by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D. 

Rees Howells (1879-1950) was a man set apart by God after a radical account where he chose to surrender fully. After being a part of the Welsh Revival in 1904-05, he set out to spread the revival throughout Southeastern Africa (including Mozambique), where he saw miracles, healings, and over 10,000 salvations. When God called him back to Wales, rather than continue to travel the world, he was led to a life of intercession (the carrying the burden in focused prayer until the breakthrough or release has come). He was also moved by the Spirit to open a school to train people to walk in a similar lifestyle of faith as he had been called.

With the equivalent of only $0.15 to his name, in 1924, he founded The Wales Bible College which was a place where “young people might come to learn a life of faith, and above all be filled with the Holy Spirit.”[1] Howells was a man of profound consecration and intercession with a calling to raise up a tribe of intercessors. A decade after the school was founded, he felt led by the Spirit to shift the focus of the school to intercede over world affairs. During World War II, these prayer warriors were mobilized as one to pray that God would “bend Hitler.”[2]

Through intercession and prophetic insights, they specifically targeted cities and countries they felt needed to be protected during the war. During prayer, God revealed to Howells that Russia would be attacked. The school responded by interceding for Moscow, which was miraculously protected from Nazi capture.[3]

In his lifetime, Howells raised up an army of intercessors who prayed through major world crises in World War II, prepared the way for missionaries, and both partnered in releasing and paved the way for future revival.[4]

RULES FOR WAR

There are important keys in Howell’s legacy and from Scripture that we can learn from today as we face major world crises and seek to be led by the Holy Spirit in our prayers..

1. Our intercession is significant and we have authority in Christ Jesus to bring change through our prayers

Like how Howells was given prophetic revelation of the plans of the enemy and able to intercede to partner with God to reroute and bring protection in a region, so can we seek the Lord for revelation in knowing how to pray effectively to see His kingdom come and for the light to pierce through the darkness.

In Acts 12:1-3, we learn that King Herod put James to death by the sword and then proceeded to seize Peter with a likely outcome to follow. In response to Peter’s imprisonment however, something very different happened in how the church responded than in how they responded to James’ capture. We don’t read anywhere that the church interceded for James but for Peter, we see in Acts 12:5 that “the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” The result of these intercessions for Peter had a drastically differently outcome. Because the church was praying, instead of him falling to the same fate as James, he was miraculously delivered from prison and the impending death that awaited (see Acts 12:6-18).

It wasn’t that the believers liked Peter more than James, but they learned the negative impact of their lack of intercession in the loss of James and immediately shifted so that the same result would not happen again to Peter. In turn through their focused intercession for the persecuted saint, they were able to partner in prayer to set the captive free and release protection from the enemy.

2. We don’t fight against flesh and blood but against principalities and powerS

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

–Ephesians 6:10-13

3. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but have divine power to demolish strongholdS

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 

–2 Corinthians 10:3-5

4. God can change the hearts of leaders in a moment

In Acts 9:1-19, we see that Saul, a key persecutor of the church who “was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples,” was sovereignly encountered by God in a divine encounter. The enemy of believers was instantly turned into Paul who became one of the most influential apostles who spread the gospel we’ve ever know.

God is all powerful. We can intercede for Saul to Paul conversions in the hearts of leaders who are partnering with evil rather than good.

We must also be vigilant to pray for protection and wisdom over all of our leaders and those placed in power, that they would be moved by the hand of God.

5. Praise is powerful and defeats armies

In 2 Chronicles 20, we see how King Jehoshaphat was faced with the impending attack of an exceedingly great army. He responded to this by seeking God first and then giving Him thanks by offering up praise and worship. He sent his worshipers to the front lines of battle to give God thanks and declare His enduring love. As he and his people set their faces toward worshiping God in the midst of the impending destruction, placing all of their trust in the Almighty God to save them, God worked on behind the scenes on their behalf to completely destroy their enemies without them having to do anything other than worship.

“As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.” –2 Chronicles 2:22 

As we choose to worship God and put all of our trust in Him alone, He is our great deliverer and help in time of need.

Read Defeating Armies by Praise blog for more in depth on this theme

I hope and pray that Rees Howells’ testimony and the revelations from God’s Word will help position you to strategically partner with heaven to see God be glorified in every crisis we face. Together, unified as one body, let us partner together to see God’s rule and reign become established and for His glory cover the earth. Today I pray that a fire will be ignited deep within you to intercede together with other burning ones to see God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven for such a time as this. Amen.

See short teaching more in depth on this subject below.

NOTES

[1] Doris M. Ruscoe, The Intercession of Rees Howells (Blowing Rock, NC: Zerubbabel Press, 1983), 100.

[2] Norman Grubb, Rees Howells Intercessor (Fort Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, 1952), 209. Remember that it was when Evan Roberts prayed for the Lord to “bend” him that he had a significant encounter. They were praying the same for Hitler.

[3] Doris M. Ruscoe, The Intercession of Rees Howells, 28.

[4] This section on Rees Howells was largely based off of Chapter 10 in Defining Moments by Bill Johnson with Jennifer A. Miskov (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2016), 189-210.

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“If you have not discovered something you are willing to die for, then you are not fit to live.”

― Martin Luther King Jr.

Join our next 10 day LIVE online School of Revival intensive on the theme of persecution and martyrdom. Meet other burning ones from around the world. Learn from those who have come before to be inspired and catalyzed to step into and fulfill your God given destiny in a family of sold out Jesus lovers.

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D., Founding Director of School of Revival

In light of the Coronavirus outbreak which has been heavy on my heart, it has made me do some reflection to see how the revivalists of the past approached similar outbreaks.

Here's what I found by looking at the grandmother of the healing home Movement Dorothea Trudel from Switzerland, significant influencer in the Welsh Revival Rees Howells from Wales, and John G. Lake from Canada. Praying for breakthrough and the power of the Holy Spirit to cancel and heal all sickness in Jesus' name.

Dorothea Trudel

Dorothea Trudel (1813-1862) from Switzerland, is known at the grandmother of the healing home movement. Her ministry was initiated when several of her co-workers at the florist shop became very ill and could not be cured through medicine. She pondered the ‘James 5 prayer’ and decided to pray for her fellow employees. Soon after she prayed, they all recovered. Following their healings, the 1851 epidemic hit Switzerland. Trudel was flooded with people who came to her seeking healing. She responded by opening healing homes in Männedorf.

She was significantly influenced by the prayer found in James 5 and when she could not find any elders to pray for and anoint the sick, she stepped in to do the praying. This ‘James 5 prayer’ later played an important role not only in relation to Carrie Judd Montgomery’s personal healing but also in regards to her ministry that followed.[1]

Rees Howells

Rees Howells (1879-1950) was a revivalist from Wales who played a key role in discipling the converts from the Welsh Revival. He also served as a missionary in Africa for a season. Around 1915 when the influenza hit Africa, over 65 people in Rees Howells’ mission were stricken with it early on. Hundreds of people were dying all around them. Howells believed he heard from the Lord that no one in his mission base would die. To activate what he felt he heard from the Lord, he made a declaration of this over his mission’s base. A nearby chief heard about this and asked if he could bring his people there for protection from the disease. Word spread within a 20 mile radius of the mission that “the white man was able to keep death away.” The witch doctors could do nothing to help the people. Then, beginning with five of the most hardened men, people began to flock to the mission base for safety. There was not one single death at the base during this time of tragedy.[2]

John G. Lake

John G. Lake (1870) was significant apostolic healing evangelist from Ontario, Canada who had a powerful ministry in South Africa. After a season of support raising and recruiting others to join his mission, he returned to Africa in 1910 right in the midst of a deadly plague. During this busy time of ministering to the sick and dying, a doctor who was visiting his mission asked Lake how he was able to protect himself from the deadly virus. Lake replied that it was the “‘law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.’ I believe that just as long as I keep my soul in contact with the living God so that His Spirit is flowing into my soul and body, that no germ will ever attach itself to me, for the Spirit of God will kill it.” Then he did something extreme to prove this point to the doctor. He became a human experiment. He said,

If you will go over to one of these dead people and take the foam that comes out of their lungs after death, then put it under the microscope you will see masses of living germs. You will find they are alive until a reasonable time after a man is dead. You can fill my hand with them and I will keep it under the microscope, and instead of these germs remaining alive, they will die instantly.

When they did this experiment, they saw that what Lake had communicated before was right. He explained that “‘the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.’ When a man’s spirit and a man’s body are filled with the blessed presence of God, it oozes out of the pores of your flesh and kills the germs.’” He continued on that if his “soul had been under the law of death” or if he was in “fear and darkness” then there would have been an opposite result. Lake then believed that “The result would have been that my body would have absorbed the germs, these would have generated disease and I would have died.” [3]

Jesus

Let's not forget Jesus and how He approached the then contagious lepers of the time. Rather than Him being contaminated, there was a reversal. Instead, the power within Him purified their and healed their sickness. See Luke 17:11-19, Mark 1:40-45, Matthew 8:1-4.

Apostle Paul

Or what about the apostle Paul who was bit by a poisonous viper and shook it off into the fire, remaining unscathed. Acts 28:3-6

In Conclusion

I don’t feel to add much commentary here because there is a real tension we are facing today with people getting sick and dying. I honestly don’t have many answers only deep hearted prayers and a belief that we can tap into and access a greater measure of the resurrection power and dominion over sickness available in Christ Jesus somehow.

There is something unique in each of these testimonies that offers hope for a better way and shows us a path of possibilities we can also tap into as we access that same resurrection Spirit that raised Christ from the dead living within us.  

So Holy Spirit come and do what only You can do. Give us increasing wisdom and revelation in how to demonstrate Your love, dominion, and healing power in the midst of this crisis. Come with Your power to destroy the works of darkness, eradicate deadly virus’s, comfort your people, and also release downloads from heaven to medical professionals to quickly discover solutions and cures for what we are facing today in Jesus’ name, amen.

Listen to Podcast I released on this topic

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UPDATE on April 24, 2020

A lot has changed since I first posted this blog. When I did, we were still living “normal life,” were not on lockdown yet, and the economy was still normalized. I wanted to share this video Heidi Baker recorded from Mozambique on March 27, 2020. During a really bad cholera epidemic in her nation years back, she felt the Lord lead her to go into the tent with all the sick people and hold, love, and pray for them. The results are phenominal. But during this crisis, she feels called to really honor the government and the regulations set before.

There is no cookie cutter definitive way to approach crisis and healing. We have to be led by the Spirit and respond to the now word of God in our lives. There may be times He calls us to run straight into the fire to bring love and other times He calls us to remain. Check out Heidi’s powerful testimony.

Notes

[1] Jennifer A. Miskov, Life on Wings: The Forgotten Life and Theology of Carrie Judd Montgomery (1858-1946), (CPT Press: Cleveland, TN, 2012), 31-32. Additionally, “Otto Stockmayer (1838-1917), of Berne, Switzerland, was introduced to divine healing on Easter day in 1867 when one of Trudel’s successors, Samuel Zeller, laid hands on him to pray for healing. Influenced by this experience and by utilizing the same methodology found at Trudel’s center of ministry, several years later, he opened up a faith home in Hauptweil, Thurgau, Switzerland.” See also Nancy A. Hardesty, Faith Cure: Divine Healing in the Holiness and Pentecostal Movements (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003), 17-18. See also “Dorothea Trudel” on http://healingandrevival.com/BioDTrudel.htm

[2] To learn more about Rees Howells and also read this account, see Bill Johnson with Jennifer A. Miskov, Defining Moments (Whitaker House: New Kensington, PA, 2016), 189-210, Doris M. Ruscoe, The Intercession of Rees Howells (Blowing Rock, NC: Zerubbabel Press, 1983), 98-99, and Norman Grubb, Rees Howells Intercessor, (Lutterworth Press, 1952),168-169.

[3] John G. Lake, The John G. Lake Sermons on Dominion over Demons, Disease and Death, ed. Gordon Linsday (Dallas, TX: Christ for the Nations, 1949, reprint 1998), 107-108. For a similar account, see Kenneth Copeland in John G. Lake, His Life, His Sermons, His Boldness of Faith, (Fort Worth, TX: Kenneth Copeland Publications, 1994), xxi-xxii. To see this account and learn more about John G. Lake, see Bill Johnson with Jennifer A. Miskov, Defining Moments (Whitaker House: New Kensington, PA, 2016), 143-163.

*Photos found on the internet

Photo by the incredible Annette Biggers (www.acreativechange.com)

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

*this was written in the summer of 2018 when I was en route from Europe to Africa during a severe time of crisis.

This article is dedicated to all of the pioneers on the front lines and those in the persecuted church.

“As long as I am with you my life is the light that pierces the world’s darkness.” - Jesus in John 9:5 (TPT)

If you are reading this right now, it means that you are born for such a time as this. Inside of you, you carry hope and an answer to the world’s problems. God has given each one of us strategies to overcome evil and to bring light into the darkest of places. Each generation is faced with an opportunity to break through and to take more ground for the future. We are called to carry and to be the light of Jesus in the midst of a crooked and depraved generation. We are called to shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the word of life (Philippians 2:14-16).

When storms arise, God’s power also arises. In the face of opposition, we are given the opportunity to be courageous and to act for Christ. We are also being strengthened to steward the greater inheritance we will gain on the other side. The only way through a storm is to face it. Have you ever seen a ship escape crashing waves by trying to avoid them or go parallel to them? The only way to save our lives and to advance against the evil coming against us is to turn our ship head on and go straight through the pounding waves to the other side. We step through fear by clinging to our Father in Heaven, wholeheartedly trusting in Him to lead us through. Receive this promise from God in Isaiah 43:1-2 where He says,

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
  When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.

5 Keys to help dismantle the forces coming against us and to release God’s power

I am in no way saying that I have the answers to the problems are world is facing right now or that if you use these keys your life will be protected. It is important that we remain one with Christ, connected to the Body of Christ, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. He will lead us differently each time so it is imperative to always stay close to Him. With that said, I want to share a few weapons we have access to that can help dismantle the strongholds coming against our generation when the time arises.

In Christ Jesus and under His authority…

1. Love has the power to dismantle hatred and to reveal the nature of Jesus

Love is a weapon of warfare that can dismantle the stronghold of hatred. Because of the intensity of hatred arising in our day, our love must increase and become fiercer. Above all, we must recognize who the real enemy is. Our battle is never against flesh and blood or each other but rather against principalities and powers in which we have full authority and victory over in Christ (Ephesians 6). The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy but Jesus has come to give us abundant life (John 10:10). The weapons of our warfare are not like the worlds. We must take dominion and confront the spirits coming against us by choosing to love people fiercely and realize the hatred aimed toward us is the enemy trying to silence us. By the power of the Holy Spirit alone, we must choose love in the midst of hatred. Love has the power to cover a multitude of sins and melt even the hardest of hearts. The more extreme the hatred, the more extreme our love must be to overshadow it. We must rebuke the enemy and instead bless those who curse us and pray for them (Matthew 5:43-45). When we recognize what battle we are truly in, having the correct perspective, and step out to love, it changes everything. We must be possessed by the Holy Spirit to have the power to love in the face of hatred.

2. Focus has the power to dismantle distraction and to release destiny

Focus is necessary for us to step into and fulfill our God-given destinies. Distraction is prevalent in our day and is a tactic the enemy uses to try to get us isolated from each other because he knows that unity in Christ is an unstoppable force to be reckoned with (Psalm 133). In Psalm 27:3-4 (NIV), King David says that

Though an army besiege me,
    my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
    even then I will be confident.

 One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.

While many of us thankfully do not have to face an army head on, we do face an army of opposing thoughts and distractions that compete for first place in our thoughts. The one thing David sought was to behold the beauty of the Lord. What is our one thing in a world of options? A personal revolution will take place when everything else is stripped away and we wholeheartedly give Jesus first place again in our lives and thoughts. Focusing on Jesus dismantles the spirit of distraction and confusion and leads us into a place of intimacy and peace in Jesus like never before. Practicing being silence with God and waiting upon Him (Psalm 46) can help invite the fire of God’s presence to refine us.

3. Worship has the power to dismantle oppression and to shift the atmosphere

Worship in the midst of a storm dismantles oppression and may even ignite the next Great Awakening. In the story of the Moravians worshiping on a ship in the midst of a storm, John Wesley observed their strength in God and was marked. Influenced by his new friends, he later went on to lead the Great Awakening and start the Methodist Movement. It is crucial to worship God in every circumstance. Fixing our affection on Jesus lifts off heavy burdens and keeps us connected to the all-powerful God who is Lord over all. Our worship should not change depending on our circumstances because God never changes.

In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat was facing the greatest army ever known in his generation so he called his people to praise God for His holiness and give thanks. In this situation, while the people offered praise and thanksgiving, behind the scenes, God was at work to dismantle their enemies. In the midst of the greatest battles of our lives, is our first response to seek the Lord and pour out an offering of worship and praise? Worship is one of the most powerful weapons of warfare I have personally experienced. It helps us keep our focus on The One Thing rather than letting fear and anxiety consume us. It also clears the evil around and even creates a well for generations to come to step into the momentum of Heaven in that place. Most importantly, it knits our hearts together with our loving Father.

4. Intercession has the power to dismantle terror and to save lives

Intercession, or focused prayer, has the power to dismantle terror and every stronghold that comes against us. For those who feel called to remove barriers and pave the way for future generations to walk in great freedom and peace, I want to encourage you to study the life of Rees Howells (1879-1950). I believe his life holds keys we need for today in dismantling the evil coming against us. He was a revivalist from Wales who raised up an army of intercessors to lay down their lives on the altar of intercession and cover those on the front lines in prayer. They have marked results of rerouting Hitler’s attacks through their prophetic intercession.

Intercession is huge. If you know any missionaries or others who are giving their lives for the sake of the Gospel in dangerous places, your prayers make such a massive difference and can even be the difference between life and death (Acts 12). Whether you are on the front lines or in a comfortable home, your prayers can literally shift the direction our world takes. It is our responsibility to cover and support our family in Christ who are planted in the darkest places (Hebrews 13:1-3). May the spirit of intercession fall upon us all so that we can more vigilantly stand in prayer with our brothers and sisters afar.

5. Courage has the power to dismantle fear and to advance God’s Kingdom

Courage to step out in faith regardless of what opposition may come dismantles the spirit of fear and advances the Kingdom of God all around us. It’s in those times when everything seems to come against us that God is preparing us to break through into a new level of authority, power, strength, and dominion. Like an eagle, allow the resistance you are facing to let you soar even higher above the storm. This is the time to spread out your wings more than ever before. When fear creeps it’s way at your door, ask the Lord what is really going on and what greater breakthroughs He’s about to lead you into. It’s likely that one small act of courage and following your heart regardless of the opposition can set things in motion to have ripple effects for generations to come.

In the midst of the poverty spirit coming against her generation during the Great Depression, that was precisely the time when Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944) remained obedient to the leading of the Spirit to step out in faith and build one of the largest churches in California. With only a small amount of money to begin with, by the end of the construction, she was able to pay for the whole building in cash. Whenever something is coming against us, we must move in the opposite spirit and continue on following the leading of the Holy Spirit even if it doesn’t make any sense. Our circumstances should never dictate whether or not we remain obedient to follow the voice of God.

Blessing

These keys just scratch the surface and are not to be an exhaustive list. My goal is not to be enemy-focused but rather to equip the Body of Christ to both stand and take more ground for the Kingdom of God no matter what we’re faced with. In Christ, we have authority to face and win any battle the Lord leads us into. May you be stirred to be fiercer in your love, more focused on the face of Jesus, burdened with intercession for those who are on the front lines, and courageous like never before. Keeping your eyes on Jesus always, may you continue to move forward toward all that God has for you no matter what comes against you.

Remember that it’s just after the darkest time in the night that the dawn breaks through. Blessing you with courage to remain standing no matter what you are facing today and to endure until the end. Receive a fresh baptism of fire today. He is worthy of it all. I close with a prayer taken from my latest book Walking on Water:

"I pray that your focus never leaves the face of Jesus. I bless you with a fierce determination to take hold of Him no matter what the cost. May you be marked His presence all the days of your life. May you be ruined for anything less than His satisfying love. I bless you with a life that cannot function or exist without His presence. I pray that you are undone by the one thing and that Psalm 27 becomes a new anthem in your life. I pray that you would burn with a fiery passion and fall deeper in love with Jesus each day. May you receive a fresh impartation of hunger for God. May the Holy Spirit continue to come in even greater power for His name's sake. I bless you with a mighty baptism of love and of the fire of God. May you be utterly swept away in the tender love of Jesus until you are willing to go anywhere and do anything to be closer to Him still."

* See a recent blog post entitled How Revivalists Approached Epidemics and podcast that goes with it entitled Hope in the Midst of the Corona Virus.

**See Walking on Water: Experiencing a Life of Miracles, Courageous Faith, and Union with God and Defining Moments (by Bill Johnson) to get more equipped and to dive deeper into these themes…

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.

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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

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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.