people present (16 adults and 1 little girl) at this first meeting. After much encouragement from Roberts, the reserved Welsh all stood up and publicly confessed Christ. He continued to lead meetings in his hometown each night at nearby churches and saw a total of 65 conversions that week.

Some of the meetings in the early weeks of the revival started at 7:00 p.m. and continued on without any breaks until 4:30 a.m. the next morning. As these meetings continued and testimonies were released, increasing numbers of people began to confess Christ. While there were already a few pockets of revival breaking out in Wales, especially in New Quay, after Roberts released the Holy Spirit flame in Loughor, in just two months (from November 8 to December 31, 1904), there were over 34,000 conversions recorded. Two months after that, by February 28, 1905, there were over 84,000 conversions recorded. That is an average of over 5,000 conversions a week! From Wales, the revival began to spread to scattered cities in England, Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man. It also spread as far as New Zealand, Madagascar, India, North America, Mexico, Australia, and several countries within Europe, Asia, and Africa. The revival was also a pre-cursor and believed to be a catalyst for future Holy Spirit movements like the Azusa Street Revival.

There was great cultural transformation as the revival spread. Shops closed down early so the workers could get a seat at the revival meetings. Bibles flew off the shelves in bookstores. Longstanding debts were paid off, drunkenness and crime drastically declined, and relationships were reconciled. Some people characterized the movement “by the most remarkable confession of sin, confessions that must be costly.” The mining workhorses did not know how to respond to the absence of profanity and abuse they were so accustomed to. The revival even spilled into places of leisure. One night at a football game, the whole crowd broke out singing one of the revival worship songs.

This was truly a revival founded on cultivating God’s presence. Transformation was released as a result of people worshipping God. The spontaneous flow of the Holy Spirit in worship, testimony, and prayer was the rhythm of the Welsh Revival. It was a revival led by the Holy Spirit, the conductor to a symphony of surrendered hearts.

Redemption

The Protestant Reformation transformed a religious system and freed people to worship God in spirit and in truth. The Welsh Revival ignited a flame that inspired and gave birth to future Holy Spirit movements. October 31st is pregnant with potential to once again be a powerful day of ignition for reformation and revival movements. There is an inheritance waiting to be tapped into for those who are brave enough to step out in faith to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit on this special date in history. October 31st is an anointed day, filled with opportunities for new revival flames to be ignited and spread around the world.

Evan Roberts asked that the children in the towns he was going to visit would learn and pray the following prayer to prepare for the revival.

I encourage you to pray this out loud as a declaration over your life today. As you pray this catalytic prayer again today and take risks to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit into new territories, may you see the Holy Spirit move in greater power than ever before.

Send the Spirit now, for Jesus Christ's sake

Send the Spirit now powerfully, for Jesus Christ's sake

Send the Spirit now more powerfully for Jesus Christ's sake

Send the Spirit now still more powerfully for Jesus Christ's sake

-Evan Roberts 1904

To Learn More

Watch Jen share about the Welsh Revival.

Listen to Jen share about the significance of this day at a Destiny House meeting on October 31, 2013.

• The night Destiny House Community redeemed this day in history through worship and recounting testimonies of old October 31, 2013.

Read Jen's article on Charisma Magazine

*Destiny House community does a worship night each year on or around this day, releasing further testimonies to shift and redeem this day back into the kingdom. Wherever you are, feel free to join together in the same spirit by doing a meeting in your city with friends and family to share Holy Ghost stories, pray, and worship on this significant day in revival history. Please send us any testimonies from what happens this day or as a result of reading this article to info@silvertogold.com.

The following artwork was released by Jenny Schoensiegel October 31st, 2013 at one of our Reformation Day events at Destiny House.

On October 31, 2015, we launched Jen's book Writing in the Glory: Living from Your Heart to Release a Book that will Impact the World so that we could pull from the wells of Reformation and Welsh Revival glory and sow that revival fire into this catalytic project as we launched revivalist writers around the world. We had a great time October 31st together at Destiny House worshipping and tapping into such deep wells together as we sought God for an even greater Reformation and Love Revolution to arise in our day.

On October 31, 2018, our Destiny House family around the world hosted a worship night in Redding, CA, in Maui, and one in Australia.

---

Footnotes

[1] Wayne Warner, Maria Woodworth-Etter: For Such a Time as This (Gainsville, FL: Bridge-Logos, 2004), 316-317 and Edith L. Blumhofer, Aimee Semple McPherson: Everybody's Sister (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993. reprinted 1998), 140. [2] Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals: The Roaring Reformers (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2003), 122. [3] Much of the section on Evan Roberts comes from Defining Moments by Bill Johnson and Jennifer A. Miskov (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2016).

The following blog became the inspiration for my new book Fasting for Fire which builds and goes deeper into this theme as well as adds the voices and experiences of Heidi Baker, Randy Clark, and Lou Engle.

---

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

Part 1: Staying Full of the Oil

I want my lamp to be full of oil so that when it’s time to cast out demons, love the broken hearted, or release courage, I am ready. I want to be flooded with God’s love so much that the overflow spills out to those around me. I want to be one of the five virgins who remain ready for the arrival of the bridegroom. I want to enter into all that God has for me. It’s not about entering heaven and avoiding hell. What I am talking about is being totally possessed by the Holy Spirit and ever ready to step into the fullness of my God-given destiny. I want to be ready to advance the kingdom of God in season and out. I am talking about living the adventurous and abundant life that Jesus died for us to have, not just settling for a one way ticket to heaven. Fasting and other spiritual disciplines launch us into the world of impossibilities where we must learn to soar as our only option. If you are ready for an adventure into the depths of God’s heart, read on.

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said, ‘Open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” Matthew 25:1-13 (NIV)

Let me rephrase the last line. Therefore keep watch, remain full, stay ready, for you do not know when God is going to act next. He wants you to be ready so that even if it’s midnight or an hour you least expect, you are full of Him and ready to partner with Him. One of the reasons why I fast as a regular part of my life is because I want to remain full, focused, and engaged in Him. I want to remain hungry for Him. Fasting is one way that helps keep me aligned with His heart and ready to step into all that He has for me.

The Purpose of Fasting

Fasting cultivates hunger for more of God. Fasting is feasting upon God. It is a way to accelerate and speed up your walk with God. It is an invitation to greater levels of intimacy. It is also a powerful weapon that can be used to tear down strongholds, set the oppressed free, heal the sick, align destinies, and stir up hunger for more of God. Our motives should be to seek the face of Jesus above all else (Joel 2:12; Zechariah 7:5; Acts 13:2)

Motivations for Fasting

• Grow in Hunger for God

• Regain focus

• Reposition or seek alignment

• Freedom from addiction or from habitual patterns of sin/bondage or to set others free (Isaiah 58:6/Luke 9:1-2)

• Spiritual Warfare (casting out demons: Matthew 17:21)

• Guidance in decisions (Daniel 9:2-22)

• To humble yourself (Psalm 69:10; John 4:8)

• Spiritually cleansing, renewing, refining fire

• Develop fruit of the Spirit, self-control

• Grow in intercessory prayer

• To sow into future seasons

• To prepare for stepping into greater measures of empowerment and anointing

Fasting to Bring Breakthrough

While fasting is one key to bring breakthrough, it is not always the only one God calls us to use in a situation. Sometimes breakthrough comes through fasting (Matthew 17:21) while other times it comes when loosing the chains of injustice and giving to the poor (Isaiah 58). Sometimes the key to breakthrough is found in giving away all your money to the poor (Matthew 19:21) and other times it comes when washing in the river seven times (2 Kings 5). Sometimes it is when your friends tear off the roof of a house so you can be healed (Luke 5:17-26) and sometimes it is simply in touching the hem of His garment (Matthew 9:20-22). The keys to our breakthroughs are different at different times. Sometimes what brought us a breakthrough in one season will not work in the next. That is why it important to spend time with God and be led by the Spirit in all things. With that said, fasting is one ready key that Jesus regularly states can bring breakthrough in different areas, especially in the area of freeing people from demonic oppression. Richard Foster states that “fasting can bring breakthroughs in the spiritual realm that will never happen in any other way.”[i]

Part 2: Secrets of the Inner Lives of Revivalists

Testimonies of Fasting Revivalists

Many of the great revivalists and strong Christian leaders we look up to regularly fast and stay full of the oil. Many of the spiritual heroes we look up to fast regularly or have even done 40 days fasts. Rolland and Heidi Baker and their Mozambiquan community fast every Monday as a part of their normal spiritual lives. When I was in Mozambique working in a refugee camp called Camp 2000, I was struck by 11 year old named Rafael who went on a seven day fast all on his own because his heart broke for the people in the nearby villages. What if fasting wasn’t something that is rare? What would happen if fasting became a regular part of life rather than something that’s exceptional? I wonder what type of extraordinary miracles, anointing, or power might be released when the body of Christ strengthens her muscles in this way.

Besides Moses, David, Elijah, Esther, Daniel, Anna, Paul, Peter, John, many others, and Jesus Himself, here are a few specific testimonies of how some of our heroes regularly fasted and the impact it has had on their lives. All of the following mentioned below were included in the book I helped Bill Johnson write called Defining Moments.

John Wesley (1703-1791) and his community formed this group they called the Holy Club. They fasted every week together as a community, training themselves to walk in the fullness of all that God had for them in their generation. He was a part of forming the Methodist church.

Charles Finney (1792-1875) prepared for revivals by sending and organizing teams to pray, fast, and spread the word before he arrived. His prayer warrior Daniel Nash went in before him for a few weeks or even months, to pray, fast, and prepare the fallow ground for the seeds that were about to be sown. Finney became known as the father of modern revivalism.

Smith Wigglesworth (1859-1947) who moved in great anointing and power, fasted every Sunday and he never remembered “seeing less that fifty souls saved by the power of God in the meetings with the children, in the hospitals, on the ships, and in the Salvation Army.”[i] Following a turning point in his marriage and deep conviction to turn back to God, Wigglesworth decided to give ten days to praying and fasting to get his heart right. Following this time of sanctification and consecration unto the Lord, there was a marked change in him. His temper and moodiness left.[ii]

One fun story of how God used fasting in Wigglesworth’s life to release the kingdom happened later on in his life when he received a telegram to pray for a dangerously ill boy in England. Once he arrived in the town, his determination to see the boy’s healing caused him to go another nine miles on bicycle to get to the farm where the boy lay. When he arrived, his mother told him it was too late because her son was nearly dead. Wigglesworth told her that God never sends him anywhere too late. He prayed and fasted and then asked the parents to dry the boy’s clothes so they would be ready to put on. Smith then went off to church and came back only to find that the parents had not done as he asked. He went and got the clothes and had someone put the boy’s stockings on him. Then he asked everyone to leave and he shut the door behind him. When he began to pray and touched the boy’s hand, the power of God invaded the room and knocked Smith to the floor. He laid there in the glory for over 15 minutes. During this time, the boy regained his strength so much so that he was shouting joyously. After the boy dressed, he ran to tell his parents the great news but found them on the floor in the kitchen as a result of the glory that filled the house. “The daughter who had been brought from the asylum and whose mind was still affected was made perfectly whole that day. That whole village was moved and a revival began that day.”[iii]

Rees Howells (1879-1950) valued the hidden life. He entered one season by embracing aspects of the Nazarite vow. During this time, he fasted two meals a day. He also set himself apart by not wearing a hat during a time in the U.K. when that would have been seen as a cultural embarrassment. During this season, he also spent three hours every night on his knees from 6:00-9:00 p.m., two hours reading the Bible and one hour of waiting on God. Howells recalls of this precious time of prayer and fasting,

“Although we may be away from the presence of people, how hard it is to silence the voices of self. But after a time the Lord brought me to the place where the moment I shut the door at six o’clock, I left the world outside and had access into the presence of God.”[iv]

John G. Lake (1870-1935) went to prayer and fasting for 9 months waiting on God before he had his Spirit Baptism electricity encounter in October of 1907. It was after praying for 9 months and virtually giving up, while praying with Hezmalhalch for a sick woman, the Spirit possessed Lake afresh like lightning and he received his Spirit baptism and spoke in tongues.

Randy Clark (1952-present) had a series of prophetic words and impartations that marked his life and prepared him for what would prove to be the launching point for his ministry in 1994, the Toronto Blessing. He also is known to have gone on several 40 day fasts as well as other smaller fasts. He fasted while he traveled to conferences because he was so hungry for God and to receive impartation.

Heidi Baker (1959-present) a few months after her conversion, while on a 5 day fast, she was taken up in a vision for a few hours and heard the call to minister in Asia, England, and Africa. It was during a fast that she received her life defining call. In her own words she reflects on this time.

“In May toward the end of the semester I went on a five-day fast to find out more from God about what to do with my life. On the night of the fifth day I expectantly went to the Roarks’ little Pentecostal church in the country and was drawn to the altar. I knelt down and lifted my arms to the Lord. Suddenly I felt taken to a new heavenly place. Pastor Roark was preaching, but I couldn’t hear his loud, powerful voice at all. God’s glory came to me again, wrapping me in a pure and brilliant white light. I was overwhelmed by who He is. I had never felt so loved, and I began to weep. This time He spoke to me audibly. ‘I am calling you to be a minister and a missionary,’ He said. ‘You are to go to Africa, Asia and England.’ Again my heart was pounding and racing. I thought I might die.” [v]

Most of the leaders mentioned above had powerful movements and ministries. They all had one thing in common in that they regularly fasted at different times in their lives. For some it was preparation and proceeded great outpourings, for others it was simply a discipline of remaining full. Still others experienced life defining calls, increased power and anointing in their ministry, and greater intimacy with the Lord.

If you notice from these testimonies, there are seasons for feasting and there are seasons for fasting.

“Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, ‘How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but you are not?’ Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.” Mark 2:18-20 (NIV)

Be led of the Spirit always.

Destiny House Rhythm

As Destiny House, we fast as a community every Monday. Then on the Monday evening, we break fast together and have a family meal. Corporate and regular fasts can be powerful. When something comes up that needs a miracle or breakthrough, we are already fasting so we can link arms in prayer. When we eventually are able to host missionaries and leaders who come to visit, we will be able to fast and pray ahead of time for the breakthrough they are seeking. Learning the discipline of regular fasting will help prepare each one if there is ever a season that God calls them to a longer fast. We also do a week fast once a year to prepare, pray, and sow into the upcoming season. This has a powerful impact on the whole year following because powerful seeds are sown. These smaller fasts help prepare people so that when it’s time to step into longer fast as they are led of the Spirit, they are trained, prepared, and ready.I want people to be ready if they feel led to fast for 3 days, or a week, or even for 40 days. Because we are practicing fasting in the peaceful times, we will be ready when the battle arises. It’s kind of like how the Navy Seals train and prepare rigorously so that when it’s time to be sent on a mission they are ready. They don’t get ready right before they get sent. They live ready.

I Like to Fast

Yes, I am one of those weird people who actually enjoys the spiritual discipline of fasting. It’s not that I don’t enjoy food, it’s just that I love that I can position myself to experience more of God by setting myself totally apart just to hunger after Him. He is my portion and my prize. The reasons I fast at different times vary. Generally though, I fast to grow in my hunger for God and to keep my lamp full of oil. I want to stay prepared and to stay filled. If one can take dominion over their body with self-control, they will be able to take dominion over other things as well. If one can’t have self-control over their body, they may have limited authority over other things. Fasting is also practice for taking dominion over spiritual strongholds.

It is important to keep fasting in balance and not to come under the law, judgement, or condemnation with it. Only the Holy Spirit can really sustain you on a fast and you should always be led by the Spirit into all things. It’s not by our own might or power, but by His Spirit that we will be sustained during a time of fasting. Make sure God is on it or else you may just fast to get hungry. Other times, you may feel that you want to initiate a fast because you want to honor God, consecrate yourself, sow into future seasons, or do it simply as an act of worship unto God. As long as your heart remains pure and you are not doing it to try and manipulate God or for personal and self-righteous gain, there are great rewards in fasting (Matthew 6:16-18).

Here's Why I Fast

• To be more desperate for God

• To commune with God

• To be hungry for God

• To be purified and sanctified afresh for His purposes in my life

• To be set apart for Him

• To sow into the next season of my life

• Because Jesus fasted

• To tap into the wells that other revivalists have tapped into

• To stay ready to step into what God is doing

• To keep my lamp full of oil

• To see breakthrough

• To stay focused on the things of God

• As an act of consecration and worship unto Him

Part 3: Practical Tips for Fasting

What fasting looks like practically is abstaining from food for spiritual purposes. It is regularly linked to prayer. You can also fast for a time from things like T.V., secular music, Facebook, social media, shopping, sugar, coffee, etc. Fasting is not explicitly stated as a commandment in the Bible possibly because it was assumed that believers fasted as a regular part of their spirituality. There seems to be an assumption in Scripture that if people followed Jesus, then they would regularly fast because He fasted. Further, in a similar way in which He said “when you give to the needy,” implying that that was normal and expected part of spirituality, Jesus also said in Matthew 6:16 “When you fast…” He did not say “if” you fast. If Jesus is our model and He regularly fasted, then we ought to follow in His footsteps.

Jesus fasted as He was led by the Spirit for preparation for a new season (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:9-13). Immediately after He returned from His extended fast, He was launched into His ministry. Longer fasts have proven significant for many leaders in launching them and their ministry into a greater measure of destiny as will be mentioned more.

Different Types of Fasts

• Absolute Fast: no food or water (sometimes done in emergencies: Esther 4:16; Acts 9:9; Deut. 9:9,18; Exodus 34:28)

• Full Fast: water only fast (Matthew 4:2)

• Partial Fast: a restriction of diet but not total abstaining from food (Daniel 1:15, 10:3)

• Private fasts: the most common fasts, should be done undercover (Matt. 6:16)

• Regular fasts: done once or twice each week as a discipline (Zech. 8:19; Luke 18:12)

• Public/Corporate fasts: sometimes called in times of group or national emergencies (Joel 2:15; 2 Chron. 20:1-4; Ezra 8:21-23)

Start Small

Start small and celebrate your successes. Start with a partial fast and skip two meals one day while drinking lots of water. If that’s too hard, try drinking juice. Remember that fasting is not just abstaining from food but it is also filling our bodies with something better, the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Spend the time you would normally have spent eating, alone with Him in prayer, in the Word, or on waiting on Him. During your normal day when you get hunger pains, turn towards God in prayer. For longer fasts, it is advisable to eat fruit before. Come off the fast with a light meal of fruits or vegetables and then work your way towards weightier meals.

Uncomfortable

“More than any other Discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us.”[i] -Richard Foster

I find that day 1-2 are the hardest of any fast, no matter how long the fast ends up being. Usually after making it past day 3, it gets much easier. Be aware of what comes up for you during a fast. Are you easily irritated, feeling out of control, or experiencing some other extreme mood shift? What things are you running to rather than food? Ask the Holy Spirit what is really going on during these times and what He might be bringing up within you to heal. Ask God to go to the root. I encourage you to press in, worship, pray, scream, dance, intercede, contend, or whatever you feel you need to do to take hold of God when the hunger gets severe. There have been some times where I went days without eating and avoided God by being busy to mask the hunger pains rather than turn to Him. I have been pleasantly surprised by rich encounters in His presence when I chose not simply to abstain from food but more importantly during that time, to instead feast on the living God. Songs have been birthed, Scripture has been revealed at new depths, healing has come when I have positioned myself at His feet instead of trying to stay busy to avoid the hunger. Fasting is not just going without food, it must also be feasting on God. The fast is the most effective when these two are married together.

How to Break a Fast

It is important to break the fast well to avoid injuring your stomach or harming your body. You body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, so make sure to be wise and steward what goes in there well. Breaking a fast is usually good with liquids, fruit juices, and then moving on to fruit and vegetables. Slowly integrate more regular foods into your diet depending on how long the fast was. Come off the fast with a light meal of fruits or vegetables and then work your way towards weightier meals.

One thing I do want to share is that in many of my fasts, I don’t feel anything during the time I am fasting. Most of my major breakthroughs, increased anointings have come in the season following my fast. Several of my books including Silver to Gold, Water to Wine,  and Life on Wings were birthed after longer fasts. Destiny House came right after a long fast as well. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t feel anything or see what you have been praying for during the fast. While you are setting yourself apart for the Lord, He is at work behind the scenes on your behalf.

I hope this has been a helpful start to deeper engagement with the living God. Be led of the Spirit into fasting, it should always draw you closer to Jesus. May you be inspired to seek the Lord in more desperate measures. May fasting be a strength and one of the ways to help position you to feast more upon God. Join our Destiny House family as we regularly and corporately fast on Mondays. As you embark in this adventure into the heart of God, may you experience His love in greater measures and be perfectly positioned to enter into the feast with the bridegroom.

Further Resources

Check out podcast on Focus, Fire, and Fasting

Check out another blog called Positioning Ourselves to Feast Upon God: Revival of the Disciplines

In Jen’s Walking on Water Encounter E-Course, she shares her heart, personal experiences, practical tips, and testimonies from the role fasting has had in her life and in others and how you can position yourself to tap into even more that God has for you today.

Walking on Water

Encounter E-Course with a session on Fasting

---

References:

Part 1: [i] Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline (New York, NY: HarperOne, 1978, reprint 1998), 60.

Part 2: [i]Stanley Howard Frodsham, Smith Wigglesworth: Apostle of Faith (London: Elim Publishing Co., Ltd, 1949), 5-6.

[ii]Smith Wigglesworth, Faith that Prevails (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 1938, 1966), 61.

[iii]Stanley Howard Frodsham, Smith Wigglesworth: Apostle of Faith (London: Elim Publishing Co., Ltd, 1949), 30-31.

[iv] Norman P. Grubb, Rees Howells: Intercessor (Fort Washington, PA: CLC Publications, 2008 reprint from 1952), 114.

[v] Rolland and Heidi Baker There’s Always Enough (Sovereign World Ltd, England: 2003), 23-27.

Part 3: [i] Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline (New York, NY: HarperOne, 1978, reprint 1998), 55.

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

“This is what the Lord says,

He who made a way through the seas, a path through the mighty waters…

‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up: do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.’”

Isaiah 43:16-19

Seeds Sown October 27-November 2, 2013 will Emerge August 2014 and Beyond

In my own life, I am feeling that July 2014 is the final trimester in the 9 months of what is about to be birthed in August 2014 and beyond. I believe that seeds that were sown during the week of October 27-November 2, 2013 will come to see their fulfillment in a greater measure August 2014 and beyond. I see August 2014 not only as a time of birthing things that were sown 9 months previously but also even more fullness, synergy, and alignment from lifelong dreams and promises given by God in the past.

When I reflect back on what happened the week of October 27-November 2, 2013 in my own life, it was full of signs, wonders, declarations, clarity, shift towards alignment, new tongues, and other strange but profound experiences. I encourage you, too, to look back in your journal or your calendar and recall with the Lord what happened your life during that week. Then ask God if there was anything that happened then that will be birthed soon and how He wants you to prepare yourself to step into this upcoming season. If negative things happened that week, pray for God’s kingdom to come in that area and ask Him what He wants to sow into your life in this new season instead of those things.

One of the seeds I have seen develop and grow since that profound week in late October 2013 has to do with our Destiny House Redeeming Halloween event. Our Destiny House family set out to redeem and sanctify October 31 by worshipping and recounting what God did in history at that time. Besides this being a catalytic day for birthing the Protestant Reformation, it was also the day that Evan Roberts lit a fire for the Welsh Revival at Moriah Chapel in Wales. You can learn more what was released at that event in a blog HERE and soon be able to access a recording of the event on our PODCAST.

That same week, Destiny House Alumni Jenny Schoensiegle offered to do a painting of Evan Roberts as a fundraiser for Destiny House. Her painting received a bid from someone all the way in Wales named Darren who lives around the corner from Moriah Chapel. Seeds that were sown that night were only the beginning of what has begun to develop, grow, and increase these past nearly 9 months…

Not long after my MIRACLE FLIGHT to the UK in June 2014, Darren picked me and my friend Becky up at the train station in Wales to take us to the Moriah Chapel. While there, we met up with a few of our Destiny House family, Cornelius and Matt, who were present at the October 31st event and happened to be in Wales at the same time. Matt is the anointed Welshman who sang a Welsh revival song in his mother tongue during our October 31, 2013 event at Destiny House. It was incredible reconnecting with these friends in the land of revival. Through Darren’s connections, I also got to stay a night at the house Evan Roberts grew up in. Glory!

During this adventure in Wales, we also had the opportunity to visit revivalist Rees Howells’ Bible College. A year or two before this, I had studied about Rees Howells and learned about his great faith. In part, it was recalling some of his testimonies which inspired my own faith to step out and trust in God’s leading over my circumstances for breakthrough to get to England. At our June 28, 2014 Destiny House event, Cornelius and I shared testimonies of our time at Wales and I also released impartation of Rees Howells’ legacy. Cornelius also invited everyone to join in on a prophetic act of consecration.

Building on the momentum from of our October 31, 2013 Welsh Revival event, our trip to Wales, and our Rees Howells night of consecration at Destiny House, this August 8-10, Cornelius, I, and some of the Destiny House family are heading to Carrie Judd Montgomery’s Home of Peace in Oakland, CA for our 3rd Annual Healing & Revival Retreat. At this first and historic healing home and revival center on the West Coast, we will continue to build on this theme of Re-Digging the Wells of Revival. I can feel the momentum building from all from seeds that were deposited October 31, 2013.

Throughout this past 9 month season from October 2013 to August 2014, I have also seen some alignment and long awaited dreams fulfilled in my own life. In March 2014, one of my dreams came true when I got to release Carrie Judd Montgomery’s Legacy at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry 1st Year Class in Redding. On May 1, 2014, alignment came together after nearly 2.5 years when all 3 floors of the Destiny House were released for us to rent exclusively for hosting the presence of God and releasing impartation, healing, and destiny. We started with one floor in 2012 and over the past few years God has continued to bless and add to our growing Destiny House family by sending people from around the world to run after the things of God with us in that place.

After 3 years, I also finally had the opportunity to return to England to reconnect with my friends and be there for my friend’s wedding. This miracle flight to get me there was influenced by Rees Howells’ faith. While all that happened these past few months leading up to August 2014 were so special and I am more than thankful, I remain hungry and I believe they were precursors of what is coming in even greater fullness and measures in this upcoming season. I believe these promises fulfilled are only just the beginning, the tip of the iceberg of what is going to hit us August 1st and beyond.

It’s a Time for Consecration: July 2014

I see July as a time of stretching, strengthening, purifying, and consecration. It’s like a time right before a snake sheds its old skin and awaits the new. Or a when a caterpillar has been in its cocoon and feels it’s ready to be set free but the wait is just a little longer. Or when a pregnant mother is ready to explode but has to wait just a little longer for the promise to be birthed.

I believe that the month of July 2014 is to be a time of consecration, refinement, and preparation for what is about to come upon us. A stripping off of the old, shedding old skin, getting rid of old ways of thinking, purifying our thoughts, lives, plans and being present before the Lord to hear what He is saying for this new season.

Rees Howells and Corporate Encounter

On March 29, 1936 at his Bible College in Wales, Rees Howells had a time of corporate consecration when he called his students to surrender their lives afresh before the Lord. The next day it was recorded in the diary of the College meetings that

“Fire fell on sacrifice. Holy Ghost descended on evening meeting. We went on knees and someone started the chorus, ‘Welcome, welcome, welcome! Holy Ghost, we welcome Thee.’ Liberty and power so great we continued singing this one chorus for a full hour.”[1]

Just over 9-10 months after this, a corporate encounter followed the act of consecration. The presence of God was so thick on the campus that the staff and students could only whisper to each other. The earlier act of consecration and surrender continued to yield an “increasing consciousness of God’s presence.” It became visibly manifest when a woman on staff broke down “confessing her sense of need and crying to the Holy Spirit to meet her.” Then “He came” and they experienced a corporate visitation for 3 weeks straight of His presence surrounding the campus. The headmaster of the school at the time recalled that God

“[He] did not come like a rushing mighty wind. But gradually the person of the Holy Ghost filled all our thoughts, His presence filled the place, and His light seemed to penetrate all the hidden recesses of our hearts. He was speaking through the Director in every meeting, but it was in the quiet of our own rooms that He revealed Himself to many of us…We were people who had left all to follow the Savior, and had forsaken all we had of this world’s goods to enter a life of faith, and as far as we knew we had surrendered our lives entirely to the One who died for us. But He showed us, ‘There is all the difference in the world between your surrendered life in My hands, and Me living My life in your body.’”

“There was no excitement or enthusiasm of the flesh those days. When His power had come upon us after March 29 we had been carried away and were singing and shouting our praises. But in these days we were so awed by the holy majesty of His Person that we hardly dared raise our voices in the meetings…Even the grounds outside seemed filled with His presence. Walking around together we would suddenly be conscious that we were speaking in whispers. The late hours came, but no one thought of bed – for God was there… 2 and 3 a.m. often seemed just like midday as we communed together, prayed with some who were ‘coming through,’ or waited before God in the quietness of our hearts.”[2]

May God do it again in this season. May the Spirit quicken our hearts and draw us to lay down everything at the feet of Jesus, trusting Him with our very lives. He is worthy of it all. May you have grace, strength, and endurance to enter into this new season with no strings attached, fully able to take hold of all that He wants to pour out. Ready your heart. Invite the Holy Spirit to clear away anything that is not meant to enter into this new season with you. I pray He invade your very being with the Father’s beautiful love and position you exactly where you need to be in this next season. All that you have surrendered and sacrificed in seasons past have not been a waste. He is waiting to pour out His Spirit in immeasurable ways. Be ready to receive all that He has for your today. He is so for you.

[1]Norman Grubb, Rees Howells Intercessor (Fort Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, 1952), 208.

[2]Grubb, Rees Howells Intercessor, 218-219.