The Baby is Here! Courageous New Beginnings
by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD
I declare that Today is the Day of Courageous New Beginnings
“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’”
John 7:37-38 (NIV)
Last Friday (April 24, 2015) our Destiny House family got to be a part of something unforgettable. I was having trouble sleeping Thursday evening so I decided to listen to the Bible on audio. Normally I turn my phone off at night, but since I fell asleep listening to the Word, my phone was left on. Then at 5:16am, I got the call we had all been waiting for. Bethany said it was go time. After believing the baby was coming previous weekend, we were all on baby watch. Now, nearly a week overdue, it was finally time. I sent out the call to everyone who lives at Destiny House. Not long later, we all gathered on the middle floor.
Part of the destiny of our community is to launch people into their destinies from a place of God’s presence and connection with family. We gathered together to worship so that Baby Hess’ first introduction into this world would be in the glory. Bethany was upstairs in a tub of water while we worshiped, danced, prayed, and celebrated what God was bringing into our world. It was an incredible honor to worship as we waited to hear of what was coming next. We were encountering God in unique and beautiful ways while Bethany was upstairs focusing on one thing.
Baby Hess was birthed into this world at 7:37am in the upper room of Destiny House. I encountered God powerfully during the time of her birth while we were worshipping downstairs. I even had to be taken back to my room while everyone else filtered into the house for our 8am regular worship meeting. Our extended community stepped into an environment that had already been pregnant with God’s manifest presence for hours. The momentum continued to build until God began birthing new things in many who showed up that day. It was a sacred moment. We ended up worshipping for six hours straight. Something beautiful and powerful was released that morning in the aftermath of our first physical birth in Destiny House. We have birthed many things before here like missionaries, ministries, businesses, books, CD’s, friendships, dances, callings, and destinies but there was something prophetic for what God did that Friday morning.
The baby was birthed in the upper room of Destiny House. This third floor is the place of promises fulfilled. The third floor was released to us to rent less than a year ago, which meant total alignment for our community. Baby Hess was born into an atmosphere of worship when the entire community came together from 5:30am gathered together for one purpose. Baby Hess was also born in the water. We also believe that the time of 7:37am is important and prophesies into our future season from John 7:37-38.
“On the last and climatic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.’” (MSG)
“On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, ‘Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (NLT)
We also are in the last days of an old season and about to step into a new one. It was on the last days, the finale of a festival, the ending of a season that Jesus stood up and SHOUTED. Meek and mild Jesus shouted! Maybe He had something important to say. Maybe He was urging us to partake because it was important. How many other times does Jesus shout, speak in a loud voice, or cry out? What He had to say then and what He has to say in this verse now and today entering into this new season is important.
Jesus alone is the well we must drink from. Now is a time to renounce any wells we have run to for satisfaction. He alone wants to be the Source who meets our needs and fill our hearts. He alone must be our well of Living Water in this season. I urge you to renounce any well that is not Him and lay it at His feet. Now is a time to have no other lovers but Him. Today is the day to be single focused; to press in so you can release what God is about to birth in and through you. Bethany could not be distracted with what she was going to do next week or think about anything else but pushing out the baby. It took all her energy and her focus.
What is our generation is pregnant with the next Jesus People Movement, the next Welsh Revival, the next Jesus Awakening? Now is the time to focus on Jesus and remember why you were born. What were some of the promises and dreams He put in your heart long ago? What are some of the key prophetic words that have been spoken over your life? What makes you thrive and come alive? Who are you midwives in this season? I urge you to throw anything aside that would distract or hinder you (Hebrews 12:1-3; Romans 12:1-2) and to step into what you were born for, who you were born to be. Don’t look back. Now is your time.
I believe that what happened at Destiny House and within this community is prophetic for what God wants to do and declare over this generation. The baby was born. Fenna Sunrise Hess was born in the context of family and worship. Her name means Courageous New Beginnings. The time of revival has come. It is here. It is now. Rise up. Arise and shine. Now is the time you were made for. You were born for this. Step in.
Just before Azusa Street Revival was birthed in the early 1900s, participant and intercessor Frank Bartleman declared:
The current of revival is sweeping by our door. ‘Pentecost’ is knocking at our doors. The revival for our country is no longer a question. Slowly but surely the tide has been rising until in the very near future we believe for a deluge of salvation that will sweep all before it. Wales will not long stand alone in this glorious triumph for our Christ. The spirit of reviving is coming upon us, driven by the breath of God, the Holy Ghost. The clouds are gathering rapidly, big with a mighty rain, whose precipitation lingers but a little.[i]
Revival is upon us; it is now at our door. It is here today. The nation of Australia has called the world to pray and fast this week from April 30-May 6, 2015 for revival in United States. What does God want to do this week? Maybe now is our time as a generation to stand up and shine. Maybe now is the time for each one of us to throw off anything that might hold us back and run fiercely into the arms of the One that loves us more than we could ever imagine. Maybe now is the time when we will strip ourselves from offenses, unforgiveness, doubts, and anything that hinders and choose to be united to see God’s Kingdom come in love and power like never before. Maybe now is the defining moment our generation was born for to step into our Promised Land.
If you feel a stirring but don’t know what to do or where to go next, don’t fear. Jesus is the WAY, the Truth, and the Life. All your answers are found in Him. When you don’t know what else to do, dive even deeper into His presence. He is the well of living water. We must come to Him and Him alone to drink and to find life, satisfaction, purpose, and destiny. Abraham was told to leave his country but had no idea where he was to go next. Sometimes we don’t know where to go but we know we can’t stay in our present situation. That’s okay. Lean into Him and respond to His leading even if it doesn’t make sense. He will get you to where you need to be as you trust in Him. As you dive even deeper into the well of Living Water and lean into Him, may streams of living waters burst from your belly; may floodgates of the Spirit explode inside of you, leaving a path of God’s Kingdom come wherever you go.
There’s a call to go deeper still in this season. Will you dive in? Now is the time. Do not be afraid. He will gently and violently guide you into the secret places of His heart, revealing things that will mark you for life with His unending love.
I bless you with single-minded focus in this season (Psalm 27). I pray that an unquenchable thirst for Jesus alone would arise within you and that you would cling to Him alone. May you become one with Him like never before. In the remaining few days of this closing season, I pray you would be refined in the fire so nothing impure can enter into the next season with you. I pray you would finish well, be consumed with Jesus alone, and that there would be such a mighty outpouring of the Spirit in your life that it would propel you into the new season with momentum, acceleration, overflow, love, courage, and increased power in Jesus’ name, Amen.
To listen to more on this subject when Jen released this similar word in reference to the Welsh Revival to the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry April 14, 2015 go HERE.