By Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D. July 17, 2018

Here I am sitting with white space surrounding me, walls stripped bear. The only decorations left are the memories that remain. I have moved a total of 8 times since coming to Redding in September of 2011. I am approaching my 7 year anniversary of being in Redding as I finish up not only packing to go on my next trip to Maui but also packing up and moving out of both Destiny House and my beautiful little apartment on Gold Hills Drive. I said goodbye to the house on Placer Street where the Destiny House movement was birthed yesterday.

You see, earlier on this year God was stirring our team to begin praying about next steps with Destiny House. As we neared renewing our lease into our 7th year, we felt there was a shift and that God wanted to do something new in our tribe. Instead of doing what we always did, we felt God was leading us to stay small as we grow big. After a huge process of God speaking and confirming it to us (including the painful process of surrender and trusting it all to the Lord), we let go of the physical property. This was not easy at all, especially as I had vision to see worship released in family there for 100 years and we still had 93 left to go! We came to realize that Destiny House is more than a building, it's a people.

We only found out months later after we decided not to renew the lease into the season, that YWAM (Youth With A Mission) had decided to rent out the neighboring Presbyterian church and needed a place nearby for their students to live. When we were feeling led to let go of that house, we had no idea of any of these things! God moved us out to make space for YWAM to steward the well of revival in the next season. Now a layer of missions will be built upon what we cultivated with worship in family and encounter. To learn more about our shift at Destiny House, see blog post entitled Living Stones: Open Letter About Changes with Destiny House.

 

WE FOLLOW A PERSON, NOT A VISION

The good thing is, we follow a Person, not a vision. Ultimately being one with Jesus is our greatest destiny, no matter what that looks like. This means that at any time as we follow the dreams and desires of our hearts, as we are united with Christ, He has the total freedom to change plans.  We need to remain tender and moldable in His hands to allow Him to reshape us and rebuild us at any time (Jeremiah 18). 

What does it look like to be clay in the hands of the Potter and completely trust Him even if it is uncomfortable in this new season? I can tell you this right now, everywhere I look, God is doing a new thing! We must allow Him to take us on a wild adventure and not resist His pull, even if it looks like something totally out of the box that we never would have even thought of. God is shifting, transitioning, and bringing alignment with Heaven over our relationships, callings, and partnerships so that He can knit us closer to our tribe in this season and prepare us to be perfectly positioned to steward the great harvest that is on it’s way and in some ways is already here.

Now is an important season of uprooting, repositioning, and launching into greater destiny as well as planting and building where God leads. One of my dreams for Destiny House was that people who came for a night or a season would get launched into a greater measure of their destiny when they left. As our tribe is now scattered all over the world, it feels a bit like the church in Acts that shifted from Jerusalem to Antioch. I believe God is launching us all into even more of what we are born for.

Some happy last memories with Destiny House alumni at the Placer Street house.

MY CRAZY LIFE

So that takes me into my personal update and very raw and unfinished process I will invite you into. Let me warn you, I don’t have a lot of answers, however, if you have managed to continue reading this far, I like you and want to include you in this journey. Today, July 17, 2018 is my last day of living in my apartment that I’ve been so blessed to have these past couple of years. A few days before my recent world tour, the family who I rent from told me they might be moving soon. Then a few weeks later, while I was ministering around the globe, I received the email that the house was sold and I’d have to move soon (they totally honored me in the process throughout the quick change including the house selling the day it went on the market). I honestly wasn’t surprised, especially after all that had recently unfolded with Destiny House. At the same time, I also honestly didn’t want to go either because I loved all of the intimate moments I have shared with Jesus in this space as well as the special moments with friends here. After a process of realizing it is the Lord who is pulling apart my nest so that He can push me out and teach me how to soar (the most uncomfortable feeling ever), I finally accepted it as the hand of God and began to move forward (after moving back and forth and feeling turned upside-down first).

I had already planned a trip to Maui before I knew anything about moving and feel the Lord on what God wants to do there. So right now you may have as many questions as I have, but in the midst of not having any of the answers to give you at this time, I want to say I am excited for what God has next. I trust Him fully to lead and guide, starting with the first step to Hawaii. While there for several weeks, I will get to spend some time resting and adventuring with one of my spiritual fathers and his wife, as well as a few ministry opportunities to pour out on the island and get to know the Maui tribe more. I will even get to do some work there and record an Ecourse in a studio along with other creative projects that have been on my heart for awhile. I can hardly believe this is my life and I am so grateful to receive such gifts from God. The life of being in full time ministry has it’s perks when God is your boss.

As of today, I am planning in being in Maui about a month, return to Redding for a few months to teach first quarter of BSSM, help set up the new season at Destiny House, teach at a few YWAM schools, do a ministry trip to Alaska doing a Writing in the Glory workshop in a prison, and spend time praying about what God has for me next (this is all very subject to change depending on what the Lord's plans are which will take precedent over my own ideas). I will continue to oversee the global movement of Destiny House and the leadership team. Destiny House Redding will now be stewarded by the incredible team of people I have known for many years and who are family to me, Kirsten who was the very first one to move into Destiny House with me nearly six and half years ago and April and Rodney Jennings who are from Anaheim Vineyard where I grew up and have since moved to Redding and have been running with us ever since. The model will look a little different but more to come on that soon. We believe God is doing a new thing and are excited to pioneer revival in family as we continue to dive into our 7th year of Destiny House.

So this is my now update and some of the process to get here. I warn you yet again that in a month, my plans could all completely change. It is my desire to be fully surrendered to the leading of the Holy Spirit and go wherever and whenever He leads no matter what that looks like. I invite your prayers during this process. When I look back at other transitions in my life, I am so encouraged and filled with HOPE that God already has everything mapped out. In the midst of the uncertainty and not knowing answers to most of the questions, one thing I do know is that Jesus is with me along the journey. He is so faithful and always has been.

 

OUR HOPE IS FOUND IN HIM

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding us, the truth is that if God didn’t even spare His own Son, how could He not also give us all things and have incredible plans laid out for us (Romans 8). Whether we have answers or not in this season, knowing Jesus is always enough. He is our One Thing. He is our destiny and our destination. As long as we relentlessly pursue the lover of our souls and remain closely connected with Him, no twists or turns can take our focus off His face. He is our One Obsession and our next step. We can fully trust in Him to lead us in His timing where He wants us to be.

Blessing you with fiery passion to behold the beauty of Jesus and lift His name up high no matter what you are facing today. May great courage to trust in the truth that He is so for you and with you in this journey be imparted as you read this. With love, blessings, and fire,

Jen

“Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in Him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with His superabundance until you radiate with hope!” Romans 15:13 (TPT)

Check out this radio interview below which was over 6 years ago when I had no job, no car, and was in a similar situation of transition only to later realize I was on the verge of one of the biggest breakthroughs of my life preparing to birth Destiny House. Receive the blessing and impartation at the end!!!

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…

by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD

ENGLAND

I started my world tour by stopping in London for a few days to see Destiny House alumni Lucy and her family, Carmella, and then got to see Elisabeth King who happened to be in town too. Was great to reconnect with the beautiful Destiny House tribe in the U.K.

Then I headed to Birmingham where I lived from 2007-2011 and completed my PhD. We got to reconnected with friends Andrew & Rosie McNeil who are also the Vineyard pastors there. They hosted Destiny House family & alumni Stacy, Laura, Aimee, and myself with their incredible hospitality skills and also set us up for a fun week of partnering what God is doing in the nation. In February, they visited Destiny House and our tribe had the opportunity to pray and prophesy over them and it was a special time together. It was such a treat to then be with them in England right after they finished their sabbatical.

We dove straight into ministry with a special Holy Spirit Encounter night they planned for us when we arrived Thursday eve. God filled the church with hungry hearts. After I shared about the inheritance in that land that John Wesley paved the way for, we welcomed more of God’s presence and He came in a special way.

The next evening we got to share with the youth of the church and play games which was fun. Saturday we hit the streets to be a part of Healing on the Streets. It was fun to be back with the crew that helped me launch it in the city over 10 years ago. There were some fun opportunities to pray for people there. On our walk back to the car, we decided to ask one of the buskers who was singing in the city center if we could borrow his guitar and microphone to release something and he said yes! Laura strummed on the guitar as Aimee shared her spoken word out there on the streets. Was so powerful and so much fun! Later that night we had dinner and a small gathering at the house we were staying at. We got to worship and share testimonies together, some of my favorite things to do!

On Sunday, we did two services, one in the morning and one in the eve. In the evening service, after the team prophesied over the nation including Mary T. who met up with us, I shared about the Welsh Revival and then called for a fresh baptism of fire and of the Holy Spirit. God moved in our midst in a powerful way. So grateful to have had the opportunity to pour out in my home church in England I was involved in when I lived there.

Monday night we gathered the prophetic community of a few local Vineyard churches and after the team imparted what they had learned about the prophetic, Stacy danced over each person what she was feeling prophetically for them. It was so powerful. Tuesday we had a play day and went to Stratford upon Avon where Shakespeare grew up. England was so good to us. We felt so welcomed, loved, and I’m also so grateful to Andrew and Rosie for making space for us to share our hearts and impart into their people.

It was also special to recognize how much I have grown in the last 7 years since living thee and how faithful God has been to me. He’s done so much in such a short amount of time and I am so grateful. It was a treat to see friends and partner together to release more of the Holy Spirit in the church and city. From ministering at church, to Healing on the Streets, to a youth meeting, prophetic gathering, staff meeting, we had a special time pouring out together. Highlights were definitely when Aimee and Laura asked a street performer to use his microphone and guitar so they could release spoken word on the streets, the small gathering where Stacy prophesied over everyone there through dance, and reconnecting with precious friends. It was special also getting to impart our Destiny House DNA to others wanting to build community. We love our English family and it was a treat to reconnect and partner together with Andrew and Rosie for a fresh move of God in their nation.

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CZECH REPUBLIC

From England, we flew to Czech Republic where more of our Destiny House tribe came from around the world to meet together at a castle. We were initially drawn to visit the Czech after several confirmations, dreams, and divine appointments as well as the desire to dig deeper into the well of the Moravian movement which we’ve been influenced by.

We had such a special and deep time together with the Destiny House family in the CZECH REPUBLIC. It’s like we discovered the roots of our own tribe here. These people know how to linger in God’s presence and wait on the Holy Spirit in such a tender way. Rather than bringing them Encounter with Jesus, we all just went there together. We also had some beautiful moments of communion with each other on the castle grounds where the 24-7 worship was hosted. Our Encounter night in the barn ended with us all holding hands uniting together with people from different churches and the shape of our circle ended up in a heart. This is so profound as Czech is known as the heart of Europe. We felt such a sweet connection with this nation that birthed the Moravian movement. It’s been such a treat to be together with the Destiny House family in Europe.

In the Czech, we realized that the way we normally minister didn’t work there because we discovered that we were drinking from the same well and that these were our people. We saw a need to actually teach and help cultivate connection and unity among the people rather than only lead encounters. I shared about being the Living Stones as well as the importance of every part of the Body of Christ needed to play it’s part in unity. We were blessed with sweet kindred connections with Niko, Teresa and their family at the castle where we stayed. They hosted an evening with us at their barn and brought in leaders and people from the region together. They also hosted a 24-7 prayer room the weekend we were there. We also got to visit the church where Jan Hus used to preach before he was martyred for defending his faith. BSSM students Jennifer and Eva and other friends welcomed us into the nation with so much hospitality and fun. We loved our time together partnering for unity in the nation. 

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MOZAMBIQUE

MAPUTO
My first stop was at the Iris base in Maputo. One of the most profound moments of my trip happened when I was being driven into the center at the same time that school was getting out on the base. We slowly drove on the first road filled with kids in uniforms that slowly parted as we drove through. A sea of well fed and educated children all because of one yes over 20 years ago by Rolland and Heidi Baker. We never know how many people in the future will be impacted by our one yes today. I was wrecked!

There it was great to meet the incredible missionaries and to facilitate a Holy Spirit worship night together with them. I also got to see some the once kids when I first met them but who are now moms and dads with families. They are still burning for Jesus nearly two decades later which makes my heart so happy!

CAMP 2000
From there I got to help take a team of visitors out a couple hours north to Camp 2000, a church in a refugee camp I helped plant right after the floods in the year 2000. I got to see Pastor Rafael and meet his family with 4 kids. I first met him when he was 17 and he would go out with me and the others to evangelize and plant churches years ago. Seeing his faithfulness to continue to remain there even after 18 years warmed my heart.

While there was not much progress on the physical church building since last time I was there in 2012 and prayed over its foundations, the church community itself, though small, was strong with a solid leadership team and burning hearts devoted to the Lord.

They were so blessed to have us visit and after our worship service together they made us a great local feast. God put it in my heart to help Rafael build the church building he’s wanted for the past 6 years but has no income to make any progress on. His dream is to also eventually make it a center to help care for orphans since there’s a need to help the children there. I will take a team here next year to help build the church and it costs less than $10,000 to help make this dream a reality. If anyone would like to contribute toward this project, you can give here www.silvertogold.com/give

PEMBA

I next flew up to the north in Pemba and God gave me safe passage into the city. There were recent terrorist attacks in villages that Iris has been to a few hours north of there and many had warned me not to go. However, when I heard the news, I was even more compelled to go to simply be there and pray if nothing more. When you’re family is in trouble, it’s good to support them and stand together. To learn more of Iris' official statement during this time, go HERE.

I had the opportunity to teach the Mozambican Bible School students several times and also a couple times for the remaining Harvest School students that were there before they all were told by the government to leave the country because of the attacks that had taken place.

I had the chance to visit the Iris University that Heidi has been contending for for over 15 years now. It truly is amazing to see that even in the face of attack and opposition of the enemy, Heidi and Rolland are continuing to move forward with the promises God placed on their hearts. To quote Heidi herself, “When you don’t quit, you win.” Sometimes dreams take a long time to build but I am grateful for examples like Heidi who don’t give up on the dreams God has placed in her heart.

I also have the privilege to go on the Iris boat with Heidi, Pastor Surprise, and lots of other greats. We had fun adventures as well as got to meet some of the village children when we took a smaller boat to an islet. The next day we went to do an outreach to the village children at the university. With 2 minutes warning, I got asked to preach to the children and found out when I was holding the microphone that I’d have to do it in Portuguese. I’m not exactly sure what they heard but it was fun to literally dive into the deep end and give it a try!

I had the opportunity to go on another boat ride on our sabbath day with some of the incredible visitors who all said yes to come despite the crazy reports and danger in the land. We had so much fun and finally got to swim in the gorgeous ocean here. It’s an amazing gift that Captain Kapas has made possible to the visitors and missionaries to take them out for a 3 hour tour and help them get refreshed during the intensity of living on a mission field. Taking a sabbath rest is life if you want to finish well and they are doing it well there. We even saw dolphins on our trip together!

My last day in Pemba we all prayed for a mama who’s kids were recently killed by the radicals. As I was praying for her, my heart was breaking. It’s one thing when you’re on the other side of the world hearing of the reports of terror but to be sitting with one who had her family stolen from her makes the pain and the war real and realer than it’s ever been. It was such an honor to be there with the Iris family during such a dark time. Heidi and Rolland are on the forefront of bringing light to pierce the darkness and I was inspired to realize even more that my life is not my own and that being inconvenienced or suffering for the sake of the Gospel is one of the biggest privilege on this earth.

As Christians we have authority over this murderous spirit coming against our generation. We don’t fight against flesh and blood but principalities and powers (Ephesians 6). We have authority in Christ to tear down strongholds and to defeat this enemy of our generation through fierce love and prayer. With God all things are possible. If God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8). In the darkest of times, it’s our time as the church to shine and go wherever the Spirit leads us. If we die, we die. But if we don’t step out and take risks where God is leading, are we really even living at all?

I was reminded in Africa that Christianity is not about being comfortable. How many times have I or we prioritized avoiding pain over obedience? But did Jesus avoid pain? Did the apostle Paul go around cities because he knew he might be beaten (Acts 14:19-20, 20:22-24, 21:1-16)? They and so many others fully followed the leading of the Spirit even into suffering and pain because they knew there was a greater purpose. They knew that they lived for eternity.

Paul’s said in Philippians 3: 8-11
“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in Him... I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings becoming like him in death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Will we say yes today to the call to go anywhere and do anything God calls us to, no matter what the price? Will we surrender all for the sake of One who laid down His very life to give us a future and a hope? Will we allow ourselves to be inconvenienced for the sake of loving Him today?

Let's pray this pray afresh together right now.

Jesus, I surrender ALL of my life to you today. I lay all of my gifts, reputation, relationships, accomplishments, past, present, future, dreams, and destiny at Your feet. I trust it all to You and ask that You consume it all with your fire. Anything that’s not Your gold for my life, strip it from me. I give You permission to melt and reshape my heart. You can refocus, remold, restructure, and redirect my life however You seem fit. I want more of You at any cost. You can have my whole heart. Let my life be ALL about loving you wholeheartedly. May my life be a fragrant offering well pleasing to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.


Here's a few verses to read on the privilege it is when we get to suffer alongside Christ:
Philippians 1:29-30 / 1 Peter 4:12-16 / Hebrews 13:3 / James 1:2-4 / Acts 14:19-23

FINAL EXHORTATION

Did you know that when the wind is against you and you spread out your wings, you will fly even higher? In the face of resistance or challenging seasons, that’s precisely the time to step out in faith and believe for more. It was in the midst of the Great Depression that Aimee Semple McPherson had faith to step out to build one of the largest churches in L.A. I had the honor of watching first hand how in the midst of one of the darkest times in her beloved nation, Heidi Baker became even more fierce to take more land and move forward to bring light, love, and healing into the darkest places. I am honored to be alive for such a time as this. I want to encourage you to never give up on your dreams and in the hardest of times, do the opposite of whatever is coming against you. You were born for such a time as this.

So shine bright ones; He is worth the prize. When challenges and hardships come against you, you are on the verge of your biggest breakthrough. The only way forward is facing the storm head on and going through it. Breakthrough is on the other side of this trial, I promise you that. Be courageous, God is with you. Isaiah 40:31, 60:1, Psalm 91

Thanks for joining me on this journey and for all those who supported this trip, we couldn’t have done it with your investment and prayers! Blessings and fire on your journey. May your eyes remain fixed on the face of Jesus always, He is so for and with you!

Extended Version

by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD

“So keep coming to him who is the Living Stone—though he was rejected and discarded by men but chosen by God and is priceless in God’s sight.

Come and be his “living stones” who are continually being assembled into a sanctuary for God. For now you serve as holy priests, offering up spiritual sacrifices that he readily accepts through Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter2:4-5 (TPT)

As Destiny House entered into its 7th year this year (established Feb. 2012), we felt increasingly that God wanted to do a new thing. This began with several dynamics pointing to the direction that it was time to transition out of the physical home on Placer Street where Destiny House ministry was birthed. This was a very hard decision to come to, especially after contending, stepping out in faith, and eventually obtaining the whole house throughout the years. However, God has been moving in this direction toward something new for some time.

Then this Spring, God spoke to me through reading a children’s book to my two year old nephew. It was about how instead of building one big “nest” lots of small ones may be best. The very next day I met with Heidi Baker to share my process. God confirmed through her sharing that we are “living stones” that it was time to let go of the physical property because Destiny House is not a location but it’s a tribe of worshipers. Wherever we go we are temples of the God, we are living stones being built together to release God’s Glory (Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:4-5). A location or a house cannot define us because we carry destiny wherever we go.

Through multiple other confirmations and dreams given to the girls, we finally made the decision to surrender the house and trust it completely to God.

A few months after we had made that decision and taken steps to move, we found out that YWAM will be using the church next door for their school and they will need a place nearby to house their students. It is looking like they may move in right after Destiny House moves out end of July. Amazing how God knew they would need that space all along and how He will continue to use that anointed home to host His presence and have missionaries dwell there. God is so good!

We are currently still very much in a process as the tribe of Destiny House of reflection, prayer, and restructuring. Anything can still change in this process. Our heart is to see multiple communities embrace a lifestyle of intimacy with Jesus in the context of family and to cultivate wells of revival around the world.

Destiny House alumni will likely pioneer smaller Destiny House communities in Redding with the same rhythm we’ve always shared of fasting on Mondays then breaking the fast with a family meal as well as Friday morning worship. Location to be determined for future meetings. As we continue to build this movement together, we are opening our hearts for it to look differently than it has looked in the past all while continuing in the vision of worship and revival released in family.

Because of this transition toward multiplication and also all of our travel schedules during the summer, we also felt the need to pull back from hosting Friday morning worship times for the public for a season so we could instead meet as a team Friday mornings. We are continuing weekly worship in family and praying together about next steps. We are still stewarding the 100 year vision of worship in family and looking at strategies how to grow and release this model of Destiny House to many more even around the world. More to come on that soon and how more people can be involved.

We would appreciate your prayers during this exciting shift toward global expansion and multiplication. If you have a testimony of how you’ve been blessed by the Destiny House family, please email it to me at info@silvertogold.com. These testimonies will help us as we process and reflect on what He has done as well as may be used in a testimony book we want to put together. We are excited for what God wants to do in our community in this new era. Thanks for listening and joining us on this journey deeper into the heart of Jesus and family.

For those who feel they want to run with us in the future to steward this vision of releasing revival in family and living for The One Thing (Psalm 27), stay tuned and keep connected with us to learn more as things unfold. Blessing you each with freedom and courage to let go of what’s been familiar when God leads so you can be positioned to receive what He’s about to bring next.

“So, you are not foreigners or guests, but rather you are the children of the city of the holy ones, with all the rights as family members of the household of God.

You are rising like the perfectly fitted stones of the temple; and your lives are being built up together upon the ideal foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, and best of all, you are connected to the Head Cornerstone of the building, the Anointed One, Jesus Christ himself!

This entire building is under construction and is continually growing under his supervision until it rises up completed as the holy temple of the Lord himself. This means that God is transforming each one of you into the Holy of Holies, his dwelling place, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you!”

Ephesians2:19-22 (TPT)

With love from Jen Miskov June 17, 2018, Pemba, Mozambique

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

PEACE

Five letters, one word, but when it appears, it destroys millions of competing thoughts to bring us to a place of rest in the Father’s truth. Peace is something that so many of us strive for yet so few of us have as a regular part of our lives. One definition of peace is “freedom from disturbance” and another is “freedom from war.” In our day and age, we truly have to fight off a war of competing thoughts to steward a place of peace in our hearts and to keep our attention on The One Thing (Psalm 27). What would our lives look like if we could steward peace despite our circumstances, distractions, pain, or lack? What if we knew at a core level that we are God’s children and because of that, we knew that He will always keep us safe and will always be present with us in our darkest and most confusing times?

Stewarding peace in our lives means that no circumstance or situation can change our perspective on God or shake the security we have in Christ. When our hope is fixed solely on Jesus who paid a great price to win us over, no storm in this life will ever again have the power to move us (Psalm 91). We are firmly rooted in God’s overwhelming love (see Romans 8).

I have good news for you. It’s easy to steward peace in our lives if we simply follow what has already been given to us in God’s Word:

Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV) says,

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Let’s break this down into three simple action points:

1. REJOICE

Choose to rejoice in God always. This means to celebrate His goodness in good times and in bad. It means worshiping Him at all times because He never changes (2 Chronicles 20). Always means always; not just when things are going our way. If He can trust us to fix our affection on Him during hard times, He can trust us in good times to continue to keep our focus on Him. And praise God; the Lord is always near! No matter what the situation, God is near to our hearts. Because of His nearness, we can choose to be anxious about nothing and rejoice always!

2. TRUST

Let go and let God move on your behalf. In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, we are to give our requests, burdens, cares, questions, and uncertainties to God. TRUST, another five-letter word but when lived out changes everything. What would our lives look like today if we truly trusted that God is for us (Romans 8:31)? Or that He is working behind the scenes on our behalf even now to bring us into a greater level of the abundant life He died for us to have (John 10:10, Ephesians 3:20, Hebrews 12:1-2)? Because of who He is and His great faithfulness, we can trust Him with our whole hearts.

3. THANK

Practice gratitude, it’s a privilege. When faced with a great need, it’s the perfect time to recount times in the past where God has come through for you in a similar situation. Furthermore, move beyond just thanking God for the past; learn also to thank Him for the future. Trust in His character and begin thanking Him ahead of time for the breakthrough He will bring. Thank Him that He has already gone before and is preparing a way to bring perfect alignment. Thanksgiving and praise opens the gates to more of God’s presence (Psalm 100:4).

Stewarding peace is simple when our perspective is in alignment with heaven. Proverbs 3:5-7 (NIV) summarizes it quite well.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways (acknowledge or) submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

We literally don’t even need to say another word because these Scriptures say it all. All we have to do is actually believe and apply these truths to our lives to receive this incredible gift of peace that transcends what we can see in this moment. God’s ways are so far above our ways (Isaiah 55:9). If we truly believe the truth that if God did not spare His own Son, how could He not also, along with Him, give us all things (Romans 8:32), we can more easily trust Him with our daily cares.  If God cares for the birds of the field, how will He not care for us who are more valuable to Him than these (Matthew 6:25-34)?

When we let go and trust God with our burdens, our hearts are wide open to receive the peace that passes understanding. This peace comes when we no longer lean on our own ideas of what’s happening in our situations but instead we choose to trust that God has a bigger story in mind. I want to encourage you to pray the following prayer out loud as an act of walking in peace:

God, I give you all of my burdens today. I let go. I entrust each of my concerns into Your loving arms. Thank You that You have already gone before me to bring breakthrough and to provide for my needs. I thank You that You care about what concerns me. I choose to rejoice in Your goodness and to celebrate Your faithfulness. I thank You for what You’ve done in my life in the past to get me to where I am today. I acknowledge that You are a good God with a great track record in my life. I renounce fear, anxiety, torment, and any distractions in my life that would keep me from You. I declare that only Your truth is welcome in my life. I believe that You are for and with me in every circumstance. I stand in faith and hope that in Your perfect timing, You will make all things new. I trust that You will bring me to where I need to be as I keep my eyes fixed on You. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

I bless each of one you with the courage to let go and to trust God with all that concerns you. Instead of worrying about the future, I declare the Father’s love and peace to permeate every cell in your body. As you trust in God with all your heart, may you receive a fresh baptism of the love of the Father. As you practice thanksgiving, I pray that your perspective shifts and that you receive a peace that transcends unanswered questions. In this moment, may you be filled to overflowing with His peace that passes understanding. Blessings to you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

*If you want to learn even more about how to Steward Peace in the Midst of Storms, check out my latest book Walking on Water: Experiencing a Life of Miracles, Courageous Faith, and Union with God where I go more in depth and also provide additional prayers and activations for walking in peace and freedom.

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

I was at the School of Awakening conference in Germany last month and was marked by God in a profound way one night. The leader of the meeting decided to let worship go the whole night rather than have a speaker because there was such a heavy presence of God in the room. As a result, we all went deeper together into the heart of God. As we rested in His presence, I could feel God melt away walls in my heart I didn’t even realize I had. I felt changed and able to let people into my heart in a deeper way.

I believe that 2018 is a year of family, both of our natural families as well as our spiritual families (or tribes). As we gaze ahead at the horizon of what’s before us, I believe it’s a time for building upon the inheritance of what’s already been given to us. Most of us remember the story how Joshua and Caleb, through faithful endurance, held onto the promises of God to eventually enter into the Promised Land. After 40 year of waiting patiently in the desert by Numbers 14, their breakthrough had come, they defeated their enemies, and now it was time to deepen roots and build in the land of their inheritance.

The Patriarch Moses had made a promise to Caleb 45 years earlier that he could have any of the land he wanted. To redeem and take hold of this promise, Caleb had to approach Joshua to remind him of that promise 45 years after it had been released. Caleb did not go alone to make this request. He went with his tribe, his family to ask for the inheritance that was promised (Numbers 14:6-15). Joshua blessed him and granted him the land he desired. Caleb and his tribe drove out the Anakites and took possession of the land of Hebron. In family, one person’s breakthrough becomes a corporate victory. Caleb’s whole tribe got to be a part of sharing in the inheritance promised to him. It is interesting to note that Hebron means to join, team up, make a covenant or alliance. There is something powerful in uniting with our tribe as we move toward the promises of God together.

In the summer of 1727, there was great dissention in a community called the Moravians. These refugees had previously been given permission to settle on Nicolaus von Zinzendorf’s estate in Herrnhut, Germany. Because of the quarreling going on in this religious community, some of the leaders set a date to sort out these differences and to become unified once again. On August 13, 1727 in Berthelsdorf Parish Church, they decided to set aside all their differences to come together to make “a covenant of loyalty and love.” When they did this, God’s presence fell in a powerful way.

Soon following their new devotion to each other, “they were stirred by the mystic wondrous touch of a power which none could define or understand” where they felt “the purifying fire of the Holy Ghost” rested upon them. Less than two weeks after this outpouring of love and unity, on August 27, 1727, the 24-7 prayer movement was born when the Moravian community united as one to organize a prayer union that would be marked by 100 years of uninterrupted prayers.

Not long after this surge of prayer was initiated, in August 1732, the first two Moravian missionaries were sent out from this community. They sold themselves as slaves in order to reach the slaves on St. Thomas Island who had yet to hear the Gospel. From that point on, missionaries from this small but mighty tribe were sent around the world spreading the Gospel. In 1738, Moravian missionaries were on a boat headed to American when they encountered a storm. The way that they stewarded peace and assurance of their salvation in the midst of impending death marked an English onlooker named John Wesley who later befriended them. The Moravian missionaries had a profound impact on his life, preparing him for what God was about to birth in his life through The Great Awakening and the Methodist Movement.

Unity is powerful and can shape world history (Ecclesiastes 4:12; Psalm 133). When we dive deeper into relationship with our tribe, we can step into even more of the fullness of our destinies together. We really do need each other in the Body of Christ. Staying close and growing deeper with the community of saints God has placed us in will help launch us further into our destiny than we could ever go on our own (Ephesians 3:14-21).

So what does it look like in this new year to more closely align ourselves with the tribe or community God has placed us in? In what way can we be more vulnerable today with our tribe to build even deeper roots together?

Is there anyone in our community that we are offended with and need to reconcile and forgive (Matthew 6:14-15; Ephesians 4:25-27)? Is there anyone who is offended by us that we need to approach before we dive back into worship (Matthew 5:23-24)?

May the fire of God come and melt down any walls between us and our brothers and sisters today. Life is too short to keep people out because of an offense. Remember, our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers that we have authority and power to defeat in Jesus’ name (Ephesians 6). May a fresh baptism of God’s love melt away all offense and fear in Jesus’ name as we dive deeper His presence and into family in this new year together.

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

*To learn more about my recent Germany trip in 2018 see Inheritance in Germany: 2018

**To learn more about my trip to Herrnhut, Germany in 2015 see Moravian Legacy: Unity in Love Births a 100 Year Prayer Movement

***Quotes taken from J.E. Hutton’s A History of the Moravian Church (1909)

We had such a wonderful time in a land rich with inheritance. My first stop was to reunite with the Destiny House family and go to Basilea Schlink's convent together in Darmstadt, Germany. Was so special to talk and pray together with the nuns and experience their joy and deep friendships with each other. We got to swap stories of living in intentional community together.

The next day we got to go to Neuschwanstein Castle that inspired Walt Disney. Was fascinating hearing the story about King Ludwig and the creative genius he was but how society never understood him.

Then we got to minister at a BSSM ministry school plant in Füssen,Germany Monday and Tuesday. It was wonderful being back together with Kat, Elisa, Lara and seeing Juliette too. The first session the Holy Spirit crashed in and we ended up just worshipping and waiting on God the whole session and He touched hearts deeply. The following sessions were filled with restoring the inheritance Germany carried by sharing stories about Martin Luther, Johann Blumhardt, Zinzedorf and the Moravians. Reminding them of their roots was powerful. Then we finished it off with a session about Destiny House and the need to cultivate family if we want revival to be sustainable. Hearts were deeply moved and catalyzed to make more intentional time and space to build deeper friendships and re-prioritize family.

One of the things that was so encouraging to hear while there was when many of the leaders who used to be BSSM students came to me and told me how the session on the Welsh revival that I, Kat, and Elisa did for BSSM 1st year 3 years ago profoundly impacted their lives. One of the leaders told me how that was the first time He encountered God in a significant way and will never forget it. Was so encouraging to hear about how a deposit from years ago is still bearing fruit. I also later ran into another BSSM student who shared the testimony of how he had a defining moment while at one of our worship encounter nights as Destiny House 2 years ago. Check out his 1 minute testimony in the video below.

From there we went to Lörrachto be a part of the first ever School of Awakening. 156 mostly evangelists from around the world to take part. More than the incredible teaching and impartation, I was most profoundly impacted by the Thursday night session where God came in such a deep and tender way where we continued in worship and in His presence instead of the teaching. My heart experienced something that I only usually feel when I personally minister but rarely get to experience and receive for myself in other meetings. There was deep healing, stillness, and weightiness of God's presence in that place and I felt His love melt down walls in my heart in such a powerful way. I'm so grateful the leadership recognized that the moment we had with God was more important than any teaching they could give.

The other thing that marked me even more than the revelatory teaching was the culture of the Awakening Europe team led by Ben Fitzgerald. They were just family who loved each other and loved Jesus with their whole hearts doing what God was leading them to do together. There was such honor, partnership, and celebration in their midst. So inspiring.

I am looking forward to investing more into Europe and receiving from the deep wells there in the coming years as the Lord leads. I'm super grateful for those who prayed or sowed into this trip. Blessing you all with more fire and deeper connection with family!

by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD Founding Director of Destiny House

What a year 2017 has been! Through all of the ups and downs, what a difference being knit together in a family with other burning hearts makes. Destiny House has continued to go strong in 2017, building on the vision of worship being released in the context of family weekly for 100 years straight every Friday morning. Only 93 more years to go to continue in the Moravians' legacy!

Songs, dances, ministries, missionaries, voices, and revivalist have been birthed from this place of encounter with God and connection to family at Destiny House. In addition to our brother house Elisha's Room and friendship house (Azusa House), we have also had two loose knit alumni houses spring up this year as well as have launched our first official Destiny House guy's house called The Father's Call. We also had the opportunity to do our first international ministry trip as Destiny House when we took a team to Thailand. We launched our first E-Course this year as well as impacted many authors through the Writing in the Glory workshops. We added Kim Fisher to our team to help as our financial strategist and Michael Broduer who is serving as a leadership consultant. This was a year of people getting their voices back in a powerful way. We are so grateful for the opportunity to lead people into a lifestyle of intimacy with Jesus and connection with family. Enjoy the journey down memory lane below!

February 17: Commissioning Leaders & Missionaries at Destiny House

 

February 18: Destiny House Celebrates 5 Year Anniversary

 

March 25: Bethel Church releases video of Jessika's testimony of when she got healed at Destiny House

 

April 18: Destiny House leads 1200 students in the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry into deeper intimacy with Jesus

 

May 5: Destiny House graduates the 2016-2017 revivalists

 

June 7-18: Destiny House's first international ministry trip to Thailand

 

July 17: Jen launches her first E-Course on Writing in the Glory

 

July 28-29: Jen, Cornelius, Kira and friends get guided up to the top of Mount Shasta by Erik

 

August-September: Leadership Team at Destiny House decides to temporarily pull back from public corporate ministry to reconnect hearts so that giving from a place of rest and connection. Relaunches Friday mornings in September at new time of 9:00am! 

 

August: Destiny House launches first guy's house directly under it's covering called Father's Call House (this is in addition to our brother house Elisha's Room)

 

September 15-16: Sixth annual Destiny House family retreat at the Home of Peace

 

Oct 3: Jen launches her 8th book Walking on Water and the DH family creates this powerful video

 

Oct 5-15: Destiny House releases worship over the nation by leading in the California tent at Awaken the Dawn and partners in prayer with The Call D.C. Also, a team goes to New York to partner together with BHOP (Binghamton House of Prayer that Lindsey, Karen, Glory started) 

 

Oct 31: Destiny House Celebrates the 500 year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation

 

November 4: Writing in the Glory Workshop

 

November 10: Destiny House continues family nights each Monday throughout the year. This night we celebrated Thanksgiving together!

 

December 10: Destiny House team ministers at a local prayer group

We are so grateful for all the prayers, support, partnership, financial investment into our Destiny House community and vision of releasing revival through family. We couldn't have done all of this without your great support. Forever grateful!!!

*If you would like to invest into building God's dream for Destiny House and touching thousands of lives with His love, hope, and fire in the context of family, you can do so below.

by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD., Author and Founding Director of Destiny House

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.”

Isaiah 60:1

Each of you reading this right now has something special inside of you that God has shaped, formed, and destined for you to release to the world. Your heart is valuable and precious to God. Your journey is unique. You are important and what you have to say is significant. There is great purpose in every single twist and turn in your life. Only you can release the message God is forming inside of you to the world because only you have had your specific experiences that have helped mold it.

There are people right now who are crying out to God to receive what you carry. People waiting for you to be bold and courageous to share your heart so that they can receive breakthrough. God’s story in your life is powerful to unlock doors in people’s hearts and to set them free. His faithfulness in your journey is a beacon of hope for those still in a storm.

Before you came to be, God handcrafted and knit you together in your mother’s womb. You are uniquely and wonderfully made. God understands everything about you (Psalm 139)! He is so in love with you and proud of you for always running to Him in times of trouble and in times of simply wanting to draw near.

Shame no longer has control over your life because He has ALREADY paid the price with His own precious blood to free you from its hold. It’s a done deal.  You are already free. It’s now time to walk in the truth of that reality and realize the great value God has placed on your very life by sending His only Son in exchange for your life. That’s how worth it you are to Him. The gift has already been paid for and given.

Arise and shine, you were born for such a time as this. Your voice is important and what you have to say to the world will shake nations and impact generations. The world needs to hear what’s on your heart. I need to hear what’s on your heart. I pray for the deep, intense, blue flame of God’s love to utterly consume you right now and for there to be such a burning inside that you can no longer keep it to yourself.

---

*I believe each person carries a message in his or her heart to release to the world. If you feel a call specifically to write (books, poems, music, etc.), I would love to help catalyze and release you into sharing your heart through this area. I want to encourage you to check out, Writing in the Glory: Living from Your Heart to Release a Book that will Impact the World, take the Writing in the Glory E-Course, join us for a live workshop, or sign up for one-on-one coaching. Blessings and fire over you today!

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D. (www.silvertogold.com)

Five hundred years ago, on October 31, 1517, German born Martin Luther (1483-1546) challenged the religious system of his day by posting his 95 Theses on a church door in Wittenberg. This one act ignited a flame that set things in motion to reform the Christianity of his day, thus beginning the Protestant Reformation.

This Reformation paved the way for us to experience the religious freedom we have today. Only once in every 500 years does a generation get the chance to celebrate such a milestone. As we reflect and look back at all of the spiritual territory that has been gained in the last 500 years, one must ask the question, why are we alive for such a time as this? What greater breakthroughs are ours to step into today so that for the next 500 years and beyond, people are walking in a greater inheritance in Christ? Let’s learn more about how we can position ourselves to tap into the momentum of what God has done in the past so that we can be launched into a greater destiny.

Ignited

While Martin Luther (1483-1546) was midway through his semester at law school in a nearby town in Germany, he decided to journey home to visit his family. On July 2, 1505 he got caught in a thunderstorm and was nearly hit by a bolt of lightning. Fearful of his life, he called out to heaven and made the promise that if he was delivered from the storm, he would become a monk.[1] His life was spared. Two weeks later, true to his word, he joined the Augustinian order. In November 1510 - April 1511, he journeyed to Rome and was disillusioned by the hypocrisy he witnessed going on within the Catholic Church. This seed of discontent with the church would later grow. In 1512, Luther received his doctorate and then moved to Wittenberg to become a theology professor. In 1515, he studied Romans 1:17 and had the revelation that he was justified by faith. For the first time he began to realize his salvation in Christ was a gift and not something he had to earn. This book marked him so deeply that he eventually wrote a commentary on the book of Romans.

About a year later, Dominican priest Johann Tetzel came to his town to sell indulgences (penance and pardons to pay for sins). Luther was outraged at his approach and disagreed with certain premises behind this activity. The same night Fredrick the Wise was due to offer indulgences on All Saints Day on October 31, 1517, Luther posted his 95 Theses on the Castle Church door. His 95 Theses, also known as the Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences, 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. Luther later translated the Bible from Latin into German so that common people could read it in their own language. He gave people the opportunity to encounter God on their own from the Bible.

This reformation brought religious freedom and freedom from the religious spirit. It transformed a religious system and freed people to be able to worship God in spirit and in truth. Old wine skins were challenged; new wine skins were 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 from Martin Luther following his convictions October 31st and by his leadership throughout the Reformation.[2]

Ripple Effect: The Great Awakening

Over 200 years later, on May 24, 1738 in London, John Wesley (1703-1791) “went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans.”[3] In that moment, Wesley felt his heart “strangely warmed” and was marked by the love of God like never before.[4] Not long after this encounter, Wesley met with his community to pray and worship into the New Year 1739 where “the power of God came mightily upon” them.[5] This gathering of hearts became the catalytic flame to ignite the Great Awakening. Following this outpouring, John Wesley 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.[6]

The Significance of October 31st

Nearly 400 years after the Protestant Reformation was birthed, Evan Roberts preached for the first time at Moriah Chapel in Wales on October 31, 1904, the anniversary of the Reformation. When 17 people got saved that night, it was catalytic for the Welsh Revival, which brought in over 100,000 salvations in less than five months and would later influence the beginnings of the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles in 1906. October 31st marks the beginnings of two very significant and influential moves of God centuries apart, making this day a deep well of revival to tap into.[7] 

Momentum of the Ages

Luther’s act of following his convictions and not being afraid to challenge the status quo has continued to impact us 500 years later. The momentum has already begun. Martin Luther, the Moravians, John Wesley, Evan Roberts and many others have already paved the way for us to walk in great freedom today. This is not a new wave of revival but one that has been building for generations. The Reformation, The Great Awakening, The Welsh Revival, and other moves of God are all contributing to the momentum of this upcoming billion-soul harvest, third great awakening, and new wave on the horizon. 

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

I encourage you, like Luther, to be courageous to speak out against injustices or what you know isn’t right. What you tolerate will dominate. Now is the time to take a stand for what you believe in. Step out and use the voice God has given you to communicate your heart. Generations are waiting for you to arise and shine. I bless you with courage to live from the depths of your heart today. May you be baptized in the love of God and be ignited with a fresh Reformation fire that burns deep within you today, all for His glory.

*To learn more about how to ride this next wave and burn with revival fire, see Jen’s new book and also her blog articles below

·       Walking on Water: Experiencing a Life of Miracles, Courageous Faith and Union with God

·       Positioning for the Incoming Revival

·       How October 31st is a Catalytic Day for Reformation, Revival, and Destiny.

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[1] “Help me, St. Anne. I will become a monk!” Roberts Liardon, God’s Generals: The Roaring Reformers (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2003), 122. 

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

[4] “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.” John Wesley, The Journal of John Wesley, inThe Heart of John Wesley’s Journal, ed. Percy Livingstone Parker (London: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1903), 42-45. See Bill Johnson with Jennifer A. Miskov, Defining Moments (Whitaker House 2016) to learn more about Wesley’s defining moment.

[5] 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

“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. 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.’”

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

[7] Even before these movements were catalyzed, the early Middle Ages refer to October 31st as having roots in an Ancient Celtic pagan festival of Samhain (summer’s end) where some believe that this is the exact day when the physical and spiritual world’s are the closest. Many also celebrated of the end of harvest and beginning of winter this day. In the year 609, Pope Gregory III introduced May 13 as a Catholic holiday to honor saints and martyrs called All Saints’ or All Hallows Day. In 835, the date was changed to November 1, the same day as the Samhain. The evening before “All Hallows Day” became known as All Hallows’ Eve, which was later changed to Halloween. Even in secular tradition, this day is believed to be one where Heaven invades earth in a greater measure than other days. See article by Jennifer A. Miskov, “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