Ten years ago this month, the Lord sent me to a ministry school at a large charismatic church a few hours from where I lived. During the five months I spent there (of what was supposed to be 2-year school) I ended up meeting a woman there who is now my wife. At the Lord’s leading, I got married and resigned from the school–and we were both promptly kicked out of the church. For those who don’t know me well, it was a very difficult season in my life, having been newly married in what was a completely God-ordained surprise, and having my family and almost all of my friends turn on me at the same time. During that period my wife and I were also badly attacked spiritually by a local coven, and the ripple effects of that continued for years afterward.
Fast forward to last weekend, I was helping a friend out with a conference in the Portland area (we moved to Portland about 8 years ago). Jeff Jansen and Gary Oates were the speakers, and it was a really awesome time. The Friday night session, Jeff was speaking about us entering into a new cycle of time in the region and nation, and how the Lord is stirring things up to release the Kingdom in miracles, healing, and revival on an entirely new level yet again. The Holy Spirit was moving on me the entire time–I was crying on and off, occasionally sobbing, throughout the entire message and during the ministry time afterwards.
At first I didn’t know why I was crying, although I could tell it was God at work, and then the Lord began to speak to me about renewing my destiny. You see, ten years back I was passionate about miracles, signs, and wonders and seeing the Kingdom released in demonstrations of the Spirit’s power. Those who know me will probably read this and wonder how that is different from right now, but trust me, it was. It’s not that I am less passionate now, but I believe in that season there was a window of time the Lord had opened for me, and because of the situation surrounding my marriage, that opportunity was unknowingly lost.
From my perspective, I used to worship almost every night, spend usually one to two hours soaking in God’s presence every day, and regularly fast and pray over myself to increase in things of the spirit. I used to spend six hours every weekend interceding for friends, family, the nation, my local church, and God’s plan for my life. On the one hand, it could be said that I did a lot of “religious” activities, but for me at that juncture, it was how I was pursuing the things of God. And truth be told, I still value those things even if I haven’t been doing them much in the years since. The Lord even suggested to me that when I wake up at strange hours of the night due to my work schedule, and can’t fall back asleep, that I should spend some time soaking with Him and enjoying His presence–as a way to fit that into my current life schedule.
After the Lord shared this revelation with me, Jeff prophesied a brief word over me, speaking about touching the nations with miracles, signs, and wonders, and releasing God’s power into the world. He spoke about teaching schools to help others learn to do this as well–something that my wife and I have been discussing recently. My body was trembling as I stood there, and I could feel this electric power of Holy Spirit course through my legs and arms–a familiar feeling, but one I had not experienced for a while. Even the atmosphere of the meeting was electric–and reminded me of how meetings used to be, back before my wife and I got the “big E” of excommunication. In all honesty, I don’t think I have felt that level of glory in the ten years since, until the other night.
I am excited for the days ahead. I am not entirely sure what God did that night, but I can tell some inner healing took place in areas I didn’t know needed it. I feel that my spiritual vigor has been renewed in a hard-to-describe sort of way, and I am more excited now than I was before about seeing God’s heart of love change the nations of this world. God told me that I have entered a new season in my life, and I believe it!
The story doesn’t end there–you see, I am beyond blessed that God touched me, but I still have things I am contending for and I know many others who are in a similar position. God spoke to me during the Saturday morning session and said that someone there had been asking God for a prophetic word the entire conference–and hadn’t gotten it yet. He shared the flowing with me, which I shared with the group. Multiple people came up to me afterwards and told me that they were “that person.” I believe it will speak to you as well:
“I am proud of you. You have stood the test of time and I am releasing you into a new level of my presence. Because you have been faithful with the little, so I will give you the increase in the coming days.”
I believe that a new season is coming upon many, and so I declare prophetically over you that YOU TOO are entering a new season of glory and grace. You are entering a new time of refreshing and renewal, and God is empowering you to touch nations and peoples of this earth. God is releasing angels to some of you with new assignments–some of them are carrying the breakthrough you have been contending over in prayer for years. There is at least one person who is in litigation over a property dispute, and you will find that in the next few weeks that the problems seem to dissolve in front of you. Where the judge was previously unfavorable, that is going to change. Where lawyers and businesses were closed to you, favor is replacing it. God is releasing a refreshing to many of you, and your ability to see in the spirit is going to increase considerably in the coming days. Some of you have struggled to hear God’s voice, and that is going to clear up shortly. And while all is not always daisies and roses, God is a good God and will always see you through the hard times, because He will never leave or forsake you, no matter how it feels. Be blessed, and may a new level of renewal spark positive change in your life.
