by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.  

 On April 6, 2022, the day before launching my next online School of Revival on the theme of Martyrdom, I headed down to a beach I rarely visit but is known as a historic well of revival in Southern California. One of the last times I visited Pirate’s Cove was during the COVID-19 lockdown. My friend Jessi Green with Saturate Global was hosting a revival meeting there on August 7, 2020. On that day, also the final day of our School of Revival intensive on Pioneering Revival, many people were baptized in the Pacific Ocean just like so many new believers were in the height of the Jesus Movement in the 1960s and 1970s.  

 On my latest visit to Pirate’s Cove, I thought I would enjoy a secluded, mid-week quiet time with God. To my surprise, when I walked down the stairs toward the parking lot, I noticed it was filled with media trucks, tents, and people bustling around. Then, when I got to the overlook, I saw that the cove had been turned into a movie set! My curiosity led me further to investigate.  

When I got to the sand, it felt like I was transported to the early ‘70s. I was surrounded by hippies! When the crew broke for lunch, I approached someone to learn more about what they were filming. I knew I was in a significant well of revival where legendary Lonnie Frisbee baptized people during the Jesus People Movement and wondered if this movie was going to re-tell his story. It turned out I was talking with one of the film’s directors and writers, Jon Erwin. Erwin was so kind to stop and chat with me for a bit. He told me the movie they were shooting, titled Jesus Revolution, does in fact include Lonnie.

Growing up in Southern California in the Vineyard movement led by the late John Wimber, I often heard stories about a hippie evangelist named Lonnie Frisbee who had helped birth the Jesus People Movement and had been catalytic to release the Holy Spirit in the Vineyard movement. One story stood out: Mother’s Day in 1980 Frisbee was invited to speak at the Anaheim Vineyard for the first time. When he welcomed the Holy Spirit to come in power, it is said that when he lifted his hands up in a V-shape, people fell out in the Spirit in the same direction as his hands. Something broke open that day and there was a radical release of the Holy Spirit that shaped our movement to this day. I consider myself so blessed to have grown up in and continue to live in the momentum and ripple effects of one hippie preacher’s “yes” to be yielded to the Holy Spirit. I was thrilled to discover his story would be featured in a major movie.

 As I was talking with Erwin, Greg Laurie walked up, and Jon introduced me to him. Laurie is pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside and played a significant role in the Jesus People Movement himself. He was greatly impacted by Frisbee and had also been present at many of the historic baptisms that took place at Pirate’s Cove. I later found out that the movie is largely based around Laurie’s story.

Before I left that day, I gave Jon and Greg a copy of one of my books on the Azusa Street Revival because it tells the story of other deep apostolic wells of revival here in Southern California. When Jon received my book, he noticed that the subtitle of Ignite Azusa: Positioning for a New JESUS REVOLUTION had the exact name of their movie in it! I hadn’t realized that at the time I gave him the book. Before I left, Jon invited me to come back the next day to be an extra.  

So, there I was, a Southern Californian revival historian at a well of revival simply in awe of what was unfolding before my eyes. When I returned the next day, now as an extra, I saw Jonathan Roumie, who plays Lonnie Frisbee in the film (and Jesus in The Chosen). He was doing a recreation of the baptism scenes. As they filmed, I could feel the presence of God on the set. It felt authentic as if people were really getting baptized. I prayed, God do it again! Let the synergy of these anointed saints re-digging this well of revival catalyze a new Jesus Revolution in our day!  

It was amazing to see how God brought together just the right people at just the right time to recover this important and often misunderstood story. The timing of this film is prophetic especially in a time where cancel culture has become more prevalent. Lonnie’s contribution to the body of Christ needs to be recognized. It provides hope for us that God can and will use anyone, regardless of their faults, who gives a yielded yes to the Holy Spirit. I am so grateful that this film is celebrating his legacy and honoring his impact to the body of Christ.  

Seeing this revival story captured on film feels significant. Could it be a divine prophecy that once again God wants to move through this generation in an incredible way? Might God be stirring up a new Jesus Revolution in our day? He did it once before; He can do it again. Maybe, just maybe, if we have eyes to see, we might even recognize that it’s already begun!   

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D. 

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

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

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

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

RULES FOR WAR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–Ephesians 6:10-13

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

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

–2 Corinthians 10:3-5

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

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

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

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

5. Praise is powerful and defeats armies

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

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

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

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

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

See short teaching more in depth on this subject below.

NOTES

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

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

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

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

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

― Martin Luther King Jr.

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

by Jennifer A. Miskov, PhD.

“Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” –Hebrews 12:26-29

A Second Wave

Over the last couple of years, there has been a sifting and refining that has taken place in the church. The hidden places were uncovered and God, through His mercy, extended an invitation to repent. I feel that in 2022, there will now be a second wave of refining fire sweeping across the church. This fire will not only go deeper in exposing the roots of sin in order to heal and re-establish on healthy foundations, but it will call us all to a higher level of consecration and devotion to Jesus in our everyday lives so that we can steward the increasing glory God wants to pour out.

The first wave of refining took out many who started their journey strong but got distracted or sidelined by fame, hidden sins, undealt with brokenness, or who were not deeply rooted in Jesus. There is now another refining coming that will purify at an even deeper level. The fire I am referring to is the fire of God’s presence and holiness. The Lord in His mercy, is sending this second wave to prepare us to learn how to live in the fire, refined and consecrated so that we can receive all that He has for us. This invitation to live in the fire is not as much a turning from sin, but it’s a call to those who are already walking in obedience to become even deeper rooted in His presence to steward the incoming glory. It’s an invitation to have greater union with God Himself.

Living in the Fire

When we learn to live in this fire rather than avoid it, when the fire does come, sometimes through increasing favor and other times through trials or persecution, we will already be purified to the core of our being so it won’t take us out. When we welcome the fire of God to examine our motives and purify our hearts, to purge us of anything that would hinder honoring His holiness, we will be immoveable to the swirl and constantly changing atmospheres around us. We will be established in Him as our Source and anchored in the Word of God which is His eternal truth.

In this new year, inspired by our burning love and devotion to Jesus and led by the Holy Spirit, may we seek to honor God by walking in purity at a deeper level (2 Corinthians 7:1). There is a seriousness about His holiness that must be respected. We must position ourselves to stand under the incoming greater glory so that we are not crushed by it. What we will face in the future demands a deeper level of consecration now so that when persecution knocks at our door, we can withstand the increasing shaking.

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty… ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” –Haggai 2:6-9

Take Your Place

I know this is a heavier word than I have released before and more of a warning, a calling to walk on the highway of holiness and to raise the plumbline, but times are changing. I just released a book called Fasting for Fire and am preparing for our online School of Revival on the theme of Martyrdom this spring. We must get ready. This is no time to flirt with the things of the world. We must set our faces like flint before the King of kings. We must come off the sidelines and step into the front lines if we are not already standing here.

I pray the Holy Spirit uses this word to both apprehend and inspire you to throw off everything that hinders and run the race destined for you, fixing your eyes on Jesus, the glorious and holy one who paid a price for loving you.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross…” –Hebrews 12:1-2

Happy New Year! May we run into the fire of His love and holiness together and may we live our lives in such a way to honor the great price He paid (Romans 12:1).

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If you want to find your place in the kingdom of God, join our global online School of Revival family and run with us!

Excerpt taken from Chapter 1 in Fasting for Fire: Igniting Fresh Fire to Feast upon God
by Jennifer A. Miskov. Ph.D.

My recommendation for the Christian church today is to call a moratorium on all activity and focus on coming into worship until the fire descends and engulfs us in the sacredness of His presence.(1)

—A. W. Tozer

Fire

Burning ones fast and fasting ones burn.

Fasting and fire are inseparable. There is something about fasting that ignites an all-consuming fire for God inside. Fire brings us to a place of intense focus. Fire can also represent passionate, burning love. No other lovers can compete for our attention when we are captivated, on fire, and intently focused on the face of Jesus.

Hebrews 12:29 says that our God “is a consuming fire.” Choosing to live in the fire is essentially embracing the fiery presence of God Himself. When doing this continuously, there is a unique purity and consecration that happens. In the fire, everything must be purified and refined like gold. There is a respect for the holiness of God by welcoming a life refined by the fire.(2)

Fire can also represent revival. If we define one element of revival as simply being more in love with Jesus and completely yielded for His purposes, then as we focus our gaze upon the fire in His eyes, signs, wonders, and miracles are sure to follow. We don’t need to strive for revival to be released through our lives when our hearts burn for the One Thing more than any other lover. Revival is something that will naturally flow from the fire of God’s presence in our lives and our intimate communion with Him.

Resurgence of Fasting

Fasting for Fire: Igniting Fresh Hunger to Feast Upon God originally came from a blog I wrote in 2014 entitled “Fasting: The Lost Art of Feasting Upon God.” Interestingly enough, this has been one of my most frequented blogs. This surprised me. I always loved fasting, but to realize others were also interested was a fascinating discovery. Because I have experienced God in powerful ways as I have adopted a lifestyle of fasting, I want to share more about this pathway to intimacy and show how easily accessible it is no matter one’s starting point.

We are alive at such a unique time in history when God is bringing in one of the greatest harvests of souls we’ve ever known. So many people will be entering into the family of God in this new season. How amazing would it be if, when people entered into the kingdom of God, they also embraced a lifestyle of fasting that was marked by intimacy, consecration, and revival from the very start?

Unfortunately, many Christians have yet to discover or embrace the gift of fasting in our day. But what if fasting were not something exceptional in our generation? What would happen if spiritual fasting became a regular part of the Christian life rather than something reserved only for the religious elite? Or better yet, what if fasting for fire became the norm? I wonder what deeper levels of union with Jesus and profound revelation of the Holy Spirit might be tapped into when more believers access this pathway to intimacy. What type of deeper communion, extraordinary miracles, mass salvations, defining moments, increased anointing, and power might be released when the body of Christ strengthens her muscles in this way? How many more revival fires might be ignited when a community of burning ones gathers together, praying and fasting to take hold of more of God?

When a generation embraces the fire of God by setting themselves apart to fast, we will see an unstoppable army of lovers running hard after Him regardless of the cost. These fiery, consecrated, and set-apart saints will turn the world upside down for His glory. And fasting will be one of the pathways to increase and sustain their flame of love for Jesus.

Hunger

In my studies of revival history over the last several decades, the number one attribute that is present in the beginnings of almost every revival I’ve looked at is hunger. I discovered that hunger was the strongest component that initially stirred people to pray, position themselves, press in, and be desperate for a move of God. This hunger was first stirred up in their own lives, which later became catalytic for everyone around them.

So, if hunger for more of God is one of the most prominent elements God has used in history to catalyze revivals, wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a way for us to cultivate greater hunger for God today?

What if I told you that there is something very practical you can do today to cultivate increased hunger for God? Or that there is something you can integrate into your lifestyle that will radically accelerate your spiritual growth? Well, I have good news for you. There is! Fasting done with the right motives is one sure way to grow your hunger for God and access deeper levels of intimacy with Him. Besides asking God to give you the gift of hunger, you can also choose to embrace a lifestyle of fasting to grow your hunger for Him. A lifestyle of fasting can also contribute to greater anointing and power working through your life as you continue to yield to the Holy Spirit.

Jesus

Let me just say from the start that fasting is not the answer.

Jesus is the answer.

Fasting is not a formula to get God to do what we want. Fasting is simply one of the gifts or pathways to intimacy given to us that can help accelerate our growth in Christ and lead us into deeper union with Him. If signs, wonders, and miracles follow times of fasting, that’s amazing. However, that is not the focus of our fasting or our end game here. The point of fasting for fire is to get more of Jesus and allow Him to get more of us. Fasting is simply an invitation to know God more. It is all for Jesus. It must begin in Him, find its source in Him, and end with more of Him. In all of our fastings, may we get more of Jesus as our reward.

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1 A. W. Tozer, The Fire of God’s Presence: Drawing Near to a Holy God edited by James L. Snyder (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 2020), 41.

2 See Leviticus 6:8–13; Matthew 3:11; Romans 12:1–2.

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D. Revival Historian / photos by Paul Tellefsen

What a special way to end the Saturate Digging the Wells of Revival Tour in Locust, North Carolina August 12-14, 2021 led by Parker and Jessi Green. It felt as if though the momentum continued to increase from meeting to meeting throughout the tour. There was so much acceleration, increased glory, and anointing every time we gathered.

Night 1: Continuing the Momentum from Kentucky

Saturate Global’s final stop of the tour found us in Locust North, Carolina August 12-14, 2021 where we were hosted by Pastor Alan Didio and his Encounter Today team who prepared the way so incredibly. They even walked the grounds and prayed over the land daily in the weeks leading up to the revival meetings. The first night of the event on Thursday August 12, Jessi preached with passion, spontaneous baptisms took place, many got saved, healed, and delivered. Pastor Alan also shared a fiery word and Ben Hughes released healing.

Night 2: Swept up in a Moment with Heaven

Night two of the event, Friday August 13, happened to be the anniversary date of the Moravian Pentecost that took place in 1727 which later went on to birth the 24-7 prayer movement, the protestant mission’s movement and more. Jessi began the evening session with a salvation altar call right from the start. Then Parker preached and helped us recognize the weight of how one small seed can grow into a massive tree. He also released a blessing and charge over all the men gathered.

As people came up to get baptized, I will never forget watching one little girl realize the weight of her yes to get baptized and break into tears into her father’s arms. She got marked and then fell out in the Spirit afterwards, along with her little sister who also got baptized and then her parents also went down under the power of God. It was a family affair!

The band played the Yesua song, baptisms were happening, and then during all the craziness, there was a moment I will never forget. In the midst of all of baptisms and deliverances taking place, and as worship was continuing on, we were all swept up into another realm of glory. I remember at one point I stopped praying for people and just looked around to recognize what was happening. Others felt a shift too. Those at the baptism tanks stopped baptizing and lifted their hands in worship to the King of kings.

Heaven broke in and apprehended us. We all experienced greater realms of glory. It felt like we were in the middle of a war zone, on the front lines helping people get set free when suddenly, God Himself descended upon us with His tangible manifest presence. We had to pause everything to simply worship and adore Him face to face. It was a radical reminder that He was right there in our midst in a powerful way.

Night 3: Kabod Glory

For our final night (August 14) of our North Carolina revival tour and our whole summer of Re-digging the Wells of Revival tour, we found ourselves huddled up together under the tent to find refuge from the rain.

Worship was fire from the start. The hunger under the tent was palpable. Jessi Green preached with passion, and then called people to line up in one of the following 4 lines depending upon what they needed: salvation, healing, deliverance, more of Holy Spirit. I went over to the more of the Holy Spirit line and prayed over hungry ones. So many fell out in the Spirit and got marked with His fire. Was beautiful to see the children getting touched too.

Later on, Jessi had Taylor sing her anointed song Like a Fog Rolling in, Consume Me song about asking God to consume us completely. Then we all sat in silence and the weighty Kabod glory increased and continued to descend upon us with increasing measure before spontaneous worship broke out.

It was so weighty, I could barely even open my eyes. Then after a while in the thick glory, worship began again with some more upbeat songs and people were dancing around. I felt so heavy though, I could barely move my legs, let alone get engage with the dancing now taking place. I was like dead weight, still heavy from the glory. I was undone. I was completely saturated in His presence and had trouble functioning after that time. I was filled to overflowing with His glory that permeated my very being.

This was one of my favorite nights of the whole tour and one where I felt the increase of God’s heavy weighty glory in a powerful way. He truly does save the best wine for last. May you too, be blessed and overshadowed in the heavy weighty kabod glory of God today. As you seek His face, may He pour out His new wine in and through your life in increasing measures. Thanks for joining us on this journey. More to come soon…

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph. D.

On July 15-19, I headed to Nicholasville, Kentucky to be a part of a Saturate Global Tent Revival meeting hosted by Parker & Jessi Green. The site was not far from where the Cane Ridge Revival broke out adding flames to the 2nd Great Awakening. 

The meetings were wild. The hunger of people who came out was inspiring. They were so desperate for more of God that some even knelt down or laid prostrate in the mud, calling out for more of Him.

I co-led a session on the revival history of Kentucky starting with the Red River Meeting House where the fire spread to the Cane Ridge Revival birthing the 2nd Great Awakening. Kentuckian Kelsey King tag-teamed the session and brought such a special perspective on the Cane Ridge revival before I began to share about the Asbury University Revivals.

Then, I shared briefly about the Welsh Revival.  Then when I then added testimonies of the Azusa Street Revival on top of the testimonies of the Red River Revival, Cane Ridge Revival, Asbury Revival, and Welsh Revival, something shifted under tent and the power of God fell even more. The synergy of the ages of these revival testimonies poured out into the Kentucky well of revival was catalytic.

When I mentioned the Azusa Street Revival, one young man started to shake and the hunger escalated. People began to call out to God. I welcomed them to come to the front and consecrate themselves wholeheartedly to serve the Lord with their full yes. Then we welcomed a baptism of fire. People were so hungry for God that they even laid down face first prostrate in the mud.

I haven’t seen such hunger in awhile. I personally was moved by their hunger and wondered, would I be brave and desperate enough to be face down in the mud to have more of Jesus?

The Holy Spirit took over the meeting. We heard people calling out to God, then spontaneous singing. God was marking and setting apart revivalists in our day. At one point someone tried to take over the meeting and we even lost power, but God could not be stopped. He was consecrating His pure hearted lovers to be set apart for Him from that day forward.

Then after we closed our session, Jessika Tate stepped right in to share about Blind Bartemaus and took us deeper before Joanne Moody came and administered healing. Those who were in the tent that day didn’t leave. Some started early morning prayer with Mando, did the revival history session with me and Kelsey, stayed for Jessika Tate and Joanne Moody who did healing and deliverance. It was one long encounter and journey I will never forget. People were marked that day with the fire of God and will never be the same again.   

Me with Jessika Tate, Joanne Moody, Kelsey King.

Here’s a very rough, raw, unedited recording of the session. The quality is poor but you can at least get a feel and receive what God poured out. As you listen and dive into the revival history of Kentucky, may you get ignited with fresh fire to burn for Jesus like never before!

More pictures of the hunger present in the Saturate Tent Revival meetings in Kentucky. More testimonies and reports coming soon.

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D., Revival Historian written on location in Kentucky near the Red River Meeting House

God is doing a new thing for such a time as this. This week on the 222 anniversary of the spark of what would later catalyze the 2nd Great Awakening, God is bringing people from around the nation to re-dig this well at the Red River Meeting House in Kentucky where it all began as Parker & Jessi Green with Saturate Global host revival meetings onsite. I have been so blessed to partner for such a time as this.

Dutch Sheets recognizes the significance of these well of revival and says that, “The Red River Meeting House was the place of a great revival in 1800. It led to the great Cane Ridge revival, which led to the Second Great Awakening, which literally saved America. Not just spiritually, but as a nation. Some historians believe every significant revival in the world since then has a connection to the Red River Meeting House.”

In Proverbs 10:5 (TPT), it says, “Know the importance of the season you’re in and a wise son you will be. But what a waste when an incompetent son sleeps through his day of opportunity!”

The Red River Meeting House has been highlighted prophetically for such a time as this. Let me now take you on a little journey through its history as we dive into the well of this revival to see the prophetic significance it has for us today.

Small Beginnings

It was in July of 1799 when God really began to move in a special way in Kentucky when a Presbyterian minister named James McGready responded to the burden on his heart to see revival sweep across his region and the nation. After a short preaching stint in North Carolina where there was heavy opposition to the point where someone burned down his pulpit, and another sent him a threatening letter written in blood, McGready didn’t let this take him out. Instead, he shook off the dust and then headed for Kentucky. 

He arrived in Logan County, Kentucky in around 1797 where he settled in the Red River Community and was given three small churches to lead: Red River, Gasper River, and Muddy River. The region at the time was not the most prominent place to be. It was known as “Rogue's Harbor” or “Satan’s Stronghold” where many felt unsafe to walk the streets.

A Call to Corporate Prayer and Fasting

In light of wanting to see people awakened to the love and fire of God, McGready called all three of his congregations to corporate prayer and fasting. Every Saturday evening and Sunday morning, along with one whole Sabbath each month for a whole year, his community committed to special prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and for revival to break out. He even got this remnant to sign a covenant commitment to this call of prayer for revival. When they signed this covenant, they were agreeing to pray for revival until they see it or until they die. As early as 1797, men from James McGready's three churches would spend all day in the woods, heavy under conviction, weeping, and calling out to God to be saved. He continued in this rhythm of corporate prayer and fasting for over two years.

The Embers (July 1799)

Then in July of 1799, revival began to break out at his church in Red River. Sinners began to be overcome with conviction and repent, the Holy Spirit broke out and moved slaying people under the power of God. In a letter written to a friend, James McGready described the meeting these embers emerged that would later lend to the spark that would ignite the flame of the 2nd Great Awakening:

“…our infant congregation remained in a state of deadness and darkness from the fall, through the winter, and until the month of July, 1799, at the administration of the sacrament at Red River. This was a very solemn time throughout. On Monday the power of God seemed to fill the congregation; the boldest, daring sinners in the country covered their faces and wept bitterly. After the congregation was dismissed, a large number of people stayed about the doors, unwilling to go away. Some of the ministers proposed to me to collect the people in the meeting-house again, and perform prayer with them; accordingly we went in, and joined in prayer and exhortation. The mighty power of God came amongst us like a shower from the everlasting hills--God's people were quickened and comforted; yea, some of them were filled with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Sinners were powerfully alarmed, and some precious souls were brought to feel the pardoning love of Jesus.

At Gasper river the sacrament was administered in August (1799). This was one of the days of the Son of Man, indeed, especially on Monday. I preached a plain gospel sermon on Heb. 11:16, the better country. A great solemnity continued during the sermon. After sermon Mr. Rankin gave a solemn exhortation--the congregation was then dismissed; but the people all kept their seats for a considerable space, whilst awful solemnity appeared in the countenances of a large majority. Presently several persons under deep convictions broke forth into a loud outcry--many fell to the ground, lay powerless, groaning, praying and crying for mercy…”[1]

After these occurrences in 1799, the winter months came and caused things to close down some. But then in the summer of 1800, the embers created a catalytic spark so much so that McGready looked upon the events of 1799 as prelude as to what was to happen in 1800 and said, “the year of 1800 exceeds all that my eyes ever beheld upon earth.” The following year they planned for another four day sacrament camp meeting in Red River, and the results were astounding.

The Catalytic Spark

Red River Meeting House: 1st ever Camp Meeting (June 13-17, 1800)

In a letter to a friend, dated Logan County, Kentucky, October 23, 1801, McGready tells of the

"Commencement and Progress of the Revival of 1800: In June (1800) the sacrament was administered at Red River. This was the greatest time we had ever seen before. As multitudes were struck down under awful conviction; the cries of the distressed filled the whole house. There you might see profane swearers, and sabbath breakers pricked to the heart, and crying out, “what shall we do to be saved?” There frolickers, and dancers crying for mercy. There you might see little children of 10, 11 and 12 years of age praying and crying for redemption, in the blood of Jesus, in agonies of distress. During this sacrament, and until the Tuesday following, 10 persons we believe, were savingly brought home to Christ."

People came from over 100 miles away for the four day communion service, camping in covered wagons. In the final session John McGee stood up to give closing exhortation: “I...exhorted them to let the Lord omnipotent reign in their hearts, and submit to Him, and their souls should live... I turned again and losing sight of fear of man, I went through the house shouting and exhorting with all possible ecstasy and energy, and the floor was soon covered by the slain.” McGready said,

“At a huge evening meeting lighted by flaming torches . . . a Presbyterian pastor gave a throbbing message . . . The power of God seemed to shake the whole assembly. Toward the close of the sermon, the cries of the distressed arose almost as loud as the speaker's voice. After the congregation was dismissed the solemnity increased, till the greater part of the multitude seemed engaged in the most solemn manner. No person seemed to wish to go home- hunger and sleep seems to affect nobody- eternal things were the vast concern. Here awakenings and converting work was to be found in every part of the multitude. Sober professors, who had been communicants for many years, now lying prostrate on the ground, crying out in such language as this: ‘O! How I would have despised any person a few days ago, who would have acted as I am doing now! But I cannot help it!’ Persons of every description, white and black, we’re to be found in every part of the multitude... crying out for mercy in the most extreme distress.”[2]

Bernard A. Weisberger said, “the revival was no passively received blessing. It was a weapon aimed at sin, and it was meant to be used to hit hard.” See another account mentioned below:

“When the revival began, it began without warning. At a meeting at Red River Meeting House in June of 1800, though some attendees cried and wept, and others fell to the floor under conviction of their sinfulness, and though there were conversions, it seemed, as the last day of the meetings closed, that there would be no great move of God at that time. Disappointed, James McGready and two ministers who had been assisting him left the building. 

A visiting minister from nearby Sumner County, Tennessee, William McGee, looking sorrowfully around, suddenly felt impressed to shout to the people, “Let the Lord God Omnipotent reign in your hearts!” At this, pandemonium broke forth among the congregation. Some of the lost began to scream, others fell to the floor, sometimes writhing, sometimes perfectly still, having swooned, as fainting was called in that day. In modern religious terminology, they had been “slain in the spirit.” Several members went to McGee and urged him to try to stop what was happening, saying that Presbyterians could not allow such goings on. Instead, William McGee went throughout the building, shouting praises to God and encouraging the people to yield themselves wholly to God. Many were changed forever that night. In the words of James McGready, "a mighty effusion of [God's] Spirit" came upon the people, "and the floor was soon covered with the slain; their screams for mercy pierced the heavens."

Heartened by the results of this meeting, another was planned at McGready's Gasper River Church. This was the first planned camp meeting. Volunteers arrived days early to cut away trees and undergrowth around the "meeting house." This was to make room for the people and the wagons that were expected. They did not anticipate what occurred. An enormous crowd, as many as several thousand, arrived at the appointed date. Thirteen wagon loads of people and provisions showed up ready to camp out at this meeting. Whole families had come prepared to camp out for days. Some of these people had traveled over 100 miles, on wilderness roads or trails, to be there. The estimates of the number present ran as high as 8,000 men, women, and children.”[3]

Rev. George Baxter says:

“I think the revival in Kentucky among the most extraordinary that have ever visited the church of Christ, and, all things considered, peculiarly adapted to the circumstances of that country. Infidelity was triumphant and religion on the point of expiring. Something of an extraordinary nature seemed necessary to arrest the attention of giddy people, who were ready to conclude that Christianity was a fable and futurity a dread. The revival has done it. It has confounded infidelity and vice into silence, and brought numbers beyond calculation under serious impressions.”

The Revival Fires spread (Cane Ridge August 1801)

Barton Stone who got saved under McGready’s ministry in North Carolina, would later take what he experienced from McGready’s Red River Revival camp meetings to lead one of the largest Camp meetings happened August 6-13, 1801 in Cane Ridge Meeting House. This historic camp meeting drew in between 10,000 and 20,000 people, 140 wagons, having some people travel over 200 miles. This would have been “nearly 10 percent of the recorded population of Kentucky in 1800.” This spread the 2nd Great Awakening more expansively around the nation. More on Cane Ridge Revival in another revival history sketch to come.

 After people attended the camp meetings, they would then spread the revival back to their own regions. William Booth and the early Salvationists studied the camp meeting. Peter Cartwright got saved at Red River and became a Methodist circuit rider, taking the gospel to people by horseback. Another circuit rider who saw the Holy Spirit moving at this time was the Methodist bishop Francis Asbury, who Asbury College was named after. When he experienced what God was pouring out in these these camp meetings, he saw this could be a prototype to be replicated across the American frontier to host and steward revival.

Recent Prophetic Dreams about Red River Meeting House

It is interesting how a revival that was birthed over two centuries ago is being highlighted in the Spirit for such a time as this. Prophetic voice, Gina Gholston, had several dreams about Red River Meeting House recently where I share excerpts below. The first was in the Summer of 2020 where she recalled:

“I dreamed I was at the Red River Meeting House in Russellville, Kentucky. I had gone through the gate and started walking up the drive toward the Meeting House, when I noticed 100 bald eagles on the grounds… “Hearing a noise behind me, I turned and saw an older well-drilling rig coming through the gate toward the Meeting House. It stopped about halfway up the driveway and parked under the walnut trees where it began drilling. No sooner had the bit been set when, whoosh, the water gushed out in very high, massive amounts!

“I thought, ‘This looks like Old Faithful.’…Then I heard an audible voice speaking about this geyser in front of me: “‘It is set on the rhythm of Heaven’s time clock. And it’s time!’

“As soon as I heard those words, “‘Rapid eye movement: My seers are on the move’ the eagles flew off in every direction, each heading purposefully toward their assignment. As they left, each one flew through the supernatural water, becoming drenched. Incredibly, their feathers never dried as they flew. Wherever they traveled, water would fall off of them-like a rain shower-onto the dry ground over which they flew.

“Back at the Red River Meeting House, the water continued gushing and I, too, became soaked with it. I went into the Meeting House, which had been set up like a command center…

“Suddenly, the dream shifted, and I knew by the Spirit that what was happening at the Red River Meeting House was also taking place at Cane Ridge, Kentucky, and Azusa Street in California! I was then lifted up, and could see a line connecting Cane Ridge and the Red River Meeting House. Another line from each of them went to Azusa. I could see that these lines formed the shape of a spearhead. From the line drawn between Cane Ridge and the Red River Meeting House was yet another, coming from the nation of Wales. It was forming the shaft of the spear.

“This picture was depicting that all four of those places—Wales, Cane Ridge, Red River Meeting House, and Azusa—were connected; and also that what I saw happening at Red River was simultaneously happening at all of them. I was being shown that all of those past moves of God were now being brought together to ‘spearhead’ another greater and more powerful move of God in our time. End of the dream.”[4]

Her second dream about this was on February 2, 2021 where she says:

“I dreamed I was standing with someone on a deck-like structure in a very lofty place in the heavens…

“As we were looking down, we saw what first appeared to be war planes flying over the U.S.

“I said, ‘Those are not war planes, they are eagles! I have seen them before in a dream. There are 100 of them. They’re saturated with water from the reopened well of revival at the Red River Meeting House. It has been unlocked and is now gushing forth into the nation.’

“Then I could clearly see that the eagles, just as in the previous dream, were carrying arrows in one of their talons and a rolled up piece of paper in the other. Also, they were still drenched and releasing water from the erupting geyser on the grounds of the Red River Meeting House.

“As the eagles were flying in all directions across America, they all suddenly began diving toward the ground. When near the ground they leveled off, and began dropping their arrows into the land. I knew there were 100 eagles, and each carried three arrows; so 300 arrows were released throughout the land. When each arrow hit the ground, it ignited as though it had hit a gas pocket and a spiraling plume of fire shot up. Then we watched as the water being released by the eagles was also ignited by the fire. The water from the Red River Meeting House was extremely flammable and instantly caught fire! It seemed that all of America was on fire.

The gentleman with me then began speaking under an incredibly heavy anointing. (It was then that I noticed he had a very strong accent.) He said: There is coming a sweeping move of the Spirit of God that will ignite America with the fire of His presence….“‘The eagles are on assignment. They carry “Fire Power”; they carry glory. And at the precise moment, their arrows will be released, hit their targets, and the move of God will ignite and spread very quickly!’ Then he said again, ‘Do NOT doubt it!’

“Still on my knees, I looked up at the man, and I somehow knew he was Duncan Campbell, one of the ministers from the great Hebrides revival.” [5]

Prophetic Significance for Today + 222

In light of these dreams and the stirrings of the Holy Spirit leading many to tap into this well of revival for such a time as this, Parker & Jessi Green with their ministry called Saturate Global are currently hosting revival meetings at the Red River Meeting House on the 222 year anniversary of when the first sparks were released here in July of 1799. We are seeing demons cast out, people of all ages delivered and filled with the Holy Spirit and fire, radical worship released, healings, people baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire, generosity, people activated into their calling, and more. We even had witches show up to try and curse what God is doing, a sign that the enemy is threatened because God is on the move in a very big way (and a portal is about to be unlocked).

222 can represent an unlocking taking place.

• Mark 2:22 “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”

• Revelation 22:2 “The river was flowing in the middle of the street of the city, and on either side of the river was the Tree of Life, with its twelve kinds of ripe fruit according to each month of the year. The leaves of the Tree of Life are for the healing of the nations.”

• Ephesians 2:22 “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!” (TPT)

• Daniel 2:22 “He reveals deep and hidden things…”

• Isaiah 22:22 “I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”

If you haven’t already discerned it, the time is NOW. We are in a Kairos moment, a window of opportunity. There is an invitation set before us where God is inviting us to step ALL in for what He’s pouring out for such a time as this. We have to step into and walk through the window to enter into all that He has. If all of these signs don't point to God pouring out His Spirit in unprecedented measures for such a time as this, I don’t know what else will.

The majority of the Saturate team who are hosting these meetings have recently quit jobs, moved out of their homes, sold their belongings, and are all in to see revival sweep across our land. All other invitations or speaking engagements have been canceled this month to continue hosting meetings here at the Red River Meeting House this weekend because we feel God is doing a mighty work. I have canceled my flight home so I could remain with my dear friends who are going all in for revival in our day. We are calling forth the laborers of the harvest to join us. We are calling the remnant, those who know they are born for more to join us as we drink from this deep well with great expectation that out of our bellies rivers of living waters will gush forth and saturate and dry and thirsty land.

Come and see.

Join us and bring those who need healing, deliverance, salvation, or a fresh touch from God.

Access James McGready’s sermons

 Learn more about running with a fiery group of Revivalists by joining the School of Revival Family

Notes

[1] Narrative of the Commencement and Progress of the Revival of 1800. The letter written to his friend was dated October 23, 1801, By the late Rev. James McGready. Learn more about the Great Revival of 1800 and Red River Meeting house beginnings https://www.gospeltruth.net/revival200yearsago.htm

[2] https://www.gospeltruth.net/revival200yearsago.htm

[3]  (Church History magazine, No. 23, p. 25). https://www.gospeltruth.net/revival200yearsago.htm

[4] See full dream here https://ginagholstonministries.org/2020/01/14/red-river-meeting-house-gushing-well/

[5] See full dream here https://ginagholstonministries.org/2021/04/02/duncan-campbell-and-the-eagles/

2021 A Year of HARVEST

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

We are in a Kairos Moment

We are in a kairos moment and have an opportunity to reap a radical harvest for the Kingdom of God in this season. Before we dive into the meaning of harvest, let’s first understand the importance of this unique kairos moment we find ourselves in post 2020. Kairos is one of the Greek words in the New Testament for “time.” It is translated as “the right time,” “a set or proper time, opportunity, due season, short time” or “a fixed and definite time, the time when things are brought to crisis, the decisive epoch waited for.”

The following Scriptures below use the word kairos to describe time.

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15

Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time? Luke 12:56

So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. Romans 11:5

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

Seizing the day, Harvest time, Esther being born for such a time as this, and us stepping into this moment we were born for all tie into the theme of a kairos moment of time. Another way to describe kairos time could be to recognize that it is a special Window of Opportunity. There is an anointing upon a kairos season in a heightened way. More is available, possible, and accessible during that time than in others.

Window of Opportunity

The Israelites were freed from bondage in Egypt with radical signs and wonders, including watching the Red Sea part before their eyes (Exodus 14). They were led by a cloud by day, and fire by night. Then they had a kairos moment, a window of opportunity to take their Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb came back with a positive faith-filled report (Numbers 14). The other ten spies spread fear throughout the camp because they chose to focus on the circumstances rather than see things through God’s perspective. The Israelites then had a choice in this window of opportunity. They could immediately respond to God’s invitation to take the land, keeping their eyes on Him and trusting in Him, or not.

Instead of stepping into all that God had for them in this unique and special kairos moment in time, the Israelites partnered with fear and hesitated to move forward. Then, when they finally later attempted to obey God’s command, that window of opportunity had closed, and it was too late. Their delayed obedience was actually disobedience. A whole generation still walked with God in the desert, however they missed out on stepping into the fullness of their destinies. Rather than enter the Promised Land, which was their truest destiny, a whole generation died off in the desert. They didn’t recognize the kairos moment they were in. There was a tragic loss. They were never given that opportunity again.

What if we are in a moment where God is inviting us to lift up our eyes to see, respond, reap, and receive the harvest? If we fail to move where He is leading, will we have to painfully wait and watch as our generation dies off before God can raise up a new remnant to swiftly respond to His leading for such a time as this?

The Harvest

Though Scriptures are timeless and speak to us on a daily basis, there are some times when certain words are highlighted and become rhema words to speak directly into our time and situations. I believe that Jesus’ words about the harvest are important for what God wants to do in 2021 and are now words for us today in the unique kairos moment we find ourselves in post 2020. Jesus says,

Don't you have a saying, ‘It's still four months until harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”  John 4:35 (NIV)

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Luke 10:2 (NIV)

The word used for harvest in the verses above comes from the Greek word therismos which means “harvest” or “the act of reaping.” Figuratively, it means the act of gathering people into the kingdom of God and it occurs 13 times in 8 verses. This word comes from therizō which means to “reap” found in Galatians 6:9 that says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (see also 2 Corinthians 9:6). The word for reap comes from primary word theros which means “to heat” or “summer” as used in Mark 13:28 that says, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.”

Heat, reap, summer, all build toward the harvest. In other words, turn up the heat, the summer season is coming to reap a bountiful harvest.

Kairos and Harvest

There is also another word used for Harvest (Karpos) which means Fruit and is used 66 times in 56 verses. It is interesting to note that there are several consistencies of kairos time being linked to the harvest or even being translated as harvest time within both uses of the word for harvest.

When the harvest (karpos) time (kairos) approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit (karpos). Matthew 21:34 (NIV)

At harvest time (kairos) he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit (karpos) of the vineyard. Luke 20:10 (NIV)

Let both grow together until the harvest (therismos). At that time (kairos) I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn. Matthew 13:30 (NIV)

Might there be a specific God appointed time to bring in the harvest like it says in Matthew 13:30? Might God have been waiting for a fullness of time to bring in a billion-soul harvest with one concentrated sweep into the Kingdom? What if Mark 4:29 is a now word for us today?

“As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4:29

What if our world post 2020 is ripe, ready to be reaped because the harvest has now come?

It’s Harvest Time in this Kairos Moment

God has entrusted us with this unique season, this kairos moment in history, to bring in and steward this ripe and incoming harvest. He has entrusted us to carry hope to the hopeless, peace to the fear stricken, and healing to the brokenhearted. He has given us the opportunity to extend the invitation to share the love and transformative power of Jesus with the world in a time when there’s no other hope. He has repositioned us to be in perfect alignment for what He’s pouring out all around us, His new wine in increasing measures and a harvest of souls like never before.

There is a time for sowing and a time for reaping. I believe the openness to the Gospel following the 2020 pandemic and shut down will be greater than in seasons before. There is a new grace and a fresh invitation to the Gospel now more than ever. This is a time set apart for harvesting. Though I don’t know much about farming, I do know there is a time for sowing and time for reaping. And if the harvesters don’t collect the fruit during harvest time, it could die off.

Because the revival we’ve been praying for our whole lives is imminently upon us and is already here, there is a need to position ourselves to steward the incoming billion soul harvest well. We can only do this with and in family. We don’t have much more time to prepare our nets before they will be nearly busting at the seams beyond full capacity.

We are in a Kairos moment. 

The Harvest is ripe.

Get your nets ready.

Everyone has an important part to play in this incoming harvest

Some of you had a tough year and need to spend some time in God’s presence and with healthy people allowing Him to heal and restore your soul so that you will be able to pour out from a place of overflow. Also realize that in the act of loving others, your healing will spring forth (Isaiah 58). Others are ready to dive in and will begin reaping the harvest. Still others will be needed to steward and disciple the incoming harvest in family. Some will be able to invest into the harvest at this time. A few great ministries already on the front lines in bringing in the harvest that I know personally, support, and believe in are Heidi & Rolland Ministries, Iris Global, Parker & Jessi Green, and Saturate OC. Ask the Holy Spirit how He wants you to partner with this incoming harvest and then take some risks in this kairos moment and see what God does. You might be surprised by how much He will use your one little act of faith in this unique season.

5 Practical keys to position yourself to steward the incoming harvest

• Remain full of the oil of His presence. Cultivate intimacy with Jesus so you are full of love and immediately willing to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit

• Get connected with a burning tribe of Jesus lovers so that you can stay burning and welcome the incoming harvest into a family. I would love to have you join me and the School of Revival family!

• Write down a list of people of at least 5 people you can begin praying for

• Be intentional to reach out to love, share your testimony with, offer to pray for some on your list

• Reach out to others you know who are already bringing in the harvest, sow into them, serve them, partner with them, learn from them

You are born for such a time as this!

Blessing your new year to be filled with the presence of Jesus in increasing measures, surrounded with a family of burning ones to inspire you toward your destiny, and supernatural faith to step out and fulfill every good work God has destined for you to complete. All for His glory!

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Join us in our upcoming School of Revival 301 on the theme of The Harvest

For those who want to grow in this area of both reaping, gathering, and stewarding the incoming harvest, join our School of Revival family as we dive deeper into this theme together with activations. Connect with other burning ones from around the world in a small group where you are seen, known, celebrated, and activated to fulfill your God-given destiny from a place of Holy Spirit fire, intimacy with Jesus, and connection with family. Only about 20 spots left. Hope to see you there!

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

One of the best things about teaching a class on the History of Revivals this past semester at Vanguard University is that I got to explore more revivals throughout history than I had previously done. I also got to do it together with fresh minds who were eager and hungry to learn and process together. The following is one thing I learned during this journey of exploring the History of Revivals with my students at Vanguard.

What I learned by teaching History of Revivals class

1. God can move freely outside of and even within, tight structures

In the diametrically opposite structures of these revivals, the one constant was that space was created for the spontaneous moving of the Holy Spirit.

Case Study: Revival of 1857-59

Before I taught History of Revivals class at Vanguard University, I believed that there was one constant in revivals that was important to keep in mind when positioning for and stewarding revival in our day. Because I have spent so much of my time and heart focusing on two of my favorite revivals, The Welsh Revival and the Azusa Street Revival, I previously made the assumption that one mark of revival is that

“Time is irrelevant when God shows up.”

The meetings in the Welsh Revival had no start or stop time. At Azusa Street, there were continuous meetings around the clock. God moved in a significant way in both of these movements and in a similar way in many other revivals. Eye witness of the Azusa Street Revival Frank Bartleman, described the meetings like this:

The services ran almost continuously. Seeking souls could be found under the power almost any hour, night and day. The place was never closed nor empty. The people came to meet God. He was always there. Hence a continuous meeting. The meeting did not depend on the human leader. God’s presence became more and more wonderful. In that old building, with its low rafters and bare floors, God took strong men and women to pieces, and put them together again, for His glory. It was a tremendous overhauling process. Pride and self-assertion, self-importance and self-esteem, could not survive there. The religious ego preached its own funeral sermon quickly.[1]

The Lord wrought very deeply. Several were under the power all night on one occasion. There was no closing at 9 o’clock sharp, as the preachers must do today in order to keep the people. We wanted God in those days. We did not have a thousand other things we wanted before Him.[2]

When it was time to teach on the Business Prayer Meeting Revival of 1857-59 that happened in New York, it messed up my theory based off of the Welsh and Azusa Street revivals. I thought God really liked to move in revival when there were no constraints placed upon time. As we studied this revival, we noticed that there was strictly one hour set apart for businessmen to gather together during their lunch break to pray. There was a clear start and stop. And the crazy thing was that even in this tight structure, God moved and spread revival throughout the land all in the model of a one hour lunch break prayer meeting model. As we continued to dive deep into studying revivals and looking at each uniquely while seeing the broader scope as well, I struggled with this one hour reality.

I had spent so much of my own efforts trying to break this box. When I stewarded our meetings at Destiny House every Friday, I made it a core value to not have a set stop or end time but just finish whenever the Holy Spirit was done. That was the one day a week where I didn’t want to put a time constraint on God or box Him in in anyway. I modeled our meetings after the similar core values found within the Welsh Revival.

The Revival of 1857-59 didn’t fit nicely into any of my previous paradigms. But then in the midst of teaching this class and processing with the students, I realized that there was a similar pattern between this revival and the Welsh and Azusa Street revivals.

Even though their structures looked very different, the constant theme in each of these and others was that in however long or short the time was, they all made space for the Holy Spirit to move freely and spontaneously through whomever He chose. While the Businessmen’s Prayer Revival had a time limit of one hour, within that time, there was a priority to make space for the Holy Spirit to move through whomever felt a burden from the Lord. There was protected space and invitation for each person to bring something to the table and have a voice. Each was encouraged and invited to pray however they felt led by the Spirit. There was no platform. It was an even stage where each member of the Body of Christ could “play.”

While there are many patterns and insights we can learn from revival history, we can’t necessarily imitate previous revivals to get the same results. We can learn from history in how to better steward revival but the only way to get there ourselves is by walking in communion with Jesus and yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit by saying Yes to whatever that looks like.

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[1] Frank Bartleman, How Pentecost Came to Los Angeles, 58-59. “…We had no ‘respect of persons.’ The rich and educated were the same as the poor and ignorant, and found a much harder death to die. We only recognized God. All were equal. No flesh might glory in His presence. He could not use the self-opinionated. Those were Holy Ghost meetings, led of the Lord. It had to start in poor surroundings, to keep out the selfish, human element. All came down in humility together, at His feet. They all looked alike, and had all things in common in that sense at least. The rafters were low, the tall must come down. By the time they got to ‘Azusa’ they were humbled, ready for the blessing. The fodder was thus placed for the lambs, not for giraffes. All could reach It.”

[2] Frank Bartleman, How Pentecost Came to Los Angeles, 102. “…And He did not disappoint us. One sister sang and spoke in ‘tongues’ for five full hours. Souls were saved. The saints were wonderfully built up and strengthened by the presence of the Lord. A number received the ‘baptism,’ and the mission became full fledged for ‘Pentecost.’ One Sunday night the hall was packed out, to the middle of the street. I went to the hall one morning to look up the folks, who had not come home. Several had stayed all night. I found them lost to all but God. They could not get away. A very shekinah glory filled the place. It was awesome, but glorious.”

by Jennifer A. Miskov, Ph.D.

I’ve written in the past that there is a difference between seeing God move and a move of God. I see God move all of the time. It’s rare however, that I get the opportunity to get swept up into tangible move of God. To experience God’s glory and to witness and even take part in these moments is one thing I crave almost more than anything. To step into a hidden momentum and flow where we truly let the Holy Spirit lead us into a divine unfolding of God’s majesty, is something I’ve given my life to.

And last night, I witnessed a move of God I want to share with you. I know God crashes in when people gather to worship, pray, wait upon Him. Sometimes He even comes upon a person completely unexpectantly. Last night however, I saw God crash in through one act of radical generosity.

This didn’t happen in a vacuum, or in a moment really. And even sharing the few days leading up to this moment to provide a little context, pales in comparison with all of the simple and costly yeses leading up to that moment. Here we go…

Last night, I attended Parker & Jessi Green’s Tent Revival meeting. God called the Greens to pack up their well-established lives in New York a few years ago, to move to California because they felt God was going to pour out revival here. So, they quit their jobs, packed up and moved to the Golden State. This past summer they birthed Saturate OC where they hosted revival worship baptism gatherings on the beach. Then God put it in their hearts to do a tent meeting. God miraculously brought all of the pieces together, even the chairs and the tent for the meeting less than two weeks before. 

Jessi, Mando, and I baptizing a burning one Friday night. Photo by Job Rascon

The first night of the meetings was on Thursday for a prayer rally. A few even got saved that night. Then Friday, several more got saved, and also baptized that night. Then Saturday in the daytime, Jessi along with Kingdom Women ministry hosted a banquet for widows, single mothers, or those who have had an abortion to come together and be loved, encouraged, healed, and blessed. Jessi shared her testimony of having had three abortions before she knew Christ and how after those, she became suicidal, was on cocaine, worked in night clubs, and was tormented with anxiety, fear, and depression. The moment she really met Jesus for the first time and surrender her life to Him, all of that changed. All the depression and suicidal thoughts left. She was set free. As a tent full of women were listening to Jessi’s testimony, some began to weep. God was ministering deeply through her story. The women also received ministry and gifts.

Several hours later when we started the third night of the Tent Revival meeting, there was something different in the air. The worship was electric in a new way, the hunger in those present was tangible, there was a deeper freedom and greater expectation. There was a turning of our eyes upon Jesus in the deeper way. Then our friend Mando Matthews with Ekballo House of Prayer Pasadena spoke about the different ways to yes to God and being willing to write Jesus a blank check with our lives.

Not long after, Jessi came up to speak. There was a somber and seriousness from the start. Before she began to share, she told people they were free to leave because it might get uncomfortable. Then she began to talk about the woman who broke the alabaster jar of perfume over Jesus shortly before His crucifixion.

She asked Joel Mott, the worship leader from Ekballo House of Prayer come and sit down on stage and for a bucket of water to be brought. She continued tell the story about how this woman very awkwardly went somewhere she was not invited to because she had to love Jesus extravagantly. Then Jessi dipped her hair in the water and wiped Joel’s feet to symbolize how it may have felt.

 She continued to share about how this perfume was costly. Scholars say it was worth a year’s wages. She said how some of us in the tent make $10K a year, others $60K, others $200K or $400K a year. How ever you look at it, the perfume used to anoint Jesus was costly to the one pouring it out. Jessi said how the cost will look different for each one us. See clip of the moment when God began to crash in a powerful way below.

She asked Jesus on the way to the meeting if she would be able to even offer Jesus the perfume poured out on His feet. She didn’t want to preach a message she wasn’t willing to live. Then she took off her coat and gave it to a single mom in the back of the tent who had come with her kids. Then she called up all the single moms and had Parker write them a check for $100 to bless them.

Then, she shared with us the story of how God blessed her with a Jeep and how much she loved it. She even took a photo shoot in front of it because she was so blessed by God and wanted Him to get all of the glory for doing something so extravagant for her. She spoke more about living a life of worship that costs us something; it cost Jesus everything.

Then she grabbed her purse, pulled out her keys, and gave them to Joel who was still sitting barefoot on the stage. She felt God told her about thirty minutes before that moment that she was to give him her Jeep. His head fell into his hands and tears flowed all around the tent. We were witnessing a radical act of generosity and it was wrecking us all.

 As I watched this scene unfold, I could tell that this was a divine moment. Radically generosity ushered in the Presence of God in a powerful way. When Jessi did this, people began to kneel on the floor, some lay prostrate. You could hear people weeping. It was a moment I will never forget.

 Not long after this profound giving took place, the invitation was given to be all in with Jesus and also get baptized. As worship was playing, we all walked over to the baptism containers filled with water. By the way, it was already very cold during these tent revival meetings since we were outside in December. I was wearing four layers to try and stay warm along with my winter coat and a beanie. So, you know if someone is going to get into those waters, they are going to be crazy for Jesus.

With worship still going on in the tent, I watched as one after another got baptized in those waters. They had counted the cost and they were ready to make a declaration with their lives to be all in for Jesus.

I realized we were truly in a kairos moment. As this unique 2020 year is coming to a close, there is still more God wants to do before it finishes. I was struck to the core, inspired, convicted by Jessi’s radical act of generosity. I was moved to recognize a divine moment we were in. I too, wanted to be all in once again. I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit to be baptized afresh in that moment. It was invitation where I had a choice to stay warm and comfortable or to be all in again. In this invitation, I felt that if I responded with my yes, something would be changed in my life and I would be ushered into a new season with Him. So, I asked my dear friends Jessi and Mando to baptize me afresh that night. These two met for the first time at the Bonnie Brae St. House on the anniversary of William J. Seymour’s death and had a crazy divine connection which is another story for another time.

After many of the others got baptized, and the crowd thinned, it was my turn. I had been baptized over twenty years ago but felt there was something significant about going under the water again in this fresh baptism. I believe in multiple baptisms of the Spirit, even wrote a book about it called Spirit Flood: Rebirth of Spirit Baptism for the 21st Century, so why not multiple baptisms of water, and a public re-dedication to be all in.

So, I got in that water, shivering from the cold but feeling the weight of that moment. I started to weep as we were talking, and I was trying to answer Jessi’s question of why I wanted to be baptized. I wanted to take advantage of this kairos moment and not let it pass me by. I wanted more of God in this new season as we finish out this unprecedented year.

The baptism container was big enough for me to be completely dunked while standing straight up. The only other time I got baptized was over twenty years ago. I had just turned 18, and after having recently broken up with my boyfriend at the time, I was all in. I was so all in that I couldn’t wait for the regular adult baptisms to take place so I joined the children’s baptism that was the earliest I could sign up for. I think I was one of the only adults being baptized that day in that small jacuzzi. I got baptized while kneeling down because it was a smaller space for the kids. That was an important decision for me to set myself apart to be a devoted follower of Christ. 

Even as I write this write not, I feel there is some significance with being baptized again, but this time doing it while standing up tall. This is something I need more time to process with the Lord to know the full extent. When, they dunked me, I was completely covered in the waters, there was no going back to the dry comfortable state I was in moments before.

Completely submersed.

Mary was overshadowed in the glory of God and later birthed the Son of the living God (Luke 1:35). There is something powerful and special about being completely overshadowed, submersed, saturated by the waters of the Holy Spirit. There is something special about being all in. When I came up out of those waters I yelled at the top of my lungs! It could have been the cold or God or a mixture of both, but then I began to declare out loud, “I am all in, I am all in, I am all in.” Then I felt a rush go through me and had to yell at the top of my lungs. God was unlocking something in my spirit.

I eventually made it out of the baptismal and was shaking and trembling in the cold under the mighty hand of God. As those gathered around me were laying hands on my back, they saw steam come off of me and said they could feel heat. Even though it was very cold outside, God was marking me in that space with His fire. I have a lot more I will need to process with the Lord from that moment as well as the significance of when someone gave me an envelope at the women’s banquet with a $100 bill for me to buy perfume which hours later, Jessi spoke about the perfume being poured out upon Jesus.

All this to say, God is really real. Revival is happening in California right now. In the midst of a pandemic and a lockdown, God is on the move, even in the most offensive of ways. You see, that woman who broke open and poured out that alabaster jar of perfume over Jesus, offended even Jesus’ closest friends.

 Thank you for listening to my story. I pray you have been blessed, inspired, disrupted, challenged, encouraged, and moved by this testimony to meet the real Jesus for the first time if you’ve never actually known Him personally, or, to be all in more than ever before.

Jesus is our only hope in this life.

In Him is abundant life here and now and forevermore.

Seek Him, find Him, and burn with other burning ones in this hour.

The time is ripe for the harvest.

It’s time to take our places.

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• Learn more about Parker & Jessi Green , their ministries Saturate OC and Salt Churches

• Read an article I wrote on the woman who broke the alabaster jar featured on Elijah List entitled “Love so Extravagantly it Burns Through Offense”

• Get equipped to bring in the harvest with me at School of Revival