by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being likeminded, having the same love, being in one spirit and purpose..." Philippians 2:1-3

It feels like Awakening Europe was a fulfillment of these words. Friends from around the world all came together for one purpose, to see Europe saved and transformed by the love of God. There was no other agenda but Jesus. There was no competition, no striving, no trying to get a higher position. If anything, people were trying to get lower still so they could lay down to worship before the throne of King Jesus. 

Family: Seeing the leadership of this event unite in prayer, worship, and praise together because they all wanted to see more people enter into the family of God was such a beautiful sight. The conference felt more like a huge family reunion  than anything else. We all just worshipped Jesus together and sought to invite even more people into our growing family as children of God. Seeing Ben Fitzgerald, Todd White, Heidi Baker, Jake Hamilton, and so many more from around the world come together for one purpose, to glorify and make the name of Jesus known in Europe was such a pure offering unto the Lord. Whether it was at the breakfast table or during the meetings, there was such a precious unity in love that marked this community of saints in a special way. It was family burning for Jesus and doing the work of the Kingdom together.

Faith: Faith marked this conference in a special way. The speakers and leaders for this event all seemed to walk in a high level of faith. Ben and Todd stepped out in faith to get a stadium for this one purpose when they didn't have the funds to pay it yet. Even when the conference started, they were short thousands of dollars to cover the expense. On the final day of the conference however, all the money came in to cover the costs. Awakening Europe was a present day Nehemiah story coming together. Only God could have unified a community of Jesus lovers to unite as one to see His Kingdom come to Europe in such a short time with everything coming together so beautifully. Praise the Lord for His incredible provision and the miracle of this conference becoming a reality. 

Hunger: The people from around the world who flocked to Nurnberg this past weekend carried a powerful hunger for Jesus. There was a desperation in their cries for more of the Holy Spirit. There was passion in their voices as they sang at the top of their lungs to give Jesus praise due His name. There was a sacred hunger present. More of Jesus at any cost was a prominent theme. Those who are hungry shall be filled.

When there was a call to encounter God's love for the first time in the Friday night meeting, the people streamed down from the stadium and literally ran on the track to the end of the field so they could consecrate their lives unto the Lord. There was even one point during Walter Heidenreich's session that a girl ran on the field as fast as she could towards the front of the stage. She was hungry and desperate for more of God. The crowd cheered her on and the security guards tried to catch her. She made it nearly to the front before she was surrounded and then fell to the ground. She was hungry for more of God at any cost. Her hunger reminds me of the time in the late 1990s when Heidi Baker ran up to the front of the church in the middle of Randy Clark's message because she was so hungry for more. She was marked by his prayer that day. Hunger truly does attract the heart of God. 

One Thing: The conference started out with no agenda but worshipping and encountering Jesus. The very first night, the Holy Spirit took over that stadium and flowed through the voices with beautiful praise to Jesus. Heidi Baker was scheduled to speak Saturday night with several other smaller meetings and sessions that day. She felt God drawing her to come away and be with Him that day before the evening session. She was torn because she would have to cancel meetings to do that and she didn't want to let people down. One by one she began to cancel her other meetings so she could spend the day with Jesus and prepare for the evening. She modeled Psalm 27 in such a special way. When she spoke that night, she even mentioned how God can accomplish more in one minute in His presence than in a lifetime without it. She had made the right choice. Obedience is better than sacrifice. 

This conference was marked by the One Thing. The family of believers came from around the world, unified by the Holy Spirit, carrying faith for the impossible, drawing hungry hearts together all to see the name of Jesus be glorified in Europe. Thousands were saved. Many were set free from shame. Multitudes were activated to be Jesus to those around them in their everyday lives. Many in and outside the stadium were healed and encountered the love of God like never before.

I am so thankful for friends and the family of God coming together with no other agenda than to worship Jesus and to make Him famous. I truly believe that Europe indeed was awakened to hunger for something more this weekend. Hope arose in the hearts of those present. A nation was lit on fire by the Holy Spirit this week. Ripple effects for eternity will come from what God poured out this weekend. Years from now and even generations from now, stories will continue to be told about how God met us in Nurnberg, Germany at Awakening Europe. 

May this conference be a template, a new wine skin for carrying what God wants to pour out in our generation. May releasing the heart of God always come from a place of being united in love as a family. May every conference or series of meetings begin with no other agenda than to encounter the living God. May space be made to yield to  the spontaneous leading of the Holy Spirit. May a sweet sacrifice of worship and our lives always be poured out before our King. May every single gathering of believers forever be marked and led by the One Thing.

"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple." Psalm 27:4

May you receive a fresh impartation of what God did at Europe Awakening. May you run after Jesus and never look back. May you realize that you need family to fulfill your destiny. May God surround you with kindred spirits who will burn with you. May faith arise to step into the impossible. May hunger increase so that you are so desperate to have more of Jesus that you will take hold of Him at any cost. May everything you do come from a place of deep intimacy with Jesus. May you be aligned once again with Jesus as the most important One in your life. May you be undone for anything else but knowing Jesus and making Him known. Amen.

See also Reformations, Great Awakenings, and New Tidal Waves of Glory on the Horizon: Europe Awakening

by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD

I have never seen people run to Jesus like I did tonight. Jesus Culture led some wonderful worship followed by Todd White bringing a powerful message. He talked about how when one squeezes an orange, they get orange juice but wondered why when the devil squeezes a Christian, we don't always get more of Jesus. Todd was encouraging us to be Jesus to those around us. Then at the end of his message, he called for all who had not encountered God's love to stand up. When many across the stadium stood to their feet and the crowd cheered. Then Todd told them to run quickly to the end of the stadium where a ministry team was prepared to receive them. He told them to hurry. There was a track there so they should run. After he said this, I saw across the stadium a small crowd of hungry ones running as fast as they could on the track to the end of the stadium. When they did that, I could feel the glory of God fall in a special way. It was such an anointed time. Hundreds of people cascaded towards the field so they could give their lives to Jesus.

Then after this, Todd had the several thousands gathered at the end of the field get down on their knees and repeat a prayer. Following this, he had the rest of those in the stadium extend their hands and ask for a BAPTISM OF FIRE. When people don't just say a little salvation prayer but also ask for fire of the Spirit to come and baptize them, the odds are that they are likely going to burn for Jesus immediately. God touched them as well as many others in the stadium in a powerful way. 

There was a special presence in the stadium tonight, many on the verge of tears because His presence hovered over them. When the Holy Spirit crashed in on them, they could no longer hold back the tears. 

God did a marvelous and wonderful work with many being added to the Kingdom tonight. I thank God for bringing so many to receive His great love. Ripple effects for eternity were initiated by what God did tonight. Towards the end of the session, Ben Fitzgerald and Todd White ended up on their knees and on their faces together on the stage in worship once again. The unity, brotherhood, family atmosphere here is contagious There's zero competition. This gathering is truly all about Jesus. There's no other agenda than to encounter Him and make His name famous. Everyone is yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit and letting God have His way. I hope and pray this becomes a normal for the future of the church in this and future generations. I believe it will.

by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD

Walking into the empty stadium before the event and knowing that in a short time the stadium would be filled with over 25,000 people from over 25 nations around the world congregrating for the One Thing, stirred my heart with peace and anticipation. Seeing friends from Redding and around the world who decided to make the trek out to Germany to be a part of this historic event and to support our friend Ben Fitzgerald birthing his dream was a special welcoming to the event. 

The evening started out with a roar from the crowd when the procession of nations came out onto the field each holding a different flag. Worship filled the stadium as the people strolled in to take their seats. Then after a few words about how now is the time to arise and shine (Isaiah 60) from Ben Fitzgerald, instead of having a packed program for the night filled with speakers and announcements, the only agenda was to love Jesus and to worship Him together. There on the stage, in front of thousands of people, Ben, Todd White, and their friends knelt down and started singing praises to their King. This reminded me of the first time I saw Heidi Baker over 15 years ago when she came to my school at the time, Vanguard University, and knelt down in front of a chapel service filled with well off white students. I was marked by her devotion to Jesus and her passion for the Lord that day. I was also marked by the simplicity, hunger, and passion of the leaders kneeling before Jesus in the stadium last night, singing songs of worship at the top of their lungs to give Him praise. 

As we all started to worship our King together in a stadium that once was used to send out evil around the world, waves of praise and clapping and spontaneous outbreaks of love towards Jesus flowed from the crowd to heaven. Many times we all just shouted the name of "Jesus" as loud as we could to proclaim His name over the nation.

This time set apart for nothing other than to love Jesus and encounter God reminded me of what I imagine the early meetings at the Welsh Revival looked like. People came from around the world for one purpose only, to encounter God. Spontaneous worship and space for the Holy Spirit took priority.  Over 100,000 people came to know Jesus within a matter of a few months in the nation of Wales in 1904-1905. I feel we are on the verge of the next Jesus People Movement and Awakening coming very soon, where a harvest of people encountering God will far surpass what God did in Wales in such a short time. I am honored to take part in such a historic event. May all who are reading this, near and far, receive a fresh overflow and impartation of what God is doing here. May your hearts burn for the glory of God and may the name of Jesus ever be on your lips. Blessing you from Nurnberg, Germany,

Jen

by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD[1]

AWAKENING EUROPE: Nuremberg, Germany July 9-12, 2015

Something is about to be unleashed in Germany this summer.                                                      

Over 20,000 people from 25 nations are going to gather together in Nuremberg, Germany July 9-12, 2015 to invite God’s Kingdom to come. In a stadium where Hitler once raised up and trained his army, Ben Fitzgerald, Todd White and others are going to gather an army of Jesus lovers to send throughout the world carrying the fire of the Holy Spirit and the love of God. Heidi Baker, Jesus Culture band, an many others have rearranged their plans to be a part of what God wants to do. Awakening Europe is just the beginning of the turning of the tide for Germany, Europe, and the world.

When I asked Ben Fitzgerald, Australian born evangelist who is also a pastor at Bethel Church Redding, why he chose Germany for this first event, he said, “God chose Germany and I said ‘yes’ to His choosing.” It was the Lord who put it his and Todd’s heart. Rather than having the people there just repent all of the time for things in the past, Ben believes “God also wants people to get to the place where they are actually walking into the fullness of what God has for them and for Europe’s future.” He sees that Germany is ripe for what God is about to do in all the earth and he believes “a great catalytic fire is going to leave Germany and go across Europe and that millions of people are going to come back to God in the next few years.”

It is in Germany’s destiny to release an army of Jesus lovers who will infiltrate the world with the Father’s love. The rest of the world will see ripple effects for eternity in what God will release at Awakening Europe; for the wells being tapped into are deep. Awakening Europe is beginning in a land steeped with rich spiritual momentum and inheritance. The Protestant Reformation, The Moravians, The Great Awakening, the Bible translated into vernacular language and printed around the world, and more has been released from this place. Germany is a land filled with momentum, reformation, and awakening to impact generations and nations.

THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther (1483-1546) lit a flame that reformed the Christianity of his day, breaking people out of religious cycles that had entrapped them for hundreds of years. It was that day when Luther posted his 95 Theses on a church door in Wittenberg. These were translated from Latin into German, printed on the newly invented Gutenberg printing press, and then quickly spread throughout Europe.

Luther’s 95 Theses were not initially intended to be a refined amendment to the pope. Originally, this was an act of inviting people to debate over these issues within the Catholic Church. 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 in turn transformed a religious system.

This reformation brought religious freedom and freedom from the religious spirit. It was a revolution to release the Kingdom of God to the common people. It was in Germany where old wine skins were challenged and abolished and where new wine skins were filled to overflowing with the wine from heaven. A new paradigm for the church was released where the common person could now connect with God without having to go through a priest. The world is continuing to experience the ripple effects of one sold out Jesus lover named Martin Luther.[2]

THE GREAT AWAKENING

Over 200 years later, Martin Luther’s work on the book of Romans was catalytic for another soon to be reformer named John Wesley (1703-1791). Before this happened, German Moravian missionaries already began to have a great impact on the young Englishman. While Wesley was traveling by boat to America in 1735-1736, he encountered a community of Moravians. Recalling that dangerous Sunday on February 25, 1736, Wesley wrote in his journal:

At noon our third storm began. At four it was more violent than before. At seven I went to the Germans. I had long before observed the great seriousness of their behaviour. Of their humility they had given a continual proof… In the midst of the psalm wherewith their service began, the sea broke over, split the mainsail in pieces, covered the ship, and poured in between the decks, as if the great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible screaming began among the English. The Germans calmly sung on. I asked one of them afterwards, "Was you not afraid?" He answered, "I thank God, no." I asked, "But were not your women and children afraid?" He replied, mildly, "No; our women and children are not afraid to die."[3]

Wesley was deeply impacted by the Moravian’s trust in God in the midst of the storms. While he feared for his life, they rested secure in the Father’s love. He arrived safely to America and then upon his return to England a year later, he met another German Moravian missionary named Peter Böhler, who had just been ordained by Nicolaus von Zinzendorf. They immediately struck up a friendship and regularly spoke about theological matters.[4]

Wesley’s interactions with the Germans caused him to rethink his theology. After struggling with his own faith and being challenged by the peace and assurance found in his new friends, on May 24, 1738 in London, he “went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans.”[5] While there, he encountered God like never before. He wrote,

About a quarter before nine, while he [the minister] was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.[6]

Wesley was marked by the love of God like never before. Not long after this encounter, he went to Herrnhut, Germany for three months so he could receive even more impartation from the Moravians. He returned back home to England just in time for New Year’s Eve where he got together with his community to pray and worship into the New Year. He recalled this time together:

About three in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of his Majesty, we broke out with one voice, "We praise thee, O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.”[7]

God crashed in on this community of saints in the early hours of New Year’s Day. This gathering of hearts became the catalytic flame to ignite the Great Awakening.

Following this outpouring, Wesley and some of his friends began open air preaching and releasing the Kingdom of God wherever they went. He and his brother Charles, later founded the Methodist Movement where they raised up, trained, and launched many lay people into the ministry. Another new paradigm for church was born. The Methodist movement later gave birth to the Holiness movement, which greatly contributed to the Pentecostal movement. Today there are over 80 million members in 133 countries under the World Methodist Council, not including other churches that have been influenced by Wesley’s legacy.[8]

Wesley opened his heart and was able to receive an impartation of God’s great inheritance from the Germans who trusted God deeply and loved to live in community together. Part of the reason Methodism has lasted so long is because it was housed in relationships and discipleship. Everywhere that Methodism has influenced can trace its roots back to the Germans.

THE COMING TSUNAMI WAVE & BILLIONS' SOUL HARVEST

German soil is embedded with Reformation and Awakening. Courage and Community marked these movements that are still impacting the world today. The things that come from Germany are not just for one generation; they impact generations. I did not even have time to mention Johannes Gutenberg, Johann Christoph Blumhardt, George Müller, Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Reinhard Bonnke, and the many other legends that also arose from German soil who all made an impact far beyond their own nation and generation.[9]

This is part of the legacy of Germany; this is part of the inheritance we can tap into. Awakening Europe is about raising up an army of Jesus lovers who will bring billions of souls into the new harvest. God wants to raise up people who will live such sold out lives that their offering to God will be felt generations from now. Great great great grandchildren will be impacted by how God is going to shake Germany this summer.

In line with the legacy and momentum already built in Germany, Ben’s dream for Germany and Europe is that Jesus will become a household name. His prayer is that “religious denominational barriers would be broken down, and that there would be a hunger in people to see others come back to God.” He is believing for a “majority, not a minority, of European people” who will be talking about Jesus and be born again. His dream is that millions of people over the next 5 years will be saved.

In preparation for Awakening Europe, Ben encourages us to “open wide the gates of our hearts for the King of glory to come in and to take over.” He wants each one to capture God’s heart for the nations and personally know the manifest love of Christ. His desire is that we “receive a vision of God’s love individually ” so we can “supernaturally be full of Jesus and be free.” When this happens, it’s going to affect everyone around us.

What if the presence and glory of God is so powerful and becomes so prevalent in our daily lives that people encounter His transformative love when they encounter us?

It’s coming. Prepare your hearts. God is gathering an army of Reformed and Awakened hearts.

It’s time to arise. It’s time to find those other burning ones who will say “yes” to wherever God leads. Find your people, and run. Run with everything inside of you into His loving arms and bring as many people as you can into that space of His glory love. Prepare your hearts for what is coming. Prepare your spirits for the biggest outpouring and Tsunami wave of revival ever to hit the earth.

The momentum has already begun. Martin Luther, the Moravians, and many others have been preparing the way. The wave has been building from generation to generation. It’s not a new wave; it’s a wave of synergy and momentum that has been forming for centuries. Layer upon layer. It’s a wave of Reformation, Great Awakening, Revival and more; and it’s rapidly on its way. Position yourselves exactly where He wants you to be in this season. Total consecration, total surrender, and total possession of the Holy Spirit are a must for this coming wave of glory not to crush us. Walk in purity, passion, and total obedience so that when the swell comes you are positioned to ride the wildest wave of your life. Ben says, “Maybe the great move of God we are waiting for will simply come when we make a move.” I agree. Grab your board and jump in. Its time to paddle out towards the horizon and position yourself to surf the biggest wave history has ever seen!

[1] Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD, is the Founding Director of Destiny House Redding, revival historian, ordained Iris Minister, and author who is excited to partner with what God is doing in Germany this summer. You can learn more about her and her ministry at www.silvertogold.com.

[2] The section on Martin Luther comes from an article by Jennifer A. Miskov entitled, “How Halloween is a Catalytic Day for Reformation, Revival, and Destiny” on http://silvertogold.com/blog/2013/10/29/how-halloween-october-31st-is-a-catalytic-day-of-reformation-revival-and-destiny

[3]John Wesley, The Journal of John Wesley, inThe Heart of John Wesley’s Journal, ed. Percy Livingstone Parker (London: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1903), 6-8. See Bill Johnson with Jennifer A. Miskov, Defining Moments (Whitaker House 2016) to learn more about Wesley’s defining moment.

[4]Wesley, The Journal of John Wesley, 33. Further, Böhler was 25. See John Telford, The Life of John Wesley (New York: Hunt and Eaton, originally 1924 but copyrighted 1998 through Wesleyan Heritage Publications), 96.

[5] Martin Luther, “Preface to the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans,” can be accessed here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/luther/prefacetoromans.pdf

[6] Wesley, The Journal of John Wesley, 42-45.

[7]“Mon. Jan. 1, 1739. Mr. Hall, Kinchin, Ingham, Whitefield, Hutchins, and my brother Charles, were present at our love-feast in Fetter-lane, with about sixty of our brethren…” John Wesley, The Journal of the Rev. John Wesley in Everyman’s Library vol.1, ed. Ernest Rhys (London: J.M. Dent & Sons Limited, London, 1906), 169. Accessed on http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015041157986;view=1up;seq=10

[8] http://worldmethodistcouncil.org/about/member-churches/ accessed June 18, 2015.

[9] See Jennifer A. Miskov, “Coloring Outside the Lines: Pentecostal Parallels with Expressionism. The Work of the Spirit in Place, Time, and Secular Society?” Journal of Pentecostal Theology 19 (2010) 94–117 to learn how German Expressionism ties into the mix and Jennifer A. Miskov, Life on Wings: The Forgotten Life and Theology of Carrie Judd Montgomery (Cleveland, TN: CPT Press, 2012) to learn more about the development of faith and healing homes in which Johann Cristoph Blumhardt played a part.

by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD

Isaiah 43:16-19

"This is what the Lord says - He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters...'Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past (unless feasting on His faithfulness and testimonies of old). 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.'"

As I reflect on what God did one year ago when I didn’t have a plane ticket but showed up at the airport by faith anyway, I am undone by His goodness. The above passage was one that I mediated on weeks before the miracle happened. I needed God to part the waters of impossibilities on my behalf. Several days before my miracle occurred, I texted a friend and said, "I am believing God will make a way and that this testimony will be sent out to dismantle strongholds of fear and infuse this generation with hope in a God who loves to love us!" This is my prayer for you today as you read the full testimony or watch the video. May this story inspire you to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit regardless of the circumstances. May hope and faith arise in you to follow your heart and dive deep into the community God has for you in this season.

Who are your people in this season?

God so loves family, friends, and relationships. In the midst of transitions, the question I always ask myself and encourage others to ask is not necessarily where, what, or how but who? Who do you feel God is aligning you to run with in this next season? What do you most burn for and who else burns for the same thing (Healing, Revival, Family, Evangelism, Glory, Missions)? Our destiny is found deep within God’s heart and also within the hearts of the people He has called us to run with. How can you position yourself to dive deep into relationship with God and with the community He has for you to synergize with in this season? What does your dream of this look like for the summer?

I believe that today marks a new season in our lives. New friendships and partnerships will form this summer that weren’t there before. You will go deeper in existing friendships while at the same time celebrate and thank God for a season of life you had with some friends who are now transitioning to other things. As you step out in faith towards the impossibilities God has put in your heart, those who are called to run with you in a deeper way will arise. Stay in peace, through all the change, God’s got you and remains faithful and present. Cling to your best friend Jesus who never will leave you and is always so for you.

Yesterday afternoon, Carmella, one of the ladies who lives at Destiny House, started screaming and praising Jesus really loud downstairs when I was relaxing in my room above. Not long later she came running into my room explosive with excitement. She told me that when she was packing up, she came across a book she had for Bethel School of Supernatural Ministries about the life of healing revivalist William Branham. For whatever reason that book caught her eye more than the others so she decided to browse through it, only to find 11 $20 bills right in the middle of the book. The book has been kept on the shelf for some time and she has no idea how the money got there, but God… She said, “What an incredible answer to prayer!!! God is SO good. Lost for words, other than screaming down the house. Thank you Jesus! Life note to self: In God's Kingdom I am not bound by lack or limitation. Amen.”

So in regards to Miracle Flights or Miracle money appearing from out of nowhere, God is good and loves to bless His kids who follow their hearts and don’t look back. May you receive an incredible impartation of courage to follow your heart today, clinging to Jesus your only hope. As you step out, may you see God do miracles on your behalf, simply because He loves you. Amen.

by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD (originally posted on May 23, 2015)

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.” Joel 3:14

Blessings over each of you during this time of transition! I want to encourage you to dive into this glorious yet beautifully dangerous path to the season ahead. I use the word dangerous because we are about to embark on a wild adventure where we must throw off all constraints and cling fearlessly to our Father in heaven. Many of us are being led by the Spirit onto the edge of a cliff where there is nothing but an unknown abyss welcoming us below. The wind of the Spirit is coming behind and leading us closer to the edge. As we are about to jump into the unknown, our only option is to cling to Jesus and trust that He is going to give us wings to fly or will catch us. This movement into the unknown is good and is actually the Lord leading us into a new level of intimacy and trust with Him.

This is what it felt like for me nearly 1 year ago when I set off for the San Francisco airport without a plane ticket. It was at the airport that I experienced God move mountains to get me to England for my friend’s wedding the following day. Next week, I celebrate the 1 year anniversary of that miracle flight. It is not surprising to me that nearly everyone I speak with is experiencing major transition right now. People are moving, transitioning jobs, graduating, birthing babies, or getting married. God is very near in the day of decision and in the midst of transition. Hold tight to Him and trust that all this shifting and change is actually Him working to align you to be perfectly positioned for what is coming next. Press into Him and trust that He is for you and working on your behalf behind the scenes (Romans 8).

As I enter into this new season ahead, the Lord has been speaking to me a lot through Joshua 3 to encourage me. Joshua was leading his tribe into a new season and into a new land. Right before Joshua was about to do the impossible and part the Jordan (in a similar way that his predecessor Moses parted the Red Sea), he encouraged his people to be led by the presence of God into this next breakthrough.

“After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before…’”  Joshua 3:2-4

We, too, are being led into the depths of uncertainty in order to enter a place we have never been before. We are about to go deeper in the Spirit, in relationships, in seeing God’s Kingdom come, and in being a part of an outpouring of the Spirit greater than we have ever experienced or even heard about before. We must stay true to the Word but also listen to His voice and follow His presence wherever He leads, even into unusual places.

In preparation for this great breakthrough, Joshua also called his tribe to wholly and totally consecrate themselves so they could focus on stepping into the impossibility before them.

Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.’” Joshua 3:5

It’s time to focus and be totally set apart so we can step into all that God has for us in this upcoming season. Don’t be distracted from what God is really doing all around you. And don’t be surprised if God leads you into unlikely places or takes you somewhere you have never been before. Something beautiful and marked with destiny is on the other side of this challenge, trial, transition, fight you are facing. Put your hope in God, fix your eyes on Jesus, and be completely led by the peace in your heart and presence of God during this time. You are about to step onto ground and go places that you have never ventured to before. I bless you to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, worship Him even more fiercely, be knit together in the tribe He wants you to run with in this season, and be filled with courage to cling to Him always. Enjoy the ride and know always that He is right there with you, positioning you for greater destiny, glory, and synergy.

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.

[i] Frank Bartleman, How Pentecost Came to Los Angeles: As it was in the Beginning 2nd Edition (Los Angeles, CA: Frank Bartleman, originally April 1925), 39 and now printed by Christian Classic Ethereal Library (Grand Rapids, MI) accessible http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bartleman/los.pdf

by Jennifer A. Miskov

Originally written on 12/10/2007 in England

Is there even more freely available to us in this moment if we just ask? See what one woman of God wrote over 100 years ago in relation to this...

“There is no joy that in any way compares with the joy of the fullness of the Holy Ghost. Reader, do you know the joy of the Lord? Have you received that peace that passeth understanding? Are you able to bear ridicule for Jesus’ sake, with sweetness and forbearance? Are you able to give witness day by day in your daily life, and by your words, of Jesus’ power to save? If not, then you need to be empowered by the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire to live a victorious life, and to obey the command to Jesus to make disciples. Matt. 28:19,20. Let me urge you to seek this great blessing which was promised to us by the Father. ‘How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him.’ ‘Ask and it shall be given you.’ Luke 11:13,9.”

Written by Minnie Abrams in 1906 and taken from her booklet The Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Fire. She was a missionary with Pandita Ramabai in the Mukti Revival in India.

Have we experienced this full measure of God’s presence and Spirit in our lives today? It was at the heart of The Azusa Street Revival and other global centers during the birth of the Pentecostal movement at the beginning of the twentieth century. People hungry to experience the Holy Spirit completely through Spirit baptism is at the heart of early Pentecostal history.

I do think it is important to not become too obsessed in seeking out an experience. But at the same time, what if we are missing out on something because God has such a wonderful gift He wants to give us, yet we are not seeking it out, not taking hold of the already promised gift. This already promised gift that people in the early twentieth century took hold of affected their lives greatly. From 1906-1910, more than 50 countries were visited by missionaries that came out of the Azusa Street revival. That is a pretty amazing statistic coming from a movement that at its core was made up of people hungry to experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The gift of tongues following that experience was also of great importance for the people back then. Many people experienced greater anointing, increased satisfaction in Christ, more conviction to evangelize, and deeper love than they had before.

So what if this CHRISTmas time, God wants to give us a new gift, a new present that we haven’t experienced thus far. This gift won’t save us, for we have already received His Son. But this new present coming in the form of the Holy Spirit rather than a baby wrapped up in swaddling cloths may have a significant and profound effect on our lives as it did others a century before us. This CHRISTmas time, maybe it is time to specifically ask God for a new gift. It doesn’t hurt to ask and the results may be astonishing, as they were in the early 1900s. And even if we have already experience this Spirit baptism, why not ask to be baptized again in the floods of His immense love? Holy Spirit flood us afresh today I pray!

To learn more about this, check out Spirit Flood: Rebirth of Spirit Baptism for the 21st Century (In Light of the Azusa Street Revival and the Life of Carrie Judd Montgomery)

I wrote this when I lived in England sometime around 2010 and wanted to re-release it because it is always good to be reminded of such a relentless and all consuming love freely accessible to us today. Be blessed with a fresh baptism of the Father's love...

This is a picture of my friend Craig holding his newborn baby who came into the world just 5 days before this shot was taken. For me this is such a beautiful reminder for Christmas on two different levels. First, it reminds me how Jesus obediently chose to leave the perfect union He had with the Father for the sole purpose of living a life He knew would be filled with suffering. Regardless of the risks He would have to take, Jesus chose to come, not as the victorious King, but rather as a completely vulnerable and dependent baby.  He did this because of such an intense and amazing love for each one of us.

Can you believe that someone would knowingly engage in a life that would be filled with suffering all because of the joy that would one day be set before Him? This joy of knowing us and loving us was greater than the pain (Hebrews 12). I am awe struck at Jesus’ relentless passion and pursuit of our hearts at any cost, in fact, at all costs. Such perfect love pursues us today, even when we feel lonely and rejected and unwanted. Let us remember the extreme and ultimate journey Jesus embarked on in our behalf, for the purpose of knowing us and inviting us into the immense measure of love found in Him.

On the other level, this picture also reminds me of God the Father’s love. It is easy to see that in the father’s eyes, his son can do no wrong. He is loved perfectly exactly how he is. Not only did God the Father send His son as a baby into this world, but He did it so that we could have relationship with Him. And the beautiful thing is, just as my friend Craig is adoring his baby, so God the Father adores us, exactly as we are. We don’t have to do a thing to earn His love. We don’t have to be good enough, pure enough, righteous enough, or do enough good works, but He loves us just exactly the way we are here and now, today in this moment. And the beautiful thing is, this will never change. I know many of us already know these facts but I also understand that sometimes it is the hardest thing to simply receive this great big love.

Let us take even 5 minutes today to stop and picture ourselves as the child in the Father’s arms and simply receive the acceptance, delight, and joy that emanates from His face onto us, His beloved children. May the Holy Spirit still our lives and open our hearts to receive an increased measure of the Father’s love. May each one of us be blessed this Christmas season and be reminded of the intense, persistent, and passionate love that has been demonstrated on our behalf.

For those hungrier still, there is another gift that is also freely available to those who want to open and receive it…Check out "A New kind of Christmas Present"to learn more.

Much love and peace to each of you during this season,

Jen

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.’” Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)

What is the Power of the Testimony?

Testimony is a critical part of partnering with God to fulfill all that He has called us to do and to become; it is essential for stepping into our fullest destiny in Him. Testimony is recounting or re-telling a story of how God moved in one’s life. In releasing and remembering the history of God, faith is released in the atmosphere. Testimony comes from root word that means “to do again.” Bill Johnson talks about how releasing a testimony creates an atmosphere for the miracle to be duplicated; testimony is about wanting God to do it again. He states that “Testimony is the Spirit of Prophecy.” If prophecy causes change in present events, then releasing a testimony is like prophesying into the future.[1]

The Israelites’ biggest mistake was in forgetting the testimonies of the things God had done on their behalf. Disregarding God’s faithfulness caused one whole generation to miss out on their destiny. This forgetfulness was where they first went wrong when they got themselves into trouble. God wanted them to remember what He had done on their behalf because He knew that it would be strength to help propel them into a new and greater season.

Surfing: Tapping into the Currents of Testimony [2]

The Power of the Testimony is like surfing. The place where I grew up bodyboarding and surfing is in Newport Beach, California. At this beach there are jetties, or rock piles, spaced along the beach every 4 blocks. If surfers do not know this surf spot, they might paddle out in the middle of the 2 jetties. Because they are unaware of the landscape and the currents, it will take that person much longer to paddle out to get to the big waves. They will hopefully still make it out to the big waves, however, they will be more exhausted and it will take them twice as long to get there. They will also likely receive a greater pounding on their paddle out and have to overcome more resistance. On the contrary, the locals know that the best place to paddle out is right next to the jetty/rock pile because there is a current there. They know that this current will take them out to the big waves with minimal paddling and duck diving (going under oncoming waves). This choice may look dangerous to the onlooker because it is so near the rocks. However, because the locals know the currents, they will make it out to the big waves using half the energy and in half the time. They have learned the art of tapping into the specific currents that will get them to the big waves.

This is the beauty of the power of the testimony. It is simply tapping into the faith currents of those who have come before to launch us out even further into the big waves of what God is doing in our generation. We can pull not only from Scripture and prophetic words but also from testimonies of those who have come before us. We can ride their faith stream to deeper breakthrough and destiny. When we discover the currents of those who have come before us, we won’t have to paddle so hard. Tapping into these faith streams can take us farther than we could go on our own. They can take us deeper in God than we’ve ever know. They can make us brave.

Healing Revivalist Carrie Judd Montgomery (1848-1956) and Destiny House [3]

It was in part from tapping into Carrie Judd Montgomery’s testimony that increased my own faith in stepping out to establish Destiny House. Even though Carrie Judd Montgomery had only enough money for the first few months rent, she was not afraid to step out in faith to establish one of the earliest healing homes in the country in the 1880s. By one decision of responding to the leading of the Holy Spirit against all odds while in her early 20s, Carrie’s healing homes have outlasted her and continue on to this day, over 100 years later. The Home of Peace in Oakland, California was founded by Carrie in 1893 and became a place for people to experience healing. It also became a meeting place for prominent leaders to encounter God together and be baptized with the Holy Spirit. This historic revival center is still open today. If you are ever in the area, I highly suggest a visit.[4]

During a time when I had no car, no job, and was desperate to find the right place to live, I pulled from Carrie’s testimony and followed in her footsteps. I felt the Lord was leading me to a certain house but did not yet know why. I held tightly to Carrie’s testimony as I stepped out in faith towards this impossibility. I hoped I was not making the biggest mistake of my life although at that time I couldn’t be certain. It would either be the biggest mistake of my life or my biggest breakthrough. With fear and trembling, I chose to believe that if God could do something powerful and long lasting through Carrie Judd Montgomery’s act of faith, He could do the same through mine. I decided to take out all the money I had towards the first month’s rent and deposit of the house. From that one decision in February 2012, standing on Carrie’s testimony and Scriptures of old (Ephesians 3:20, Matthew 6:33, Philippians 1:6), God came through to establish the beginning foundations for what would later be called Destiny House.

Since acquiring the first floor, less than 6 months later we were able to also rent the bottom floor. Two years later, the top floor was released for us to rent. This meant that the whole home and community who lived there was now set aside for one thing, to worship Jesus and give Him praise in the context of family for the next 100 years straight. Influenced by Carrie’s Home of Peace and building on those testimonies, we believe that as God’s presence is cultivated in that space over time, people will walk by or walk in and instantly be healed because of the saturated measure of God’s presence flowing from a unified soil. Standing on and pulling from Carrie’s testimony played a crucial role in this breakthrough. Riding on Carrie’s faith stream, I was able to break deeper into my destiny.

4 Streams of the Testimony

There are 4 streams of the testimony that I regularly tap into to be launched into a greater measure of my destiny.

1. Scripture and stories of old
2. Revivalists and people of faith from the past
3. Present day testimonies of God working through people today
4. Your personal God history

In the earlier days of my Christian walk, I tapped into the stream of feasting on testimonies of old found in the Bible. After this, I discovered another stream found in revival history. I became inspired by the great faith of those who have come before. I have also been able to tap into the stream of testimonies of present day heroes of the faith. As my journey with the Lord has grown, I have developed my own history with Him. In addition to tapping into the faith of those who have come before, I can now pull from my own testimonies to launch me even deeper into my destiny. Discovering the value of the power of the testimony has been a process. Now, it is life to my soul. Tapping into these streams of testimony have helped launch me from California to England with no money in my pocket, establish Destiny House, and release healing, courage, and faith to many.

Miracle Flying [5]

In one crazy breakthrough that happened not long after we acquired all three floors of Destiny House, I was able to integrate all 4 of the testimony streams. I felt led of the Spirit to go to England for my friend’s wedding May 30, 2014. However, the necessary funds never came in. In fact, the opposite happened when I got hit with unexpected taxes about a month before. It was impossible for me to buy the $1600 plane ticket to England. Even with these set backs just a week before the wedding, I still felt that God was sending me to England for such a time as this.

In this situation, I integrated all 4 aspects of tapping into the testimony to move toward my stepping into the impossible. I feasted on Isaiah 43:16-19 which says, “This is what the Lord says – he who made a way through the sea, 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.” I reminded myself of Moses standing before the impossibility of the Red Sea and I asked God to do the same thing again in my situation.

I also feasted on testimonies of those from the past. I remembered the story of a Welsh man named Rees Howells who stepped out in faith to get in line to buy a train ticket even though he didn’t have the funds. By the time he got into the front of the line, someone had pulled him aside and had given him the money to cover the ticket. I also remembered the story of when John G. Lake was led of the Spirit to sail to South Africa with his wife and 7 children even though he had only $1.50 to his name. This was not nearly enough to cover the $125 immigration tax he would need to pay to get off the boat once they landed. When they arrived in South Africa, he got in line trusting the Lord. When he got near the front, someone tapped him on the shoulder and gave him $200. Further, once they got off the boat, they had enough to board a train from Cape Town to Johannesburg. They had no idea where they were going to stay that night. The whole family prayed in the train for God to break through. At their arrival, a lady they had never met before came up to them gave them a furnished cottage she felt led of the Lord to give them.[6] Recounting Howells’ and Lake’s testimonies increased my own faith and courage. I saw that it was only after they stepped out in faith that God then backed them up and made a way.

I also sought present day heroes who I knew had experienced a similar breakthrough of the one I was contending for. I asked Heidi Baker to share a similar testimony so I could build my own faith. She shared her story of how she felt led to go to New York from Los Angeles but all she had was $100. She showed up at the airport by faith believing that if God called her somewhere, then He would get her there. While there, right before her eyes a special sale came up for a flight from L.A. to New York for only $99.

In addition to these faith stories, I also recounted personal testimonies of how God moved similarly on my behalf to get me to where He was leading me. I remembered my trip from England to Minnesota for an academic conference where I first released the paper that would later be published as Spirit Flood: Rebirth of Spirit Baptism for the 21st Century. It was after I had already stepped out in faith, that upon my return, scholarship money was released to help cover my trip. I remembered my trip to Toronto for the 20th anniversary celebration of the Toronto Blessing with Randy Clark where I ended up getting a plane ticket for only $66 from the airline. It was also only while I was there, that God then made a way for me to get into the conference. I also only had enough money for about 3 night’s stay out of the 7 in a hotel room but He sent a friend to join me there to split the costs for part of the time. Then when I didn’t have anywhere to stay for the last 2 nights, God provided a free hotel room to share from some of the Iris Ministries family there. These testimonies helped build my faith for the impossible adventure I was about to embark on.

Along with my carry on suitcase and some prayers, I packed these testimonies as I headed to the San Francisco Airport by faith believing that God was sending me to England for such a time as this. All I had at that point was a full tank of gas. When I stopped at Carrie Judd Montgomery’s Home of Peace in Oakland on the way down, beginning signs of breakthrough emerged. As soon as I arrived, someone pulled me aside and gave me a check of $500 towards my journey. I received this as confirmation of the promise that God was sending me to the U.K. for such a time as this.

The next day I knew I had to get on a flight out of San Francisco Airport by that evening if I was going to be able to make the wedding. That morning, I recounted God’s faithfulness in my own life and community by wearing a necklace that reminding me of a testimony of God’s pleasure, faithfulness, and doing exceedingly abundantly above all I could ask, hope, dream, or imagine. I needed another Ephesians 3:20 moment to happen that day so I strategically placed this sign of a previous testimony around my neck as a stone of remembrance of His faithfulness.[7]

Then before heading to the San Francisco Airport, we went and soaked in worship and in God’s presence in the chapel at the Home of Peace. There was no striving, just resting in the promises of God, feasting on the testimonies of old, meditating on Isaiah 43, and enjoying Him. At noon, it was time to go. While at the airport and in the last hours, God broke through miraculously through the Body of Christ and favor from on high to get me to where I needed to be. The next day after my journey, I had the privilege and honor of celebrating my friend’s wedding in England. God turned water to wine on my behalf because of family. I never would have gotten that far if it wasn’t for the testimonies of those who had done similar things and paved the way for me in the past. Another side note, while in the UK, I also had the opportunity to visit Rees Howells’ Bible school which kind of brought things full circle since it was in part by pulling from his faith that I had enough courage to step out myself. This is just one example of the many testimonies and miracles that have happened simply by walking in the leading of the Holy Spirit and recounting the testimonies of old.

Stewarding the Testimony to Release Impartation

Carrie Judd Montgomery wrote an account of her healing testimony in a little book called The Prayer of Faith in 1880 that spread around the world and released healing to many. Many people who read her book back then and even people who have read it today have experienced healing as a result. So just as Carrie Judd regularly did in freely giving away what she had freely received (Matthew 10:8), so you can do the same. If you have been healed, release that testimony to others so that they can experience hope and healing. If you have received a breakthrough in one area and you know of someone else who needs breakthrough in that area, share your story. Stewarding your own testimony to release breakthrough and impartation to others is a powerful way to advance and accelerate the kingdom of God in and through your life.

Stewarding the Testimony to Launch into Your Destiny

Not only is stewarding the testimony powerful for imparting unto others, it can also be a source of catalytic power within your own life to launch you into a greater measure of your destiny. In addition to my Miracle UK Flight, another time God used this in my life happened in late 2011. After my 4 years in England, I positioned myself to move from Southern California to what I believed would become the land of my dreams in Redding, California. I had a feeling that I would have to walk through the fire to remain. In preparation for this journey in following my heart towards what I hoped was the Lord, I decided to write a testimony of what God had done in my life in a booklet called Water to Wine: Experiencing God in the Canary Islands. I wrote this selfishly and mainly for me to have a record of what God had recently done. I had a feeling I would need this testimony to get me through what I was about to face.

I was so thankful that God led me to steward the testimony and write the book because it became an anchor of hope for me. During one of the hardest and most stretching times of my life, I feasted on that testimony and reminded myself of how God had turned “water to wine” in my own life. It was my hope that He could do it again even though my circumstances revealed the opposite. Just having received a PhD and then been ordained by Heidi Baker with Iris Global, I found myself supposedly in the land of my dreams but living on a blow up air mattress on the floor in a friend’s house without a car or a job. This did not feel like what I had dreamed of. It was a humbling experience. All throughout that time I read and re-read Water to Wine. I knew I must remember God’s faithfulness and the breakthroughs He did on my account in the past. I knew I must meditate on His promises for me. This surf trip testimony where I experienced the love of the Father more than ever before in my entire life kept hope alive in me when circumstances could have easily shattered it. I was thankful I stewarded my own testimony in that season, for it was the very thing that God used as a pillar to give me strength to break into a greater measure of my destiny in Him. Stewarding my own testimony was used in part to break me into my destiny of establishing Destiny House.

I encourage you to remember to tap into your own testimonies as you step out in faith towards deeper waters of the things of God. Stewarding the testimony is not only beneficial to release impartation for God to do those same miracles again in the lives of others around us; it is also a source of strength to launch us even deeper into our own destinies.

Activating the Testimony

You have heard some of my stories of how God used the power of the testimony to stir up my faith and give me greater courage to step out into my destiny and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit even into impossible situations. Now I want you encourage you to think of 3 times in your own journey where God has come through for you. When did you experience God’s faithfulness or love in a special way? When did He heal you or someone through your prayers? When did God breakthrough for you when you were in a financial crunch? When did He provide friends when you needed them the most or the perfect place to live at just the right time? Spend some time with the Holy Spirit and listen to what emerges when you seek to remember God’s faithfulness in your own life.

Then write out 3 testimonies that came to mind on separate 3x5 cards along with a Bible verse that ties into that breakthrough. For example, maybe a story of a financial breakthrough came to mind. Write down a brief summary of the testimony and then pair it with promises from God like Philippians 4:19. Feel free to also add any prophetic words in relation to this theme.

Once you accumulate more and more of these 3x5 testimony cards, these will be like ammo of hope for you during stretching times. If you are struggling with health issues, remember when God has healed you in the past. If you are struggling to recognize God’s faithfulness in your own life, pull from the testimony of Carrie Judd Montgomery and others. As you continue on your journey in Christ and stay aware of what God is doing, more and more personal testimonies will fill your life.

Feel free to be creative beyond 3x5 cards and paint these stories, print pictures of these breakthrough moments and have them framed and up in your house, wear them as icons of hope in a necklace. Have these testimonies surrounding you so that when you face a similar challenge or struggle, you can cling to these promises and testimonies to encourage your spirit with hope, promise, and abundant life. These symbols can be like stones of remembrance surrounding you to help you to remember and celebrate what God has done in the past. This will help you continue to move forward into even greater measures of your destiny.

May you remain intimate with God in the secret place and knit together with community always. I declare hope over you and release courage to take steps of faith towards the impossibilities the Holy Spirit is leading you to. As you tap into the faith currents of those who have come before, I pray you be propelled into a greater measure of your destiny beyond what you could hope, dream, or imagine.

To learn more about this topic see

[1] Bill Johnson Video on The Power of the Testimony http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdYMSGEXY2s . He also says, “Power is when you catch a wave. Authority is when you start the wave.”

[2] See video where Jennifer A. Miskov shares about the power of the testimony and legacy of Carrie Judd Montgomery at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry for the whole of the 1st year class on April 9, 2014 http://youtu.be/fyzBs8Q7Q5Q

[3] See http://silvertogold.com/destinyhouse-history/

[4] https://homeofpeace.com/

[5] See Jennifer A. Miskov, “Step into the Impossible: Miracle Flight to England,” at http://silvertogold.com/blog/2014/6/2/miracles-come-when-you-have-no-other-options

[6]See Defining Moments by Bill Johnson with Jennifer A. Miskov. Also, Roberts Liardon, “John G. Lake: A Man of Healing” in God’s Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Failed, (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1996), 179 and John G. Lake, compiled by Gordon Lindsay, John G. Lake: Apostle to Africa (Dallas, Texas: Christ for the Nations, 1981), 22-24.

[7] See Jennifer A. Miskov, “Signs, Synery, and Family,” at http://silvertogold.com/destiny-house-testimonies/2014/9/17/signs-synergy-and-family