© Copyright 2008 – Todd Bentley

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 DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my wife, Shonnah, and to my three

wonderful children—Lauralee, Esther, and Elijah—who
lovingly sacrifice me to the world. This is their story too. My
family helps Jesus to shine through me.
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I want to thank the following people for sowing into my life:

The Holy Spirit for incredible seasons of

visitation.
My mom and dad—what a joy that God has
turned the heart of the father to the heart of his
son. Henry and Erica Schmidt—you were my first
real pastors. You looked beyond my biker
exterior. Cliff Robertson, who helped lay Fresh
Fire’s foundation. Thanks for your love too, bro.
My prophetic mentors—Bobby Connor, Patricia
King, Bob Jones, Wesley and Stacey Campbell,
and Paul Keith Davis. How could I avoid success
with input from such godly, anointed friends?
Thank goodness for Bonnie Jaggard, the
intercessors, and their prayer. They are the true
secret of my success. My hardworking, awesome
office staff who keep things functioning when I’m
on the road. The many anointed speakers I’ve
had the privilege to work with. The Body of
Christ, God’s wonderful people.
To the people who contributed reports or photos
for this book: Greg Babish, Daniel Brennan, Greg
Dennison, Ken Greter, Brian Hill, Dave Mercer,
Cliff Pash, BB Rail, Ivan Roman, Steve Schultz,
Jeff Vosgien, and Claudia Wintoch.
Finally, to the editors of the premier edition of
this book, Jackie Macgirvin, Kevin Paterson for
the hours of editing and proofreading, and Darcia
Bentley who took care of all of the many
publishing details. Also, to my writer, Shae Cooke
for her edit of this new edition.
 ENDORSEMENTS

The Holy Spirit spoke to me a few years ago and said He

was raising up a new, young champion named Todd. God
would have who He would have—a raw young man with fresh
faith, anointing, power, fire and zeal—the full-blown package.
It’s there. It’s there.

—James W. Goll
Leading prophetic voice, author, founder of Ministry to the
Nations Franklin, Tennessee
I’ve known Todd for a number of years and he is the most
radical, faith-filled young man I’ve known in the whole wide
world. He’s just out there going for it. He’s true blue to the
Word, the Spirit of God, and to the Body of Christ. I’m excited
about Todd and Fresh Fire and about global outreach to
mobilize the Body of Christ. I encourage you to read this book,
stand with this ministry, and be partners in the harvest.
—Patricia King
Extreme Prophetic Ministries, Cofounder of the War Room,
and Christian Services Association Kelowna, B.C., Canada
Todd is the real deal. This book will inspire and build your
faith to do the work of the ministry.

—Dr. Che Ahn

 Senior Pastor, Harvest Rock Church Pasadena, California
Author of Into the Fire

Todd Bentley’s life story will inspire faith and courage.

What an amazing story of God’s mercy and power. Read it and
then give it to a friend. Todd has ministered in several of our
conferences in Kansas City. I have seen the Holy Spirit move
powerfully through him as we have witnessed a number of
dramatic healings. The Lord has graciously released an
unusual anointing for healing in his ministry. I enjoy Todd and
support his ministry. I know you will be blessed by his story
and ministry.
—Mike Bickle
Best-selling author, Director of the International House of
Prayer
Kansas City, Missouri

I love Todd Bentley’s ministry and everything about it.

Rarely have I seen such a gift of faith in operation almost all
the time. His faith is so contagious. When you’re under Todd’s
ministry, you feel like you can go anywhere and do anything.
No problem or obstacle is too big. He’s so inclusive. He wants
everyone to go with him all the time. To me, that’s how Jesus
would be. I encourage you to read this book, be inspired,
laugh, cry, and then go out and do something about it!

—Stacey Campbell
Cofounder of New Life Church,
 Praying the Bible International, and Revival Now Ministries
Kelowna, B.C., Canada

There are few people who believe you can live in the
supernatural on a daily level. We have this earthly life—there
are bills to pay, people to contend with, and thorns in the flesh.
The thing I love about Todd is that he talks about living in the
supernatural on a daily basis. That’s what I love and live for
too—the supernatural every day—and I think God has clearly
identified that in Todd. He has the revelation, that, since we are
great in God’s eyes already, we don’t need to prove it to man…
just walk simply in the revelation of the greater One in us, as so
few have ever done. Then let’s go and preach the Gospel.

—Kevin Prosch
Worship leader, Christian recording artist Amarillo, Texas
It has been my delight to serve on the board of Todd
Bentley’s ministry advisors. I’ve been able to watch this young
man from the early days of his ministry. God has placed an
awesome anointing upon Todd’s life. I believe he is a
forerunner of a new breed that God is now raising up—part of a
breed of believers with great grace and anointing. Your faith
will be expanded as you read about how God is moving
through this outstanding young man.
—Bobby Connor
Founder of Demonstration of God’s Power Ministries
Moravian Falls, North Carolina
I love this book. Journey Into the Miraculous is a moving
story about the extravagant grace of God. While Todd Bentley
is a wonderful man with an unusual gift, this book is more than
a story about his life. It’s a prophetic declaration of God’s
intent for an entire generation. It invites those who are hungry
and desperate for God to abandon themselves for the treasure
of His presence. This book will ignite a holy passion for a holy
God!

—Bill Johnson
Author, When Heaven Invades Earth
Senior Pastor, Bethel Church
Redding, California

Todd Bentley is a prophetic signpost of how, in this end

time hour, God is supernaturally raising up men and women
who will literally change the course of history. Todd is not only
a sovereign vessel, but he lives in a sovereign time. The
supernatural grace and the amazing acceleration that marks his
life are not only available to him, but also to you—if only you
will grab hold of all that God desires to give you! This book is a
must—it is an insider’s guide into how God can give us beauty
for ashes, take the “Saul” in us and make us into a Paul, and
defy all logic through His transforming love. Todd pulls back
the curtains and lets us peer into the personal molding and
making of one who lives with eternity set in his heart. His story
disproves old paradigms, obliterates old wineskins, and is
nothing less than one miracle after another. How amazing
God’s grace is in the life of this modern day hero of faith.
Absolutely nothing is impossible when we ask for 100% of God
and give Him nothing less than 100% in return.
—Jill Austin
Author, Master Potter
Founder, Master Potter Ministries Kansas City, Missouri
Todd Bentley is a genuine Ephesians 4 gift to the Church
and the nations. He carries a powerful anointing of healing and
miracles that’s touching the globe. Todd shares this gift in a
unique manner with compassion and humor. I know Todd
personally. His own story is a powerful testimony of the
awesome transforming power of the risen Christ. This book is
for all those hungry to see more of God’s power in their lives.
Get this book; digest it. You will be refreshed and inspired.
—Dr. Mahesh Chavda
Evangelist, author, founder of the Watch of the Lord and
All Nation’s Church
Ft. Mill, South Carolina
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword

Chapter 1 The End-Time Healing Revival

Chapter 2 My Childhood

Chapter 3 Adolescent Choices

Chapter 4 Hound of Heaven on My Trail

Chapter 5 First Visitation—the Outpouring

Chapter 6 Here Comes the Bride…Reluctantly

Chapter 7 The Cleansing Process

Chapter 8 Marinating and Pickling in the Holy Spirit

Chapter 9 Countdown to Spiritual Blast-off

Chapter 10 Spiritual Blast-off

Chapter 11 Launch Into Ministry

Chapter 12 A Prophetic Journey
Chapter 13 The Healing Anointing

Chapter 14 Back to Africa

Chapter 15 Touched by an Angel

Chapter 16 Scotland Here I Come

Chapter 17 Healing Revival in the Nations

Chapter 18 Healing and Miracle Harvests

Chapter 19 Jesus—the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever

Chapter 20 Hound of Heaven on Dad’s Trail

Chapter 21 Get Ready!

Prayers

Individual Testimonies
 FOREWORD

We need to realize that God is moving on the earth today

like never before. More people have been saved in the last
decade of the second millennium than at any other time in
history. In just ten years, over one-third of all conversions
since the days of Jesus have taken place. At this present rate
of salvation, soon there will be more Christians on plant earth
than there are in heaven! But we need workers for the harvest
field. So you must read Todd Bentley’s book, not as theory or
as an entertaining story about one person, but read it as a
manual that will teach you how you also can do what Todd is
doing.
In the late 1980s, we experienced a mini-revival that was to
change us forever. God moved unexpectedly and within
months, scores of conservative Evangelicals and Baptists were
propelled by the word of the Lord to prayer, the poor, and the
next generation. God prophesied to us over and over again
about “The Children.” He told us about a coming generation
that would do greater signs and wonders than anything we had
ever seen. During the same time period that God was speaking
to us at our church, He was also revealing the coming revival
to many others in different locations. Ironically, at the very time
we were receiving promises regarding “the children,” Todd
Bentley was only 12 years old and well on his way to becoming
a criminal, an alcoholic, and a drug addict. In this book, you will
read about what the blood of Christ can do in a life like that.
We believe that Todd is a “first fruits” of what God has been
planning for decades, and that an unprecedented wave of the
power of God is about to hit the Church. We believe that Todd
is a prototype of young revivalists—male and female who are
being called out of the depths of darkness to move in a power
that hitherto we had only hoped to see.
However, more than anything, Todd’s story is a story
about God. It is a story of the faith of God, who chooses a wild,
broken, young man—one whom no one would have believed in
—to become a vessel of healing for the multitudes. It is the
story of the mercy of God that transcends all social, economic,
racial, and religious barriers, and heals even the most incurable
of diseases. It is the story of an invisible God who makes
Himself visible through miraculous signs and wonders.
But it is also a story about a man co-laboring together with
God. In fact, Todd’s life provides us with a graphic example of
what happens when a man pushes in for the revival experience
that many in history have received. His testimony vividly
shows the cooperation between God and man. Where would
Todd be if he hadn’t exercised tenacious faith? Even with
sovereign callings (see Ephesians 2:10), many people don’t
walk them out. All the just live by faith and Todd looked at
what others had done in God and determined that, if God had
done it for someone else, then God could do it for him.
From our close friendship with Todd, we have seen the
uniqueness of how God touches a man. God literally imparted
to him supernatural intelligence, extra dimensions of
personality and business acumen. In other words, God
equipped Todd to do the job He gave him to do. No one today
could imagine Todd Bentley as an introvert, but that is what he
used to be. He cooperated with God to receive what most
people never receive. And now the world is a better place for it.
I would that we had millions more like him—millions who
activated their faith and touched the power of God.
What most people don’t realize is that Todd also has a
passion for the poor. He is preaching an apostolic Gospel,
complete with signs, wonders, and care for the poor. As we
near the end of the age and the billion-soul harvest, we know
conclusively that it will not take place without reaching the
poor of the earth—especially women and children. The masses
of humanity that are being exploited throughout the earth will
have to be reached with a holistic message that gives them
salvation, counteracts the powers of darkness, and elevates
their physical well-being through healing, mercy, social justice,
and micro-enterprise. In effect, this powerful message will have
to totally transform communities. Todd is a new breed of
revivalist who carries this transforming message. We
encourage you to read this book, be inspired, laugh, cry, and
then go out and do something about it!
Read this story for two reasons. First, although Jesus said,
“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed,” this
book will give you the benefit of “seeing and believing.”
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, you will increase in faith as you
read about real miracle after real miracle. In addition, you will
learn that what God has done through Todd Bentley, He is also
doing through many others around Todd. This young
revivalist freely gives away what God has given to him and, as
a result, there is a multiplication of the anointing. When you
see what is possible in God today, you will gain faith to pray
for a whole generation of believers to do the greater works that
Jesus said His followers would do. As you read, cry out that
the wave of power that has begun will turn into a tsunami and
turn the hearts of people in every nation back to God. Pray for
Todd Bentley to continue to minister in, and multiply, the
miraculous anointing that God has given him. And pray for
yourself, that you too will see miracles in your own sphere of
influence. Then God will receive even more of the glory He
deserves.
Wesley and Stacey Campbell
Founders, New Life Church, Praying the Bible International,
and Revival Now Ministries in Kelowna, B.C., Canada
September 2003
 Chapter 1

THE END-TIME
HEALING REVIVAL

I was born on January 10, 1976 and born again between

Christmas 1993 and the first week of January 1994. Looking
back it is amazing to me how much sin I packed into those first
eighteen years of my life. Nevertheless, even more amazing is
that God sovereignly plucked me from the kingdom of darkness
and translated me into the Kingdom of His wonderful Son, and
He did this while I was His enemy, “While we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Praise the Lord!
 FORERUNNER OF FIRE
For 20 years, the prophets have foretold about a youthful
generation that will rise up, do holy exploits, and usher in a
healing revival. In 1973, the Lord showed Prophet Bob Jones
this coming anointing that would fall on God’s people. Bob
told me that I was part of the “first fruits” wave of a billion
people whom God would light on fire.
My life is a message, a prophetic signpost of what God
wants to do with millions of others. I am a forerunner and one
of many who will carry the healing anointing to the nations.
God has led me to put this book together not just to tell about
my personal journey into the miraculous, but also to help
people understand what God is doing in our time, and
encourage readers to take steps of faith in areas where they
may have been holding back.
If not you—whom will God use? If not now, when? We
have an awesome, powerful God, and we are living in amazing
times. It’s time to walk in the miraculous!

JOEL’S ARMY
For a few decades, Prophet Paul Cain 1 had recurring visions
concerning what many saints believe to be the approaching
end times. One particular last day’s revelation, which has come
to be known as the “Joel’s Army Vision,” apparently appeared
to Paul more than a hundred times.2 In the vision, sports
stadiums all over the U.S. fill and thousands upon thousands
of people are miraculously healed in Jesus’ name. Multitudes
come to the Lord, the entire nation burns with revival fires, and
it seems as though people in every nation are turning to Christ.
Reports come through major newscasts about revival, the
signs, wonders, and miracles. In his vision, Paul sees people on
the platform minister without stopping for food, drink, or a
change of clothes for three days, because supernatural
strength sustains them.2
Then, Paul had a vision of a giant billboard that pointed to
the church and read, “Joel’s Army in Training,” which was a
strategic training of people who already knew their calling, but
who were being honed and refined in the use of their gifts and
talents, trained to walk in obedience to Jesus Christ.3 They’d
learn patient endurance, how to demonstrate the power of God,
and, having learned all, stand against the enemy. As Christian
soldiers, they’d have the mind of Christ, and “partake of the
heavenly calling, and be a new breed, God’s dread champions.”
As Heaven’s champions, these believers would be filled with
such passion for Jesus and power of the Spirit, that the host of
darkness would dread their impact.
Cain also said that in the midst of the Laodicean church age
of lethargy and apathy, that God was preparing in hiddenness
an army to pull down enemy strongholds, and go forth in the
power of God and have pure and undefiled religion. He’s going
to do this with people who have stripped themselves and
separated themselves from the world, the flesh, and the devil.
They will realize the end time is here and that things are in a
mess and things at the end time are different. Just as it required
total sacrifice on the part of the disciples to begin this thing, it
will require an equal commitment from us to complete the task
in the end times. Joel’s mighty army, as described in Joel
chapter 2 is the army of God—not a wicked army (as some have
thought).
“They are the ones with ‘feet of iron not mixed with clay’, with
the wisdom of God alone, not imitators of other men of God.
Some of the superstars of the church will fall. The Lord will
have an army of holy anointed vessels to usher in His
Kingdom so that no one man can take credit for it. It will be to
the glory of God alone.”4
Here is what Paul Cain and other leaders have said about
this time:
“No prophet or apostle who ever lived, equaled
the power of these individuals in this great
army of the Lord in these last days. No one ever
had it, not even Elijah or Peter or Paul. No-one
else enjoyed the power that is going to rest on
this great army.”5
“The Lord said this, This is where my people
will rise up as an army and bring millions into
the Kingdom of God.’”6
“This army is unique,” says Jack Deere. “When
this army comes, it’s large and mighty. It’s so
mighty that there has never been anything like
it before. What’s going to happen now will
transcend what Paul did, what David did and
what Moses did.”
According to Rick Joyner, “What is about to
come upon the earth is not just a revival, or
another awakening; it is a veritable revolution.
The vision was given in order to begin to
awaken those who are destined to radically
change the course, and even the very
definition, of Christianity. The dismantling of
organizations and disbanding of some works
will be a positive and exhilarating experience for
the Lord’s faithful servants…the Lord will raise
up a great company of prophets, teachers,
pastors and apostles that will be of the spirit of
Phinehas…this ‘ministry of Phinehas’ will save
congregations, and at times, even whole
nations. Nations will tremble at the mention of
their name….”7
Paul Cain says, “I believe one day soon Joel’s
Army will be in training…until it graduates into
the stadium…but a right understanding of the
plan of God for this generation brings this
tremendous inclusion…. God’s offering to you,
this present generation, a greater privilege than
was ever offered any generation at any time
from Adam clear down through the millennium.”
“God’s raising up a new standard, a new
banner, if you will, that’s going to radically
change the expression, the understanding of
Christianity in our generation…. God has
invited us to have a role in establishing a new
order of Christianity… God is offering to this
generation something He has never offered to
any other generation…beware lest old-order
brethren rob you and steal this hope from
you.”8
Benny Hinn agrees: “The day is coming, I tell
you this, I know it like I know my name, the day
is coming when there will not be one sick saint
in the Body of Christ. No one will be raptured
out of a hospital bed. You’re all gonna be
healed before the rapture.”9 (Benny Hinn,
Praise the Lord, August 8, 1996).
“You better be ready, church,” Benny Hinn
says about a last day’s revival. “They’re going
to walk up to you at K-Mart and Albertson’s.
They’re going to walk up in the mall and say,
‘Hey, I know you’re a Christian. There’s
something funny about you. I’m not sure I
understand it…I’ve seen something in you and
I’ve got to have it right now. I don’t know
whether it’s called God or Jesus, but I’ve got to
have it right now.’” (Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu,
January 21, 1999).
As Paul Cain says, these days will be marked
by miracles: “All the sick are gonna be healed,
the dead are gonna be raised and nations are
 gonna turn to God in a day.” (Bob Jones and
Paul Cain, Selections from the Kansas City
Prophets, audiotape from discernment
newsletter).
“In the near future we will not be looking back
at the early church with envy because of the
great exploits of those days, but all will be
saying that He certainly did save the best wine
for last. The most glorious times in all of history
have not come upon us. You, who have
dreamed of one day being able to talk with
Peter, John and Paul, are going to be surprised
to find that they have all been waiting to talk to
you” (Rick Joyner, The Harvest, Morning Star
Publishing, 9, 1990).

MARKS OF THE HEALING REVIVAL

This is what I believe will happen in this healing revival:

Last Days’ Anointing of Power

I have seen a glimpse of this anointing. We think the
manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the early Church (Book of
Acts) were glorious, however Scripture reveals that the glory
of the latter house will transcend the glory of the former (see
Haggai 2:9). We’re going out with a bigger bang than what we
entered with.

Massive Healings
 There will be a renewed focus on the message of
repentance because sickness and disease started with sin. As a
revival of repentance and righteousness sweeps through the
Church, we will see a mighty healing revival. During times of
repentance, healings will happen supernaturally without the
laying on of hands.

Saint’s Revival
God is going to do away with a clergy/layman mentality and
raise up the Body of Christ to do the work of the ministry. It
has always been God’s plan that every believer becomes
involved in the ministry of Jesus, for Jesus said most
assuredly, that “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he
will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I
go to My Father” (John 14:12).

Children’s Ministry
We know that the Kingdom isn’t in word only, but also in
power. I have seen a great move of healings and miracles at the
hands of children as young as eleven and twelve years old.
Today, God is using children to grow limbs and work creative
miracles as they speak words of faith. Increasingly, children are
going to move in the power of the Kingdom, driving out spirits
and healing the sick because the Kingdom truly is theirs. Jesus
said, “‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid
them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14).

THE WARRIOR KING RALLIES HIS TROOPS

Just prior to my launch into the ministry, the Holy Spirit
 Just prior to my launch into the ministry, the Holy Spirit
took me into a vision—an interactive trance where my senses
fully operated. I found myself on the face of a mountain I knew
to be Mt. Zion. I felt the chill of the wind as it blew through my
hair. In the distance, I saw a small stream that flowed from the
base of the mountain to the desert. There were groups
comprised of two or three men, each clad in shining, brilliant
armour and mounted on white horses. They approached from
four directions to follow the stream to the base of the
mountain. I knew in my spirit that they were being called to a
secret council of the Lord.
A fascinating aspect of the vision was that each individual
thought he was the only one called, not able to see or aware of
each other, and hidden from the enemy. There were, in fact,
thousands of warriors traveling to the council.
As I climbed to the mountaintop, I encountered Jesus as
King of Kings and Lord of Lords. His face was stern and set as
chiseled stone, His grizzly beard and His hair, were silver-white,
as wool, and He had eyes of fire.
Upon His breastplate was the imprint of a golden eagle. He
was so muscular, that the breastplate took on the ripples of His
mighty chest! His biceps were enormous, the size of my head,
and He had massive forearms and huge hands. There was
Jesus, the mighty warrior God! He towered over me three to
four times my height, so tall, He would have to bend down to
communicate with me. Jesus’ sword and shield lay at His side,
and without a single word actually spoken, I suddenly received
the following revelation:
“This is the council of the Lord. I have called you as one of
many to be part of a last days’ army and a last days’
generation. My trumpet call has gone forth. There will be men
and women who will be driving to work one day and the next
day I will call them into the harvest.”
All around the mountain, a canopy of dark clouds spewed
thunder and lightning. I recalled how God would come down
and visit Moses in the stormy tempest (see Exod. 19:16-25). I
saw men and women resting and refreshing themselves around
campfires. They anointed their shields and swords for battle.
The Lord said,
“I have a hidden, secret army around the earth that I will
enlist and uncover at My time. They are hidden away in the
secret prayer closets—a generation of nameless, faceless
nobodies. In My time, even in a day, I will uncover a new breed
of apostles, pastors, prophets, and teachers; a new breed of
ministry. You are one of many first fruits of an entire army that I
am equipping in these days.”

THE LAST DAYS’ ELIJAH ANOINTING

I believe that the end-time anointing on the last days’
Church is the Elijah anointing. Scripture tells us that John the
Baptist walked in it.
He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah,
‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the
disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:17).
 The Bible promises through the prophet Malachi (see Mal.
4:5) that God would send Elijah the prophet before the coming
of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. “And he will turn the
hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the
children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a
curse” (Mal. 4:6).
The Elijah anointing turns the hearts of children and
nations to God as it did when the nation of Israel turned back
to God in First Kings 18. Elijah called down fire from heaven to
defeat the 450 prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel. Hundreds of
years later, when John the Baptist entered into ministry, many
thought him to be Elijah, the man. However, it was actually the
Elijah anointing resting upon John.
The Jews were aware of the promise about Elijah being the
forerunner of the Messiah, when Christ proclaimed Himself as
Messiah. In fact, in Matthew 17, the disciples asked Jesus,
“Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” (v.
10). And Jesus answered them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first
and will restore all things” (v. 11). Then Jesus revealed to the
disciples that Elijah had already come (v. 12), and they
understood that Jesus spoke of John the Baptist (v. 13).
In the end, I believe that it won’t be one man with the Elijah
anointing but the spirit and anointing of Elijah on the Church
operating in miracles and signs as Elijah functioned. In
Matthew 17 on the Mount of Transfiguration, the Father sent
Moses and Elijah as a prophetic fulfilment and sign of the Law
and the prophets, and to show that Jesus was who He said He
was. It was here that the Father announced: “This is My
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matt.
17:5).
In this mountaintop experience, Moses represented the Old
Covenant to the Jews, while Elijah represented the ushering in
of the New Covenant and the coming power, which would rest
on John the Baptist. The Book of Revelation references the two
witnesses who clearly demonstrate the same miracles that
Moses and Elijah demonstrated when they were on earth:
Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel
stood, saying, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar,
and those who worship there. But leave out the court, which
is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been
given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city
underfoot for forty-two months. And I will give power to my
two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two
hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.’ These are the
two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the
God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire
proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if
anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the
days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to
turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as
often as they desire (Revelation 11:1-6).
This is a picture of the last days’ anointing. God will give
power to His two witnesses (Messianic Jews and Gentile
believers). The above-referenced Scripture describes the last
days’ anointing of power, signs, and wonders as in the days of
Moses and Elijah. Powerful miracles and healings will be
released to bring in the great harvest. I believe it describes, not
just two people anointed as “super evangelists,” but the end-
time Church, Messianic Jewish and Gentile believers operating
in the spirit and power of Elijah and Moses.
Moses represents authority and Elijah represents power.
Moses also speaks of the Old Covenant and Elijah speaks of
both Old and New Covenants. How does Elijah represent the
new? John the Baptist was the promised forerunner of the first
coming. He came to prepare the way of the Lord and tell God’s
people to get ready for His coming! John was born in the
anointing of Elijah (Luke 1:17). God has promised the spirit and
power of Elijah in these last days we live in, before the coming
of the great and dreadful day of the Lord (the Second Coming).

THE LAST DAYS’ HEALING REVIVAL

With the coming of the spirit and power of Elijah, we also
have a promised healing revival (see Mal. 4:2). I believe that the
key to the release of Elijah power and the great healing revival
will be the great prayer movement. Remember in Revelation
chapter 11, that before the power is given to the Church (v. 3),
John is given a measuring rod. The angel instructs John to
measure three things: the temple of God, the altar, and those
who worship there. The temple can represent the believer’s life
or the Church—local, city-wide, or national. When worship,
prayer, and intercession in the Church rise to a certain level,
God will release His end-time power and the promise of the
spirit of Elijah. God is checking the levels of intercession,
worship, and prayer in the lives of believers, and in cities, and
nations. Only when the bowls of Revelation chapter 8 are full
can God release His power to the two witnesses: the Church,
both Jew and Gentile. These two groups are called to represent
the Old and New Covenants, to demonstrate the level of
authority and power that Moses and Elijah walked in.
In Revelation chapter 11, the power was given to the two
“lampstands”—Elijah and Moses (Rev. 11:2-6). Recall that
Jesus walked in the midst of the seven lampstands
(representing the Church), so in these last days, the Church
will operate in the same power—signs, wonders, miracles, that
Moses and Elijah walked in.
As on that mountain, I’m convinced that as we near the
Second Coming of Christ, God will again confirm the Church as
His beloved and His voice in the land. The Father will speak to
the nations by bringing the spirit and power of Moses and
Elijah upon His end-time army. Then He will release the
forerunners to prepare the way of the Lord and get a nation
ready for God. It will be a movement of prophetic revelation, of
power evangelism, and of healing that will turn nations to God,
some in only a day!

THE COST OF THE ANOINTING

God said to me once, “I can give you any anointing that I
have ever given to anyone else, if you can do what they did to
get it.” Friends, the anointing will cost you everything.
Someone once shared a vision he had of a man looking
across a large, open plain, and seeing rolled-up mantles laying
everywhere, (a mantle represents the anointing, the authority,
the power, and ministry over another). He said that the man
saw the mantles of great men and women of God—the mantles
of Smith Wigglesworth, Kathryn Kuhlman, and Aimee Semple
McPherson. He also saw the mantle of Elisha, of Elijah, and all
of the greats who have gone before us. Then the Holy Spirit
spoke to the man, and said, “Take any mantle you want! Which
one do you want? Pick it up, take it… any one of them!”
The man replied, “Oh, I want Elijah’s! Oh, I want to be like
Smith Wigglesworth and have great faith! The mantle of John
G.Lake! Oh my! The mantle of Elisha…think of that anointing! I
could pick Kathryn Kuhlman’s, and move in great miracles!
Perhaps I should choose Martin Luther’s and be a part of a
great reformation.”
Then suddenly, the man saw a bright glow appear from the
ground, where another mantle lay, and it (the mantle) spoke to
him: “Enoch walked with God so intimately that he was not.”
After seeing the life and the anointing of Enoch, he made his
decision and said, “Before all the power mantles, I’d rather
have the presence of the Lord.” Then he picked up Enoch’s
mantle.
I believe that God is re-digging the ancient well and that He
will use a last-days’ army to usher in Isaiah 61:4, “And they
shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former
desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities.” God is
going to restore the desolations of many generations. He’s
going to take what’s been lost in past revivals; the destinies
that men and women didn’t fulfill, and the mantles long since
past, and He will restore and place those mantles on people as
He pours out His Spirit in power again. There won’t be 40, 50,
or 60 years between great and mighty moves of God! The Bible
lists great heroes of faith and their exploits, and they are just
the foundation of the Kingdom that we’ll build upon. God is
offering us the opportunity to dare to believe Him to do in us,
what He has done in the lives of these greats. Their
experiences shouldn’t be the ceiling, either; rather, the starting
point for our upward journey of faith!

THE HALL OF FAITH

The Lord once took me by the Spirit to a place where I saw
a hallway that went further than my eye could see. I call it the
Hall of Faith. The walls were golden and shimmering with the
light of His glory. It was not unlike being in a museum, and I
felt it was a place in the Spirit where history had happened! A
red carpet led me down a hallway, and as I walked the corridor,
I saw portraits of the men and women that God had used, like
Elijah, Elisha, Peter, Paul, Martin Luther, John G.Lake,
Alexander Dowie, Aimee Semple McPherson, Jack Coe, A.A.
Allen—people He used throughout history to shake nations
and turn cities upside down!
Each portrait chronicled the achievement of a man or
woman; how the Lord had used them, and the mantles that
were on their lives. The entire corridor was like a memorial to
great history makers. I’ve decided that I also want to do all the
works that God has preordained for me and I want a huge
portrait in the Hall of Faith!
In the vision, I knew this Hall of Faith was a place in the
Spirit called “the great cloud of witnesses.” I knew I was in the
Hall of Faith referred to in Hebrews 11, but the cloud of great
witnesses mentioned in the next chapter of Hebrews
surrounded me.
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin
which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before
Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down
at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).
During the experience I said, “God you’re re-digging the
ancient wells. It’s time for a last days’ army to receive Your
power, apostolic authority, and healing. Bring it to the Church
again—revival, reckless faith, and the anointing of authority
that was on great men and women. It’s time for the Church to
see Your power. God, You’re releasing the mantles of old. Bring
the mighty anointing of the great women and men. Release new
mantles and anointings, promises, and commissions—an
anointing that will come upon a generation we’ve never yet
seen! Oh Lord, release the purposes that were never fulfilled.”
At the end of the hallway, I found myself standing behind
the throne, but soon ushered before King Jesus on His throne.
In the same way, God wants to commission all of us. I believe
that we are living in God’s end-time chosen generation. Who is
going to be the Charles Finney, Maria Woodworth-Etter, Smith
Wigglesworth, or Jonathan Edwards of today? These great
men and women, these saints of old are gone. As we read the
history of God’s past moves, we need to lift our standard of
expectation so that we can receive the great commissions He
wants to give today. If God can do it for them, He can do it for
us. Remember, the Bible says, “Elijah was a man just like us.”
(See James 5:17—NIV.)
Yes, God wants to do it again and in even greater measure.
Recall that the glory of the latter house will be greater than the
glory of the former house. That’s a promise. The power of the
early Church that we read about in Acts is an example of the
normal Christian life—the way it should be, and that’s the
blueprint for us, and our lives, too, but the new dimension of
this Christian life will be even greater!
Have faith in the God who does miracles! I pray that this
book will be an encouragement for new Christians and those
who were Christians long before I was even born. This book is
a testimony of what God has done with one man, a forerunner. I
pray that God will use my testimony to lift the bar of
expectancy of how much of God we can receive and manifest
now.
I want to challenge you to go hard after God. I pray, as
David did, that God would “teach us to number our days, that
we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Then when our
brief lives are over, yes, when I’m dog-paddling around the
celestial sea in front of the throne, you can come and find me
and say, “Todd, they just put my picture up in the Hall of Faith
and it’s even bigger than yours!”

ENDNOTES
1. Paul Cain Ministries, www.paulcain.org.
2. Grace City Report Special Prophetic Edition,
Fall 1989.
3. Paul Cain, Mike Bickle, Stadium Vision, Kansas
City Fellowship/Tape 6.
4. Grace City Report Special Prophetic Edition,
Fall 1989.
5. Bob Jones and Paul Cain. Selections from the
Kansas City Prophets, audiotape tape: 155C.
6. Benny Hinn, Honolulu, Blaisdell, January 21, 1999.
7. Rick Joyner, The Harvest (Charlotte: Morning Star
Publishing, 1990), 9.
8. Paul Cain, You Can Become the Word!, Vineyard
Prophetic Conference, 1989.
9. Benny Hinn, Praise the Lord, August 8, 1996.
 Chapter 2

MY CHILDHOOD

My dad said it wouldn’t be proper to have a child out of

wedlock, so he married my mother. They moved from Ontario to
the Sunshine Coast on a peninsula near Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada. They lived in a small apartment in the same
building as my uncle who actually found my dad a job working
in a mill. My father was only 19 when I was born, my mother,
29.
Within a year of my birth, my mother lost her hearing, the
result of working on an assembly line in a factory making
washers and dryers—the loud machinery eventually causing
the deafness. I can’t remember a time when she could hear. My
father was very frustrated over her hearing loss, as it made it
very difficult for them to communicate.

SATAN’S PLANS TO KILL ME

Satan had plans to take me out early in life, in fact, only
days after my birth, on the ride home from hospital. Anxious to
get me home, my dad hurriedly backed the car onto the road
we’d travel home on. He didn’t see the dumpster truck coming,
and our car went between the front and back wheels of the
huge truck, tearing the roof off. Thankfully, I was in my infant
carrier on the back seat. I believe the devil tried to take my life,
but God preserved me. Satan always attempts to kill a move of
God in its infancy. Moses and Jesus are examples of that. Mark
chapter 4 tells of the sower sowing the seed and the birds of
the air immediately snatching the seed away. The enemy knew
that God had a plan and purpose for me, even when I was a
newborn. I’m confident that the devil and God were the only
ones who knew, though. I know that as I grew older, I certainly
never thought God would use me.
Five years later, I almost died in another bizarre accident.
Dad and I were hanging out with one of his friends. I don’t
know why, but Dad’s friend, Joe, threw me off a pier into the
water and I almost drowned. My dad fished me out just in time
to save my life. Looking back, I now believe that a spirit of
death pursued me throughout my growing up years. Even
though that spirit didn’t get me, it did sometimes succeed in
killing those I loved.
 My earliest memory, during the time my parents were still
together, was of my dog Goldie, a golden retriever—I loved
this dog. She was my best friend. Dad came home one night
and said the dog was killing the neighbor’s sheep and it was
important that we keep him in the pen or on a leash. I didn’t
really understand what that meant. The dog continued killing
sheep and eventually had to be put down.
I had another narrow escape one day while accompanying
my dad and his best friend on a bear hunting expedition. We
were stalking a bear that had been coming onto a neighbor’s
property, attacking the sheep, and rummaging through the
garbage. I told my dad that I needed to go to the bathroom,
and, even though we were aware that the bear might be close
by, he sent me around the corner of a shed by myself.
Suddenly, about 14 feet away, there was the bear! It looked at
me and rose on its hind legs. I tell you, you have no idea how
big a bear looks on its hind legs to a little boy! My father shot
it, but later joked that I had been “bear bait.” He skinned the
bear that night, and cooked it on an open fire. I still remember
the smell and gamey taste of that meat. Not everything tastes
like chicken!
I became very afraid of bears after that! Even though I
loved nature and camping, the woods scared me.

DIVORCE AND BROKEN PROMISES

I was about four when Dad left. Really, my mom kicked him
out because they fought and argued all of the time. He also
struggled with drugs and alcohol—as many did in the hippie
generation of the late ’60s and early 70s, known as the era of
free love, peace, and sex.
Dad lived in a hotel for a couple of weeks and then moved
into a basement suite where he lived below a woman by the
name of Darcia. Her boyfriend would buy drugs from Dad.
Within a few short months, though, Dad was involved with
Darcia and filed for divorce from my mom.
As a young boy, I struggled with the huge loss of my
father, the pain of rejection due to the divorce, and the
frustration of not being able to communicate with my mother. I
regarded Darcia as the wicked stepmother of the east, and
always hoped and dreamed for my parents to get back
together. I viewed Darcia as the only thing preventing that
from happening. Sadly, I even felt that she never accepted me
as her son, because she had two children, daughters, of her
own. Technically, they were my stepsisters, but I never felt we
were a family even though we did things together. In my mind,
her children were more important to her than I was, and that
Dad had put Darcia first, caring more for her than for me. Anger
consumed me, but I’ve come to realize that it’s a part of the
pain children experience because of divorce.
On the other side of the divorce equation, my mother and
her family constantly bad-mouthed and berated Dad, who only
had a sixth grade education, and left home at 16 to work. They
referred to him as a “deadbeat,” a “bum,” and a drug addict
who wouldn’t “go anywhere.” They weren’t too fond of him,
and this was difficult for me.
 Living with my mother, things were tight. We’d have to line
up for the food pantry, use food stamps, and I always wore
second-hand clothes. Mom received a small check once a
month for her disability, and then we could eat out. For a few
days, there’d be good food in the refrigerator, and my favorite
cereal in the cupboard.
But those years were filled with broken promises and
betrayals from my father. Promised money and gifts often
seemed to get “lost in the mail.” I remember the tremendous
disappointment when those eagerly anticipated gifts didn’t
arrive, especially around the winter holidays—that was a
double whammy since my birthday fell shortly after Christmas,
in January. Seldom did he follow through on sending gifts for
either occasion. I’d talk to him on the phone and say, “I didn’t
get the Christmas present or the money you said you sent me,”
and he’d almost always reply with, “Son, I sent it—the post
office must have lost it. I’ll call them and see what’s happened,
because I really sent it.”
I’d overhear my mother tell people about how Dad never
sent child support, and she’d even say to me, “I’m not
surprised that the parcel didn’t show up, because he doesn’t
even send support for your food, clothing, or allowance.” I
wondered why my father didn’t take care of me, and I blamed it
on Darcia. I’d think, “He must want to—but she won’t let him.”
Rejection and dejection mounted, yet, no matter how often he
lied and promised me that he’d sent whatever, no matter how
often he’d say, “Son, believe me, the post office lost it,” I still
considered him the good guy—he couldn’t do any wrong. I
looked up to him. I still idolized him. I wanted all the bad stuff
to be a lie—and in some ways, it was, in other ways, not so, as
I later realized.
Sometimes I’d see my dad for summer vacation, and he’d
visit once or twice a year. He usually wouldn’t call unless it
was Christmas or my birthday; I always had to initiate the call. I
wondered, therefore, what was wrong with me, and why he
didn’t want to be with me. I eventually closed my heart to him,
because I thought he’d closed his to me.

ADVENTURES ON THE FARM

When I was about six, Dad and Darcia married and moved
to a farm in Alberta. One summer I visited him for five or six
weeks. I really enjoyed it as it was so different from what I was
used to. I fed pigs and climbed in the hayloft. I loved the farm,
except for those dumb chickens that for some reason terrified
me. In an effort to help me over this fear, one day, my father
took me to the chicken coop and instructed me to gather the
eggs.
“How do I get them,” I asked, “because they’re all sitting
on them!”
“Just reach under their tails,” he’d say, but I couldn’t.
Instead, I’d “shoo” them away. The thought of eating those
warm eggs disgusted me too—so much different from cool,
store-bought ones.
One day that same summer, Dad stopped in to see one of
his friends. He left me in the back seat of the car with
instructions to “stay put.” His friend’s son came out and while
we were playing in the car, I decided to show him how I could
drive. I put the car in neutral—it rolled forward, hitting the
house, and causing some damage to both.
Other than some of the pleasant adventures of that summer
at the farm, there aren’t many good childhood memories
because I was forced to grow up too soon and take on adult
responsibilities after Dad left, and it’s no wonder that I became
a very mixed up and angry kid.
I didn’t know much about God or religion while I was
growing up. Mom had been raised in the Salvation Army
Church in Newfoundland but backslid at 18. She didn’t want
anything to do with God anymore because of her strict
religious upbringing; a religious spirit had ruined her. She made
me attend Sunday school for a few weeks. That experience was
enough to teach me that there was a God we should serve, but
I wasn’t interested in spiritual things at the time.

DESCENT INTO DARKNESS

By the time I was eight, I remember having an interest in the
occult. The devil was pulling me into his Kingdom using heavy
metal music as bait. I was filled with a deepening anger and
growing rage and took comfort in the music of AC/DC, Iron
Maiden, Motley Crüe, and Metallica. Some of my favorite
songs were Highway to Hell by AC/DC, 666 The Number of
the Beast by Iron Maiden and Bark at the Moon by Ozzy
Osbourne. Then I moved on to a fascination with death-metal
and bands that I knew were satanists, and actually idolized
some of the bands and singers.
My anger drove me to violence against my own body. As I
listened to this music, I’d cut my arm with a knife until it bled,
and I’d lick the blood off. Once, while on a bus, I broke out a
window by ramming it with my head. I’d throw tantrums,
punching holes in walls, and slamming doors—blatant, random
acts of anger. I believe the music started the whole process; it
fed and fueled the hatred in me. This music made me feel strong
and immortal—it seemed to calm my fears, insecurities, and
feelings of rejection, giving me a false sense of security.
Untouchable, I could take on the world!
At nine, I got involved in pornography. My father had a
trunk full of pornographic magazines and movies, and I’d steal
them when I visited. Soon, my addiction became
unmanageable, especially since a friend who had access to his
own storehouse of pornographic material supplied me as well.
As a result, before my twelfth birthday, I’d already had several
sexual encounters
My downward spiral continued at 12 and I also started
drinking and smoking. I remember my first cigarette that I took
from my mother and smoked behind a bush. It made me so
dizzy I could barely stand, and I wanted to barf. I wondered,
How can anyone smoke this stuff? Later, when I felt better, I
found I actually liked the dizzy feeling I got, so I’d smoke again
for the head rush, and then again and again, because it looked
“cool,” and was the “in” thing to do, especially in high school.
My first sip of alcohol was more out of curiosity. I
wondered why people, like my mom and her family and friends
liked it so much. I mixed my first drink, rum with Coca Cola, and
I still remember the taste and the warm feeling, the buzz it gave
me. Soon I’d sneak into Mom’s alcohol cupboard to sip the
gin, rum, and vodka. Christmas Eve was a highlight for me,
because she always stocked it well for family and friends.
They’d sit around and drink, and I’d get a little eggnog with a
hint of rum. However, as soon as everyone left, I’d sneak into
the cupboard and get my fill. You can guess how I’d usher in
Christmas morning!
Stealing also was a part of my life as a youngster. I’d steal
money from my mother to spend at the arcade, and once I stole
a bunch of heavy metal music cassettes from a store. My uncle
who lived upstairs discovered my “crime” and made me return
everything to the store manager. However, this humbling
experience wasn’t enough to set me straight, and my behavior
worsened.

DEEPER STILL…
I longed to be with my father and I enjoyed the times we
were together, but they were usually destructive as we drank a
lot together. One evening at only 11 years old, I was drunk and
playing darts with him. Impaired coordination and sharp
objects are not a good combination. Darts flew everywhere,
narrowly missing Dad’s pet canary in its cage—fortunately for
the bird it didn’t become a shish kabob.
At 12, Dad told me that if I ever wanted to do drugs, not to
do them with my friends. He said, “If you want to smoke a joint,
smoke it with me.” I thought, Wow…Dad does dope, and it’s
OK…he’s inviting me to do dope with him! That was a seed
and it birthed a desire in my heart for drugs. I started with
marijuana—one here, one there, only socially, with friends
once in a while, but as with everything in my life, I became
addicted to the high. Soon I lived from one high to the next—
never mind moderation—I was too extreme! That’s my DNA…
to do something with everything in me, or not at all. As a
Christian today, this trait has been redeemed—I still do things
with gusto—all or nothing, because I want to be a radical,
totally abandoned disciple who will take up the cross, deny
myself, and follow Him (Luke 9:23).
Back in those dark days, the last high was never enough,
and before long, plain joints didn’t cut it—they had to be laced
with opium, or cocaine, and eventually, PCP. My quest for a
high led me to hashish and “hot knifing,” and then to magic
mushrooms, acid, and speed. Never satisfied, I always
searched for more—it didn’t matter the drug—codeine,
Tylenol, even sniffing gas—I’d do anything for the ultimate
high.
I wasn’t a satanist, but dabbled in many areas of the occult,
hoping to fill my spiritual hunger, but I did fill it with the dark
side. Because of my drugs and growing communication with
evil spirits, there was a high level of demonic activity in my
home. Once, while getting a glass of water, something
violently, physically shook my mother—even though she was
alone. Remember my dad’s friend who tossed me off the pier?
A relative of his, George, held garage sales every Sunday in a
big old house. When he died, a spirit posing as his ghost
grabbed me and awoke me at night. Even after I left home, my
mother continued to have weird demonic encounters, because
I’d opened the door to that realm.
I would communicate with spirits from the grave and ask
different ones to visit and empower me. While high, a familiar
spirit that I believed to be the presence of Jim Morrison, would
visit me. Though I never actually saw the spirit, I’d feel its
presence. It would fill me with mystic feelings, and I actually
believed that when I died, I’d spend eternity in bliss with Jim.
How’s that for screwed-up theology?
I’d also, for a time, get high on speed or acid, and listen to
his group, The Doors for six-hour stretches, and also watch his
movie repeatedly. I loved and worshiped the guy! That’s not
just a figure of speech—I literally felt that way toward him.
One day, I met a girl who also liked The Doors. Together,
we’d get high on acid, and on one of our “trips,” we acted out
one of the scenes from the movie, although we were completely
unaware we were even doing it. We weren’t even talking with
our own voices and freaked everyone out so badly, they didn’t
want us around anymore!
My quest for the ultimate high and sexual ecstasy propelled
my involvement with the occult, and I’d make deals in my heart
with the devil for those reasons. I thought about giving myself
to him if he could increase my pleasure. Although I never did
make an actual covenant, I did make that deal in my heart by
calling on different sexual demons.
 I was so hungry for the spirit world and so fascinated by
ghosts, demons, and horror movies, that I’d go and get high
and drunk in cemeteries. What I was really hungry for, though,
was God, but I didn’t know Him, or know how to find Him.
Today, people ask me if my involvement with the occult
and my hunger for the dark side had anything to do with how
quickly I eventually grew in the anointing. I believe that those
demonic experiences did help me become more sensitive to the
spirit realm. God is amazing—He can redeem anything!
 Chapter 3

ADOLESCENT CHOICES

I grew up with few restraints and little discipline. My mom

always warned that my uncle would spank me when he got
home but he never did. By age 13, I was smoking in my own
home in front of Mom. She complained a little but really had no
control over me. I was hate-filled and very violent to the point
of physically abusing her. Once she chased me down the
hallway with the belt when, to my shame, I grabbed it and
slapped it across her face instead. I used violence to intimidate
her to get my way. A simple gesture with my hand or a single
glance of my eye struck fear in her.
 I also liked to light fires as a teen. Once a friend and I broke
into an excavator and stole a lighter and matches. I lit some
grass on fire in the ditch outside of a home and it nearly spread
to the neighbor’s garage. You can imagine how my mom felt
when the fire department arrived. After the fire incident, I
received a small spanking and was grounded for a day or so. I
found out that, since I was a juvenile, the police couldn’t
charge me. “Are you kidding?” I exclaimed, “What a great
law!” From then on, I really took advantage of that loophole,
constantly lighting fires in the bush outside our house.
Scary but true, I used to have fantasies about blowing up a
grenade at school or random acts of violence. I actually talked
about how many people I thought I could kill in one day, how
many murders I could get away with, and how I would commit
them. If somebody hurt me, I would dream about revenge.
I went to school through eighth grade before dropping out
due to conflicts with other students as well as my own battles
with criminal activity and court appearances. When I did attend
school, I struggled with being able to apply myself and even
grasp some of the simplest concepts. I remember being the
class clown, and being picked last for sports teams.
In most classes, I usually got F’s and D’s but once I got a B
—in French. No, it wasn’t my great love for the beauty of the
French language; it was because I sat beside a student more
gifted in French and made a deal with her. I wouldn’t snap her
bra strap as long as she gave me the answers. What can I say?
A scholar I’m not. If the teacher wanted us to read a book, I
would ask if it was available as a movie.
 My best school memories are of my eighth grade year when
we would arrive at school an hour early every day just to have
a frozen drink at the nearby gas station.

SMALL-TOWN LIFE, PARTIES, AND GANGS

Gibsons, the town where I lived growing up, boasted a
population of about 5,000 people. It was in the boonies—the
middle of nowhere and a 40-minute ferry ride just to get to the
small peninsula where we lived.
Thus, there wasn’t much to do in this small, secluded town.
However, I got to know some people who lived in the same
apartment building as Mom and I. Often, I’d play cribbage with
a sixty-year-old woman who lived below us but the rest of my
social circle comprised my aunt and uncle upstairs and a few
neighborhood children whom I’d play hide-and-seek or kick-
the-can with.
Later, as a teen, there wasn’t that much more to do on a
Friday night than to go to the cinema (and it featured one
movie for several week runs), or hang out on the street or at the
skateboard park. Sometimes as many as 200 young people
would congregate in front of the grocery store or at the small
mall. It was “cool” to cut classes, hang out at different
locations, and smoke cigarettes.
Life in Gibsons was similar to what is portrayed in the
movie Footloose. The school dance was the big event. There
were only two high schools in town and they always competed
against each other.
 Even though the town was small, gang life was alive and
well. In fact, there was what I call, a membership of “wanna-be
gangsters” with some members actually affiliated with the
infamous “Los Diablo’s.” Most of the “gangsters” however,
were more like your local thugs—small-town troublemakers,
who hung out in front of the local pizzeria.
The Hell’s Angels fascinated me, though, and I aspired to
be a member (who ever said I didn’t have ambition, or goals?). I
knew my father rode sometimes as a friend of a different biker
gang, and I always enjoyed the parties he took me to—at a
place called, Angel’s Acres. Terror spread over town whenever
this gang rode through for their three days of drugs, heavy
metal music, women, and whatever else they found to amuse
themselves.
I usually hung out with people older than I, and I didn’t
associate myself entirely with one gang, because I wanted
everyone to like me, and keep the peace. Really, I preferred to
be the go-between guy—but that position often caused
trouble because I was never initiated into any one group.
However, gang involvement wasn’t good to many of my old
friends. Today, some are dead, some are in jail, some are still
involved with gangs, and some have even committed suicide.
One of my best childhood friends, hooked on cocaine, and
other drugs, shot himself with a shotgun. Considering where I
could have ended up, I’m so thankful that God kept me through
it all.
I could get anyone to do what I wanted just because I knew
how to “talk the talk” and make deals I could never deliver. I
used gang connections and threw around names to protect me
in the street. If it was time for a fight, everyone would fight for
me until they realized what was happening. “Hey wait a minute,
why are we fighting your battles?” they would say, “You
started this mess.”
I was a loud mouth, a talk-bigger-than-I-was kind of guy.
When my mess would finally catch up with me, (bad
relationships, drug debt, theft or just too much “heat”) I would
just sneak away, tell no one, and head for the next town,
sometimes after just a few months of living where I was. I
burned many bridges, made countless enemies, ended up on
the wrong side of gang members, received death threats, and
just hurt and lied to many people. I always lived with a false
identity because I never wanted anyone to know who I really
was. I was afraid of rejection. Since I never changed my
behavior from town to town, it usually took me about six
months before I had to flee again. That scenario repeated itself
at least three times in my life in about a two-year time span from
16 to 18 years of age.

A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST

At times when I’ve shared my testimony I’ve said, “There
are events and activities in my past I don’t speak about
because I’m ashamed of them. My testimony is about who I am
and what I am doing now, not who I was.”
Testimony is a powerful tool. “And they overcame him by
the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony”
(Rev. 12:11). I have shared my story hundreds of times, briefly
generalizing the highlights of my past without going into any
specific detail about what actually put me in prison. I’ve always
felt that the story of who I am today and what God is doing is
powerful enough testimony of His transforming power.
However, in recent years, several stories appeared about
me in a political magazine bent upon and focused on critiquing
religious and political issues, and on digging up dirt about
frontline leaders. Yes, there were many inaccuracies in the
articles, however, I must admit that my naïveté and lack of
wisdom in dealing with the press also fed the fire of
controversy. Today, I want to be sure that in the future no one
can say I hid things or misled people about my past.
I am going to share some things here that you won’t hear
from the pulpit. Especially now, as our ministry has grown, God
has favored us with spotlights in Christian and secular media,
TV, radio, magazines, and more. With increased positive
publicity, we can expect that the accuser of the brethren will be
right there to stir up controversy.
They say old news is no news, but I want to be sure that I
don’t conceal any past details that could damage my ministry
in the future. As I’ve recounted so far in this chapter, as a hate-
filled, messed up youth, my lifestyle continued its descent into
darkness until, eventually, I found myself involved in criminal
activity and charged with sexual assault. Before I was saved,
and as a minor, I hurt many people and spent time in prison
because of it.
I haven’t spoken in detail about all areas of my childhood—
many of those early events were very painful, like when I was
sexually abused at eight years old, or when I was aware that my
childhood friend was abused by his stepfather. Then I watched
my friend abuse his stepsister and continue the destructive
cycle. He became a drug addict, reached a place of despair, and
committed suicide.
I was forced into my first sexual encounter with a woman at
age eleven. I thank God for the Blood of Jesus! The world
system says once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic; once an
addict, always an addict, but I know that “if the Son makes you
free, you shall indeed be free!” (John 8:36). God can restore
purity to the prostitute, set the rapist and sex offender free, and
save the worst murderer, like Saul, and make him into Paul, the
greatest apostle. There is hope for everyone lost in sin. The
Bible says that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old
things have passed away; behold, all things have become
new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Although these areas of my past are very ugly, the Blood
of Jesus has washed away every stain. “If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
For centuries people have asked this one question—”Is the
Blood of Jesus enough?” In my own ministry, this issue has
been raised repeatedly, especially by the media. I have been
challenged by the mistakes of my past, and I’ve wrestled with
whether the blood is enough. In the future, the accuser of the
brethren will continue to challenge the wonder-working power
of the blood of Jesus and the salvation experience of the Cross.
Yet, no assault of the enemy can overcome Christ’s power, in
my life and in others, to save and transform.
The devil has many in the church today living under guilt,
condemnation, and shame. His plan is to keep us in a prison of
regret, constantly challenging the authenticity of the blood.
When the devil keeps bringing up our past, he is saying that
you are forever guilty of your past actions and sin even
though your repentance is genuine. Yet we know the devil is a
liar!
For years I knew God’s love and forgiveness but still felt
the sting of shame and guilt. When man, circumstances, media,
or the devil brought up my past, I would relive the pain, defeat,
regret, and hopelessness of sin. Remembrance of sin separates
us from God’s love and creates a feeling of unworthiness
before God.
Even though I knew God’s forgiveness and unconditional
love, I was challenged with this thought: “Does forgiveness
mean forgetting?” The Cross, the message of grace, and the
power of the blood of Jesus has been, and will be, challenged
in my life and the life of all believers. I felt it necessary to exalt
the blood of the Lamb in this part of my testimony and to revel
in its power to cleanse the conscience, forgive the sinner, and
overcome the accuser. The blood of the Lamb is our greatest
weapon of spiritual warfare! When I was saved I did a lot of
repenting and reconciling, trying to make relationships right.
Later, I’ll explain about the process that God took me through
to get out from under the constant condemnation of the devil.
 DESTINATION…PRISON
After the courts sentenced me to prison, I remember being
escorted, with my hands and feet shackled, to a small aircraft,
which I was convinced, would crash. Although I was going to
a juvenile facility, I definitely didn’t find myself at a country
club or a minimum-security institution. At times, they
incarcerated me with murderers and sex offenders, where
inmates were raped and stabbed. What an environment for a
young teen. I spent time in five different prisons, but for just
one sentence. It was typical to be moved around a lot in those
days because each facility emphasized different rehabilitation
programs.
First I went to a mental evaluation facility for fourteen days.
Most young people arrived there for assessment and
placement. I wasn’t crazy or anything, at least not then (that
didn’t happen until I got into the ministry, ha ha!). I was in
“lock down” most days when they weren’t conducting stress
and other psychological testing on me.
The first night in youth prison, I was afraid because I had
heard many stories about what happens to the “new guy.” One
story described a “blanket party” initiation. Four or five guys
would wrap a person in a blanket and hold him down. Then
they would place a bar of soap in a sock. A bar of soap in a
sweat sock is a dangerous weapon—it can do a lot of damage.
I was so scared. I lay awake worrying almost all night.
However, the initiation never happened to me, but it sure did to
the other guys.
My first day in another facility, one of the inmates wanted
to test me. He approached me out of nowhere, shook my hand,
and greeted me. Then he punched me in the face and took off
running. I didn’t follow. It was a “what-will-this-guy-do-and-
who-is-he?” moment of testing. He wanted to know if I would
rat him out or run in fear. Eventually, we became friends, and
thankfully, the whole time I was incarcerated, that was the only
time that I got “hit.” Older inmates protected me because I was
a first-rate manipulator and could get people on my side.
While I was in the third prison, several Christians tried to
share with me about Jesus. Every Wednesday I attended a
Bible study because the woman who led it was pretty, and
because I always had a God hunger down deep inside (I just
wanted to do what I wanted to do and worry about God later.)
Those meetings also helped fill time and answered many of my
questions. I would stay behind after the session, asking all
about God and the universe and about what I thought were
contradictions in the Bible. Once, the leader showed a video on
the discovery of Noah’s ark from an archaeological dig. The
documentary showed physical and scientific evidence that the
ark rested on Mount Ararat. That gripped me!
Sometimes I attended church on Sunday morning with the
chaplain because it got me out of prison for a change. I
thought it was tough and cool to walk into church in my prison
garb and have everyone stare at me. Hey…the women would
admire me because I was a macho, bad boy from prison,
wouldn’t they? I figured that most of the girls were probably
forced by their parents to attend church in the first place, and
really didn’t want to be there. I knew that I needed God, but
always thought I would get serious about Him when I was
older.
Several times in the correctional facility or on the street, a
preacher would come up to me, give me his business card, and
say, “If you ever want to have a coffee, give me a call.” I
remembered that. There was a man in the youth detention
center who took an interest in me and in the music that I liked.
He reviewed the lyrics and asked why I listened to that kind of
music. He said that I could get music with the same kind of beat
but with different words and a different spirit. He tried to
explain to me why there was power in music.
Then, he bought me a Christian metal tape by a group
called Holy Soldier. They were a screaming, metal-head band.
This impressed and interested me, especially since the guy
went out of his way to select it for me. I remember that when I
finally got out of prison, I’d carry my ghetto blaster on my
shoulder and blast out my favorite song from the cassette,
Virtue and Vice. It was Christian music, but nobody
recognized it as such. Years later, when I became a Christian, I
found this man, explained what had happened, and it really
blessed him.
In prison, another young man always wanted to talk with
me. He took the time and interest to probe and to ask me about
my life: my father, what it was like growing up, how I felt about
things—his friendship touched me deeply. I knew that both he
and the other man were Christians, and were praying for me.
I was released a little early for good behavior, serving
fourteen months of an eighteen month sentence. As a ward of
the court, the authorities placed me in the foster care system
for two main reasons. The first being that my mother and I
didn’t get along, and the second because the town where my
mother lived prohibited me from returning because of my
criminal background, and because the manager of my mother’s
apartment building had lodged so many complaints about the
fighting, screaming, and swearing arguments.

THE FIRST OF MANY FOSTER HOMES

The first foster home was temporary until they could find a
permanent place for me. It was in Cloverdale, British Columbia,
and I was there for only a few weeks. But that was where the
Lord started working on my heart for what was to come. At this
home, I met Shane, another foster kid who had lived there for a
couple of years. His past was similar to mine—gangs, prison,
drugs, and so on, but he had become a Christian. One day, he
invited me to church to see him be baptized. Two other foster
kids there also were Christians, and attended an on-fire youth
group at Christian Life Assembly in Langley, British Columbia.
The foster parents were Christian too, and I believe God
appointed them to help prepare my heart!
Although they never shared the Gospel with me outright,
they took me to church to watch Shane’s water baptism. The
church happened to be the same one that the correctional
facility had taken me to for a Christmas play! I watched as
Shane and about 30 other young people shared their
testimonies and then were baptized. I wondered, Could this
happen to me? The sense of family amazed me, and I nearly
cried when these young people shared how the love of Jesus
had changed them. I almost accepted Christ as my personal
Lord and Savior that night, but I didn’t. Nevertheless, I recall
silently asking God, God, have you been trying to speak to me
over these past eight months? First the ministry in prison, and
now my first foster care home.
I really wanted to stay in that family and to know what it
was like to belong. What I really sought was my heavenly
Father’s love but before long, the courts shipped me off to
another foster home in Maple Ridge, B.C. I still remember the
two tiny, white, Maltese dogs I playfully and endlessly
tormented for fun. How I loved those little dogs, especially
Jeepers. I’d wrestle with them and body slam them until they’d
become so wound up, they’d want to eat the couch! Then they
just wouldn’t calm down.
These foster parents tried hard to include me as a part of
their family, and went out of their way to mother and father me.
We’d even have meals together, and I felt they genuinely cared
about me and my future. During my stay, an eighteen-year-old
foster sister and two other foster kids arrived and left.
However, in this home, I continued to use drugs, and with
some of my younger foster brothers. But still, God had plans
for me. I recall one day someone driving by and rolling down
his window yelling, “Jesus loves you!” It was what I call a
“drive-by evangelistic effort!” I remember arriving home that
night thinking, Did he say that because God told him to, or did
he say it because he’s weird…maybe God’s thinking about
me…did God tell him to say that? It made me start to think
about God, and to recall those instances where people took
time to demonstrate His love to me, like in prison, or at the first
foster home. My heart softened in the knowledge of people
praying for me.
Even so, my sinful lifestyle continued. At sixteen, I started
breaking into vehicles to hopefully find drugs, or something I
could sell to purchase them. One night I broke into twenty-four
cars!
There was also another time when a friend and I got drunk,
and he said, “Hey, it would be great if we stole a car.” And I
asked, “How are we going to do that?”
He told me about a car in an underground garage he knew
of, where the people he babysat for parked their car.
“Where are we going to get the keys?” I asked. He pulled
out an “extra set” of keys from his pocket and told me that he’d
taken them while babysitting for the people. “It will be easy—
you get the car in the parking garage, and drive it out, and then
I’ll drive us to downtown Vancouver for a joyride. I remember
thinking, I can’t even drive! How will I get the car out of the
garage?
It was 2 A.M. , and I got into the car, but to my dismay, I
discovered that it was a stick shift. Just my luck, I thought. I
didn’t know how to drive an automatic, let alone a stick. (The
last time I’d tried my hand at the wheel, was while drunk, and
I’d plowed the car right through the wall of my Dad’s buddy’s
house.)
 I started the vehicle, and it jerked and stalled as I tried to
drive it out of the garage. Finally, after I’d pulled it out about
ten feet, my friend yelled, “Hurry up! Hurry up!” and I said, “I
can’t… I can’t…” and scrambled out of it, leaving it right there
in the middle of the garage. I took off running. Later, I was so
embarrassed that I couldn’t steal it, but my friend and I were
able to laugh about it later.
My addiction to drugs escalated while I lived in Maple
Ridge. This, too, is where I got into major trouble with gangs,
especially because of my bad temper. Several times in a 6-
month span, I’d get myself into dangerous situations and
serious fights. There was one particular one that still stands
out. I’d been interested in a particular girl—for more than a
physical relationship, and a particular fellow had been
badmouthing her, and describing the awful things he wanted to
do to her. We argued, and one night, while I walked back to my
foster home, on the dark street, he snuck up from behind and
attempted to butterfly kick me in the head. I stuck my
switchblade to his throat and would have killed him, but he
called out to some people in a nearby house.
Sadly, about halfway through my stay with the Maple
Ridge family, things went downhill for me at alarming speed
because of my growing addiction. A girl I liked broke up with
me. Although it shouldn’t have been a big deal, it was because
of my emotional state and the delusion that drugs gave me.
This deeply affected me, and I couldn’t decide whether I
wanted to live or die—I wasn’t rational. One day, I planned to
“scare” the group that I’d been hanging out with—especially
the girl who’d dumped me. So, deciding that dying was better
than living anyhow, I stole a bottle of extra strength Tylenol
from a store at the mall, and downed 40 pills.
After roaming the mall for a little while, I suddenly got
scared, and realized that my life was slipping away (this isn’t
what ‘shop till you drop’ really means!). One of my drug
friends saw me, and I told what I’d done. The mall had a leisure
center outside with a pool, so my friend ran for the lifeguards,
and they sent me to hospital. The doctor pumped my stomach
and hooked up IV’s. Unfortunately, though, I was allergic to
the drug overdose treatments, and broke into red hives, and
then thrashed around uncontrollably and wildly, doing the
“funky chicken.” I truly thought I was dying, and it terrified me.
When my foster mom arrived, I screamed, “I don’t want to
die…I don’t want to die!” She cried with me, and stayed close
while they pumped my stomach, however, as scared as I was,
this was only the first of three drug overdoses I’d take in
eighteen months.
Even though many other foster kids went through their
doors, this family wanted to keep me. However, my out-of-
control lifestyle prohibited that because I violated most of the
rules—my anger and hurt inside, and the dark outside forces
compelled me to pursue my destructive lifestyle. How often I’d
been fetched out of ditches and hauled home drunk by the
police! This drug overdose wasn’t enough to make me quit
drugs or alcohol. One day a drug dealer even knocked on the
door at my home to tell them I owed him money. I’d also sneak
women into my room to do drugs and party together. Some of
the rooms in the house were “off limits,” and I’d break into
them. Imagine—for those “minor” infractions, they kicked me
out! Hello? That’s what I thought—but I know that this foster
family did all that they could to love me and include me—but I
just couldn’t receive their love—frankly, I didn’t know how to
receive it. Sadly, one day, they finally said, “Todd, we can’t
keep you.”
The courts moved me to a third foster home, which was
more like a holding tank while they searched for a drug
rehabilitation program that would take me in. Even though I
saw a drug counselor weekly, I didn’t sincerely desire freedom
from my addictions—I still got high and drunk regularly.
However, before my acceptance into the program, ironically
called, “Exodus,” I was kicked out of the whole foster care
system because of my drinking and drug use. At 17,I wasn’t
yet ready to give it all up.

I NEED HELP, DAD

I had nowhere to go, so I phoned Dad, hoping to go back
to school and get a job. He hadn’t heard from me for over two
years. I had assumed that because we only talked once when I
was in prison, that I had shamed him so much that he just went
on with his own life. Through all of my rejection and fear, I
never kept up contact with family. According to my dad, I shut
him off and didn’t want a relationship with him.
But when I called I said, “I need help, Dad. I’ve got no
place to live. I’m a drug addict, and I can’t go back to Mom’s.”
 He said, “Come to Qualicum Beach (a small
tourist/retirement town on Vancouver Island, much smaller
than Gibsons). You can’t stay with me and Darcia, but I’ll find a
place for you.”
In the off-season, the hotels rented their spare rooms at
very low rates. Dad rented me a furnished apartment on the
beach at a place called the “Captain’s Inn.” Located only two
blocks from their place, I’d walk over for dinner four or five
times a week. Dad and I were about the same size, so he also
gave me some of his clothes and his black Dayton biker boots.
He and Darcia tried their best to help me rebuild my life.
Dad also helped me find a job as a dishwasher at a hotel,
even though I was receiving monthly government assistance. I
didn’t report this extra income to the government, but rather
squandered all of it to feed my addictions and parties (later
though, I reported and repaid the government fully). Six
months later, the hotel fired me because I’d stolen my
employer’s booze, arrived late or stoned, and sometimes simply
didn’t show up. I also started back to school (grade ten
because I was 17), but they expelled me within the first month
because I refused to do homework, missed many days, and
attended high on drugs.
Dad got me another job at a gas station working the night
shift, but I soon quit in favor of partying. In spite of his best
efforts to help me, nothing worked. I couldn’t stay away from
the drugs and alcohol. It didn’t help that we’d drink together,
just as we did when I was eleven. We also smoked pot and
hash together. I was just like a cat at the sound of a can opener
when drugs and alcohol were around. If I couldn’t find drugs,
Dad would “sell” me some, or I’d do something for him to get a
hit, like cleaning out the garage, or walking the dogs, or
washing his car. Sometimes though, he’d just give them to me.
When the peak tourist season arrived, I had to find another
place to live. I moved out of the Captain’s Inn and into a large
room in a house that belonged to a single mother. To use the
bathroom, I’d have to go into her part of the home, not good,
especially when I was drunk or stoned and barging through her
room in the middle of the night to be sick in the bathroom.
Honestly, I never remembered how I ever got there or arrived
back to my own bed.

OVERDOSE AGAIN
It was in her home that I overdosed a second time, this time
a bad trip on LSD, which, unbeknownst to me, was laced with
strychnine (rat poison). I ran to her crying and screaming, “I’m
dead. I’ve died and the demons are coming to get me right
now!” Then I raced back and forth across her lawn, convinced
I was dead and going to hell.
When the ambulance arrived, I yelled at the paramedics, “I
don’t want to die, I don’t want to die!” They put me into a
straight jacket and sent me off to the hospital where I really
started to hallucinate. I thought I was in a tropical jungle with
big, colorful birds, like the Fruit Loops cereal toucan.
Everything was colorful and I felt the heat from the Amazon
sun. I even asked the nurses, “Do you know that we’re on a
safari?”
 When I awoke the next day, I couldn’t remember a thing.
The nurses told me about the poison and the safari, and when I
asked where my shoes were so I could go home, they told me I
hadn’t been wearing any. There and then I made a decision to
never do drugs again. “I’m done with them,” I said to myself,
although I knew I had another hit waiting for me at home.
The hospital was located thirty minutes away, and I
wondered how I’d get home, especially with no shoes and no
money. I didn’t want my father to know what happened, but by
now, the whole town knew. There was a Hispanic man sitting
the lobby, he stared at me, and I stared back, but before long,
he said, “I’ll give you a ride…where are you going?”
“Back to Qualicum Beach,” I replied. We got into his car
and drove for about ten minutes, and during that time, I’d been
thinking seriously about quitting drugs for good. Just then, the
man said, “Hey buddy, open up that glove box.” Inside was a
big bag of dope. I don’t know how, but I attracted drug dealers
like manure draws flies. It was as though the devil himself was
there to meet me.
“Roll one up.”
“How big?” I asked.
“Make it as big as you want …”
Free dope! This had to be satan! I rolled one up the size of
a cigar and got high right there in the car. Five minutes after my
arrival home, I popped the rest of the acid I had there. Then the
woman evicted me. Fortunately, the tourist off-season had
rolled around again, and I moved back into the Captain’s Inn.
 Sex, drugs, and rock and roll were my life. Every day, for
years, I got high—I had to just to keep the ‘buzz’ going. I
smoked dope like cigarettes—and regularly downed whiskey,
speed, and LSD.

MY THIRD OVERDOSE
A friend and I went out to farms to pick mushrooms. We’d
dig through the dung until we’d each filled our bag. He wanted
to sell his mushrooms, but I just wanted to eat mine—I
remembered the mushroom highs I got with my Dad, especially
when he baked magic mushroom cookies. Back at my
apartment, I wasn’t quite sure how many mushrooms I should
put into the cookies, but after careful consideration, decided to
use them all. I ate nearly an entire bread bag full of cookies, and
then stuffed the teapot full and drank mushroom tea. Within a
few hours, my head spun. I vomited, and the walls closed in.
Sick and hallucinating, paranoia set in, and I obsessively kept
peering out of the window, thinking that every car that stopped
and every person out there, hundreds, were meeting to
conspire against me. Imagine those old movies where the
villagers storm the castle carrying torches and pitchforks,
shouting, “Let’s skin him alive!” I thought the whole town was
in on the plot. It was dark when I ran out into the street—
behind every headlight was a driver about to get me. Sick for
days and days afterward, it took me months to overcome my
paranoia.
Things never improved—I continued to get into trouble
with the police, and still I refused to change my ways. Once, I
hid a seventeen-year-old woman who had escaped from
juvenile prison with me. We got high together in my hotel for
days. However, eventually, the Captain’s Inn evicted me for
good, because I didn’t pay my rent. It wasn’t until some time
later that my father found out about the eviction, and the loss
of both of my jobs.
Sometimes he would come by and wake me up in the
mornings so I’d make it to work on time. One day I didn’t
answer the door, so he used his key to enter. He was shocked
to find that the all of the furniture he’d bought was gone,
including an antique seventy-year-old trunk that he’d given me
for my clothes that had belonged to my grandfather.
Everything I had I’d sold for drugs, including this family
heirloom. Anything I hadn’t sold was taken by drug friends or
traded for money. I was totally gone.
 Chapter 4

THE HOUND OF HEAVEN ON MY TRAIL

I awoke that last morning and realized I was on the street

with no place to go, having lost everything, and with no sense
of direction. Afraid to turn once again to my Dad for help, I
finally broke into a trailer, and slept there for a night.
The next morning, I admitted to myself that I’d hit rock
bottom, and decided to hitchhike back to Mom’s. I called my
Aunt Bell and asked her if Mom would have me back home,
and I knew by the excitement in her voice, that at least
somebody would be glad to see me. It would be good to have
familiar family and old friends around me again. I’d lost a lot of
weight, and wasn’t in good health, plus, I was almost eighteen.
It had been four years since I’d left my Mom, and I hadn’t kept
in touch much, primarily because of her deafness, and the fact
that I didn’t like to write. Because I moved around so much,
she often didn’t even know how to contact me. For good
reason, she was still scared of me—I was still angry, out of
control, and violent. The demons still influenced me, as did my
addictions. She never knew what I would do next, but other
than these “minor” flaws, I was the “model” son!

MY OLD FRIEND AARON

When I arrived home, I discovered that Aaron, one of my
best friends from grade school, was now a drug dealer with
access to everything. He and I went back a long way—I
remember sleeping over at his house and phoning girls I had a
crush on. He’d pretend I wasn’t there, and then ask them
questions about me while I listened on an extension.
Now that Aaron was a drug addict and dealer, what an
excellent opportunity to get my drugs for the next few months.
Our relationship became that of supply and demand—he
supplied me and I demanded everything that he could get his
hands on. Because he was such a good friend, I could pay him
later, or sometimes not at all.
Aaron had had frequent demonic visitations since he was a
young child. He said that a demon named “Raven” rode with
him on the back of his bicycle. We would sit at Mom’s
apartment and talk about ghosts and demons, Ouija boards and
more. Aaron and I would “hot box” my small room. We’d close
the door and smoke enough marijuana to fill the room with
smoke. After Mom went to bed I would hot-knife hash on her
stove, drink her alcohol till 4:00 A.M. and then sleep until noon
everyday.
My drug habits escalated. So much so, that I’d do a mix of
coke, LSD, and speed three to four times per week, and also
lace my joints with PCP (angel dust), opium, or
methamphetamines (speed or crank). If I was desperate for a
high (I needed highs to function), I’d resort to sniffing gas or
popping whatever pills I could find. When I rolled out of bed,
I’d reach for a joint or a beer—I couldn’t function even socially
without them. My life had to be a fantasy world, and it was
rooted in anger, fear, rejection, and self-hatred. But that was all
about to change…

AARON, BORN AGAIN?

One day I went looking for Aaron to get a fix, but to my
shock, he refused to sell or supply me anything. Hello? He said
that a few days previously, while in his trailer and walking from
the living room to the kitchen, that the heavens opened up and
God Himself came down. He said that he fell to the floor, had a
revelation of Jesus, and was born again. “Born Again”… I was
beginning to hate that term.
A few weeks later I was having coffee in a restaurant with
about six of my friends when this boisterous guy named Wally
came in. He was about 6' 4", 240 pounds and had a big beard.
Wally had a reputation in our community; no one messed with
him. He’d been to prison and was an alcoholic. At one time, he
made his living as an enforcer for the mob—they had a loan
shark operation and if anyone was behind in a payment Wally
found him, roughed him up, and broke his legs. Interestingly,
Wally was instrumental in bringing me to the Lord, because he
had at one time worked for Doug, the man who first discipled
me (together they used to break legs for the Mafia).
Wally carried in a large, white, Catholic family Bible,
slammed it down on our table, and said, “Do you know where I
got this Bible?”
Of course, I thought, No… and I don’t really care!
But he didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he explained
about how he had become saved, and then went on with his
story:
He explained how determined he was afterward to get himself a
Bible, so he went to a Catholic bookstore to buy one. “I saw
this Bible, and looked at the price tag written on the shelf
below. It was more money than I had in my pocket, so I just
asked God for the money I needed, put the Bible back on the
shelf, and turned to go. I heard a thud, and turned back around.
The Bible had fallen off of the shelf, and opened up. In red ink
in the corner of the inside cover, was the sale price, and it was
the exact amount of money I had. So I got me a Bible …”
Wow—that was the second supernatural testimony I’d
heard. Oh no, I thought, another one like Aaron? Yet, even
though it perplexed me, it did cause me to question. What’s
happening? I’d always believed in God, and figured I would
come to Him “sometime,” but not now… Along the way, many
had taken the time to share with me about the Lord, but I’d
turned them all down. Here was God, setting up divine
encounters, yet I didn’t want anything to do with Him.
Nevertheless, God had planted all of those seeds—and little
did I know that my grandmother and grandfather were regularly
watering them in prayer.

EVANGELISM—WALLY STYLE
A few weeks later, while visiting with Aaron in his trailer, I
badgered and begged him to get me one more “doobie.” He
finally caved in. While I got high in his bathroom, though,
someone outside of the trailer banged at the door. “This is the
police with a search warrant!” yelled the intruder. I said, “Oh…
no!” I believed that it was indeed the police or someone out to
get us. Aaron and I were both always paranoid—living scared
because of our lifestyle and involvement with the drug world.
Everyone seemingly conspired against us. As a result, Aaron
kept guns, baseball bats, and crowbars all over the trailer. We
could always pull a knife out from under the sofa in an
“emergency.”
Aaron grabbed a baseball bat, and peeked behind the
curtain. It was Wally, and his big, white Bible! By now, he
wasn’t knocking on the door normally, but almost kicking
down the door to get in. Aaron opened it for him, and Wally
barged in, grabbed a chair, sat right down in front of me, and
started to preach. Never mind the kind approach—he didn’t
even use the “Four Spiritual Laws”… instead, he was in my
face with “hell fire and brimstone!”
 He crammed that big white bible down my throat. I’m
talking Bible thumping big time. He said, “Todd, you’re going
to have to get saved.”
“I don’t want to listen to you, stop preaching at me.”
But he kept on. “You better repent or you’re going to
burn.”
“Stop preaching at me. I don’t want to listen.”
Wally wouldn’t quit and I became irate and yelled, “Stop
preaching at me—I don’t want to listen!”
Wally said, “If you’ll do one thing, I won’t talk to you
about Jesus anymore.”
Relieved, I asked him what he wanted me to do, and he said,
“Take this Bible, and put it on your lap. Close your eyes, open
it up to any place you want to, and put your finger on the page,
then, look down, and read aloud the first words that you see.”
If only to get him off of my back, I thought, but I knew that
he spoke truth, but I wasn’t ready…I’d give my life to Christ
later. Frankly though, I also wondered if God really would
speak to me. So, after he placed the Bible in my lap, I opened it,
raised my finger in the air, and brought it down on a page.
Then I peered down to the words that rested just above my
finger—not in the general area, but right above my finger, and I
read the following words:
“Listen now”
They rolled out of my mouth like thunder and lightning. In
that moment, the fear of God, accompanied with great urgency,
came pouring into that trailer. I cried out for Jesus to save me. I
wasn’t playing around any more. I prayed the sinner’s prayer
and I gave Him my heart and life. I’d prayed this prayer before,
but that night I really meant it. (By the way, I don’t recommend
Bible roulette as a good way to get direction, but God was
gracious and used it on that occasion.)

A JESUS HIGH
I was born again in that trailer and for the first time in my
life, I felt free. The paranoia and burdens fell off. I felt as light
as a feather. I thought that if I jumped in the air I would float
away. I was on a super high. There’s no high like the Most
High, and believe me, I’ve experienced them all. God
immediately delivered me from drugs and alcohol. I never had a
single craving or withdrawal symptom. Three weeks later, I quit
cigarettes. What drug and alcohol programs couldn’t do, Jesus
did.
I ran out of the trailer—I wanted to tell everyone! First I
found a phone booth and called my aunt. She was a good
Catholic, and I thought she would be excited. Still jumping with
excitement in the phone booth, her response was laughter.
“Maybe someone else, but not Todd Bentley!”
When I hung up, several elderly women were assembled,
waiting to use the phone, what did they think of my ranting
and raving? I didn’t care—from that day forward, I was as bold
for God as I was for unrighteousness. Right there, I started to
witness, and I haven’t stopped. I’ve never been ashamed of
the Gospel, how could I be in light of my experience with the
Living God who is as real a person as any I know, and my
Friend.

THE LAST BAD TRIP

Two days later I was at Mom’s house and I saw a joint—
the last one. I knew that I was free from my addiction but I
wondered what would happen if I smoked it. I had two small
puffs and suddenly I was higher than I’d ever been—my
senses dramatically heightened.
I knew that it was a bad supernatural trip because although
I was used to constant paranoia—this was paranoia times ten. I
dashed around the apartment from one window to the next to
see who was coming for me, and my mind raced as I collapsed
on the sofa. Darkness invaded the room and evil beings
gnashed out at me so close, I could almost feel their breath,
and in the spirit, I heard shrieks.
God let me feel separation from Him. It was a taste of hell.
The moment I realized what was happening, I cried out to God,
and immediately joy and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord came.
This experience contributed greatly to my desire to see people
snatched out of the fire spoken of in Jude 1:23.

SATANIC ATTACKS
The enemy didn’t give up easily. The number 999 (666
upside down) appeared on my cupboard within two hours of
my being in Mom’s house and leaving. It seemed as though
the paint had been removed in that one area only; the rest of
the surface remained untouched. As soon as I saw that number
on my cupboard, I felt a demonic presence and I knew that
something had been in the house and had left a mark just to
say, “Todd, we know you. We know where you live.” It was an
attack from the enemy to plant fear in me. I didn’t know what to
do except pray and rebuke it.
That was the beginning of a renewed satanic assault on my
life, though now as a recently born-again believer. I often heard
demons growl and scrape on the walls of my home. For several
days in a row, in the early morning hours of 1 or 2 A.M. , I’d hear
a commotion from my mother’s bedroom; voices, banging,
crashing, and clanging, as well as “people” fighting and hitting
each other. However, when I’d run into her room, it would all
stop, and Mom would be soundly sleeping. Strangely, her
body would be turned 90 degrees so that she lay horizontally
along the headboard, her legs on the bedside table. She’d
startle when I awoke her, but have no idea what had transpired.
One evening, I discovered her in the middle of the floor, her
wrist broken. At the hospital, when medical personnel asked
her what happened, she told them it was just a bad dream.
However, at home later, she confided to me that she protected
me, because she thought that I had done it, considering my
past history of abuse.
After those experiences, and over many months, the Lord
orchestrated several deliverance sessions for me. Although I
was radically saved and serving Jesus, the Lord needed to set
me free from the demonic influences I had allowed into my life
through my past ungodly lifestyle. During the deliverance
sessions, I spoke in different voices and demonstrated
supernatural strength. It would take four or five men to hold me
down. At one session, twenty-five demons were cast out. No
pigs were safe that day! Praise God for His cleansing, healing,
and delivering power!
The reason I’ve recounted here my past is certainly not to
glorify sin; I’m ashamed of the lifestyle I lived. I retell these
parts of my story to emphasize the fact that I’m ordinary. God
didn’t choose to use me because my mother dedicated me to
the Lord and sent me off to live my early life cloistered away in
a monastery studying “the disciplines” each day.
In following pages, I’ll share some of the extraordinary
encounters I had with the Lord. I hope now, by the foundation
that I’ve laid, that you understand that God didn’t pre-qualify
me—that I’m as real and ordinary as the next guy. God can take
ordinary people and do extraordinary things through them. We
see this from Genesis to Revelation. As God said to the apostle
Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made
perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).
 Chapter 5

FIRST VISITATION—THE OUTPOURING

Immediately after my salvation, I got into the Bible. I was so

hungry I would read the four Gospels in one setting. As I
digested Scripture, I could feel wind blow up and down my
arms. The windows weren’t open, so I knew God was near. I
remember the excitement of those first months and the hunger
that I could never satisfy for His presence and the Word.
I’d stay up all night Saturday reading the Bible, praying,
and watching Christian broadcasts. I so hungered for God! In
my mind, there was not enough time in a day and I was even
concerned that I’d oversleep and miss church on Sunday.
Remember, it was my habit to sleep in until 1 o’clock in the
afternoon!

COME HOLY SPIRIT

As a new Christian, I hung out with men who were part of
the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship. These believers
taught me about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They discipled
me, and graced me with the opportunity to share a 10-minute
testimony at their retreats. On Mondays, I hung out with the
charismatic Catholics—their meetings had a really laid-back
atmosphere where people learned to move in the gifts.
I began to learn about the kingdom of Heaven and Jesus
through the Holy Spirit. My second real encounter with the
Holy Spirit was born out of hunger to know Him. I did word
studies on the Holy Spirit in a Catholic concordance that I’d
purchased at the Catholic bookstore (Wally and I were their
best customers!). At the time, I didn’t know there was a
difference between Catholic and Protestant concordances.
Two months after my salvation, I had an overwhelming
desire for the Holy Spirit. Never satisfied, I kept thinking that
there must be more. In my research and studies, I read and took
notes on countless biblical references to the Holy Spirit. Then I
said to my brothers at the Full Gospel Businessmen’s
fellowship, “I want more! I’m a new Christian. I’m reading
Scripture four to five hours a day, but there’s still a hunger
burning in my soul!”
“We’ve got to get you then, filled with the Spirit!” they
replied. And so, they prayed over me for the baptism of the
Holy Spirit. In an attempt to “jump start” me in the prayer
language, they asked me to repeat, “Abba, Abba, Abba,” over
and over, and then said, that I’d received “tongues,” even
though I couldn’t speak another language.
This is ridiculous, I thought, I don’t feel a ‘spring’
springing up…I don’t feel living water flowing from my
belly…. What I sought was the baptism in fire—as in the book
of Acts. I wanted something supernatural like a spontaneous
burst of uncontrollable joy and tongues, so that I knew that I
was filled with the Spirit, and not just making something up.
As God would have it, a short while later, I visited the city
of Kelowna, a great eagle’s nest today for many prophets and
prophetic people. This is where I would receive my wonderful
prayer language. It was around midnight, three days into my
stay, and I felt overwhelmed by the presence of God. As I
stepped onto the shore of Okanagan Lake, my heart felt as
though it was bursting. My heart said, “Yes… this is tongues.”
But my mind said, “No,” as it tried to figure out what was
happening in the deeper parts of my spirit.

DOVE FROM HEAVEN

I said, “Holy Spirit, give me a sign.” Then in an instant, the
dark midnight sky illuminated with heavenly glory. The
heavens opened with a bright flash and a white dove
materialized out of thin air and flew across the lake to a nearby
tree. Although it was a single dove, it sounded as the flapping
wings of ten thousand doves. The noise filled the sky and
rumbled in my spirit; the sound of a ripping, rushing, and
mighty wind filled my ears. I knew in my spirit that heaven had
opened. When I turned toward the tree, the dove was gone. I
thought, “OK, that works.”
I had received not only tongues, but also an enduement of
power from on high for miracles, signs, and wonders. I
continued speaking in my new language until the wee hours of
the morning. I still don’t know if I really saw the dove in the
natural, or if it was a vision. However, that was my first real
experience with seeing in the spirit. To this day, I consistently
constantly spend much time speaking in tongues. It’s how I
stir up the Spirit of wisdom, empty myself, receive revelation,
and get into the mind of Christ.

MORE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

After that experience, I hungered for even more of God and
the Word. Every time I opened my Bible, the words leapt off
the page and it was like taking a drink to quench my incredible
thirst for knowledge of Him.
With excitement, I asked my mentors at Full Gospel,
“What’s next?”
“That’s it. You’re baptized in the Holy Ghost, speaking in
tongues and you have the gift of prophecy.” Then, someone
gave me a book by Benny Hinn titled, Good Morning, Holy
Spirit. Up until that time, I’d never heard of Benny, or of
revival. It was just what I needed and I thought, That’s what I
want—more of the Holy Spirit!
 After I finished the book, I realized that I also needed what
Benny had—intimacy with God’s Spirit. I now understood that
God wanted me to have a deeper relationship with His Spirit.
God is not partial but He favors those who diligently seek Him;
He favors those who hunger and thirst after Him.
I didn’t know what to do except to pray simple prayers, so I
prayed, “I want to know you, Holy Spirit, just like Benny
knows you and just like this woman, Kathryn that he talks
about. I’m asking You to come into my bedroom as a person in
the same way You did for Benny. I want to have a conversation
with You wonderful, Holy Spirit. I want to feel electricity and
weep uncontrollably. I want so much of Your presence that I
can’t get up off my bed. I want you to be more real to me.”
He answered my cry. I had a visitation of the person of the
Holy Spirit. My body shook and I felt electricity. Once while I
was under a heavy anointing my friend stopped by and yelled
to me, “Come on, let’s go.” It was all I could do to shout back,
“I’m in my room.” When he opened the door to my room and
saw me, he said, “Why are you shaking?”
“I don’t know. I think it’s the Holy Spirit.”
“Why would the Holy Spirit make you shake?”
“I don’t know but He’s been doing it for about three
hours.”
“Get up off your bed.”
“I can’t. I can’t move. My whole body is numb, and I’m
sinking into the mattress.”
 “This is a demon possessing you. You can’t even do what
you want to do. That’s not the Lord.”
“I don’t know, but it feels good.” I said as my friend tried to
pull me from the bed.

HOLY SPIRIT, I LOVE YOU

Despite my friend’s views about my experience, I knew it
was from God, and every day I couldn’t wait to get home from
my job cleaning gutters and washing vinyl siding to be in His
presence. I’d race into my bedroom and be hit with what felt
like an electrical force field. The Holy Spirit was waiting for me
and I believe He was just as excited about being with me as I
was about being with Him! When we were together, it was
similar to that emotional high that two six-year-old children
would have together on Christmas morning.
I’d close the bedroom door and weep, standing for three
hours and telling Him how much I loved Him, and I’d feel
tangible love back. This incredible intimacy lasted from four to
twelve hours every day for almost three months. The Spirit of
God breathed on the pages of the Bible. This wasn’t the
baptism of the Holy Ghost—it wasn’t speaking in tongues, it
was a Person in my home, who today is as real to me as the
Father and the Son.
Within three months of my salvation, I’d discovered that
the Holy Spirit isn’t limited to convicting people, to slaying
them in the power, or to manifesting gifts and miracles through
them. The Holy Spirit is a Person whom I can converse with. I
can say, “Holy Spirit, I love You, and I’m glad that we are
partners. Together we can bring Jesus to the world. You
inspired people to write this Bible—help me understand it.
Place Scripture in my heart so they are not just words. I can’t
even say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ without You!”
Then I’d open my Bible and feel Him hover over me. When
we conversed, time flew by.
God is sovereign and He’ll do whatever He wants, but I
volunteered to let Him work through me. I said, “I want You to
open this Bible to me and I’m going to take this message all
over the world. I ask You for wisdom and revelation. I’m going
to talk to You from this day forward. I want You to be my best
friend. I want to know Your presence and Your person in this
place. I ask You to come.”
I loved, welcomed, and yielded to the Holy Spirit daily. God
revealed Himself to me as I hungered for Him. It was almost like
dating—the freshness of a new love. To this day, the Holy
Spirit is as real to me as any person is. He constantly speaks to
me through the inner audible voice of God.
I’ve been in such communion with the Holy Spirit, where
His presence was so real, that when I stepped out of my room, I
would feel Him move with me to the elevator. When I got in my
car, I would feel a person slip into the seat next to me. When
people visited me at home, they’d get zapped by an invisible,
electrical force field in whatever room I was in, and then
bounce back. I’d say, “Hey, what happened?” and they’d say
that something “zapped” them. There were also times people
couldn’t even get close to me without falling. Years later,
Shonnah, my wife, while washing dishes while a friend was
visiting, suddenly went down under the power as I walked into
the kitchen. Her friend screamed, “Your face is glowing!”
The Holy Spirit would move with me like a cloud. I recall a
time when, as I got into a friend’s car, he just wept. Another
time I spoke at a Christian school, and as I shared about the
Holy Spirit, and openly loved and honored Him, many of the
youth fell out under the power in holy laughter. I was like,
“Hey, what’s happening here?” (I didn’t yet know how to
move in the “flow”). They’d reply, “There’s fire coming off
you,” though I didn’t feel anything. Nevertheless, I
remembered reading about some of these manifestations in
Benny’s book, and with excitement, I knew that it was
happening to me, too.
In those wonderful days of growing intimacy with the Holy
Spirit, I had nothing to do but pursue Him, though no one
understood what was happening in my life.

A GEOGRAPHICAL CHANGE
Within this three-month period, I heard God’s audible voice
clearly for the first time. “I want you to move to Abbotsford,
British Columbia,” He said.
“God, there’s no Abbotsford, B.C. I’ve never heard of it…”
I replied (boy, did I have a lot to learn). “…besides, my church
has sponsored me to go to Bible school—I’ve been accepted.
They are even going to pay for it. I’m going to get a suit and
tie, cut my hair, look like the rest of the preachers and meet my
wife. Even if there’s an Abbotsford, I can’t just tell my friends
at church I’m leaving.”
Yet God’s audible command to me continued to ring and
resonate through my being—it was as if my whole head filled
with the idea of Abbotsford. I had heard God so clearly and I
remember thinking to myself, This must be how God speaks
audibly. Today, He still constantly speaks to me, and I can still
hear Him whisper in my ear.
In those days, I didn’t know a lot about Christianity, but I
had learned that a prophetic word should be confirmed in the
mouth of two witnesses. Therefore, I told God He would have
to confirm my move to the “mythical” town of Abbotsford.

THE CHARISMATIC CATHOLICS

Around this time, I had been hanging out with the
charismatic Catholics. They seemed to be the most alive church
group in town. I attended their meetings once a week, and
people were encouraged to practice prophecy and spiritual
gifts. During worship time, I started to ‘hear’ simple words, like,
“He loves you,” or even passages of Scripture. I’d become so
excited, even with a few words, and I’d tremble and shake
before I spoke them. Once He told me, “I am here,” and the
strength of those words kept building and building, until finally
I arose and yelled out, “Thus saith the Lord…‘I am here’.”
Wow—people thought I was a great little fireball!
One night at the Catholic meeting the Lord spoke to me
Hebrews 12:22, “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city
of the living God…” I didn’t know what to do with it. I went to
the microphone, read the verse, sat down and everyone
cheered. I didn’t realize that the Scripture was for me. (I found
out later that when we receive revelation we don’t always know
what to do with it. Sometimes revelation can be progressive
and it can be months or years before we “get” the
understanding.)

MISLED
Because I was hungry for the gifts of the Spirit, I hooked up
with a man in the community called Frenchie. Frenchie had a
reputation of receiving visitations and moving in extraordinary
demonstrations of the Spirit. He lived on a boat at the marina
where people brought the sick and they would get healed. He
would cast demons out of people and lead them to Jesus. It
was even rumored that he could tell people in detail what they
had done that morning. The church called him an
“independent, lone wolf” and, in many ways, he was. He was
anointed, but he was rebellious and had issues with authority
and leadership.
I was very interested in learning from him because he was
moving in the Spirit in a stronger way than what I saw
happening at the church. Frenchie usually didn’t go to the
church because he saw them as “too religious.” Now when I
look back, I understand that although He had a God-given gift,
and a lot of charisma, he wasn’t solid in issues of character.
Nevertheless, I didn’t understand those things—I was just
hungry for the supernatural. I talked to my dad on the phone
one day and when I went to see Frenchie on his little boat he
told me about the conversation in such detail that I knew he
had a true gift from God.
It wasn’t until later that his character was revealed to me.
Before I met him, he had married and divorced two or three
women and had multiple affairs. He’d become angry and
violent with the wharf manager and curse at him. He got his
food from the dumpsters at the Safeway grocery store at night
when the leftovers and outdated breads, meat and food were
thrown out. It took me a few months to see his flaws. Frenchie
did help me to move into the things of the Spirit. God used that
experience to teach me. “Todd, I want to anoint you and use
you,” He said, “but I want you to be one who loves Me, knows
Me, and wants to be like Me more than one who wants My
gifts and My power. If you will always remember to dwell, rest,
and soak in My presence, I will use you to shake the nations.
But, remember, I am more concerned about what I can do in
you than through you.”
The Lord showed me through Frenchie’s charisma, gifting,
and lack of character, that it’s possible to have His power but
not be in right relationship with Him. I don’t want to be like the
foolish virgins or the ones who prophesied and cast out
demons in His name. What did He say about them? “Depart
from Me. I never knew you,” or literally, “Depart from Me for I
once knew you, but you have since not allowed yourself to be
known” (Matthew 7:23). Although I was beginning to move in
the gifts quickly, I pressed in even harder to the Lord.
 GEOGRAPHICAL GUIDANCE
A few weeks later, Barry, my boss, and I were out in the
woods, in the middle of nowhere. Recall where I lived on the
Sunshine coast—to get to Gibsons required a 40-minute ferry
ride. Barry and I were miles away from anywhere, therefore, in
the bush, and sitting on a picnic table, when God sent me a
messenger.
According to this fellow, the Lord had spoken to him and
told him to bike across Canada, and for some reason (I have
never learned), he decided to take the ferry ride to the island
and pedal more than forty miles to exactly where we were in the
forest. He didn’t know we were there, and I’d never met him
before. He pedaled up to us on his mountain bike, and
recognized my boss.
“Barry,” he exclaimed, “I can’t believe it’s you! When did
you move here?” Then he said, “You’re not going to believe
what’s happening…there’s an outpouring of God in
Abbotsford, B.C., you’ve got to come to Abbotsford!”
This had to be the voice of God. This fellow had no idea
how God was using him. Barry turned and said, “Todd, do you
want to go to Abbotsford? We can share an apartment.”
“Praise God,” I said, “I got a prophetic word about
Abbotsford!”
That’s how God moved me supernaturally from one
community to the next. Barry and I did share an apartment in
Abbotsford, and the next thing I needed was a church, no easy
feat in what was known as Canada’s Bible belt. With over a
hundred churches to choose from, Barry suggested and
recommended the church he used to attend—a tiny church
with about fifty members.
I walked through the door a little late one Sunday, and
stood in the back. “Friend,” the pastor said as he opened the
sermon, “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the
living God.” I fell out under the power right there in the back of
the little church—this is exactly what the Lord had spoken to
me through Scripture. The pastor hadn’t even spoken
specifically to me—but it was confirmation. This was destiny. I
was in my city, and in my church. Someone had gotten hold of
my life, and He was a whole lot bigger than I was. It appeared
that He knew what I was doing even before I did it.
 Chapter 6

HERE COMES THE BRIDE—RELUCTANTLY

“Barry what’s to do in this Abbotsford town?” I queried my

friend one day. He suggested attending the citywide youth
revival, God Rock, that was held on Friday nights in an old
shopping mall. There they worshiped God with heavy rock-
style music. This youth revival was birthed out of the Toronto
outpouring as God moved in power on Generation X. Hundreds
of young people in their teens and early twenties gathered,
coming from every type of background and subculture—
punks, metal heads, preps, Goths, and Kool-Aid kids with
green or pink hair.
 Since I didn’t have a license or a car, I asked Barry to find a
ride for me. He made a few phone calls and eventually
contacted Shonnah, a girl from my new church. She agreed to
drive me to God Rock. Later I found out that she had second
thoughts and complained to her parents that she didn’t want to
pick me up. “I don’t know this guy,” she said, “Who is he and
why can’t Barry take him?” She even toyed with the idea of
calling to cancel and tried to convince her best friend,
Roswetta, to ride with her. Roswetta (pronounced Rosevita)
was a tad conservative at the time and thought Shonnah was in
a cult, as did Shonnah’s parents, and even the pastor of our
small church. When Roswetta wouldn’t come along, Shonnah
finally resigned herself to her fate, arrived at my basement
apartment, and knocked on my door.
Shonnah had grown up Catholic. She got saved at 16 when
the Lord healed her of bone cancer and a spot on her lungs.
Several Christians, including some ministers, prayed for her
over a period of several weeks and God blessed her with a
miracle. The nurturing of the church impacted her immediate
family and they all got saved too, including her dad who had
been an alcoholic for over twenty years.
Shonnah, seven years older than I am, had been waiting
and praying for a husband for ten years. She and I, however,
were opposites. I was loud and outgoing, and she was quiet
and conservative, especially when talking to guys. She had a
job and a driver’s license, had never touched drugs, dated, or
even kissed a guy—a real Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes, the
reserved Catholic girl; This was who came knocking at my
door!
She was met, on the other hand, and on the other side of
the door, by what looked like, a Hell’s Angel’s biker (that
would be me) sporting a big goatee, long hair, earrings,
bandana, and ripped jeans. I hadn’t bothered to change my
look since Dad and I had partied with them several years
previously. In the natural, I was the last person you’d want
your daughter to marry! We couldn’t be more different, but oh,
God does have a sense of humor!
I opened the door and sucked in a deep breath when I saw
her. She was beautiful. I tried to regain my suave and debonair
persona by blurting out, “Just a minute,” and slamming the
door in her face. I ran to Barry, ranting about her beauty and
how I’d have no chance with a woman like that. She was a
preppy and I was a hood. Well, I finally opened the door. I
found out later that while on the 10-minute ride to God Rock,
she silently prayed, “Oh God, help me… help me!” She was so
scared that I think she might have thought I was going to mug
her!
We walked into the meeting, already underway with loud
music and dimmed lights—like a club. “Where do you want to
sit?” I asked her.
“I don’t know, just pick somewhere,” she said.
I pointed to some chairs, and (I discovered later) we sat
directly in front of Chris—a guy she’d had a crush on. In fact,
she felt that the Lord had told her that they were going to
marry. She said she was thinking, Oh great… he’s going to
think Todd and I are together…. Worse still, when the pastor
told us to turn around to greet the person behind us, I
immediately swung around and shook Chris’s hand. To him it
must have appeared as, “In your face buddy—she’s mine
now!” But all that time, I had no idea they were even friends.
A few minutes later Roswetta showed up at the meeting;
she had decided to join us and help her friend. Roswetta, a
conservative Mennonite girl, wasn’t sure about these spiritual
manifestations in the meeting: drunkenness in the Spirit, falling
on the floor, shaking, groaning, laughing, and crying.
Remember, this was in 1994 when the spiritual renewal
movement, or the “Toronto blessing,” was going all over the
world. This meeting was the first time that I had even seen the
manifestations of the Spirit outside of my apartment.
During the worship, there was a call for prayer and
Shonnah went forward. I remember her bending backwards and
forwards like a tree swaying in the wind. I thought to myself,
“Why is she shaking and doing the Gumby?”
Suddenly, I felt an anger churn deep inside me. I tried to
squelch it but it rose from inside with violent thoughts.
Overcome by a demon, I threw myself at the chairs and
knocked them flying. I screamed, cursed, and writhed on the
floor like a snake. Then I rolled and screamed and tried to avoid
the four or five guys who tried to restrain and deliver me.
Fortunately, Shonnah was oblivious to what was happening,
however, Roswetta had a front-row seat to my performance—it
certainly did little to quell her fears of the meeting being a ‘cult’
thing, and certainly was not a great first impression. The good
thing about this incident was that I received a powerful
deliverance from some lingering demonic bondages.

THE PURSUIT
By meeting’s end, I was infatuated with Shonnah, so I
devised a plan. I observed whom she hung out with and
discovered we had some mutual friends. “Coincidentally”
within a few short weeks, we found ourselves with the same
group of friends and in the same restaurants after the revival
meetings.
A friend of mine, Gerard, was a friend of Earl and Val,
Shonnah’s parents. Gerard and I hung out a lot at his
apartment doing “carpet time” together, as we enjoyed the
presence of the Holy Spirit. However, after a few weeks, I
confessed to him how I felt about Shonnah. Afterward, it was
Shonnah this, and Shonnah that and Shonnah, Shonnah,
Shonnah! It used to be, “Jesus, Jesus, and Jesus!” Gerard
finally got fed up and said, “If you don’t ask her out, I’ll do it
for you!” So the next time he saw Shonnah, he said, “The new
guy, Todd, likes you and wants to go out with you.”
“No thanks,” Shonnah answered, “He’s too wild. Please let
him know that I am not interested, but please be nice about it.”
Perplexed but not in despair, struck down but not
destroyed, I continued to arrange meetings just to be near her,
but acted as though I just wanted to be friends. She thought
I’d lost interest, which was fine with her! She picked me up a
few more times for God Rock, and we even did prayer ministry
together. She loved to hang with me because she liked my fiery
preaching, evangelism, and anointing. I was everything she
wanted in a Christian, but nothing she wanted in a boyfriend.
Sometimes we’d meet as early as 10 A.M. and hang out together
until 3 A.M. praying and ministering with others.
On a previous occasion, the Lord had actually shown me an
open vision of Shonnah. It was my first open-eyed vision. I
was in my living room and my fireplace mantel opened up, kind
of like a TV screen, and I saw us embracing in a wheat field that
was ready for harvest. We were both weeping and I was
wearing a tux and she wore a wedding dress. As the vision
unfolded, her friend Roswetta (who was now my friend) was
talking with me in the living room about Shonnah. I described
the open vision to her as it happened. The presence of the
Lord fell and we both wept. Roswetta said, “I can’t see it but I
can feel goose bumps.” During this vision, I also received an
anointing of creativity, poetry, and writing. In fact, I even
received a three-page prophetic poem that I read at our
wedding. I still write prophetic poems for my wife to this day.
A woman in our church, Helen, had a niece who was vexed
with an evil spirit and was slowly dying. She asked me to pray
for her, and I asked Shonnah to come along. Returning from the
prayer time, and as Helen drove us home, I asked, “Helen, how
do you know when you’ve found the right one?”
All three of us engaged in an enthusiastic conversation
about marriage. Shonnah was really getting into it because she
still felt like the Lord had told her she was going to marry Chris.
She wondered why I asked all these questions. Then she
remembered a conversation we’d had a few weeks earlier at a
restaurant. Shonnah overheard me tell my friend Steve that the
Lord had shown me who I’d marry. They badgered me at the
table until I gave a description of the one the Lord showed me.
Apparently, Shonnah was sitting there thinking, “I sure hope
it’s not me.”
I interpreted Shonnah’s enthusiasm for the marriage
conversation as a hint to me that she had re-thought her
decision and was now interested in me. I thought that perhaps
the Lord had shown her our future marriage the same way He
had shown me. I sensed that Shonnah, too, had brushed off
her fears that I was still interested in her because I had “backed
off” in recent weeks. Helen dropped us off at my apartment
where Shonnah had parked her car. I forget where we had to go
together after Helen left, but as we drove off, my misperception
of her change of heart—those things I considered hints to
move forward, gave me the courage to blurt out and say, “The
Lord has shown me that you are going to be my wife.”
This didn’t go down too well—at least not as I thought it
would as I had played that phrase over and over in my mind
before I’d said it. Instead of a tearful embrace, enthusiastic
laughter and the excitement I was looking for, Shonnah said,
“No way—God has not spoken to me at all—I don’t see it!”
Ouch!
In the natural, I wasn’t that great a catch. I didn’t have a job
or work skills, and I wasn’t interested in those skills because I
was “doing the work of the ministry.” I saw it as living by faith
while cashing my welfare checks and living off of everyone
else, including my roommate. My pastor, Henry, who had been
discipling me, tried to encourage me toward employment, but
the message wasn’t getting through. He and others recognized
the evangelistic call on my life, but they knew it was in the
future. I thought it was for “now.” Besides my unemployed
status, my wild background, lack of education, and my recent
conversation were black marks against me. I didn’t even have a
driver’s license, and still lived out of a backpack. Another very
viable and legitimate concern was whether my zeal for the Lord
would burn out, causing me to backslide and return to my
previous lifestyle, because I’d been walking with the Lord for
less than a year.

LETTING GO OF EXPECTATIONS
Shonnah had a list she’d made of the characteristics she
wanted in a husband. She’d been praying over it for ten years
and had women in the church praying for her future spouse. I
exceeded all of the spiritual requirements, but she’d also been
praying for a good-looking virgin and she didn’t think I fit
either of those criteria. I wasn’t a virgin, for sure, but I was
hoping I’d squeak by on the other qualification (this is known
as denial and wishful thinking).
Shonnah’s parents and my pastor knew that she was the
one for me. One of the elders had a dream confirming it.
Shonnah’s brother knew it. I wondered why God wasn’t telling
the one person whose opinion really mattered. It did seem to
be a bit of an obstacle.
Shonnah worked the graveyard shift at a bakery. With the
help of her friends there, she came to realize that she talked
about me all the time and that she missed me when we were
apart. One of her friends at work said, “I don’t believe you
aren’t interested. You like him; you’re just not admitting it.”
“No I don’t.” (This too is known as denial and wishful
thinking!)
She kept getting hung up on her list of requirements. Then
she read a book called Passion and Purity in which someone
asked how important it was that her potential spouse is good
looking. The reply was, “What if you are the tool God wants to
use to bless someone else with what they want? Get your eyes
off yourself.”
The Lord led Shonnah to ask, “What if God wants to bless
Todd with me?” She had been living in a fairytale world and her
friends had to help her see her true feelings because she had
an expectation of what “it” would look like.
The most important characteristics are love, devotion, and
passion for God. Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yet
God can help us see the beauty in others. I believe it’s
important to have expectations regarding a mate but not to
hold God to our unrealistic expectations if they aren’t His
requirements. I encourage single Christians to ask the Lord
what their ideal husband or wife looks like for them. There are
many single people who won’t accept the spouse of God’s
choosing because of a physical flaw. Deciding on a life’s
partner needs to be by the Spirit, not by the flesh, natural
attraction, or lust. The Lord isn’t against dating, but God has a
choice for each one.
Dear reader, if you’re single, I want to encourage you to
keep your eyes on Jesus and ask Him to help you make your
list. If you’re married and your original motives for saying “I
do” were not right or from the Lord, don’t misconstrue my
previous comments as an endorsement for divorce. Invite
Jesus and His principles into your life, and He will bless and
honor your covenant as you do the same. The issue of divorce
and remarriage is a whole topic in itself and I won’t get into it
right now. (Now, back to my story—sometimes I just can’t help
lapsing into a sermonette.)

FINALLY!
Shonnah finally believed that I was God’s answer to her ten
years of prayer. Since everyone else believed this too, we
decided not to have a long engagement. I whole-heartedly
embraced Paul’s philosophy, “better to marry than to burn”.
Long engagements are fine but if both parties, pastoral
leadership, and those you are in relationship with feel you’re
making a good decision, then why give room for the devil to
attack? We decided to get married in five weeks, May 22, 1995.
We were so on fire in those days that even at my “bachelor
party,” we evangelized. First, at the restaurant, they dressed me
in a white shirt imprinted with the words, Prisoner of Love,
then they put a ball and chain on my ankle, and a toilet seat
around my head, and instructed me to go to the grocery store
to purchase toilet paper and chocolate sauce for the seat.
Everyone accompanied me, but we were so passionate about
reaching people that we all just stood out in front of the store
for a while first to share with people about Jesus.
“What are you doing?” they’d ask.
“It’s my bachelor’s party and I want to tell you about
Jesus,” I’d say. (Even years later in my ministry as I travel
doing big crusades, we still take people into the market to do
prophetic evangelism.)
The night before my wedding, I barely slept. I had
butterflies in my stomach. My friends stayed the night. In the
morning my mother came over and, sure enough, we got into
one of the biggest fights we’d had in years—and believe me,
we’d had some doozies. In the midst of our fight that day I
said, “Mom you’re wrecking my wedding day. How can you
make me feel like this? How can you be so selfish?” But by the
time I was ready to leave for the church I fell on my knees and
apologized for all the ways I’d hurt her then and in the past.
We wept and prayed together. God wanted to expose some
things in my life and be sure I was ready to “leave and cleave.”
From that day forward, I had an open door to minister to
her. She read my newsletters and began watching Billy Graham
on TV. She read all of the Christian material I brought to her.
She would even let Shonnah and I pray for her.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BRIDE IN THE WORLD

I arrived at the wedding hall, nervous and excited
wondering what would happen when I saw her for the first time
in her wedding gown. It’s still so vivid—I remember the
moment the music began to play and the door opened, I’ll
never forget her beauty as she stepped out into the aisle with
her father. She took my breath away and I thought I’d pass out.
“Are you okay,” said my best man.
We had a beautiful reception. The church was like a family
for us. They prepared the hall, and all of the details of a perfect
wedding, and then pulled together a potluck reception. They
even blessed us on our way by stuffing my Dayton boots with
money (a collection from family and friends). That day we left
for a short honeymoon to Qualicum Beach, and yet, today, the
honeymoon continues. (It’s worth the wait my single friend…
God has a mate for you.)
 Chapter 7

THE CLEANSING PROCESS

As in every believer’s walk with Jesus, my conversion was

only the beginning of the transformation. Next came the
working out of my salvation with fear and trembling. One of the
first things to go in my ongoing cleansing process was a
poverty mindset, the idea that God probably didn’t want me to
have anything at all. My attitude was, “I won’t presume on
God, whatever He gives me is OK.” I had a “crumbs-from-Your-
table-are-good-enough” mentality. I was just thankful that I
was saved and not going to hell but I really didn’t expect much
from God. I felt so unworthy of anything good and pure
because I knew how many lives I had destroyed. I struggled
daily with rejection .
God used my relationship with my wife to teach me about
His unconditional love for me. Shonnah was sixteen when He
healed her of cancer and she became born again. At that time I
was ten and dabbling in the occult, but little did I know that my
wife and the intercessors were already praying for me. I was
overwhelmed that God would keep a woman pure 26 years for
me. She never did drugs, drank, or smoked; she kept herself
from men and was on fire for God. She was everything that I
ever could have wanted in a woman and I felt completely
unworthy. I struggled with thoughts like, “How could I have
someone so pure? I’m going to corrupt her.”
Once, when I was newly married, a woman in church said,
“Todd Bentley, you are not for Shonnah but Shonnah is for
you. God kept Shonnah all these years as a gift to give to you.”
She was a tangible evidence of His love for me. God used
Shonnah’s love, time and again, as I struggled with guilt,
condemnation, unworthiness, and rejection. I’d mess up, come
short of my expectations, hurt her, and feel terrible. It was like
Paul’s struggle—what I wanted to do I didn’t and what I didn’t
want to do I did. At times, I’d be insensitive and she’d be right
there to say, “I forgive you.” Then I’d fall, sin against God, and
feel such condemnation. She would say, “If I can forgive you
every day, then why can’t God?” Then I would think, My wife
loves me so much—surely His love is even greater!

EMPLOYMENT
I’d always struggled to hold a job and be financially
 I’d always struggled to hold a job and be financially
responsible. Most of my life I didn’t even care about working.
In the past, I worked and collected welfare at the same time. I
saw the government as my enemy, and I was going to keep
every dollar I could. I thought that God would call me into the
ministry any second but others convinced me that I needed to
work and support my family. It was a struggle—I’d get a job
and then be laid off, then I’d get another job and the place
would go bankrupt. I’d start my own business and it would go
well—for a while—then the bottom would drop out. It really
wasn’t until I entered into ministry that I began to believe that
God even wanted me to be blessed and to enjoy His goodness
in my own life.

DELIVERANCE
In the first couple of years after I was born again, God dealt
with me repeatedly, bringing deliverance, imparting a greater
revelation of my acceptance, and pouring out His cleansing
grace.
I recall that one such instance, before I moved to
Abbotsford, where I’d been at the home of some Catholic
friends. Right in the middle of Bible study, the Lord told me
that I had a demon of fear.
“Oh God, what am I going to do?” I asked. He told me to
talk to Frenchie. So I walked right up to him and said,
“Frenchie, I have a demon of…” and when I said, “fear,” my
whole body contorted, and I started flailing, screaming, and
writhing as a snake. People jumped on me to subdue me, but I
threw them across the room, and then started to rip at the
furniture. It took five people sitting on me, and two hours of
deliverance before I was free. This was the first deliverance
session that the Lord had divinely arranged for me.
Another time, God touched my life during a Vineyard
revival meeting. I was at the altar to get prayer ministry when
churning emotions rose up inside me. Destructive thoughts
overwhelmed me with thoughts like, I just want to kill myself….
Anger, murder, death, suicide, and violence raged inside of me.
I writhed and screamed on the floor. It was a spirit of death and
it was connected to my fascination with Jim Morrison and my
drug overdoses. I went through deliverance until one in the
morning.
Once more, I was at my local church during a city prayer
gathering. During the worship service, I started screaming at
the top of my lungs for my father. Picture that, right in the
middle of the service and I’m yelling, “Dad, daddy!” Here I
was, Mr. Cool, still looking like a biker and believing that “big
boys don’t cry.” This time it wasn’t a demon, though, it was
just the pain, the ache, the loneliness of not knowing the love
and acceptance of my father. Everyone there, about thirty or so
people, began to intercede for me. I became a lump of weeping
mush on the floor, crying like a baby but dressed as a biker. I
bawled for hours, totally overcome by the revelation of the
Father’s love for me. My friends had to carry me to a vehicle,
and then drove me home and carried me into my house,
because I couldn’t walk I was so intoxicated with the Lord’s
love.
 Outside of my own prayer life, I had many other
tremendous encounters in which God set me free from
bondages, brought me a revelation of His love, and dealt with
my past. I believe the Holy Spirit was saying, “This is MY fish.
I want to get him clean and get him on the market as soon as
possible!” So, yes, God did a very quick work in my life!

CHILDREN
As in my wedding and cleansing process, most events in
my life seemed to happen fast. Therefore, Shonnah and I asked,
“Why not have kids right away too?” However, because of
Shonnah’s past fight with cancer, the doctor said she had a
slim (one percent) chance of conceiving. After fourteen
months, we were convinced he was right.
Shonnah received prayer one day from a prophet who had a
word of knowledge for barrenness. The power of God went
through her and seven days later, she conceived. I was so
excited when we discovered she was pregnant. From then on,
every day for me was like waiting for Christmas!
One day, while in the bathroom, and with Shonnah’s due
date still a few months away, I said to the Lord, “I just can’t
wait any longer for this child, can You bring the labor on
early?” Everything else God had given me had come so fast, so
I pled, “give me the baby—You can give it to me in half the
time, and it can come out done!” Then I heard an audible voice
say, “I’m even more excited and more passionate about your
child than you are!”
 I broke down and wept. “Look at you,” He said, “Look how
excited you are about having the baby! You can’t wait. That’s
what I’m like! Every morning I’m just as excited about fellow-
shipping with you! Would you come and be with Me?” His
words wrecked my life.
The Lord also used Lauralee’s birth to show me the love of
the Father. When she was born, I would hold her while I paced
the halls singing spontaneous love songs to her. The Lord
said, “The way you see this child is how I see you. Is there
anything she could ever do that would make you stop loving
her?”
He used the emotions of how I felt toward my daughter and
related it to His feelings for me. “That’s how I sing over you…
that’s how I delight in you and rejoice over you with singing.”
This powerful message freed me from the feeling that God
was angry with me.

VISUALIZING THE FUTURE

My pastor, Henry Schmidt, continued to disciple me while I
headed to the skateboard park or the street to evangelize. I still
wore my hair long with a beard, leather jacket, and ripped pants
for extra effect. Even so, I had this voracious appetite for God
and as great a desire to share with others the treasures I had
found in relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
I had lots of opportunity to share Christ as well as my
testimony to youth groups, Christian schools, a coffee house,
and the skateboard park. I set up a tract booth outside of the
mall. I’d give a tract or magazine to everyone who was “foolish
enough” to walk close enough by me. Often I was in the street
for up to four hours. I made opportunities. I took teams into the
street and even conducted open air crusades Saturday
evenings in the park whether people wanted to listen to me or
not. I was on fire. The world was my parish. I didn’t wait to
share until someone offered me a stadium. I soon came to
understand that what you do in secret, the Lord rewards
openly.
A desire for God to use me in the nations began to grow; I
used to lie on my bed and have, what I call, Holy Ghost
fantasies until midnight—even three in the morning. Sometimes
the sun rose while I still dreamed about what I would do that
day, imagining the day in my spirit. Although awake, I would
imagine myself preaching in Africa and could picture stadiums
filled with multitudes or see people healed and raised from the
dead. It was like a sanctified daydream. Even King David, in
Psalm 63:6-7, speaks of lying on his bed and meditating on the
Lord in the night watch (which was 3 A.M. to 6 A.M. ). I also
believe that, during these night watches, David was reliving in
his imagination all that God had done in the past—how God
delivered him, guided his life, and provided for him. Here is
David, in the early-morning hours, meditating on his destiny,
dreaming about what it would be like to fulfill what God had
said would happen in and through his life. I see David even
recreating the scenario, in his mind, of what it would look like
when God defeated his enemy.
When I was a newly saved Christian of only two months, I
knew what the prophetic word over my life was and the
promise of the Bible about my destiny. So I would lie on my
bed and daydream that tens of thousands were streaming to
the altars, asking Jesus to be their Savior. In my imagination,
I’d picture myself praying for the deaf and I’d hear the crowds
screaming. I would see the mother whose son was just healed
of deafness say, “My son can hear” as tears rolled down her
face. Day after day I’d have these big dreams from a big God
about big stuff. I see now that I had a big, God-inspired
imagination. Yet, back then I would say, “Lord forgive me for
my pride. It is wrong for me to think of something this great.”
Then I’d think to myself, Who am I that God would use me?
With these condemning thoughts came a sense of guilt about
wanting God to fulfill my dreams and do great things in and
through my life (I realized later that God was initiating my
dreams and desires and that the devil was trying to discourage
me from them). But the God-dreams became stronger—and the
next day, there I was again in Africa and India holding
crusades just like the spiritual greats, Reinhardt Bonnke and
Benny Hinn.
Eventually, because of surrendering my sanctified
imagination to God, I learned to release destiny by seeing
myself preaching in stadiums or healing the sick. I believed in a
big God and I had big dreams. Actually, according to Scripture,
it was the calling forth of things that weren’t as though they
were (see Rom. 4:17). I was cultivating the promise of God that
He had birthed in my heart; I knew I was called as an
evangelist. This principle of, “calling things forth” (which is a
kind of prophecy) became a major key in birthing my ministry.
To understand this concept more fully let me share two biblical
examples of this visualization process.
Even though Abraham and his wife were past childbearing
years, God had a destiny for them. He told Abraham to look at
the stars to illustrate how numerous his descendants would be
(Gen. 15:5). Abraham had to visualize it to help get it in his
spirit. We see the same principle demonstrated in Genesis
30:31–43. Jacob increases the flock of spotted goats by putting
striped or speckled branches in the watering troughs so that
the goats would see them when they came to drink and when
they mated.
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul echoes this truth:
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the
glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image
from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor.
3:18). As I like to say, “What you see, you be.”
In the beginning, I didn’t understand this principle and I’d
repent after I “saw” myself preach in stadiums. “Lord, forgive
my pride,” I’d say, “I’m hungry for You, but I also want to be
faithful to what You’ve called me to now.” I’d walk down the
street in Abbotsford preaching to the trees along the road,
pretending they were people. Really, it wasn’t my pride. It was
the Holy Spirit putting destiny in me.

FORETASTE OF THINGS TO COME

On one occasion, I was invited to speak at a local
Mennonite youth group. I gave my testimony and taught
about the Holy Spirit and intimacy with Him. During the altar
call, young people fell under the power of the Spirit—some
shook, while others were touched in many other ways (all
spiritual manifestations were foreign to this group of youth).
Thus began a revival in that youth group and it grew from
about 25 members to 100 in less than a year.
Some time later, I was introduced to Kevin Paterson and a
group of local youth pastors who had been meeting for over a
year for weekly prayer. They felt led to start an inter-church
revival meeting called Fresh Fire. In 1997, they met in a
storefront church with a small group of spiritually hungry
young people. Their vision was to pray, worship, prophesy,
hear God, and ignite a revival fire through youth of the city.
I shared once at Fresh Fire and they invited me to
accompany them and a team of youth to minister at “The Street
Church” in Vancouver. I spent about two eight-hour days in
prayer, preparing for my evening message. Since I had no
religious training, I didn’t realize that, to many Christians, this
would be considered excessive. That evening the youth
ministered with drama, music, and testimonies. I got up to
preach and the Holy Spirit fell. Halfway through my sermon,
people rushed to the front, falling on their knees and calling
out for the Lord. Many street people were saved and healed
that night. After that experience, I preached more regularly at
Fresh Fire meetings.
These two experiences, the one with the Mennonite youth
group and the other at The Street Church, were some of the
initial evidences of God’s hand on my life for ministering in the
supernatural. I believe God was giving me a foretaste of things
to come.
 Chapter 8

MARINATING AND PICKLING IN THE HOLY

SPIRIT

Four years after my salvation, I still preached in the streets

and had a daily prayer life where I regularly spent extended
hours, days, months waiting in His presence, fasting, studying
the Bible, and hungering even more for God. I wanted Him to
use me, and I knew that one day, He would. I never doubted
what someone had told me only two months after I accepted
the Lord into my life, that I had the mantle of an evangelist, and
was called to reach people.
 However, I always struggled as to whether I needed to
work a secular job because I knew that I was called to the
ministry. I believed the call was “now” and that I should live by
faith. I remember having to come to the place where I died to
my vision of full-time ministry. I said, “God I want to thank You
for my wife and children and I’m going to do what I have to do
to be a mature Christian man, husband, and father.
I worked in a sawmill stacking lumber—this is what was
known as the “green chain.” The lumber came out of the saw
cut to different sizes, then down a conveyer belt where I’d grab
the lumber, haul it off the green chain, and stack it according to
length. It was a good job with good pay—the best I’d ever
had.
I learned that it wasn’t so much about who I was in the
pulpit as much as it was about who I was in the home and in
the marketplace. I wanted to be a witness. I wanted to know
Him and seek His face and not His hand. I had to let Him work
character in me. Yet, I still couldn’t shake the passion inside for
doing Christian ministry. I was consumed with God and His
call.
Every day I would go to the mill, but there was still a vision,
a passion, a knowing that God was going to use me in the
nations. I wanted to see thousands saved and be used by God
in miracles and healings. The great evangelists throughout
history inspired me. However, I had to die to these dreams
regularly and say, “I’ll love You and I’ll serve You, Lord,
whether or not You use me in ‘full-time ministry.’”
 Within months of giving my passion for ministry to Him, He
resurrected it and gave it back. I felt as Abraham laying Isaac
down on the altar. The test was, “Will you love Me more than
you love the vision?”

MY SECOND SEASON OF VISITATION

It was shortly after the powerful experience at The Street
Church, that I resolved to spend more time in prayer and in the
presence of the Holy Spirit. With Fresh Fire asking me to
preach more often at their youth meetings, they soon moved
the meetings to the basement of the Anglican Church at the
invitation of the youth pastor, Jean-Marc Russi. I desperately
wanted God more and desired to see Him pour out His Spirit
through me at these meetings.
I developed tendinitis at work and had to go on
compensation for three months. I cried out to the Lord: “Oh
God, please visit me in power again like You did in that first
extended season of visitation when I was introduced to the
Holy Spirit.”
I purposed in my heart that I would pursue an encounter
with God and committed that the time I normally spent working,
I would spend with the Lord. I pressed in each day in
desperation to sense His presence. I wanted to hear His voice
and cried out for a life-changing encounter with His glory.
“If I draw near to You, You said You would draw near to
me,” I’d pray. Every day, I cried out for Him to fulfill His
promises. “You said, ‘If I search for You with all of my heart,
then I would find You.’” I sensed moments of His presence,
but inside, I was never satisfied—I wanted more! For almost
two weeks I did everything I’d learned—praise, worship,
speaking in tongues, interceding, and all I knew about prayer.
There was a measure of routine to my prayer life that consisted
of a half hour of speaking in tongues, a half hour of praise, and
fifteen minutes of spontaneous prayer. “God I want to feel
Your presence,” was my cry—I knew there was more.
Then one day it happened. At home, in my living room, I
desperately cried out for His presence. “Visit me Lord,” I
pleaded, “Come a little bit closer.” In the midst of my desperate
pursuit of a breakthrough, suddenly and without warning, a
wind filled my lungs and I became supernaturally mute, just as
Zechariah did in the temple. The atmosphere of my room
changed and I became aware of a strong presence of the Lord. I
saw the smoke of His glory moving toward me—like liquid
honey, like a warm blanket it enveloped me. Electricity moved
through my body and I was overwhelmed by the intense,
weighty presence of God pressing on me. The apostle Paul
talked about that “weight of glory” in Second Corinthians 4:17.
The glory settled on my body and weighed me down. It was
almost as if I was entering into sleep, and I fell off my chair
onto the carpeted floor.
Again, I was powerless to regain my strength, and was
reminded of when the glory fell in Solomon’s temple and the
priests couldn’t stand to minister because of the cloud. Wave
after wave of the Lord’s presence and electricity moved
through my body and it was only hours later, after I got up,
that my voice returned. “Something’s happened to me!” I cried.

“MORE LORD”
There was a new excitement in my spirit in prayer, a fiery
passion in me to repeat the previous day’s experience.
Wrecked, I didn’t want to do anything except spend time with
the Lord. For four to twelve hours each day I would seek Him
in my apartment. Most of my time with Him I simply lay in His
presence, soaking and marinating in the glory, allowing the
Holy Spirit to saturate me. I grew more intimately acquainted
with the heart and voice of the Spirit as He visited me in sweet,
loving ways and in dramatic encounters. Each day when I
finished praying and soaking, I would eagerly anticipate what
would happen the next time I prayed.
I distinctly remember day two of this visitation. “Shonnah,”
I said, “I’m going to take some time to enter into the Lord’s
presence.” As I opened the door to my prayer room, stepped
inside and closed the door, I became aware of not just the
presence of Jesus, but the presence of the person Jesus! He
stood in the center of the room, and I mumbled, “Thank You
Jesus,” several times, and then I just shook and wept. This time
it took no effort to enter into the glory, because the glory
waited for me!
The third day as I prepared to pray, I kept thinking, What’s
going to happen today? Thirsty, I went into the kitchen for a
glass of juice before I commenced, and as I opened the
refrigerator and then poured the juice into the glass, I became
aware again of the presence of a person walking up behind me.
“I know it’s You, Jesus!” I called out, even though I could not
see Him with my physical eyes. Then I fell to my knees, juice,
jug, and all. On the floor in front of the open refrigerator door, I
just knelt there and wept, and I knew I was weeping at His feet.

VISION OF GETHSEMANE
In a vision, Jesus took me to the garden of Gethsemane. I
watched the crucifixion, the suffering, and the intensity of
Jesus’ emotions. Throughout the encounter, I was fully aware
of all of my natural senses as I wept and felt the deep despair
of the moment.
It was through that experience that I understood the
intensity of the Father’s love and desire for me. As I watched,
Jesus asked if the cup could pass from Him and then said,
“Nevertheless, not My will but Your will be done.” With great
intensity, the Father sternly said, “It is My will, drink the cup.”
It wasn’t stern as in “angry,” but stern as in “urgent,” birthed
out of passion. “Yes, take the cup,” the Father seemed to be
saying, “because I can’t wait to get the world redeemed… I
long to be with them, to have them back in intimacy with Me.”
He was feeling the agony of His one Son but wanted the others
as His children too.
Jesus was sweating great drops of blood, wrestling back
and forth, and anticipating the awful agony of taking the cup. It
was so intense. The revelation began to sink in. Jesus
abandoned His life because of the Father’s great desire to
delight in me. As the Father loved the Son, I realized, He loves
me with this same fiery passion that I was seeing.
 “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world
know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have
loved Me” (John 17:23 NIV). This Scripture reinforced that love
I saw in my visionary experience. John says that the Father
loved me as He loves Jesus—Wow! Then I started to apply
this incredible divine truth. If God hears the prayers of Jesus,
then He must hear mine. The revelation came in great waves—
even though I was desperately seeking intimacy with Him, His
intense passion to be with me was even greater. This heart-
level truth dealt a major blow to the enemy’s hold on me
concerning my past.
The experience left me numbed and with a deep conviction
that I needed to completely abandon my life to Him. I felt an
intimacy and a new oneness with the Lord, realizing that He
would bleed and endure such agony and suffering for me. Day
after day, I sat at His feet and enjoyed His presence—in this
place, numerous encounters followed each one as powerful as
these initial three visitations. There were times the encounters
happened daily. God would visit with visions, trances, dreams,
revelation, angelic visitations, and even His audible voice—
things I’d read about in the Bible but now experiencing. Yes,
the “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke”
(Heb. 1:1) was now speaking to me in various ways too.
A supernatural God, I believe, wants the supernatural to be
natural and common. Realize that when I speak of visions,
trances, visitations, miracles, and visits to the third heaven,
that really, I haven’t known anything else since I was saved.
All that I’ve known is the Gospel. It was only when I became
involved with Christians that I found out how out of the
ordinary it was for North American believers to experience God
in that way. When you read the Bible you find out that all
these experiences should be ordinary. This intense season of
soaking in His presence and receiving revelation lasted three
months.
 Chapter 9

COUNTDOWN TO SPIRITUAL BLAST-OFF

During those three months the Lord dealt with me on five

issues:
Intimacy
The prophetic
Healing
Evangelism
Repentance
Since intimacy is such a huge part of my life, I do want to
share some teaching on the subject, and therefore, I’m
dedicating this entire chapter to intimacy, and will pick up the
other four subjects in Chapter 10.

INTIMACY
For three months, I did carpet time. I purposed that I
wouldn’t ask the Lord for anything. I practiced just being and
beholding the glory, in worship. I waited and listened more
than anything else. The Lord taught me how to empty my mind,
to sit at His feet like Mary, to gaze upon His beauty, and to
soak and be still. He showed me Isaiah 30:15 “…in returning
and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall
be your strength…’”
The Holy Spirit taught me that I didn’t need to do all the
talking, praying, and the “charismania” acts or the praying in
tongues, devotions, and intense prayer to make Him come
down. He wanted to be with me more than I wanted to be with
Him. While all of these disciplines are important, during this
particular season of soaking, God wanted me to come and just
be in His presence without a list of needs or the sense of duty
expected to accompany prayer. I remember thinking, “But if I
stop talking, God’s going to forget that I’m here wanting to be
in His presence. Because the only time I’m with God is when
I’m praying.” I thought that the minute I stopped speaking in
tongues, praising, worshiping, or reading the Word, the
presence of the Lord was going to wane.
But the Holy Spirit wanted to teach me the place of resting.
Later I would understand that the Spirit was preparing me to be
part of the great contemplative prayer movement that He was
raising up. The Lord began to teach me about resting through
Scripture verses. He showed me that He “acts for the one who
waits for Him” (Isaiah 64:4) and that “they that wait upon the
Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings
as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall
walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). He also whispered to me:
“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
I was excited about growing in rest and intimacy with the
Holy Spirit—I knew from experience that in that place, even
without praying sometimes, God begins to give us the desires
of our hearts. I walked in such intimacy with Jesus when I first
got saved. I remember a time when I walked from my kitchen to
my bedroom and thought, Oh, I’ve got to have a peanut butter
sandwich, but I couldn’t find any in the cupboard. Oh, man! I
really want peanut butter! I kept thinking, but then I just went
to bed. The next morning when Shonnah awoke, she opened
the garage door and there was a jar of peanut butter sitting on
the stairs.

POSITIONED IN QUIETNESS
During this season, I learned that soaking in His presence
releases prophetic revelation into our lives. Just like Mary, who
sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His teachings (see Luke
10:39), I was positioning myself in quietness and stillness
before Him so I could hear His voice. Many believers don’t
hear God’s voice because they don’t practice quietness,
stillness, or soaking in the Lord’s glory.
 First Samuel chapter 3 indicates/infers that the key to
Samuel’s hearing was that of positioning himself—lying down
where the ark of God was:
“and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the
LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying
down, that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, “Here
I am!” (1 Samuel 3:3-4).
In those days, the Bible tells us, that the word of the Lord
was rare and there was no widespread revelation. Yet the word
of the Lord and the revelation of Jesus came to Samuel while he
lay where the ark of God was. That’s where God wants to bring
us—to the place of His presence. Once, while I was lying on
the floor I said,
“God, how I want You. You don’t know how much I want
You and Your presence.”
“I want yours more,” He clearly replied.
“Lord, You want me more than I want You?” I questioned.
“Oh God, how many times have I withheld myself from You?”
The Genesis account of God’s first relationship with man
confirms this divine passion for relationship with His children.
Oh. how the Father loved to come down and walk in the cool of
the day with Adam and Eve. The Father even went searching
for them when that sweet relationship was broken. “Where are
you, Adam? Where’s our intimacy?” I can imagine God asking.
“What happened to our times of just being together in the
garden and talking? I miss it. I want your presence more than
you want Mine.”
 DESPERATE FOR MORE
There was a time when the Holy Spirit fell on me with a
spirit of holiness and desperation. I felt like I didn’t know God;
I felt as though God was a million miles away, even though I
knew I had a relationship with the Holy Spirit. People around
me said, “Todd, if I could only have half of what you’ve got,
I’d be satisfied. Who are you to hunger for more?” In response
I would say, “Compared to how deep I know I can go, I’m not
really deep at all.” Passion and holy desperation came over me
as I walked into this valley of death, this wilderness. At the
same time, I was still experiencing God’s manifest glory on me.
Yet, I knew I had only begun my journey of intimacy. “No,
Lord, I know there’s more.”
So I spent a few days in prayer, never ceasing from the
moment I awoke to bedtime, where I sought Him, and sought to
draw ever nearer, crying out, “Oh, Lord, more, deeper…” I
locked myself in that room and prayed in tongues, read the
Word, played worship tapes, and worshiped Him. Drawing ever
nearer to Him was my quest—I wasn’t satisfied with where I
was or where I’d been, I just searched for the next realm in Him
—for that place of glory-to-glory!
Whatever got in my way was going to get out of the way
because I didn’t have a shovel in my hand—the hunger inside
me had the force of a bulldozer. “Either You touch me God, or
I’m going to Heaven. That’s it!” I was so hungry I actually
thought I’d die if God didn’t visit me. It was an unquenchable
thirst. Every day I’d rest in His presence on my floor—drinking
in the wine of His Spirit. I’d attend every revival meeting or
conference I could get to, yet I still hungered for more. I’ve got
to go deeper… there’s a well I haven’t touched! was my
heart’s cry, and then I’d stir myself up to take hold of Him,
“God, I’m seeking You, I’m searching for You with all of my
heart. You said I’d find You…You said if I’d draw near to You,
You’d draw near to me… fall on me!”
This season of intimacy was so wonderful that sometimes
when I awoke in the morning, I could still feel the lingering
presence of the previous day’s meeting with God, like dew
resting on me.

STAY HOLY SPIRIT

During these times of visitation, I was afraid that the Lord’s
fellowship would leave and I would cry out, “Oh no, the Lord’s
leaving, fellowship is over.” But one particular time I was so
hungry that I jumped from the floor and yelled, “No! God, I’m
going to take hold of You!” I wouldn’t let Him go and chased
Him. “God,” I cried, with determination, “Draw near to me. Fall
on me again. Who are You to make me hungry and not feed
me? Who are You to make me thirsty and not give me to drink?
You fall on me with this glory, and then You just take Yourself
away? Forget it, God. I’m going to seek You until You fall on
me again.”
Then, I’d pray in tongues and seek the Lord for another
hour. Wham!—sandwiched to the floor again for another four
hours! Whenever the presence of the Lord lifted, I’d be like a
wild animal going after its prey and I’d fly off the floor and say,
“Lord, No!” chasing Him down, time and again and the cycle
continued—wham and whoosh, on the floor again. Sometimes
this cycle continued for as long as twelve hours.
The Holy Spirit emphasized over and over, “Todd, I’m
trying to teach you how to receive. You don’t have to strive. I
know you’re hungry, but I want to reveal Myself to you more
than you want Me to reveal Myself. You’ve got to quiet
yourself. You’ve got to become still. That’s why I took the
words out of your mouth. It’s to get you positioned in
quietness at My feet and in the place of stillness so I can speak
to you.”
I finally understood that it was as though two people were
conversing, though both talking at the same time—one
wouldn’t hear the other, would they? There are times for
talking, times for listening, and times for enjoying sweet
fellowship! After this revelation, I went back into prayer and
just said, “Come Lord. I just want to lie in Your glory, in Your
river, and wham!—God’s glory for four hours!
Even to this day when I soak I say, “Alright, Lord. You
know I’m here. I don’t have to tell You. You’re not dumb. I’m
just going to get on the floor.” The Lord shows up with His
glory presence.

SOAKING PARTY
We decided to hold “soaking” parties because people
always asked if they could come over just to lay together on
the carpet and soak with me. Often, Shonnah and I soaked with
our friends. One day eight people plus my pastor arrived, and
after a time of worship, the Lord’s presence came and rested
heavily upon us. It’s hard to describe, but it was as though an
electric honey blanket descended on the room and I knew in
that moment that the Lord was about to take me into a “trance.”
“Let’s just be still in His presence,” I instructed, but
suddenly, the walls of my apartment seemed to disappear. His
presence overwhelmed me and suddenly I saw grass.
“The grass…” I shouted, “the grass! Can you see it?”The
grass moved and had life—the glory came off it and it was the
greenest grass I’d ever seen. When I stepped in it, the
Presence of the Lord tingled through my body—I felt it
between my toes and under my feet. Whenever I looked at it, it
would say things to me, though without conversation. It had
life, as though God Himself was in it. At first, everyone thought
I was crazy, but then they, too, experienced aspects of the
vision.
My eyes panned the scene, and I saw a forest and trees
that stretched farther than my eyes could see. The carpeting
had become grass with river banks on both sides. Though I
was fully conscious, all I saw was this paradise of God. Every
time I looked, I’d be overwhelmed by another wave of glory,
intoxicated with God’s presence. My thoughts kept saying, He
gave showers of blessing and grass in the field for everyone…
Some of the group received Scripture verses from the Lord
every time I shared something. The vision became so real and
vivid! And then, my eyes opened really wide as I watched
water pour into the room from the kitchen and across the
carpet, to about an inch deep. The carpet actually appeared
wet, as though my wife had left the bathtub or the dishwasher
had leaked.
“The river just came into my living room!” I screamed. No
one knew what to do. The pastor jumped off the couch and
threw himself onto the floor and into this revelatory river. I saw
it rise a couple of feet and then it flowed over his back—a
vibrant rushing flow. All the while I saw the grass and the trees
—this was a full-on interactive prophetic experience! The more
I shared details of the vision, and the more the others allowed
themselves to be taken into what I saw, the more the vision
grew. At that point, one of the fellows was on his back, under
the power, and the others were having experiences too.
Though they weren’t “seeing” what I saw and experienced in
my senses, they experienced the vision in a realm of emotions.
In the vision next, I suddenly saw an enormous tree, right in
the middle of my apartment. The body of the tree resembled a
mass of stalks intertwined to form its massive trunk. The stalks
represented elements of the glory of God. Some were gold,
some silver, some bronze, and some were amber. They
shimmered with the golden light of His presence. The tree’s
branches were heavy and weighed down to within three feet
from the ground with massive, ripe fruit, not unlike the types of
fruit that Joshua and Caleb brought out of the Promised Land.
This was the Tree of Life!
Some of us ate from that prophetic tree—we experienced its
fruit! As I described some of the fruit that I saw, pastor, still
swimming in the river, responded with delight when he tasted
of it. Although he had not seen the tree, he still ate of the fruit.
I heard his lips smack and then —”ummmm… ummm… yum!”
As the others ate they exploded in outbursts of joy and
laughter, as others groaned—simply overwhelmed by tastes of
His glory.
All of a sudden, I said, “Shhhhh” and there was nothing
but silence. In the midst of it, and from a different realm, I heard
a sound like a bass note going off on the inside of my spirit
man. So I asked, “Can you hear it?” No one did. The same
thing happened on the road to Damascus. Paul’s companions
saw the light, but they couldn’t hear the voice. Nevertheless,
this sound was so real to me that I thought for sure the others
could hear, too. Then, right then, I heard the sound of the Lord
God walking in the garden, and then I realized I was in the
Garden of Eden…in Paradise!
The vision changed then. It was as though we were playing
hide-and-seek with the Lord—and He was searching for us.
“Adam, where are you?” I knew this was an invitation to walk
with God in the cool of the day. The Lord was inviting us to
intimacy—to taste and see that He is good.
Another time, I had gathered with a few other prophetic
people in the home of Patricia King, simply to bask in the
Lord’s presence and wait on Him, to see if He would speak with
us. Suddenly, the room was filled with flashes of light followed
by a lightning bolt. Patricia screamed, “Did you see that? What
was it? I think it was lightning!”
Everyone present saw it too. We dimmed the lights and
waited on the Lord by candlelight. The lightning flashed for
some time and then a corporate wave of intercession fell upon
us, and we all started speaking in Chinese tongues. Some
actually “saw” themselves preaching in China.

ANGELS, ANGELS, ANGELS

Angels also started to appear during my soaking times.
They’d come into my bedroom as pillars of shimmering light
moving to and fro. Shonnah saw them too, and we’d both lay
there, trembling and weeping.
Once, just before my commissioning into ministry, a huge
angel appeared in my living room. He stood about twenty-feet
tall and towered through the ceiling of the apartment above.
His massive chest was level with my ceiling! It wouldn’t be
until several years later that I understood the significance of
the visitation of this particular angel.

RESTING IN HIS PRESENCE

During this time, the Holy Spirit emphasized often the
importance of resting in His presence. I learned that God never
leaves. We only leave Him when our mind wanders or strays
into worry and concern. But, did you know it is possible to live
in God’s glory? In his writings, Practicing the Presence of
God: The Best Rule of Holy Life1, Brother Lawrence describes
how he learned to live in the presence of the Lord (I encourage
you to read his writings—they have blessed me greatly.)
Another reason people can’t get into God’s presence, even
when their mind is on God, is because they’re too busy trying
to find God when He’s actually right there. Mike Bickle,
director of the International House of Prayer of Kansas City,
one of the most visible organizations of the 24-7 prayer
movement, says: “It’s like trying to get into a room you’re
already in.”
When I prayed and told God that I was running after Him
and searched for Him, He told me that He was right here, living
inside of me. He said, “All My glory, the same Spirit that raised
Jesus from the dead is inside of you.”
Quiet yourself and think about entering into that glory
that’s in you. As born again believers, each of us is a New
Testament “Ark of the Covenant” with God’s presence living
in us—the key is to be still and quiet.
Listening prayer became my greatest weapon. I wanted
(and still want) Jesus more than anything. I spent more time in
His presence than anywhere else. I exercised my spiritual
senses by listening to the Spirit. I was dwelling in the Secret
Place of the Most High, focusing on Jesus. Today, I have a
grace now to call others into a “God hunger.” This soaking
season was in reality, a special time of personal revival.

THE SECRET PLACE

Resting in His presence equipped me for the work of the
ministry. God used that three-month time to impart the
anointings I carry in ministry now which are power, healings,
and prophetic blessings. The thrust of our entire ministry is
built on the foundation of this season of soaking.
As I cried out for more intimacy with the Holy Spirit, I
entered into a place where I grew dramatically in the receiving
of spiritual gifts. This is the Secret Place—it was living here
that I received revelation. The Lord gave me prophetic insights
into the Kingdom in that place.
I still remember one of the most revelatory messages I
preached early on—it’s still one of the most sought-after tape
series, The Secret Place. During this time, in a matter of two
minutes, I received a prophetic revelation, which I call The
Father’s House. The revelation is about nine rooms in a house
that each correspond to nine levels of intimacy with the Father.
Oddly, I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth when I went
out in the spirit and the Lord gave me this revelation where I
was taken into the Father’s house and permitted access and
entrance into these rooms.

CONTAGIOUS FIRE
For the first nine months of my personal revival, I preached
on intimacy, God chasing, holy hunger, soaking, and Holy
Ghost visitation. For the three-month season, I ministered
every night at the Fresh Fire youth meetings, which was
nondenominational. We had youth attend who were from
Baptist, Mennonite, Pentecostal, Anglican, independent
charismatic and various other churches. Every Friday evening I
shared my experiences: my encounters and visitations, my
worship and prayer times with the youth, and they as well as
the youth pastors watched my life transform. The Lord’s
presence broke into our meetings with powerful manifestations.
All I’d do is share my testimony of what God was doing, and
when the youth saw the hunger and desperation I had for God,
it became as a contagious fire! They clamored for intimacy with
the Lord, too, and God used me to usher in His presence into
those meetings to draw others into the same place of intimacy.
In His presence, the Holy Spirit powerfully touched the young
people, and they would fall under the power of the Spirit,
drunk, shaking, laughing, joyful exuberation. These
phenomena and visitations of the Holy Spirit occurred
sovereignly, without hype or prompting by the leadership.
Even more amazing, the majority of those attending were from
conservative backgrounds and had never even heard of such
outpourings, but they were learning about the precious Holy
Spirit—big time.
I recall a profound outpouring at the youth meeting where
at least thirty Mennonite youth ended up on the floor in
travailing intercession or in fits of holy laughter, screaming for
God to touch them. The meeting had gone late, and parents
had begun to arrive to find their kids. Kevin Paterson ran
around saying, “Pray for me guys…I have to talk to the parents
and try to explain what God is doing here to their kids …their
parents don’t believe in this… they’re conservative and don’t
express themselves like this…try and get the kids ‘sober!’.”
Some of the youth had to be helped up the stairs to their
parents. I remember thinking, “We’ll get phone calls on this,”
but they never came. Although some kids didn’t return, many
more came, hungry to experience what they heard God was
doing among their peers.

ENDNOTE
1. www.ccel.org/l/lawrence/practice/. These writings
were compiled after the death of Brother
Lawrence in 1691, and are public domain.
 Chapter 10

SPIRITUAL BLAST-OFF
(Growing in the Prophetic, Healing,
Evangelism, and Repentance)

PROPHECY
The season of intimacy eventually grew into another level
of God’s preparation in my life. During my hours in the Holy
Spirit’s presence each day, I cried out to Him for more
prophetic insights. Once I had tasted the anointing for
ministry, each day I prayed, “Lord I want to prophesy over
someone today,” because I wanted to give it away.
 I prophesied to all the youth on Friday nights. Sometimes
the Lord would give me specific words before I prophesied and
other times I would just step out in faith, begin to prophesy,
and hope the Lord would join me. “If [you have the gift of]
prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith” (Romans
12:6).
I had become so full of God’s presence; I had to give it
away. I remember sitting with two youth pastors in the church
office and the Spirit of prophecy fell on me. Literally, a mantle
fell—Whap! “I’m going to prophesy,” I said. I’d given little
words here and there but this was like a torrent where I could
feel the prophetic bubble up in my spirit. So, I prophesied over
them and it became so intense that I swung open the door,
raced down the hallway, and yelled, “Is there anyone out here
whom I can prophesy over… it’s flowing …where’s the
secretary?”
I looked for targets … I mean … people…everyone at the
church…it kept flowing and people went out under the power
—weeping and shaking. It was similar to Saul’s experience (see
1 Sam. 10:10), when the Spirit of prophecy fell on him and he
prophesied non-stop from morning ‘til night.
When I prophesied over the Fresh Fire youth, I’d minister,
pray, and prophesy into the early morning hours sometimes,
and it would radically transform them as God spoke life and
destiny into their lives. During this prophetic season, I was
invited to speak to a group of youth who were holding a
Saturday night prayer meeting at a Mennonite high school in
town. While in worship time, the Lord gave me visions for the
group as well as specific prophetic words for individuals. Most
of the attendees had never heard about the prophetic word, but
when I began to minister prophetically, leaders and youth were
powerfully affected by the accurate words of the Lord.
Consider that this was a Mennonite school, and yet here were
young people falling under the power as we prayed and
prophesied over them. This spawned a local youth revival and
the Fresh Fire meetings grew as more young people sought to
be transformed by the Spirit’s power.

HEALING
The second clear season I entered into during my
preparation for full-time ministry was a period of growth in faith
for healing and miracles. Even before my soaking season
started, I had a foretaste of the healing anointing the night we
took the young people of Fresh Fire to The Street Church in
downtown Vancouver. As I spoke of this church in a previous
chapter, it was a ministry to the homeless, criminals, street kids,
and prostitutes. It is significant that my ministry to these
broken people was the springboard that launched me into my
season of intimacy and the powerful things to follow (Scripture
tells us that God has compassion on the broken and poor in
spirit).
This meeting was my first real, crusade-type meeting. I still
remember the smell of alcohol on people in the little storefront
church. It was March. It was cold. People lined up on the
street. Oh was I excited and I said “God, the food tonight is hot
dogs. I love hot dogs!” I thought, I’m going to share my
testimony and ask God for the same kind of power we’ve seen
on Friday to be here tonight.
During my testimony, even before I gave the altar call, four
men and a woman came forward and just stood at the altar. I
signaled my youth team with a look that said, “What’s going
on…find out what they want,” because I didn’t know whether
they were there to disrupt the meeting, or what. As I continued
to preach, one of the team members yelled out, “They want to
get saved…NOW!” Then the woman said, “I’m a prostitute,
I’m a drug addict, and I have AIDS. I feel dirty, and I want to be
clean!” After I led her to the Lord, she screamed, wept, and
shook as a demon left her, and then she fell to the floor and
vibrated under the power of the Holy Spirit! Whoa—what a
change to her countenance after that! Shortly afterward, I
opened the altar for everyone to come and be saved. As I
walked to the bus after the meeting, all I could think of was, “I
want to do this for the rest of my life… I’m hungry for God’s
power!” A few weeks later, I received a report that the woman
had been totally healed and delivered also from her addictions.
Later on in my soaking season, God stirred an even greater
desire in me to be used in healing and miracles. For days and
days I studied everything I could about healing and delved
and poured through the Bible. The more I studied His word, the
more revelation He gave me, and before long, just reading
about or meditating on the truths about healing, or hearing the
testimonies of others wasn’t enough. I felt compelled to stretch
my faith and actually pray for the sick and that’s exactly what I
did. Everywhere I went, whomever I met that needed the Lord’s
touch, I prayed for. I even visited the sick in hospitals so that I
could activate the scriptural truths that I had learned.

A Grandfather is Healed!
On Friday nights, the fire of God fell and ignited the lives of
youth who came from a kaleidoscope of denominations and
backgrounds. One impossible night, as I preached about
radical faith, the Holy Spirit said, “Todd, you’ve got to pray for
that girl over there.” Later in the evening, the fourteen year old
girl, Julie, approached me and asked me to pray with her. Her
grandfather in the United States had suffered a stroke that left
him mute as well as paralyzed on his left side. “He doesn’t
know Jesus… please pray that he would be healed and know
that Jesus was the one who did the miracle,” she asked.
We agreed together and prayed, “Jesus, I ask You to heal
Julie’s grandfather …” and just then, Jesus interrupted our
prayer …
“What are you doing, Todd?” the Lord asked.
“I’m praying!”
“You just preached on radical faith for the impossible …
what are you going to do about this?”
I knew in my heart that my prayer for the girl’s grandfather
was simply a courtesy prayer, but my faith changed right then
as I prayed, and suddenly I was translated in the spirit to the
man’s hospital bed where he lay asleep and hooked up to IV’s
and a heart monitor. I laid hands on him and rebuked the
effects of stroke. The man rose out of his bed and ran down the
hospital hallway, the IV still in his arm! Hours later, I learned
that Julie received a telephone call a few hours later after she’d
returned home …
“Praise Jesus, praise Jesus…I’ve been healed!” shouted
her grandfather. Then he shared how the power of God entered
into his body and how the Lord supernaturally healed every
trace of that stroke. As Julie recounted the story, I found it
hard to believe. It took her three times to convince me because
I thought that I’d just visualized the scene in the hospital. But
eventually, I believed, even though I thought, Wow…this is
cool…but why me? That’s a question I’ve asked often.
Often the healings and miracles I prayed for at those Friday
meetings started through a word of knowledge and prayer of
faith. Before each one, I’d wait on the Lord, and then I’d see
pictures and scenes in my mind of faces or of healings that
would happen. I’d see things in the spirit, like people bending
over and touching their toes, or taking a brace off a leg. At the
actual meeting, I’d simply recount what I’d seen earlier, or I’d
suddenly feel someone’s infirmity in or on my own body.
There was a sixteen-year-old girl who suffered such a
severe case of scoliosis, that she couldn’t stand straight. As
the Lord touched her, we heard a “cracking” sound, and her
spine straightened, her bones adjusted, and she was able to
stand straight and tall! She cried as she watched her leg
become normal, it was so awesome. We saw others healed of
various pains like in the shoulder, neck, or back. Weekly, the
youth would press in and hunger for more of the Spirit. The
Holy Spirit would fall and it was as though He supernaturally
conducted the meetings! It was an unbelievable atmosphere,
where the youth would pray and cry out for souls, worship
passionately, dance to the Lord, or prophesy over another.
Yes, even the prophetic anointing was contagious. The Spirit
of prophecy would come, and youth would prophesy
spontaneously under my mantle, not at all unlike the story of
Saul (see 1 Sam. 10:10), prophesying when he came into
contact with the prophets.
As these young people earnestly pursued the Lord and
desired the spiritual gifts (according to First Corinthians 14:1),
they also grew in the prophetic anointing. We were all amazed
by God’s powerful workings as He orchestrated our small
meetings. So many young people were saved, transformed, and
radically wrecked for Jesus as they received revelation of their
prophetic destiny in the Lord.

Stretching My Faith
It was T.L. Osborn’s book Healing the Sick that would
further ignite and activate my passion to walk in God’s power.
As I read it, chapter by chapter, I’d preach it, and also pray the
healing Scriptures provided in it aloud, proclaiming God’s word
by faith.
There really was no specific prophetic call on my life for
healing; no vision or an angel saying, “Todd, I’ve called you to
healing ministry.” Rather, what I had was a holy hunger and
desire. The Bible tells us to earnestly desire spiritual gifts, and I
earnestly desired them! Fueled by stories of others whom God
had used in the past, I said, “Healing is for me!” After all, Jesus
clearly told us, “I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works
that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will
do, because I go to My Father” (John 14:12). God also
promised us that signs would follow those who believe:
In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with
new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink
anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay
hands on the sick, and they will recover (Mark 16:17,18).
In James 5:15,I also saw that “the prayer of faith will save
the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” I wondered why I
couldn’t pray the prayer of faith if healing was so clearly a
powerful truth in Scripture. It was like, Why can’t I preach
healing like those other guys and pray in faith for the sick;
why wouldn’t God do for me what He did for them?
In my journey into the ministry of healing, I continued to
discover new truths. “God,” I said, “there has to be a release of
Your power that comes through fasting.” I remember going on
three-day fasts. I didn’t pray a lot though. Rather, I read and
reread every account of the healing ministry of Jesus recorded
in the Gospels–every story about Jesus the Healer, and then I
prayed that His stories would become real in my life. Over and
over, day after day, I read and prayed pondered and
questioned. What did the healing look like? What were His
motives? Then I examined His language, the way He prayed,
spoke, and did things.
Because I had learned this completely new dimension of
expressing myself in prayer (soaking), I had become very
receptive to the Holy Spirit. A day or two before most
meetings, I’d wait in His presence and just say, “Lord, show me
the things You want to do in the meeting tonight,” and He
always came through.
As I continued to step out in faith, using the Word and the
teaching models of Osborne and the healing line model of
laying on of hands, of evangelist Oral Roberts, I see more and
more people healed, and the anointing increased. I discovered
that the key to the healing ministry was to persist in prayer
whether there were results or not. My motto was,
It’s our job to do the praying, and
God’s job to do the healing …
As God began to release more and more healings, I
experienced something I hadn’t seen yet in my meetings. A
woman received healing in her seat without the laying on of
hands—just by sitting under the anointing she was healed of
chronic wrist pain. “My wrist is healed!” she suddenly cried
out.
As the healing and prophetic anointings increased at our
meetings, I felt a strong urge and desire to take God’s power
outside of the church walls.

EVANGELISM
So, God stirred a greater passion for evangelism in my heart
again. I longed especially to take this increased prophetic
anointing to the streets!
“If it works in the church,” the Holy Spirit said to me, “why
can’t it work in the marketplace?” Then He illuminated First
Corinthians 14:24-25 to me:
But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed
person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all.
And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling
down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is
truly among you.
One Friday after the Fresh Fire service I asked, “Who wants
to go out into the market to do prophetic evangelism?” Hands
raised, and as a group we went out believing for a prophetic
anointing to impact the lost. We fanned out, with some of us
hitting a sandwich shop, and others a doughnut shop a few
doors down.
At the sandwich shop, two employees, a young man and a
young woman, overheard us talk about the healings and
prophetic words of our meetings. One asked a question about
psychics, and I answered, “Forget about psychics! Do you
know that God speaks today?” Then I described some
prophetic experiences, and asked if they wanted to hear from
the Lord. “God created you,” I explained, “and He has a plan
and a purpose for your life. I’m going to ask Him for just one
thought that He has about you!”
Four youth then entered the restaurant, and they asked,
“What’s going on here?”
“You know how psychics can sometimes tell you details
about your life,” I said. “well, I’ve got a gift like that from
Jesus, and it’s called the gift of prophecy. I’m just about to tell
these two people here about their destiny. If you want to hear
yours, get in line!”
The first employee volunteered right away, but the young
woman was hesitant. The others looked on to see what would
happen. I told the first employee about how hurtful it had been
for him when his father left and his parents divorced. I also told
him about what was going on in his life with drugs, and that he
might go to prison. Tears welled up in this young man’s eyes
and he could barely compose himself.
The Lord also really touched the second employee, a
young woman. As I laid hands on her, I was able to describe
the inside of her bedroom right down to the last detail,
including her stuffed animals. She was so afraid; she freaked
out and ran back behind the counter. I wondered why the Lord
“gave me” details of the most intimate room in her house, and
became concerned that she might view me as a peeping tom, or
even that I may have been stalking her. But the Lord told me
that He wanted to bring her into the most intimate place.
Those watching were amazed, and lined right up to be next.
The toughest of the group challenged me. “Do me!” he
demanded. The Lord revealed to me that he was an avid athlete
and a football player, and that he had broken up with a
girlfriend many months before, but still deeply missed her.
He turned with wide-eyed amazement to his friends. “Did
you hear that?” he asked them, and they all laughed, because
they knew it to be true. Then came the softening word as I told
him how he was tough on the outside, but soft on the inside
and that no one knew that he would sometimes cry on his bed
at night. This word deeply touched this young jock and his
friends.
Everyone finally met back up in the parking lot, and the four
unsaved kids that we’d ministered to, went to find their friends
to see if “it” would work for them as well. “Do this guy,” they
said, and then “That one there!” The first employee that we’d
ministered to accepted Jesus, and one of the youth as well,
falling under the power. I invited everyone to church. This was
our very first encounter with prophetic evangelism during my
soaking season.
Weeks later, on Halloween night, one of the young men I’d
prophesied over at the restaurant attended church with two
friends, and asked me to prophesy over them. One came to the
Lord, they all heard the Gospel, and they all experienced the
reality of God—something they would never forget!

A WORD FOR THE WAITRESS

God continued to touch the lost through prophetic words.
Shonnah, my friend Steve, and I were in a restaurant, and I was
asking myself, “Why can’t I, in faith, ask the Holy Spirit for a
word for the waitress?” So I said to everyone seated with me,
“Let’s ask God to give each of us a piece of information for the
waitress.”
When I prayed, I felt an impression that she had grown up
in a religious environment and that at 11 or 12 years of age,
she’d suffered abuse. I sensed that she was angry with God
and blamed Him for betraying her. I said, “The Lord tells me
things about people from time to time,” and then I shared with
her what I felt. Taken aback and by surprise, she said, “Yes,”
but didn’t know what else to say, and walked away.
She arrived back shortly afterward with our drinks, and I
asked Steve, “Do you have a word for her?” but he indicated
that he’d only had a picture in his mind.
“I saw a birdcage out on a balcony,” he said, “with a bird in
it.”
We rolled our eyes at him. But the waitress suddenly said,
“That’s my apartment!” God used that picture to show her that
He knew every detail of her life!
I jumped in and shared another word of knowledge. “The
reason you don’t want to give your life to the Lord is because
the boyfriend whom you live with doesn’t want anything to do
with Christianity, and you’re afraid you’ll lose him.”
Although she didn’t give her life to Jesus that day, we
prayed together that the boyfriend would give his life to God.
By the time we left, she knew that the Lord had spoken to her,
and that she had a call on her life!

THE CONVENIENCE STORE

Even before my soaking season, I had a heart for
evangelism. One evening, quite late, I dropped by a
convenience store for some junk food and chatted for a few
moments with the clerk. He asked me what I had been up to
that evening, and I said, “I just returned from a radical youth
service called, God Rock.”
“I don’t believe in that God stuff,” he said, “I’m an atheist.”
I shared my testimony, and it seemed to go OK, so I ended
the story with, “When you’re alone sometime, ask Jesus to
reveal Himself to you.” There, I thought, I’ve sowed the seed…
and I departed. Weeks later, after another God Rock service,
Steve, Shonnah, Roswetta and I returned to the convenience
store for some food, and I wanted to see how my seed had
grown. Steve and I went in, while the women remained in the
car. Steve headed to the sandwich bar in the rear of the store,
and I waved “Hi,” and walked toward the slush machine.
Suddenly, “Oh look—it’s the God fanatics,” yelled the clerk
sarcastically. Two of the clerk’s friends were also in the store.
They wore the 80’s rocker garb—ripped jeans, jean jackets,
long hair, AC/DC T-shirts, and trucker-type hats. Phew, they
reeked of alcohol and marijuana. All three mocked and scoffed
us.
“Come on over and tell them what you told me,” the clerk
motioned. But suddenly I felt something like a deep groan and
cramp in my belly, as though something was going to erupt. I
had heard about some meetings where people would roar like
lions, and I thought it ridiculous, but my heart said, “Do it…do
it!” and my mind said, “Don’t!” But my heart won out, and all
at once, it was as though a river came out of my mouth, and I
fell to my knees and roared! I fell under the power, and then
Steve did! His arm flew into the air, still holding the sandwich,
the lettuce flying everywhere. Now picture Steve—the humble,
soft-spoken-nice guy, who’s hardly ever noticed, now turned
old time, turn-or-burn revivalist! Even his voice gained an
attention-getting edge, “IF YOU DON’T CHANGE YOUR
WAYS, YOU WILL GO TO HELL!” he yelled at the top of his
lungs. Well, the spirit of fear hit that place, I’ll tell you. The
clerk and his friends dove behind the counter, cowering.
Finally, the clerk stood and pointed over the counter with one
finger shaking and said, “Is… is that your God?”
No one mocked now! Just as we placed our purchases on
the counter, the door opened, and an old, dirty bum walked in
with a couple of pop bottles to exchange for a refund. He
plunked them on the counter, and as the clerks gave him his
money, he said right to them, “You better listen to what these
two guys are telling you, because it’s true!”
Then he turned and walked out. When we returned to the
car, we asked Shonnah and Roswetta if they’d seen this
“bum,” and they told us that no one had entered since we had,
nor had anyone left.

THROWN OUT OF THE DONUT SHOP

Wow, those were our radical evangelism days! We even
scoured a doughnut shop for “prey.” One day, Steve and
another friend, Brian, and I visited a popular doughnut shop
wanting to witness. We went from table to table, with no
results. There was a little side room in those days for smokers,
and it was full of customers. “Preach in there, Todd,” they said,
“You can stand on one of the tables to preach.”
Well, it was midnight, so I entered the room and stood on a
chair. “Do you believe in Jesus? I began. “I once was a drug
addict, but now I’m a new creation. You can become a new
creation too!”
People were like, “shut up!”
Although we were kicked out of the restaurant, we
congratulated ourselves for our obedience to the Lord! Steve
had so turned into an evangelistic fireball that it got to the
point where no one dared go with him to a movie or a store if
they had any kind of schedule they had to keep. Sometimes
he’d be two or more hours late because he may have picked up
a hitchhiker, for instance, that he’d led to Christ. Go to a
restaurant with Steve, and he’d share Christ with everyone he
passed as he made his way to the table, or he’d hand out tracts
along the way!

REPENTANCE
God continued to pour out His Spirit of intimacy, stir up the
prophetic, increase the healing anointing, and impart
evangelistic zeal. Many of the Fresh Fire youth caught the
fervor and accompanied me to witness and prophesy to the
lost.
In addition to intimacy, the prophetic, healing, and
evangelism, God took me into a fifth area that I refer to as the
“Holy Spirit boot camp of deep repentance.” The intimate times
of soaking continued as the Lord gave me specific Scriptures
that applied to the youth ministry and to my calling. During
prayer one day, I had an open vision of one single red rose.
Just as I wondered if I could touch it, the rose exploded into a
ball of fire! What did it mean? The Holy Spirit revealed the
meaning by saying, “The desert shall blossom as a rose.” Then
He brought to my remembrance Isaiah 35, and I knew that what
that Scripture revealed, would be my ministry mandate. The
three major themes of this passage are:
The revival mandate to bring glory, refreshing,
and wine in the wilderness so the deserts “shall
rejoice and blossom.” Everything was about the
presence of the Lord.
Then the miracles happened—”the eyes of the
blind shall be opened and the tongue of the
dumb sing.”
The “highway of holiness.” Week after week I
preached the conviction of sin, repentance,
holiness, and the consecrated life. I realized that
the highway of miracles and glory was the
highway of holiness.
In the early days of my Christian life, the Holy Spirit sternly
dealt with me about ungodly music, sexual purity, and a set-
apart lifestyle. Now I began to see the lukewarmness in the
Christian youth of the city—such as compromise, toleration of
sin, unclean movies, and ungodly music. This time of refining
was crucial for my future ministry And I began preaching fiery
messages on repentance and on dying to self. Many youth
repented and embraced set-apart lifestyles. Some even
destroyed ungodly music, fetishes, and charms. There was a
sincere passion in many youth to become extreme radical
disciples, and to obey the Lord no matter the cost by asking,
“What would Jesus do?”
Each week backsliders turned to the Lord. The Spirit
warmed cold hearts. Young people lay prostrate before Him,
weeping at the altars. I remember praying, “Oh God don’t let me
be a fiery, long-bony-fingered, John-the-Baptist-style,
prophetic, repentance preacher for the rest of my life. Let me
preach love and soaking.” However, there was a desperate
need for this message at the time. Today, we still need to see
this kind of preaching in the church.

PREPARATION FOR THE NATIONS

My ministry involvement with the Fresh Fire youth group
lasted about five months until I traveled regularly to take the
fire of God on the road. Together, we had all grown and learned
through those five main lessons the Holy Spirit taught me,
those of intimacy, prophecy, healing, evangelism, and
repentance. Revival broke out in that inter-church youth group
and attendance grew substantially. Hundreds of hungry youth
over the months arrived at that small Anglican church for a
touch of God’s fire. Sometimes the Spirit arrived with such
intensity that it created a Holy Ghost (orderly) chaos! Whether
it was an intense joy of the Lord, a shaking, a travailing for
souls, healing, worshiping, dancing, prophesying, or falling
under His power, the power of the Lord wrecked and
transformed lives and imparted a hunger and thirst for Jesus.
My ministry thus far, (the revival ministry with the youth
and my prophetic vision of the Isaiah 35 fiery rose,) confirmed
that there would be three measures of my future ministry.
Those measures were, first, revival (through intimacy and
God’s prophetic voice); then healing, and third, a strong
preacher’s anointing for holiness, repentance, and the
abandoned life. From that Isaiah vision, I knew that one day
the ministry that we had in that small church basement would
become Fresh Fire Ministries International, but I didn’t know
when.
 Chapter 11

LAUNCH INTO MINISTRY

Patricia King, a prophetess from British Columbia, heard

about the experiences in my prayer closet and how it had
spilled out in the youth meetings. It thrilled and excited her to
learn how God had been moving through the youth. Though I
had attended several of her conferences over the years, and
had even worshiped in her home with a group, we didn’t have a
personal relationship. Patricia’s mind-set was, “Great, the Gen-
X revival generation—we’ve got another guy—one of
thousands that God will raise up—and he’s right here, in my
area!”
 In May of 1998, she asked me to share my testimony at a
women’s conference that upcoming Mother’s Day, to
encourage mothers whose sons might be backslidden or living
a lifestyle similar to mine before I met Christ. She allotted me
ten minutes to speak.
On Mother’s Day morning, as I prepared for my time with
the gathering, I sensed something new would happen. I was at
the end of my three-month soaking season, still on
compensation, but had planned to return to my job at the
sawmill, even though it would be hard for me, since I’d been
used to praying for four to eight hours in preparation for most
of the ministry opportunities that came my way up until then.
This particular morning though, I was in a state of expectation,
almost like a kid on Christmas morning. I sensed that I was in
for an intense visitation or something. “What’s up God? What
are You going to do?” I knew in my heart that He had
something planned beyond anything I had yet to experience.
The Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “Todd, I want you to
pray in tongues,” and suddenly I felt an incredible burden.
Something hit my spirit, and it felt as though I was about to
birth destiny, that I was loosing something and setting
something in order—calling things that are not as though they
were! It was as though I was pulling something out of the
heavens. I felt purpose! I knew deep inside of me that what was
happening would determine what was going to happen in my
future. It was as though I was releasing a city whose builder
and maker was God! I knew that I was setting things in place
for my destiny—I was about to birth not one meeting, but a
multitude of invitations to do meetings around the world. This
time praying in the spirit was like no other—something was
happening, right then, right there!
The sensation was new to me, and, therefore, confusing! I
prayed mysteries while I paced back and forth in the living
room. My mind kicked in, Why are you doing this? You’re not
a minister and you’ve never been to Bible school! Then my
thoughts scolded me, You’re going back to work in the mill…
no one knows who you are…you’re in a church with fifty
people. Why do you think you’re building a ministry?
On the one hand, I had a vision from the Lord. However, on
the other hand, I thought, I can’t do this…the situation isn’t
right. This is foolishness; I’m only twenty-two years old. I’m
invited to do one meeting, and only for ten minutes!
My entire body groaned, almost like contractions. I prayed
in English, and decreed in the spirit the thoughts that broke in.
“God, I call forth right now those whom You’ve called to be
partners with the ministry. I birth them and I pray they will have
the money they need.” But my mind rebutted and said, You
don’t even have a ministry, and you certainly don’t have any
partners! I’d pray again, “God, I pray now that Your miracle
healing power would come upon this service, and continue into
other meetings.” Then again, that brain of mine would say,
God, I don’t have any meetings, but the Holy Spirit said,
“You’re building a city whose builder and maker is God! You’re
doing it on the level of intercession. You’re loosing it in the
spirit now so it can come forth in the future, even though it
may be ten years down the road.”
 I was confused, it was as though a spiritual battle had
launched in my mind. I heard Shonnah awaken, and I went into
the bedroom where she lay. Sleepily, she said, “I just had a
dream, where I was walking very fast while praying in tongues,
and someone said, “Why are you doing this?” and I answered,
“I don’t know, but I know it’s the right thing to do.” Then
Shonnah rolled over and went back to sleep (although she
claims she’d entered into the rest of the Lord!).
At the end of that visitation, after about four hours of
praying in the spirit, I felt peace, heat, electricity, and a sense
of someone looking over my shoulder. I realized then that the
Lord Himself was visiting me. He wasn’t in physical form, but I
felt His wonderful presence behind me. I tried to see Him, but
He stayed always behind me. Nevertheless, I knew it was Him,
and I heard Him audibly say, “Watch and see!”
Something big was up. Watch and see what? Did it have
something to do with the meeting that night? I asked Jesus
about it several times, but all He’d say was, “Watch and see!”
Then I remembered Genesis 18:17-18 “And the Lord said, ‘Shall
I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall
surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of
the earth shall be blessed by him?’.”
I pressed in and prayed, “Lord, don’t hide from me,” and
then, a vision opened where I saw a woman at Patricia’s
meeting become healed of cancer. Then I received other
healing words and saw the service as though I was already
there. I saw myself pray for the sick and lay hands on hundreds
of women who fell out under the power. Patricia was there and
she called me out and then prophesied over my ministry and
me. The Lord said that He would use that night’s service to
launch me into an international ministry, and that I wouldn’t
return to my secular job. I didn’t understand what was
happening, but I prayed, and the Lord reminded me of Acts
13:2, where the Holy Spirit said, “Separate to Me Barnabas and
Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then He said,
“I’ll tell Patricia tonight at the service to take up an offering, to
ordain you, and to call you into the ministry by a prophetic
word. You will quit your job, and, as a sign to you, I’m going to
heal a woman of cancer in that auditorium!”
Oh God, I thought, how is it going to happen? I’ve never
been to Bible school, I don’t have any finances, and no one
knows who I am. What am I going to tell my wife?
God just said, “Watch, and see. My power is going to fill
that auditorium.”
Now friends, hear my heart. For the first time in my life, I
actually had a great job working at the mill, and it was run by a
Christian. I had medical and dental benefits, made great money,
and was able to take care of my family. I was content to be
faithful in the small things and worry about what God had for
me later. I had been very zealous for ministry, but I laid that
down three years previously. I had wanted things to happen
quickly, but there was too much selfish ambition in me, so He
had to kill it. Now that the full-time ministry desires had died,
He said, “OK, I can give it to you now.”
I’d never spoken in a meeting like Patricia’s before, and
arrived in my typical attire: ripped jeans, bandana, goatee, and
earrings. Patricia emphasized the time restriction again. “Can
you keep it ten minutes, Todd?”
I nodded but immediately went back to the Lord and asked
Him how He was going to do what He had shown me. “I’m not
even the main speaker. I don’t want to look as though I’m
trying to steal the show—there isn’t even time for the words of
knowledge!”
However, as I asked the Lord this question, I had a vision,
and it gave me the “wisdom of the Lord.” In it, I saw the stone
roll away from Jesus’ tomb—and out of the cave appeared a
blast of light and glory! I knew it was The Resurrection. Then
John 11:25 illuminated in my spirit, “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the
resurrection and the life’.” Suddenly, I knew that there had
been many suicides in that very city, and that they were
dealing with a spirit of death. I saw that the Lord wanted to roll
back the stone and release resurrection power. During the
worship and praise time, I shared the vision with Patricia.
“You’ve got to share that,” she said.
“After I share, can I pray for a release of that?”
“Yes! Break the spirit of death according to what you saw,
and then share your testimony,” she instructed.
I spoke out this word, and the Lord told me to call out the
woman with cancer that I had seen in the vision that morning,
and rebuke the spirit of death that was upon her. Then the
wave of the Spirit moved into several other healings. Patricia
recognized the move of God’s power and ran to the
microphone. “You need to hear his testimony, and then I’ll
have him pray for all wayward sons and daughters.”
Everything unfolded like a television show. God did
everything I’d seen in my vision. I gave the words of
knowledge and the woman was healed of cancer. Hundreds of
women were laid out under the power. Ten minutes turned into
an hour and then Patricia rose to speak. The power of God hit
me and I knew what was coming. She said, “The Lord just
spoke to me. We’re going to take an offering and lay hands on
this young man. He’s going to the nations. He’ll never return
to secular work.”
God orchestrated everything! Not only did those people
give a large offering—over fifty men and women committed to
intercede for my marriage and ministry from that day forward.
God supernaturally set it up and launched me in the ministry
after my three months of preparation. I thank God that my wife
and mother-in-law were in that service. If they weren’t there
and I had tried to tell them what happened, they might have
said, “No way, maybe when you’re thirty or thirty-five!” But
they both witnessed how the Lord put together the events of
that meeting piece-by-piece; they were convinced that it was
really God’s timing.
I thank God for my friendship with Patricia, and for how
God used her as an instrument to ordain me into the ministry—
but I always will know that the call came from God. I’ve since
been ordained in Canada by my local church, and through the
Christian Minister’s Association. In the U.S., I’m recognized as
a minister of the Gospel through World Ministry Fellowship in
Texas.

THE POPCORN ANOINTING

It was weeks later before I understood that my launch into
ministry was the fulfillment of the end-time army visitation,
which I described in the beginning of this book.
Here’s a quick bunny trail about what the Lord is going to
do in the future. The way the Lord called me into the ministry is
an example of what I call the “Popcorn Anointing.” We see an
example of this quick ministry launch in the book of Acts:
“Now in the church… there were certain prophets and
teachers… As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy
Spirit said, ‘Now separate to me Barnabas and Saul for the work
to which I have called them.’” (Acts 13:1-2).
The time has come where those who have remained faithful
are going to be thrust into the harvest. This is God’s sending
time. Just as Paul was snatched out of the Arabian Desert,
many will be brought out of their desert season into their
giftings and anointing. This is the “year” of the Lord’s glory.
The gold (finances) is going to be released for end-time
apostolic ministries, which will bring in the harvest. Scripture
links the release of God’s power with financial blessings:
“And with great power the apostles gave witness to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus. and great grace was upon
them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for
all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and
brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid
them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as
anyone had need.” (Acts 4:33–35).
In those days of the early church, not one of the believers
was in need. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and
brought the money to the apostles and the money was
distributed to each one according to his need.

FIRST ROAD TRIP

After Patricia called me into the ministry, I said, “OK God,
I’m going to quit my job.” Even though everyone had tried so
hard to see me employed and I didn’t have one speaking
engagement yet, as an act of faith, I left my job for traveling
ministry. I’d been saved four years. Nobody knew Todd
Bentley, and I was only twenty-two years old.
I remember my first road trip. Patricia invited me to
William’s Lake to be a part of her prophetic team. She said she
couldn’t pay me an honorarium and I’d have to pay my own
way. She’d introduce me and let me prophesy and share my
testimony.
In those first few weeks, I said to God, “My rent is due. I
have no money coming in but I’m going to go on this trip with
my wife.” Shonnah and I drove to the interior of British
Columbia in my lemon-of-a-MPV van. The road trip was a
nightmare; the radiator wouldn’t hold water, and we had to
keep stopping. The five-hour drive took us seven or eight
hours. I remember seeing Patricia and Ron’s new red, air-
conditioned van and asking, “God, am I ever going to be
there?”
Each night I was able to minister at the altars. Patricia also
gave me an opportunity to preach on prophetic evangelism.
One morning she announced, “OK, this morning Todd is going
to prophesy to everyone who has a last name that starts with
A-D and he only has ten minutes to do it!”
That being my first traveling ministry opportunity, I
purposed in my heart that I was going to live by faith, even
though each day I wondered how God was going to provide. In
one of the meetings, a woman had a vision and saw herself
withdraw $500 from her ATM machine and then give it to me.
The day before our rent was due, God gave it to me, down to
the last exact penny. It so encouraged me!
The next month I asked, “God how are You going to get it
done?” Again, just before rent day, Greg Dennison arrived at
my house. He was one of the men in Pat’s first meeting who
had committed to pray for me. He said, “Todd I had a vision a
month ago, and I saw myself writing out $500 post-dated
checks. I want to be your first partner.” He also became my first
travel companion and disciple.

MORE THAN ENOUGH

Whenever I prayed that God would provide finances,
something inside of me said that I should never believe for
more than I needed at the time. The devil constantly reminded
me of struggling ministries, and I thought, Why should it be
different for me? These were godly men who served the Lord,
men who had character and passion. They had everything I
wanted, but their churches didn’t grow past sixty or seventy
members.
I felt guilty for wanting to have enough to help the poor, to
hire staff, and to finance crusades and was constantly under
guilt and condemnation for having dreams of a big
international ministry. What if the Lord called me only to reach
one, I wondered. Who am I to think I can reach 10,000? I’m
always thinking about more than enough but I should just be
satisfied with enough.
If anything happened that was good, I was afraid that it
would slip away the next day. I felt unworthy of blessings—
this mind-set stemmed from the great lack I had experienced
from childhood. Even in my ministry vision I had to have that
spirit of poverty broken. I’d think about Billy Graham and
Benny Hinn and wonder why I couldn’t do that too? Then I
started reading: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in
you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit…”
(John 15:7-8). I then realized—God doesn’t just want me to bear
fruit; He wants me to bear much fruit.
The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 (see John 6:1–14) also
helped me. Think of it—that number just refers to men; it didn’t
include the many women and children who were also fed. And
when everyone had eaten all they wanted, there were 12 full
bas kets left over. Hallelujah, there was more than enough!
These Scriptures became a foundation for my life and ministry.
At first I thought God would never provide financially. Then at
each new level I had to believe for more finances and I had to
work it through in my spirit. I had to increase my level of faith
that He could do it again and that I could trust Him with my
future.

HUNGRY FOR MIRACLES

My hunger for a more powerful ministry in the area of
miracles continued to grow. I read the Gospels and the Book of
Acts and said to myself, This is what I want. I became
convinced that in Jesus’ ministry and in the early church, the
way they brought in the harvest was with signs and wonders. I
remember, at times, coming home from meetings and
wondering, “God why did You heal this one and not that one?”
In this season of pressing in for healing, I became quite
frustrated that one deaf person would hear and six others
wouldn’t. I wasn’t always moving in super faith. There were
times when I would lay hands on someone and wouldn’t feel
any anointing. In my mind I thought, Are You even listening to
my prayer God? In my mind, I was repenting of unbelief while
out of my mouth I prayed this great prayer of faith.
Often when it seemed like the meeting wasn’t lining up with
my preaching and with my idea of what a healing service
should look like, I would wonder why it was so hard. Then I
would release a healing wave and everyone would just stand
there with their eyes open and look at me. I would pray a mass
prayer rebuking devils and sickness and pray for the healing
presence. Then I’d look at the crowd and they just stared back,
so I’d say, “Do something you couldn’t do before—quickly!”
Still they just stood there, and I’d wonder if anyone would ever
join their faith with mine. I’ve attended meetings where I
wondered if there was anyone at all even remotely excited
about the content of my message. If they were, I wondered
why they weren’t responding in faith. I’d return home thinking
about how much work it was to get someone healed. “God,
maybe we could just be a salvation ministry!” I’d say. But I
couldn’t ignore this compelling, burning hunger for more of the
real Gospel—the full Gospel of power!

ABBOTSFORD CONFERENCE—AUGUST 1998

Even in those early days, I didn’t want to wait for churches
to call me. I was “gung ho” to host my own crusades. Today,
our conferences attract sometimes as many as two to three
thousand people from all over the world, quite a jump from my
first meeting of 25 people, mostly women, in the Abbotsford
Revival Center. I still hear the music we played in those early
days—Clif Robertson singing, “Poppa, poppa, pour it out,
pour it out, pour it out,” or, “Lord of the dance, You’re the
dancing Lord!”
Even in our earliest meetings, God gave us favor. A reporter
from a local newspaper gave us a favorable review comparing
our services as similar to those of the early days of the Toronto
Blessing.

HEALING ANGELS, VISITATION, AND COMMISSION

As I’ve shared before, I studied T.L. Osborn’s book,
Healing the Sick, and also F.F. Bosworth’s Christ the Healer. I
preached the theology and principles of healing, I read the
healing Scriptures, and I claimed them by faith. I confessed, “I
am who God says I am and I can do what God says I can do. I
believe God’s word.” I prayed for the sick wherever I met them.
I really wanted to see people healed. I just laid hands on the
sick based on the authority that I knew of in the Bible. I
believed it, so I started doing it. I didn’t have a special
visitation, anointing, commission, or special words from the
prophets about healing.
I started preaching on everything I saw in the Bible that
had to do with healing—the principles of faith, theology of
healing, hindrances to healing, and how to maintain your
healing. I trusted that the Holy Sprit would confirm the word. I
laid hands on and anointed the sick with oil. I believed God’s
promise in John 14:12 was for me: “Most assuredly, I say to
you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also;
and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My
Father.”
I copied the models of Oral Roberts, Benny Hinn, and T.L.
Osborn. Healing is for every believer because Romans 8:11
says that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives
in me and He’s going to quicken and bring life to my mortal
body through that Spirit. It’s for me and for you.
I purposed that if I prayed for a thousand and no one got
healed that I would pray for another thousand. In those early
days of warring and contending, it seemed as though I prayed
for a thousand without anyone being healed, but I just kept
praying until something happened. Each time a miracle
happened there was something new that happened in my spirit
in the area of authority and faith. The testimony of what I saw,
gave me the confidence that I needed to believe God would do
it again. Each healing breakthrough spurred me on to want to
see more.
In the beginning, I had faith for backs, fibromyalgia, and
crooked spines. “Anyone got any pain in their body?
Arthritis? Come forward now!” At that time, my faith level
wasn’t where it needed to be for the blind, deaf, or crippled.

“GIVE ME THE DEAF”

Eventually I said, “God I’m not satisfied with my level of
healing. I want the deaf to hear.” Since my mother was deaf, I
really wanted to damage the enemy’s kingdom in this area. My
area of crisis became my area of compassion. I went hard after
that anointing.
Everywhere I went I’d call the deaf forward and pray for
them. I prayed for the deaf and I prayed for the deaf, and I
prayed for the deaf. For the longest time, when the deaf left my
meetings they were still deaf. I prayed for hundreds of deaf
people and occasionally the deaf heard—partially. I saw results
maybe two percent of the time. I kept begging God, “Give me
the deaf. Give me the deaf.” Then, God gave me a key; He
taught me about the deaf and dumb spirit. I saw it in Mark 9:25:
“He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘Deaf and dumb
spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no
more!’”
 So, just as Jesus did, I began to command that spirit to
“loose ears.” The next time the deaf came, I had a little more
confidence and expectation. When a few deaf heard, there was
more confidence and expectation for next time. I learned that it
was all about warring and contending, and I used this principle
in every major area where I wasn’t seeing results.
“OK God,” I said one day, “I’m seeing breakthrough, but
I’m not seeing breakthrough for tumors.” In faith, I would sow
into praying for tumors until people were healed. Then I would
move on to another type of sickness.
I discovered that healing comes in levels and that, as
believers, we need to contend and break through one level
until we get authority. As we agree with God and see several
deaf ears or tumors healed, then our faith-level for that infirmity
grows. The more people I prayed for, the more were healed. I
prayed in faith regarding a particular illness until I received a
breakthrough—the deaf, the blind, and then those in
wheelchairs. Now I’m contending for resurrections.

ON THE ROAD
Because of my first meeting with Patricia in William’s Lake,
I received my second invitation, to Prince George Family
Worship Center in British Columbia. In the first eighteen
months of ministry I visited there six times. At this time, I also
ministered in Mission, B.C. and in the Yukon. These would be
the first places where we saw demonstrations of God’s healing
anointing and glory move through our traveling ministry.
 The following are a few reports of those early days.

WHITEHORSE, YUKON—JANUARY 1999

I’d already been in ministry six months when I went to
minister in Whitehorse. Those were the early days when I
would say, “God what am I doing here in minus 20 degree
temperatures? I’m actually ice fishing with the pastors in my
free time. No wonder all the Americans think it’s only Eskimos
and igloos here in Canada.”
I remember when I stepped outside and my nose hair
crystallized! I prayed, “God, please don’t send me here a lot or,
if You do, please let it be in summer.”
But a small group of people there were hungry for revival.
We held the first meeting in a Native Indian hall called the
Potlatch House. People arrived in snow boots, some as far as
Alaska. God gave us favor when a news reporter, Anne
Pritchard from the Yukon News, attended the service… as a
skeptic! Here is her article (with her summary of my testimony
edited out for brevity).

Faith healer lays hands on Yukoners

by Anne Pritchard, news reporter
My hands ache. Constantly. It feels as if knives are being
stabbed into my wrist. It’s job-related, a result of banging out
stories on a keyboard over the last 15 years. It’s a four-
Tylenol-a-day pain in the…well, wrist.
So when I read about evangelist and faith healer Todd
Bentley’s “miracle, healing, evangelism crusade,” I thought I’d
check it out. I was interested anyway. I wanted to see if the
guy was a shyster, a snake oil salesman. You gotta wonder.
“Bring your lame, dumb and those with cancer and FAS-those
with no hope of a medical cure,” said Bentley’s flyer, which
was posted around Whitehorse.
In response, about 40 people—myself included—hit Mt.
McIntyre’s Potlatch House on Friday night to hear Bentley
preach—and maybe experience a miracle healing, or two. The
mood is upbeat. The crowd warms up singing songs of
Christian faith. Then Bentley gives his own testimony to the
crowd. Finally the altar call! Most go up for healing. Are they
healed?
Sometimes there are healings on site and, at other times,
healing will happen later, he says.
Sometimes people heal only to revert back to their original
ailment, he adds. “I will say that I have seen an incredible
amount of people with bone injuries—a crooked spine
straightened where God actually takes bones and realigns
them.” Bentley claims recent miracles have involved eyesight
and cancer. He has prayed over folks at the Potlatch House,
and laid hands on some. Tonight, he started out offering to
heal folks with arthritic pain.
About 30 of the 40 people in the crowd went barreling up to the
front of the hall. Bentley laughed, and called the rest up. The
crowd lined up, and Bentley walked to each one. Sometimes he
touched their heads, at other times he just held his arms over
the person and uttered a prayer.
Sometimes he did it solo, other times he asked someone for
help. And were they healed?
There’s no way to tell, but everyone toppled to the floor and
lay there in a seeming euphoric mood; they appeared to be
drunk. Meanwhile, I’m hanging back watching the
proceedings. I’m trying to keep an open mind, but this looks
weird, people toppling over like tenpins at the hands of the
young, stout earring-wearing preacher. He sees me, eyes my
wrist supports and starts urging me to the front of the room. I
think, ‘What the hell,’ and stride to the lineup. He anoints my
head with a golden oil (it looked like olive oil) and lays his
chubby fingers on the top of my head. I start to get dizzy, and
am caught up in some sort of turbulent energy. It feels like the
wind is blowing. Hard. I feel like I’m starting to fall over. I start
resisting, pitching forward to avoid hitting the floor like the
rest. Bentley starts to laugh, good naturedly—like he’s seen it
before. Then I give up, collapsing like the others. I feel woozy,
like I’ve been drinking.
He leaves me there and then moves to the next person. I feel
peace, and euphoria.
And, you know, my wrists feel OK. At least so far. Bentley’s
healing crusade goes on until Thursday night.

MISSION, B.C.—MARCH/APRIL 1999

My first experience with revival was within ten months of
being in the ministry. Patricia asked me to come in as a guest
minister for one night at Mission Foursquare Church. In the
prayer service that evening the room smelled of refiner’s fire
and laundry soap. “But who can endure the day of His
coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a
refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap” (Mal. 3:2).
Patricia said, “Something’s up.” During worship the air
became thick with the dew of the Lord and people were saying,
“I feel sticky.” It was as if dew had fallen from heaven.
The Holy Spirit said to me, “Todd you have not because
you ask not. If I’m doing dental miracles in Toronto and
Argentina I can give them here too.”
Moving by faith only, I told some stories and asked for
dental miracles of glory and gold. That first service seven
people received them. Patricia said “There’s an unusual
presence of the Lord, let’s continue the services.”
These dental miracles went on for a year in our ministry—
signs of God’s glory. During the Mission meetings, we packed
this church out to overflowing; visitors would come into the
meeting and see people with flashlights looking in other
people’s mouths during worship. The unsaved youth started
to come in; then some were saved. We grew out of that facility
and had to move to a larger church. This was truly the
beginning of what revival might taste like.

GREAT JOY IN THE CITY

MACKENZIE, B.C.—APRIL 1999
The following report is about this meeting (author unknown):
Mackenzie experienced the reality of the Scripture verse from
Acts 8 as there was “Great Joy in the City.” Evangelist Todd
Bentley held meetings at Living Joy Christian Center, April 19-
21. Unusual dental miracles took place, traces of “gold dust”
could be seen on people’s hands or face and people were
healed of a variety of pain conditions and physical problems.
The response was one of amazement and awe, and of course,
joy. Fillings in people’s teeth changed to silver or gold, and
seemed to be highly polished—teeth even straightened. People
with pain in their hips and pelvis received freedom from pain
and could move in ways that were impossible before. Eyesight
and hearing improved and people with asthma and respiratory
problems reported great improvements. As a result of people
experiencing the reality and power of God’s love, many people
acknowledged and accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
We continue to rejoice at God’s goodness, His desire still is to
heal the sick and the broken hearted, and to bring liberty to the
oppressed. In a world that is experiencing such strife, tragedy,
and senseless violence, hope can still be found in the reality of
Jesus Christ.

GOLD TEETH HARD TO PROVE,

USEFUL FOR OUTREACH MAY 1999
Excerpts from an article by Peter T. Chattaway
The Great Physician may also be the Great Dentist. In the past
two months, several dozen people have reported receiving gold
fillings and similar miracles at churches and revival meetings
throughout British Columbia.
They were having people come up to be prayed for, recalls
Dorothy McKee, who says she received four gold teeth at the
Mission Foursquare Church March 21. “My husband was
checking people as they went up to the front, and he looked in
my mouth, and voila, I already had them.” Dental miracles have
been reported around the world, most recently in Argentina, at
various times over the years. The first instance of miraculous
fillings in Canada took place March 3 at the Toronto Christian
Fellowship. Within a week, over 300 people claimed to have
received dental miracles there.
It took only a couple of weeks for churches in Langley and
Mission to follow suit. Nine people reported receiving dental
miracles at the Langley Vineyard’s March 20 service; the next
night, seven people reportedly received the same during Todd
Bentley’s revival service at the Mission Foursquare Church.
And the reports keep coming in.
“We’ve had between 45 and 50 people who have reported
some kind of dental miracles in their mouths,” says Langley
Vineyard pastor Jesse Padgett. Of those, he estimates about 15
to 20 have gone to the dentist for confirmation.
Bentley an Abbotsford-based evangelist, says the Mission
meeting marked the first time gold teeth have appeared at any
of his meetings. “Since then they’ve appeared in almost every
meeting that I’ve done,” he says, citing his recent rips to
Mackenzie, Prince George and Portland, Oregon.
In addition to gold teeth, churchgoers also report gold dust
and oil appearing on their hands. Paula Spurr, a musician and
former deejay, says her hands began to sparkle during a ‘God
Rock’ service led by Todd Bentley at Burnaby Christian
Fellowship March 16.
“It was like Tinkerbell visited. Everyone’s hands were
shimmering a little bit,” she says. “It was funny, because that’s
not at all the kind of thing that I look for. I don’t need bells or
whistles to prove anything, but it happened anyway, so it was
like a little present.”
Phillip Wiebe, a philosophy professor at Trinity Western
University, says the gold tooth phenomenon is not a new
thing; he first heard stories of miraculous gold fillings coming
out of California 35 years ago.
“And what meaning might such miracles have? For the person
that would undergo this, it would be, I would think, wonderful
and kind of reassuring, and it would make them think that ‘God
loves me, is thinking about me and cares about me,’” says
Wiebe.
For everyone else, he suggests, signs such as these may be
“teasers” pointing people back to God. “The Lord leaves these
signs, here and there, that He’s real, so that doubters like
myself will have some obstacles and, maybe as a result of them,
believe.”

MACKENZIE, B.C.—OCTOBER 22–23, 1999

Pastor’s Report, Andy Barnes, Living Joy Christian Center
Todd ministered this weekend to about 30 men. Almost every
man was stretched out before the altar in a state of repentance.
During ministry times, which usually happened before and after
preaching, God displayed His love and power in a variety of
ways. Some of the miracles that took place included a girl with
a crooked spine becoming perfectly straight, shoulder
problems instantly healed, people being freed of depression,
fear, and anger.
In April a man got saved while Todd was here, his wife was
already a Christian. They have been going to her church and
he has remained free of any desire for alcohol and has been
growing in his relationship with God. This time their three sons
were saved and they rejoiced in tears over the fact that the
entire family was now saved.
A lady came to Tuesday’s meeting intending to have Todd
pray for her mother. Her mother had an asthma attack, and
while being rushed to the hospital, had a heart attack in the
ambulance. At the hospital doctors discovered a hole in one of
the heart valves, and also that she had diabetes. She remained
in a coma for six days, during which time they gave her insulin
and waited for her to recover enough to do heart surgery.
During worship and ministry time the daughter had oil on her
hands and as Todd was praying for people, he gave several
words of knowledge, one of which was for people with
diabetes. She felt a real peace and did not feel she had to go for
prayer. The next day she found out that her mother had been
released from the hospital, and there was no longer any trace of
diabetes. The heart problem had improved so dramatically that
it would be more dangerous to operate than to let it remain. She
was even strong enough to walk about four blocks. Praise God,
both the mother and the daughter gave God glory for this
miracle.
Monday night during ministry two of the people on the
worship team heard wonderful high harmony joining with them
in singing—it turned out that nobody else was there singing
with them, it was angels joining in. Awesome!
Throughout the men’s conference and the open meetings there
were times when the joy of the Lord would break out all over,
and the Holy Ghost would minister divinely to people in
different ways.

A SUDDENLY OF GOD

Prince George, British Columbia—January 2000

On my sixth visit to Prince George, about eighteen months
into my ministry, one of our weekend trips turned into eighteen
nights of gold and glory. We called it a “suddenly” of God. We
were expecting a good time in God’s presence, and He came
and gave us a taste of revival.
We were recording a live worship CD and at one point, the
fragrance of the Lord filled the building. For about forty-five
minutes people smelled vanilla, cinnamon, and roses. Psalm
45:8 refers to “the Lord’s fragrant robes.”
A deaf woman was healed. Diamond dust appeared on
people’s hands. The glory cloud came. The glory would still be
in the church the next day. People fell out under the power in
the parking lot or just on the walk into the building. The
Evangelical Christian News reported on the meetings and
people learned about it all over Canada.
Our worship leader, Clif Robertson, said that when people
began to arrive at the building the presence of the Lord was
already lingering there. People began to get “drunk” In the
spirit. I had planned to preach on the glory of God, but I didn’t.
Why should I preach on it when it was already there? Yes,
people are hungry for the demonstration of the Spirit of God in
power. But the most important thing is the presence; even if He
didn’t come with the miracles, we would just love His presence.

Prince George & Mackenzie

A meeting report by Val Andres, (Todd’s mother-in-law)
During those early Prince George meetings, Todd made several
visits to the small northern community of Mackenzie. A native
woman testified that she was healed of a back injury while
standing by herself at the altar. The next day her daughter, who
was sixty miles away, called to tell her mom that she was healed
at work of her back injury. It turns out that both healings
happened at the same time, 11:00 o’clock. God is not limited to
a building. Many people are going to be healed miles away.
In Prince George Todd was able to minister to two sets of
young people in youth prison. Todd received words of
knowledge and prophecy to speak into their lives. He was
excited about reaching out to those in a lifestyle that he once
lived.
The healing miracles in the meetings were not just physical;
many were healed emotionally and delivered from demonic
strongholds. The Spirit of the Lord moved for over two hours
in deliverance one night. He who the Son sets free is free
indeed!
Todd believes that the healing anointing has come to another
level. In the four weeks that he was on the road in October, the
healing testimonies seemed to be greater than at any other
time. A man came out of a wheelchair, a man had a growth
come off his eye, and people reported hearing and seeing
angels in services. October truly has been a month of harvest!
There were physical healings, spiritual conversions, and
people intoxicated with the wine of God, falling over and
shaking, gold dust and dental miracles. Several would testify to
feeling the Lord’s presence in the parking lot and many were
hit with the presence of the Lord before they even got in the
sanctuary to take their seats before the meetings began.
Following is a healing testimony from that time:

Cancer Testimony
My name is Maureen. The doctor had told me that there were
spots on my liver and they were cancerous. Last night I went
to the Turning Point to receive prayer and during the evening
started to feel a burning feeling in my side, and a feeling like
something was squeezing me. Today I went to an appointment
that was scheduled two weeks ago with the doctor; the
appointment was to decide about surgery to remove part of my
liver. They did another ultrasound and could not find the spots
on my liver, only what they described as some fatty tissue,
which could be controlled with a better diet. The doctor admits
he can’t understand it because this is the second time in two
months things have disappeared from x-rays and ultrasounds. I
understand it; it is a miracle from God.

I NEED MORE!
Those meetings led to my first revival in British Columbia.
Within nine months, God was visiting our meetings regularly
with the glory and the gold. There were extended meetings that
lasted several weeks. Each night people would receive gold
crowns in their mouths and oil would manifest on people’s
hands as it happened in the healing revival of the 1950s. The
presence of revival swept through our services—the fragrance
of the Lord and the glory mist. It was in those early meetings
that people began to see angels and receive healing in their
body. Christian News Week reported this.
I distinctly remember one extraordinary and wonderful
experience that happened in Fort St. John during that first year
of ministry. After I prophesied over everyone in the service
one night, at about one or two o’clock the morning, I returned
to the place I was staying. I decided to worship the Lord for a
while and give Him the glory for the meeting. I could sense His
presence in the room. Then it was as if the door opened and
someone walked into the room; I could suddenly smell the
fragrances of the Lord. He fed me the fragrance from His hand.
I remember the tears running down my cheeks as I smelled
vanilla, cinnamon, roses, and many other heavenly aromas. I
thought to myself, I am so close to the Lord right now I can
actually smell His fragrance.
God caused tremendous growth in the ministry through
these early meetings as well as fresh encounters with the Lord,
especially on the trips I took to the Yukon. I was crying out to
God during this time, “Holy Spirit I want to see more healing,
like in the days of the “Voice of Healing Revival.” This
powerful revival in the’50s birthed hundreds of healing
evangelists. The following article excerpt describes the
beginnings of that revival:
“There was a man by the name of Jack Moore in Shreveport,
Louisiana in 1946. This angel spoke to him and told him to
begin to bring people together and so he brought Gordon
Lindsay, A. A. Allen, William Branham, Oral Roberts, and Jack
Coe…all together and they started the ‘Voice of Healing.’ Five
years later when the power hit (William Branham was
commissioned in May 1946 but the corporate anointing began
to take shape some years later), it hit the “Latter Rain”
(movement) in ’50 and ’51….”1
Night after night in America tens of thousands would pack
the tents of hundreds of evangelists, some well known and
some not. The miracles in these meetings were as profound as
miracles that some see today in Africa, India, and other third
world nations. Thousands were being saved. Some reports
spoke of up to a hundred people getting out of wheelchairs in
one service. There were creative miracles; piles of discarded
crutches lay at the altar, not just one or two here and there, but
whole stacks.
 WHAT’S A HEALING ANOINTING?
After reading stories about the Voice of Healing Revival
and other healing revivalists like Smith Wigglesworth, Maria
Woodworth-Etter, and Aimee Semple McPherson, I was
hungry to see miracles like that. When the Holy Spirit first
started using me in healing, I didn’t know I had a healing
mantle. I never heard God say I was a chosen vessel, that He
wanted me to carry healing to the nations, or that I had a
special gift. I just believed what the Bible said about preaching
the Gospel, healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, and raising
the dead. The Bible says these signs will follow those who
believe. He is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. I also
realized, from Scripture, that healing is part of the atonement.
I believed it was for me, and so, on the basis of faith in
God’s word, I just continued anointing people with oil and
preaching God’s truth about divine healing based on the
principles of these six Scriptures:
John 14:12: “He who believes Me will do the
works that I do and even greater works than
these.”
Isaiah 53:5b: “By his stripes we are healed.”
Psalm 103:3: “Who forgives all your sins and
heals all your diseases.”
Mark 16:18b: “they will lay hands on the sick
and they will recover.”
Romans 8:11: “The same spirit that raised Jesus
 from the dead lives in you.”
Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today,and forever.”
It was clear to me that healing is in me and in every believer,
but there’s a difference between healing through faith in God’s
word and the gift of healing in First Corinthians 12:9 “To
another gifts of healing by that one Spirit.”
While I was ministering in the Yukon, Canada I had a Holy
Spirit visitation. “Do you want the healing anointing?” God
asked me. I had just finished doing a healing crusade.
I said, “God, what do You mean, do I want the healing
anointing?” Then I remembered the story of Jack Coe, one of
the most prominent healing ministers of the Voice of Healing
Revival. He once said to the Lord, “I’m not satisfied with the
level of healing. How can I get more?” God said, “You need a
healing anointing.” Jack asked, “What have I been doing all
this time?” God said that Jack had been healing by his faith and
the faith of the people, which is good, but that He had an
anointing for him so that it wouldn’t matter whether people
believed, are saved, or have faith. God told him that there can
be such an atmosphere and manifestation of His presence that
whoever comes into His glory gets healed.
God was now asking me if I wanted that anointing so that it
wouldn’t be so much about whether people believe the
principles of healing (although that’s important). He was
offering me an anointing, so that when I walked into a room
people would be healed in an anointing that comes from His
presence and the grace of the Holy Spirit. I said, “Oh, gosh, let
me think about it.” NOT! Of course I said, “Yes, God I want it
now.”
God continued, “The anointing is because of My presence;
where My presence is, people are healed.”
“God,” I replied, “If I can get more of Your presence I know
I can get more healings.” Up until this time, my goal was more
knowledge, formulas, teaching principles, and getting more
faith.
I kept doing all the things that I did in the area of faith,
healing lines, and so on but at the same time, I started
operating in the dimension of gifting. It came into my life
because I earnestly desired spiritual gifts. “Pursue love, and
desire spiritual gifts,” Scripture tells us in First Corinthians
14:1. God doesn’t want you to desire something you can’t
have.
I continued to preach and teach the truth of divine healing.
But when an anointing would come, people would get healed
sitting in their seats. So that’s how I began to understand the
difference between the healing that comes by the faith principle
and the healing that comes through sovereign atmosphere.

WHITEHORSE, YUKON—JANUARY, 2000

A great highlight of this trip was to see a lady I’d visited in
the hospital the last time I was in Whitehorse. At that time, she
was paralyzed from the waist down because of an incurable
disease. Doctors, and her family, were waiting for her to die.
After prayer, her legs received partial healing; she began to
move them and regain some feeling. Now, she had her driver’s
license back and was even beginning to walk short distances
with a cane.
Another highlight was my invitation into the Catholic
School to share my testimony with the grade 11 religious
studies class. God moved and eight people prayed to receive
Christ. There was such favor that they invited me back the next
day to preach to the tenth graders. This time 24 students gave
their hearts to the Lord.
In the evening service, there was a new level of power. One
man who was deaf had his hearing restored. Another man with
a paralyzed leg, the result of a witchdoctor’s curse in his
homeland, was instantly healed. These meetings had such a
level of God’s presence that the demons would spontaneously
cry out, throw some people on the floor, and cause them to flail
and thrash about.
When I left the Yukon I had no idea that the Lord would
move me into a new season of healing, send me to Africa to get
John G. Lake’s anointing, and show me a vision of the coming
healing revival.

ENDNOTE
1. Bob Jones and Keith Davis, Eye of the Eagle II,
12/05/00.
 Chapter 12

A PROPHETIC JOURNEY

I longed to see the apostolic power return to the Church,

and I longed for an increase in my ministry. The Lord spoke to
me about John G. Lake, so I studied his life and how God had
used him. He had planted over 600 churches in South Africa.
He didn’t just do miracles, signs, and wonders but lived in
union, in oneness and intimacy with the Lord. Experiments
were done where diseases and bacteria were placed on his
hand and monitored under a microscope. They’d either
dissolve or die. Lake carried an unusual anointing of the
presence, the fire, and the holiness of God. The anointing on
his ministry was transferable and tangible. People would often
open his newsletter and begin to speak in tongues or get
healed because the anointing would be released through the
letters that went out. When I read this, I got hungrier. I said,
“God I want to see whole cities overcome by Your power and
presence. I want more in the area of healing.”
The Lord gave me a new commission. “Go to South Africa
on a prophetic journey,” He said. “I want you to go and get the
anointing of John G.Lake.”
“God I don’t know anyone in South Africa,” I answered.
But during our conversation, I had an open vision and I saw
the dates when I would actually go—March 10-27, 2000.
When the invitation came from a local pastor, Keith
Abrahams in Abbotsford, who was a prophet from South
Africa, the dates matched exactly. Keith asked, “Todd do you
want to go and minister in South Africa if I arrange some
meetings for you?” I thought back to my first year of marriage
—Shonnah and I were in a service with a guest from Ghana,
Africa and we were overcome with weeping and intercession,
and felt as though we would one day go to Africa.

THE GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES

Prior to our South Africa trip, the Holy Spirit gave me my
first vision of the coming healing revival of signs and wonders.
During worship in the local Abbotsford Revival Center, I felt
the Lord’s presence surround me. My ears were opened and I
heard the tongues of a great crowd. I looked around the
sanctuary; there were fewer than forty people and no one was
speaking in tongues. I knew there was no way they could make
this great noise. Then I knew it was the tongues of angels. I
asked a woman beside me, “Jen, do you hear them? It sounds
like angels.” It was as though 70,000 people were praying in the
spirit all at once. I felt waves of His glory and power come over
me. I felt myself ascending, and I was lifted into the Spirit like
the apostle John who was caught up in the Spirit on the Lord’s
Day (see Rev. 1:10).
Suddenly, I was standing on a football field in a stadium. I
knew I was in a prophetic encounter. The stands were filled
with angels, tens upon tens of thousands of angels. There was
an immediate knowing that these angels were waiting to be
released. They were cheering on the advancement of the
Kingdom in the modern-day Church. The Church was the team
on the field and the angels were about to be released onto a
last days’ generation to bring about the purposes of God.
“Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do
His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all
you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure”
(Psalm 103:20-21).

A VISION OF THE COMING HEALING REVIVAL

The Lord showed me that during this upcoming healing
revival, an anointing would be released greater than that of the
Voice of Healing revival years ago. God spoke to me about the
coming healing revival in Canada and beyond. Next, I was
caught up in the spirit over North America as if I was flying in
an airplane. I saw many small rain clouds of healing and
miracles. They were individually set up over many churches,
cities, nations, and ministries, pouring down healing rain. The
rain clouds looked like those in the cartoons where they pour
down upon one person and follow him wherever he goes.
I saw many small pools of water and I asked, “What are
these?” The Holy Spirit said, “I am releasing the pools of
Bethesda. This is the release of John 5:1–4:
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a
pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five
porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind,
lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an
angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred
up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring
of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.
In the vision, I saw the coming healing revival. I saw angels
like the angel in John 5 who would be released upon this last
days’ generation. I prayed it would be greater than the days of
Alexander Dowie and John G. Lake. “Let there be whole cities
and geographic locations touched by Your healing power.”

THE TRANSFERABLE TANGIBLE HEALING ANOINTING

Then I saw many ministers, ministries, and churches that
are already flowing in this miracle, healing anointing, beginning
to minister throughout North America. In my vision, as these
ministers of healing finished ministering in one location and
left, the healing miracle cloud remained upon that church or
city, and continued to pour down healing rain.
It was a transferable, tangible anointing of healing being
imparted to other ministries, churches, and even cities. It
spread like fire. Everybody who encountered the healing wave
started to minister the power of God.
As in my vision, I believe that many places are going to
receive such an outpouring of healing rain that pools of water
are going to form, like modern-day pools of Bethesda. This
outpouring of miracles, signs, and wonders is a part of the
apostolic move and will touch the four corners of the earth.

THE HEALING AND MIRACLE CENTERS

The literal meaning of Bethesda is “the house of
outpouring and grace.” The grace of God will give us an
outpouring of the rains of healing and miracles, until the power
of God increases and we have a flood of miracle rain and many
pools of healing. The pool of Bethesda was in a geographical
place called Solomon’s Porch. The sick came from all over the
nation. I believe the Pools of Bethesda the Lord showed me will
be places of healing, miracles, and revival in many geographical
locations.
Once again, great multitudes will come from all over the
world to geographical healing centers, just as they came to
Spokane in the early 1900s to receive from John Lake’s
ministry. In five short years of Lake’s ministry, over 100,000
healings and miracles were documented. The mayor of Spokane
called the city the healthiest in America.

WHO IS GOING TO RECEIVE IT?

There won’t be just one pool of Bethesda or one Spokane, I
believe, but over a hundred different cities that will be
internationally known for the ministry of healing. The Holy
Spirit spoke to me that these miracles and healings are for
those churches and ministries that will fervently cry out for the
rain, like Elijah on the mountain in First Kings 18:41–46:
Then Elijah said to Ahab, “go up, eat and drink; for there is
the sound of abundance of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and
drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed
down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and
said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he
went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven
times he said, “Go again.” Then it came to pass the seventh
time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand,
rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab,
‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops
you.’” Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became
black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So
Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the
Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran
ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Elijah heard the sound of the abundance of rain. He knew in
his spirit that the famine for Israel was over, and it was time for
the rain to fall. In the same way, we know today in Church that
it’s time for the power of God. In First Kings 17:1 Elijah
prophesied, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I
stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my
word.” This Scripture indicates that the rains would come
according to Elijah’s word. It’s the same with the coming rains
of healing. It will be at the word of God’s people, hungry for
healing revival, in intercession and prophetic proclamation that
the rains of miracles will fall. Though Elijah knew it was time for
the rain to fall, he still prayed fervently on the mountain—he
had to birth and call the rain forth. Though he saw nothing, he
persisted in fervent prayer until the rain came.
If you are to be in the rain of healing and miracles moving
across North America, you need to preach healing. Though
you see nothing, preach healing and preach healing again.
When you pray for the sick and nobody is healed, pray again.
Elijah persisted seven times and he saw nothing. When he
finally saw the cloud, it was still only the size of a man’s hand.

GOD’S PROMISE TO FILL HEALING ROOMS

In North America today, we have numerous healing room
ministries—I know of over 60 of them. We are getting ready for
the power of God just like in Second Kings 3:17–20:
Thus says the Lord: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ For thus
says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain;
yet that valley shall be filled with water. And this is a simple
matter in the sight of the Lord’’ Now it happened in the
morning, when the grain offering was offered, that suddenly
water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with
water.
 God told them to prepare during the drought for the water,
by digging ditches (water canals). As we prepare the
containers for healing revival, then one day—it could be today
or tomorrow—with no sign of wind or rain, when it seems like
we aren’t getting the breakthrough we are looking for in
healing, and we continue to persist in intercession, preaching,
and prayers for the sick—boom!—the water canals will be full!
I hear the sound of the abundance of rain and I know in my
spirit IT IS TIME! Climb up on the mountain, call for the rain
and call for the storm. When the rains first began to come in
First Kings, the cloud was only the size of a man’s fist, but it
grew to the place where Elijah told Ahab to get his chariot and
get going before the rain stopped him.
God spoke to my heart that there would be healings at first.
Then the rain would become torrential and we’d move into
creative miracles. Will your church be a pool of Bethesda for
the sick and the lame? Well then, let it pour, for the Lord says
that truly the people will come from miles around. There will be
many cities like Spokane—this time not just with a man or a
ministry—but whole cities under the anointing. People will be
saying, “If I can get to that city I know I’ll be healed.”
 Chapter 13

THE HEALING ANOINTING

My first ministry opportunities were in British Columbia

then in the Pacific Northwest. Shortly afterward, I received
speaking invitations every day, and suddenly found myself
booked six months in advance! I didn’t have to say, “Who’s
got contacts?” It just happened.
Why? Because I beheld the face of God and the hand of
God showed up! Intimacy, relationship, and the anointing
resulted from spending time with God. The presence of God
released the anointing.
 After I received the vision of the coming healing revival, I
knew that my trip to South Africa would ignite something in my
heart for the healing revival. This would be my first
international meeting.
The night before I left for Africa to get the John G.Lake
anointing I was at the house of one of Patricia King’s
intercessors. The phone rang and it was Patricia calling from
England. When she found out I was there she said the Lord
just gave her a word that I was going to South Africa to get the
healing anointing of John Lake and that when I got it I was
going to bring a healing revival to America. I hadn’t shared any
of that information with Patricia.

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA—MARCH 2000

I believed that I would see great things in Africa and
receive this anointing from the Lord. I went to Durban, South
Africa with my friends Giovanni and Clif Robertson. Clif led
worship at our meetings. When we arrived, I told the pastor
that I wanted to go to the inner city market place outside the
church walls. I wanted to be in the ghetto with the drug
addicts, gangs, the poor, and the prostitutes. All I needed was
a sound system in the streets.
One of the highlights—the pastor took me to Hawthorne,
where 20 years previously, there had been a revival, but now, it
was the darkest part of the city. He set up the sound system
and I started preaching right away:
“I came from Canada and have a testimony of the power of
Jesus,” I said. After preaching, I challenged the people to come
down and see the power of Jesus so they would know that the
things I’d said about healing and changed lives are true. I laid
hands on, and prayed for, over 1,000 people. It took hours.
Here is my on-site, as-it-happened report of the day-to-day
outpouring of God’s power on that trip:

Over 800 Saved, Over 250 Recommitments

Durban Report
I’m going to concentrate this report on the open air
preaching that I did. The other meetings were awesome too,
but I love being out among the hurting people. We didn’t
advertise these meetings. We simply visited different locations
(mainly lower income dwellings), set up the sound equipment,
and played music. The flats (apartments) were arranged in such
a way that, as the sound transmitted, it would resonate
between the buildings. Each area contained hundreds of
people.
Different people shared their testimony between songs, and
then we’d give the message of salvation. At first there would
be 50-100 people who’d come out to hear and see what was
happening; but then as soon as people began to be touched
by the Holy Spirit and be healed in their bodies, hundreds
showed up! It didn’t matter if it was sunny, cloudy, or raining;
the people came and waited, sometimes hours to be prayed for.
One lady was set free from alcohol addiction. She came to the
meeting drunk and went away a free woman. She arrived at our
other street meetings to give testimony of what God did for her.
 Open Air at Hime Street (Wednesday)
We set up the equipment and began to worship God. We
were in the midst of the projects known for the highest gang
warfare and bloodshed. People were on the streets; some were
hanging over their balconies listening to what was going on.
Hundreds of people heard the message of salvation, healing,
and deliverance. Once the miracles began, people came from all
over.
The crowd grew. People were healed of all kinds of
sicknesses and diseases, the blind, deaf, and crippled; devils
were manifesting and being cast out—over a hundred people
gave their hearts to the Lord. There was a man who had a
stroke and could barely walk; he left that night carrying his
cane! We ministered here in the street well into the evening.

Open Air at K1 Shopping Park (Thursday)

Today the people started coming when I began to preach.
Some came right up to where we were, others stayed back; but
when the miracles and healings began, they pressed in. Well
over fifty souls were saved, and many were healed by the
power of God while hundreds of others looked on. Here are
some healings that happened. A woman who was almost blind
from cataracts, also had an arm that was bent and frozen. She
raised her arm above her head, and she also began to see.
Another had been involved in the occult and was set free. A
woman who had painful leg problems began to jump up and
down. You could see the joy on her face. A man whose facial
skin was pulled toward the left and had numbness and
paralysis was healed. A woman who could not see well enough
to read began to read from the Bible. Tears of joy filled her eyes
as she thanked the Lord.

Open Air, Reger Road (Saturday)

It was raining, but we decided to go anyway. Hundreds
showed up as I preached. They stood in the rain waiting and
listening as I ministered. Many were saved, healed, and
delivered. People fell under the power of the Holy Spirit and
some landed in puddles. The people here are so hungry for the
Gospel that some waited two hours to be prayed for. This day
there were forty-four saved. Those with impaired vision saw
clearly again. One man riddled with painful arthritis was healed.
Many other healings took place as the people came with an
expectant heart.

Open Air, Hime Street (Monday)

The people of this place requested that we come back again
to minister. Many turned out again and were filled with the
Holy Spirit. We went after those that didn’t come. We became,
not only fishers of men, but also hunters of men, going out and
bidding them to come. Some were saved or healed as we
prayed in their homes, while others were saved behind
buildings. Those that had been previously saved and set free
were now also doing the work of the evangelist. So much
happened, so many healings, so many salvations. God was in
this place.
 Return Visit to Hime Street (Tuesday)
It just keeps getting better. Hundreds of people listened as
different ones gave testimony of the power of God in their
lives. They came to receive Jesus as Savior, they came to be
healed, and they came to be delivered from the oppression of
the devil. One after another they kept coming. Some of the
believers began to go after those who were standing around.
There were those who came to receive Jesus and before
anyone laid hands on them they would fall under the power. It
is revival. The church here is stirred, excited, and full of
expectation of what the Lord is doing and what He is going to
do.

The Barracks (Thursday)

This is old military housing that has been converted into
homes. Hundreds came out to hear and see the Gospel of
Christ in signs and wonders. After a deaf mute heard and
spoke and a deaf lady received her hearing, the people
crowded around and came for their own miracle. Eighty-three
people gave their hearts to the Lord, and many others were set
free from addictions and sickness.

Open Air at the Flats (Saturday)

During another outreach at an apartment complex, I noticed
that all the windows had bars on them. The pastor said that
was because husbands and wives sometimes threw each other
out the windows so the city put up bars. A small crowd heard
the music and gathered to hear me preach. We started praying
for the sick and many were healed.
About twenty gang members on the other side of the street
saw people shaking and falling out under the power of God and
began to mock us. I challenged them to come and be touched
by God’s power. I said, “If you believe that this isn’t real then
prove it by letting me pray for you. But I’m so confident that
this is real that if I pray for you, you will shake and fall under
the power like these other people. If it happens to you, then
you need to give your life to Jesus. Are you up to the
challenge?” We prayed for them, they all fell under God’s
power and got saved. Many young people and gangster youth
were on the ground crying—immediately after their salvation,
they called for their buddies to be saved. Over forty souls were
birthed into God’s Kingdom.

South Africa—In Summary

God poured out the power of Sozo (Salvation, healing and
deliverance) in mighty measure while we were in South Africa.
By the end of our visit, we were receiving invitations to return
to this sunny country. We also learned that the King of the
Zulu people wants us to come and minister to him and the
Royal Family.
While on this trip, I didn’t do anything special to get the
John G.Lake anointing; I was just obedient. I went to South
Africa and did what the Lord wanted me to do. On returning to
North America, I also went to some places where John Lake
ministered in the United States. After visiting the healing
rooms in Spokane, I prayed at Lake’s grave, asking God to give
me what he had during his powerful healing ministry. “Release
it again Lord, that whole cities will be healed.”

HEALING WELLS OPEN IN ALBANY, OREGON

JULY 17-19, 2000
When I arrived home from South Africa, the signs and
wonders in my ministry began to increase. We had a growing
sense of greater things yet to come. Within six months, our
first visit to the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Albany,
Oregon would turn into a revival of healing that would attract
international attention. Here’s the pastor’s report (Pastor
Denny Cline) of our first week of meetings there:
As senior pastor of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in
Albany, Oregon, from the church’s founding days in 1994, I
and my congregation have been contending for the release of
the miracle healing anointing. I believed in my spirit that asking
evangelist Todd Bentley to come for a series of meetings
would result in a significant breakthrough. Through my years
of ministry I have seen many healings and miracles, but only
sporadically. However, this week was filled with continual
waves of healings and miracles. As the testimonies continue to
come in, we expect to find that about 200 people were healed.
For example, in the first five nights, ten deaf ears were
opened and many back conditions were healed including
curvature of the spine, herniated discs, and whiplash. Four
people testified that they have canceled surgeries. After
visiting her doctor, one lady testified to being healed of
Hepatitis C. There have also been many testimonies of the
healing of fibromyalgia and arthritis. Another lady, after a word
of knowledge, was healed of a brain injury and memory loss.
A lady from Sweden, walking outside of the church with her
husband, stopped out of curiosity. When someone told Todd
she was deaf he went outside, laid hands on her and she was
healed. Another remarkable story of a young lady’s hips and
shoulder healed, as well as a ganglia cyst on her wrist healed.
She reported being pain free for the first time in months. A
teenage girl with shifted hips from birth reported heat as her
hips adjusted. She said that the constant head and neck pain
were gone.
Another notable aspect of the meetings was the presence
of God. The meetings started with a Toronto-like outpouring of
joy and manifest glory of the Lord. About Wednesday the
meetings seemed to amp up in the anointing even though many
healings had already occurred the first two nights. As the week
progressed, the presence of God has increased and many are
now being healed in their seats or at the front. Before hands are
even laid on them, many are falling under the power of the Holy
Spirit. The meetings are lasting until 11:30 PM or 12:00 AM and
often people stumble out of the meetings still affected by the
Holy Spirit.
We are planning to continue to have regular healing and
renewal meetings and return visits from evangelist Todd
Bentley.
Denny invited me to return as soon as possible, so I
returned in August. I felt something was stirring. God ripped
open the heavens; more Hepatitis C, food allergies, mental
illness, and vision problems were healed. There was also deep
emotional healing as God bound up the brokenhearted—
people suffering from long-standing trauma, nightmares,
depression, torment, and mental anguish. Some people were
healed as they left, others didn’t realize they were healed until
they got a blood test back from the doctor a month later.

ALBANY OREGON—AUGUST 22-25, 2000

Here’s another report by Pastor Denny Cline:
A young man, after responding to another word of knowledge
on anxiety and panic attacks, was healed of a severe back and
muscle condition that caused pain. He testified to feeling his
back straighten out. Another lady reported that a serious car
accident left her with a severe back condition that required her
to make frequent visits to the chiropractor. She was healed in
her seat. There were many other healings including a Baptist
girl who was healed of a knee injury standing at the altar
watching the power of God.
Not everything was that dramatic. However, there was great
enthusiasm and the zeal for what God was about to do. Then
came Alenna’s miracle.
In one minute Alenna’s eyesight was completely healed! At
first, 68-year-old Alenna Nelson could see only 10-15 feet in
front of her before everything went completely blurry. The next
minute, Alenna, for the first time in years, could now see details
on the leaves, painted on the wall, 60-70 feet away, in the very
front of the church. Besides healing her eyes, God did so much
more.
Yesterday afternoon, Alenna just wanted to go home. She was
tired. Two doctor visits completely drained her and she
couldn’t face going to a long church meeting, even if it was for
healing. But her daughter, who was unable to be there herself,
had appealed to her to, “Please go to that meeting.”
That day Alenna had actually been so tired that she had just
wanted to go home early. Her daughter persuaded her to stay
for prayer. She responded to two altar calls—one for blindness,
another for anxiety. Not only was she dramatically healed of
near-blindness, she was set free from a long-standing bondage.
These are her words: “I’ve suffered from anxiety for 20 years.
My muscles are so tight they don’t even relax when I sleep.
But when I got up off the floor I felt the anxiety just disappear.
It was gone.” I just said, ‘I’m going to do it by faith.’ I just had
the desire and so I went forward by faith. Now there’s no
anxiety and I can see all this detail.”
And who was the channel for these miracles? It was 24-year-
old Todd Bentley. Only saved six years, Todd brought no
college education or great charisma, no backing from a huge
denomination, or a life-long call—just a recent call to go pray
for the sick to be healed. As he puts it, “Preach the Gospel,
pray for the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead. I just went
and did it,” Todd explains. “One minute I was an employee and
the next, I’m doing nightly healing meetings all over the U.S.
and booked for a year solid.” Todd, who is now preaching all
over the world, says that, “Healing must always accompany
the Gospel when it’s preached because healing is part of the
Gospel!”
I remember when God began to move in the Vineyard
church in Albany, Oregon and I sensed for the first time we
should do extended meetings. I prayed, “God, the Vineyard
should be the last church where You would touch down like
this for me.”
My style is not low key as you might find at most Vineyard
churches. Although I do love the Vineyard beliefs and
worship, my style isn’t an exact fit—it’s more loud, fiery, and
Pentecostal. So, at first, when I felt the Lord challenging me to
stay for those extended meetings in January and February (and
eventually trips back each month until May 2001), I said, “God,
are you sure?” Pastor Denny had felt that each time God
moved the previous three visits (in July, August, and
November 2000) that we should stay. Little did I know it would
be these meetings and the publicity almost daily through the
Elijah List, which would thrust our ministry to a new level. I
remember asking, “God, if this keeps going, should I stay for
revival?” It was difficult to think of staying on, especially with
my passion for ministry and crusades in developing nations
and considering all the other meetings already on our schedule.
I had to be willing to say “yes” and God rewarded us for it.
Since those extended meetings, the ministry has now tripled
in size and the healing power has increased in our meetings in
America. These new blessings on our ministry, I believe, were
largely because we broke through in those early weeks of the
revival of healing in Albany.
 Chapter 14

BACK TO AFRICA

I took my second international trip to Ghana and Nigeria,

Africa in October of 2000. My team consisted of Shanee Clark,
my disciple, and my friend Greg Dennison.
God opened up radio and TV for the preaching of the
Gospel as we entered this new country. We started the harvest
right away. Three people in the studio were saved—the head
of production, the studio manager, and the Muslim DJ who
interviewed me.
The radio station aired three separate radio programs
throughout the central region of Ghana and within one day, we
ran into people in restaurants, marketplaces, and even several
workers in our hotel who heard the radio. Four to five million
people in this region alone had heard the Gospel message I
preached. It is impossible to document the thousands who
have made a commitment to Christ through these broadcasts.
There has been a great outpouring of God’s presence and
power. Over 250 souls have been saved in the open-air
services alone. We visited the local leper colony and 23
received Jesus; the remaining seven were already saved. As I
prayed for them all I laid my hands right on the areas affected
by their leprosy to show that they are accepted and loved.
In one open-air crusade well over a thousand heard the
Gospel. It seemed as if every person being prayed for was
healed. People were set free from demons, addictions,
deafness, and vision impairments. As hundreds pressed in on
us, healings happened so rapidly that it was difficult to keep
track of them all.
The last evening of the crusade in Cape Coast, Ghana, I
preached a new message God gave me called, “When the Holy
Spirit Comes.” There was a great manifestation of God’s power
at one point and I collapsed onto the stage. Many were healed
and delivered. Another 37 souls came to Jesus bringing the
total up to 287. During a second altar call for the baptism of the
Holy Spirit, the people received the Spirit and spoke in tongues
so easily.
Following is a report from Greg:
 EL NIMA, GHANA—OCTOBER 25 TO 27, 2000
Report by Greg Dennison
This morning was the last of our crusades in this region. It was
held in the old fishing village of El Nima. The supervisor of this
area estimated the crowds at 5 to 10 thousand people. As Todd
preached, over 350 additional souls responded to the call of the
Gospel, bringing the total up to 637. Next, Todd led them in a
prayer for mass healing and miracles. Many hands went up to
testify of being healed and the people wanted to come forward
to give public testimony of the healing power of Jesus.
Hundreds of people pressed in when the miracles began to
happen and it was difficult to move. Some of the healings
included vision impairments, deafness (including a boy who
felt a deaf spirit come out of his ear), arthritis, and various long
lasting pains (one lady with an illness testified that she was
healed as she felt the fire of the Holy Ghost go through her
body, healing a sickness she’d had for over 11 years). Another
man came with an illness in his chest so severe it left him
coughing blood and his body so weak he could barely walk to
the crusade. He reported that as he came to the crusade the
power of God fell on him and he was healed.

KUMASI REGIONAL CRUSADE

GHANA, AFRICA—OCTOBER 29-31, 2000
We continued on to the city of Kumasi. God opened
opportunities for me to preach at three different radio stations,
which broadcast to five regions and millions of people. One of
these stations broadcast two nights of the crusade live—the
preaching, salvation calls, mass miracle prayer, and testimonies
of people who were healed.
Once again God confirmed the preaching of the Gospel with
salvation, healing, and deliverance—a boy who had been deaf
and mute for over seventeen years started to hear and speak. A
new convert was instantly set free from a continual shaking
that had plagued him for over six years. The parents of a
demon-possessed boy heard the radio broadcast and came
from over thirty miles away. On the platform, the boy shook
violently and shrieked loudly as the afflicting spirits came out.
He was also healed of a speech impediment.
The last evening of the crusade ten people were healed of
vision impairments and blindness. One of them was a man who
had not been able to read the Bible for 12 years. He joyfully
read from the Bible while on the platform.
One last great testimony of the manifestation of God’s
power came from a man who left his restaurant unattended to
come to the crusade. He was the first to come forward for
salvation. He told us that God had shown all three of us to him
in a dream the day before we arrived. He saw Shanee holding a
bag scattering seed. I placed a cross on his forehead and Greg
hugged him and said, “Happy birthday.” When we showed up
the next day, it was indeed his spiritual birthday.
There were 387 recorded commitments to Christ over the
three evenings in Kumasi bringing the total to 1,024 souls in six
nights.
 ACCRA CRUSADE
GHANA, WEST AFRICA—NOVEMBER 2-4, 2000
This was our last three-day crusade in Ghana. The first
morning I appeared on “The Breakfast Show,” the equivalent
to the Regis & Kathi Lee morning show; it’s about all there is
to watch in the mornings. This was followed by radio
programming on the local stations. During our two-week stay
in Ghana there were 23 TV commercials drawing people to the
Accra crusades. These 90-second commercials showed me
giving a vigorous call to come to the crusade while the location
was flashed across the bottom of the screen. At the end of the
commercials there was an explosion of the words, FIRE—FIRE
—FIRE!
As we went about the city of Accra, people continually
recognized me because of the TV and radio commercials, and I
constantly invited people to come to the crusades. There were
200 souls saved in the first two nights in Accra. Some of the
instant miracles for these nights included a man healed of a
blind eye, a girl healed of double vision, a man healed from a
spine deformed for ten years, a man ten years blind in one eye
healed, and a man who had pain throughout his whole body
was healed.
It was difficult to keep track of the healings because the
people crowded around us, and it seemed that about 18 out of
every 20 people here were healed by God as we prayed.

TO THE MARKET WE GO

The next day I told the pastor, “The power of God isn’t just
 The next day I told the pastor, “The power of God isn’t just
in the crusades. Take me to the biggest market. I want to go to
where the people live and work.”
“How about the fish market? It has 10,000 people.”
“Great, bring the sound system.”
This meeting was unadvertised and spontaneous. We set
up right by the seashore. I started sharing my testimony.
People all around me were busy fishing and selling fish. When
I said I would pray for the sick, hundreds pressed in. I gave an
altar call and over 300 were saved. Then the miracles started
happening—the blind, the deaf, and the crippled. People
pressed in by the thousands, and they had to sneak me into a
cab and drive me out of there as people followed me down the
street. All together over 637 people were saved. It was these
meetings in Ghana that would birth in me the passion to do
mass evangelism and reach nations through TV and radio
broadcasts of the crusades.
The third night of the crusade was spectacular—God began
to move even before I preached. Over 80 souls came to Jesus
this night. I have lost count, but I believe this brings the total
souls in Ghana to just over 1300. This is not even including
those who received Jesus through the radio and TV programs.
The miracles were amazing to see: A deaf and dumb boy
heard and spoke; a thirty-year hip problem was healed; a deaf
man was healed when a spirit came out; a growth on a woman’s
abdomen disappeared (she actually felt it go); a man, who
normally used two walkers, was healed (he vowed to give both
the walkers to the hospital), and a boy who was deaf and mute
heard for the first time.
As often happens, God saved the best wine for last—
people on this last night were healed and slain in the Spirit in
greater numbers than any of the previous nights. Shanee and I
then went on to Lagos, Nigeria, our first visit to this congested
city of more than ten million.

LAGOS, NIGERIA—NOVEMBER 5-12, 2000

We were invited to The Redeemed Pentecostal Mission in
Nigeria, Africa for a Signs and Wonders Crusade. I remember
this event vividly because I found out that, at the same time, in
this city, Reinhardt Bonnke was hosting his historic Great
Millennium Crusade. Over one million people attended each of
his services and over a million got saved.
I remember during the day the pastor saying, “We have to
leave early to get back to your crusade, because they are going
to shut down all the highways, and most of the city buses are
going to the other meeting.” Here I am in the early days of my
African ministry crying out to God: “Will I ever reach 50,000, let
alone a million?” However, God came down with His power and
numerous people received their salvation, breakthrough,
healing, and deliverance. I was pleased to know that God was
with me as well as with Reinhardt that night!
Here is a letter that I received from the pastor in Nigeria:
Dear Rev. Todd Bentley,
Glory be to God for the crusade. Testimonies are all over the
city of Lagos, Nigeria about what God did through Fresh Fire
Ministries. Attached is the list of some of the miracles recorded
during the November Crusade in two locations. We are pleased
to give you this report of what happened during the your visit,
Rev.
Todd Bentley, to The Redeemed Pentecostal Mission Inc,
Nigeria, Africa that presented the Signs and Wonders Crusade
November 5th-12th, 2000. Some of those that received their
miracles are as follows:
Two hundred and forty people received their salvation and
another 140 came to the Lord in Itire, part of Lagos!! A three-
year-old deaf boy, healed. A woman with paralyzed legs,
healed and ten people that are deaf and dumb, healed. Many
people with Cataracts in the eyes, healed. Someone with
Poliomyelitis and crippled legs for eight years started walking.
An epileptic, delivered and healed. Twenty-five people with
body pains, healed. A drug-addicted boy, delivered. Someone
was delivered of demons and his swollen leg with water plus
bacteria was released. A woman suffering from breast cancer—
growths gone. Forty people that had waist pain, healed. Seven
people with typhoid fever, healed. Fourteen people with
intestinal disease, healed. Eight people that had fibroid tumors
saw them dissolve and ten people were healed of malaria fever.
A big lump in the breast was dissolved and healed, and
another crippled boy was healed. Two people with body
growths—gone; and eight people with eye problems, healed. A
three-year-old boy, dumb, was healed, and someone healed,
from unconsciousness. A serious hand injury was healed and a
female lawyer who was bleeding for fourteen days—after
prayers with Rev. Todd Bentley—the bleeding stopped
instantly.
In another part of Lagos called Itire where you ministered for
three days, Rev. Todd, this healing data was recorded: Six
people that were deaf and dumb, healed; one person crippled
healed; five people that had cancer, healed; four people that
had fibroid, healed; 40 people with stomach pains, healed; a
lunatic person, healed and 160 more people received salvation.
The latest information from the ITIRE CHURCH LAGOS is that
supernatural revival has broken out in that church and the
whole area. Once again, we are so excited as God used you
mightily for this Miracle, Signs and Wonders crusade with our
church in Nigeria. We are looking forward to another bigger
crusade which will be coming up March 2001 where you will
draw a large crowd of 30,000-40,000 with the power of the Holy
Spirit.

Bishop John E.Amadi

UNBELIEF
I’ve got to admit that during those first few early African
crusades I’d struggle with unbelief. I’d pray for someone and
they would say they were healed and I wouldn’t believe it.
Often they wouldn’t display huge emotion or shaking. Even
though the miracles were before me I’d think, It can’t be that
easy. When they told me, “I used to be paralyzed,” I really
wondered if they were. I had to wrestle through this. I finally
asked myself, Why would they lie to me? If they lie it’s
between them and God. My job is just to pray for the sick and
God’s job is to do the rest.

BACK TO ALBANY
Every time I returned from Africa our miracles seemed to
increase, so I was excited to return to Albany for my third visit
in November 2000. God did it again. One of the first healings in
these meetings came by a word of knowledge. A woman who
had no eardrum, who had been deaf in one ear for 50 years, was
healed. Then a woman who had been deaf in one ear for 41
years, also with no eardrum, came forward—two creative
miracles back-to-back. By the end of the November meetings,
there were hundreds of healings again in Albany.
Here’s an edited version of the healing report from Steve
Shultz of the Elijah List:

NO EARDRUMS?
“What is it about older people that are getting God’s
Healing attention? I watched it again tonight. Oh, and
teenagers too! It’s as if God is making a point… as if He’s
saying, “I’m not done with the older generation—Not even
close. At the same time, I’m just getting started with teens.
No ear drums and yet tonight, these ladies can hear! This
is miraculous! I’ve never seen anything like it—at least not for
a few months: Viola is 86 years old and she hasn’t heard out of
one ear for 50 years! The doctors, because of a problem,
removed Viola’s eardrum in 1950! That’s it. No hearing ever
since—until a few hours ago. I was there. I saw it with my own
eyes! Todd Bentley prayed a few simple prayers, and yelled
Jesus’ name into Viola’s ears. “Jesus!” Todd yelled. After a
few attempts, suddenly Viola is hearing sounds. Pretty soon,
completely covering her one ear, she is able to repeat the new
sounds she is hearing in her “dead” ear. Sounds that Todd is
now whispering, “Father,” “Father,” Viola repeats. “Holy
Spirit,” Todd whispers. “Holy Spirit,” Viola repeats. The
congregation is getting loud and excited. “Jesus,” Todd
whispers again. “Jesus,” Viola says back. Now the Albany
congregation has gone wild!

VERIFYING THE MIRACLE!

I go to Viola to talk to her because, if I’m going to write this
to The Elijah List, I’d better verify it. That’s when I learn about
1950, the “mastoid” something and the surgery. Her friends
who brought her are beaming. She can hear out of her “dead”
ear—which is no longer dead!
 Chapter 15

TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL

Years ago, Paul Cain and William Branham held powerful

healing meetings in Grant’s Pass, Oregon. A local businessman
caught the healing vision and built a large, barn-like facility for
these meetings. On December 5, 1950, William Branham
dedicated this “tabernacle” to the Lord. At this time, (what is
often referred to as The Voice of Healing Revival,) Grant’s Pass
was one of many places that held healing meetings however,
they were held here quite frequently given the size of the
location and the ability to host the great healing evangelists of
the time. Thus, the Lord deposited a great well of healing there.
 December 5, 2000 was the 50-year anniversary of this
dedication, and several prophecies were given telling that it
was time to re-open the ancient healing wells of those times. I
recall so clearly ministering with Bob Jones, Paul Keith Davis,
John Paul Jackson, and Bobby Connor at the Eye of the Eagle
Prophetic Conference there. We spiritually re-dug and tapped
into those ancient wells of the 1950s.

A PROPHETIC SIGN
The pastor of the church in Grant’s Pass, Oregon, Dale
Howell, and a mutual friend, John Macgirvin, hiked two hours
into the forest to fish in the Rogue River. John sat on a huge
granite rock 15 feet above the river.
The Lord said, “Reach into the crack in the rock.” John dug
in the sand and pulled out a silver Roosevelt dime. He held it
up for Dale to see. “The Lord just told me to reach in the crack
of the rock. Silver represents jubilee, 50 years!”
Dale exclaimed, “I can tell you what the year is on that
dime.” He was correct—1950. That dime was minted the year
God sent healing to the Northwest—half a century previously.
The Lord told John that the dime was a sign that the healing
revival was going to happen again and that the past revival
was a tithe—a tenth of the healing power that He was going to
pour out! The coin symbolized the Voice of Healing Revival,
the first fruits of the coming healing revival. This sign
confirmed the mandate of the conference and encouraged us to
contend to open up the healing well.
 BRINGING THE ANGEL
One day, a man who was a part of the Healing Rooms
ministries in Portland attended the conference. Right in the
middle of the service, he crouched alongside my chair and
whispered, “I brought the healing angel from Portland—from
John Lake’s healing rooms. He’s standing at the back of the
tent.”
To be honest, I thought the guy was nuts. But, I turned
around and there was the angel. I ran to the back of the tent
and fell out under the power. John Paul Jackson laid hands on
me and then I had an encounter with the angel. The presence
of the angel knocked me out of my body. Then it was as if my
spirit left my body and I was watching my body on the floor.
I walked around the tent in the spirit, knowing what
infirmities people had. Then I began to wonder, “How am I
going to get back in my body?” Eventually, I decided I would
just go and lay on myself. Prophetic experiences involve
choices in the mind, so I had to purpose to enter in. I didn’t
know how to tell people what had happened—I thought they’d
think I was nuts.
When I arose from the floor, I didn’t realize that I was being
taken up a notch in the spirit. I just thought, Wow, what a
great service tonight. I had an encounter with an angel! I
then received more accurate words of knowledge and
discovered that I had received a gift of healing and of
discernment. Today, there are times when I feel the angel’s
presence on my left side. When I touch someone with my left
hand, I’ve been able to discern whether his or her sickness was
a demon, disease, or a natural infirmity and what part of the
body the sickness affected.

BOY COMES OUT OF A COMA

Right after that angelic visitation, I had an extraordinary
experience that led to a powerful healing. The next night, while
praying, I went into a trance and a woman visited me. She
shook me violently and said three times, “The headlines report,
‘BOY COMES OUT OF COMA.’” Then she ran from the room.
I asked the Lord, “What do you want me to do with this?”
The Lord said, “There will be a man instructed to come tonight
to take an anointing back to a boy who is in a coma in another
city.”
When I gave the word of knowledge I said, “There is a man
here who was instructed to come tonight to take an anointing
back to a boy who is in a coma?” Sure enough, a man ran down
the aisle exclaiming, “You’re not going to believe this, but I
was just at the hospital with a woman whose son was in a
coma, and she asked me to come tonight to stand in the gap—
to receive an anointing for that boy’s healing!”
Later I heard the report that the boy was healed and rose
from his hospital bed! The local newspaper even ran a
headline, the same one I saw in my vision.

ALBANY, OREGON—JANUARY 2001

Three weeks after the Grant’s Pass angelic visitation, I
returned to the Vineyard Church in Albany, Oregon for the
fourth time. This would be the beginning of an extended revival
of healing there. For months, the church had been preparing for
an open heaven through servant evangelism: giving out free
gas vouchers and Colas, handing hot dogs to the
skateboarders, and washing cars in the community. They did
all of these things just to show the love of God to their
community. I believe those acts really opened up the heavens
because faith releases wonders and manifestations of God’s
power. Scripture tells us that faith works through love (Gal.
5:6). Blessing the city with loving acts, I believe, opened the
heavens and invited God to give us an unprecedented miracle
outpouring.
There was such a level of anointing for healing that we
extended the meetings for weeks. People attended from
Canada, Europe, Asia, and other countries, and representation
from at least 25 states. Hundreds of pastors arrived, and night
after night we packed out the church. In fact, some people lined
up for hours before a meeting just to gain access to the
sanctuary. A few people were healed in the parking lot!
There were profound demonstrations of miracles and
healings each night—cancers, deafness, polio, various pains,
and emotional maladies were healed. There were over 250
salvations, many rededications, and water baptisms. Here are
some reports:

Report by Steve Shultz, Publisher, The Elijah List

Todd’s back in Albany, Oregon and as usual you never quite
know what will happen. The first of the series of 17 nightly
meetings began at the Albany Vineyard, Wednesday 1st-3rd.
As Todd began to preach he was so overcome by the Spirit he
was unable to speak. The presence of the Lord came into the
room powerfully; some began to laugh, while others reported,
“I’ve never felt such a presence of the fear of God. I wanted to
dive under my chair.”
After about 15 minutes of trying to get it together enough to
preach, Todd and the podium went to the floor together. While
he lay there, an angel of the Lord appeared to him with a large
bucket of oil and told him to lay hands on anyone who wanted
it. Still unable to speak, Todd wrote Pastor Denny a message
relaying what he’d seen. He wrote later, the muteness was a
prophetic sign, like Zechariah who was unable to speak before
the birth of John the Baptist. But the birthing at this time is a
new level of the supernatural.
The level of hunger at these meetings is wonderful, and nearly
all went forward that night to receive from the Lord. Here are a
few highlights of the meetings to give you an idea of what God
is up to.

Prayer Cloths, Miracles, and Other Testimonies…

Last August Todd anointed and prayed over prayer cloths for
healing, and people sent them out all over the country.
Debbie sent one to her step-dad in California who had colon
cancer. This week she received word there is no trace of cancer
in his body. Her brother, who had cancer in his prostate and
urinary tract as well as in his bones, also received a prayer
cloth. He has been given a report from his doctor this week that
he, too, is cancer-free.
Twenty-five-year-old Adrianne had been an addict for ten
years. She testified Friday night: “There hasn’t been a day
where I haven’t craved drugs. I’ve been in and out of jail and
prison for seven years. Pastor Denny prayed for me on
Wednesday night; I haven’t had any craving since. I have
been clean and with the Lord for 104 days, but I still had
cravings everyday until this past Wednesday. Thank you
Jesus!
Phil, a young man with an incurable condition (and an
unpronounceable name), came for prayer. There was chronic
pain in his knees for three years due to the disease. Todd laid
hands on him and immediately the pain left, mobility returned,
and he was able to run for the first time in two years.
Mary hit her nose in August resulting in continual headaches,
and impaired sense of smell. Her neck, back, and shoulders hurt
all of the time. When she received prayer, she felt her nose
reposition, her sinuses drain, and her sense of smell return.
Also, she felt her back and hips reposition and the headache
leave.
Stephanie responded to an altar call for lung conditions. As
Todd laid hands on her, God showed him she had asthma and a
lung infection, confirming her doctor’s diagnoses made just
that morning. After prayer, her breathing was totally free. She
also was suffering with chronic back pain from three previous
surgeries. The Lord removed the pain. She is now able to touch
her toes and bend from side to side.
Spontaneous Healings Occur Throughout the Congregation
Todd had a word of knowledge about stomach problems.
Delores, had stomach problems, felt “activity” in her stomach
and then the pain left. Two weeks earlier she had injured
herself falling on a cement floor and had been using a walker.
The Lord touched that too, and she now walks without
assistance.
As the Lord has declared His intention to increase the level of
the supernatural we look forward, with great eagerness, for
what’s to come over these next 14 nights. WARNING! IF YOU
SIMPLY WANT TO STAY SAFE AND COMFORTABLE KEEP
AWAY FROM THESE MEETINGS!
Todd has been sent here to stir up the church to do the work of
the ministry. These meetings are not just for watching—they
are for equipping and activating, as well as healing and
restoring. With the release of the new level of the supernatural,
great blessing is coming to the church. But God is also
bringing a release to go out. Psalm 110:3 declares: “Your people
shall be volunteers in the day of Your power.”

Oregon Healing Meetings Become Healing

Revival —Horse-Feeding Trough
Turned Into a Baptismal
This Thursday thru Saturday, Jan. 25th-27th, 2001, healing
meetings continue, led by the healing ministry of Bob Brasset
from Victoria, B.C. Todd Bentley returns February 1 for more
healing, signs, and wonders meetings.
How fitting that—just as the Savior of the world was laid at His
birth in a cattle’s feeding trough, a manger—the newest births
into the Kingdom of God in Albany, Oregon are being laid in a
horse feeding trough, dipped beneath the water in baptism and
then raised to walk into their new life.
So many baptisms have begun happening at the Albany
Healing Revival, on the spur of the moment, that a large horse
watering trough has now been set up and remains in place, at
the ready—as many are being healed, saved, and baptized—all
in one night.

Is it a Salvation Revival—or is it a Healing Revival?

That answer to that question seems to be, “Yes, it is!” On
Friday evening, a call was made for anyone who came prepared
to be baptized. Only one came forward, but before he was
baptized, more came forward and soon there were
approximately 15 who came to be baptized, wearing only what
they had on.
Later, while a group of teens (and there has been an amazing
salvation move among the teens) was praying for a man in a
wheelchair to be healed, suddenly a “SHRIEK!” came from the
opposite side of the room. A young man had just gotten saved
and the “crowd” attending to him shouted with delight as he
wa s immediately baptized in the trough—still wearing his
previously-dry set of clothes—as the work of salvation in his
life was made public!

Transferable Anointing—of Both Healing and Salvations

Already, at least three or four groups are reporting revival and
healing outbreaks in their own spheres immediately upon
returning home from Albany. In the last 17 weeks, some 25
states have been represented, as those eager to receive a
healing touch have traveled to this small, previously
“unknown” town of Albany. Just as was hoped by those who
prayed this anointing in, the anointing is transferable to other
homes, churches, and home groups. One young man has taken
to the streets and is seeing dramatic healing results in Gresham,
Oregon.
Another group of teens have taken the anointing to their on-
the-street ministry. But it’s not just teens. One pastor is
suddenly seeing revival break out in his church. He came for
healing. He is now getting revival in his church.

The Origins of the Healing Revival

This healing movement—apparently launched when 25-year-
old Todd Bentley came to Albany, Oregon from Canada (at the
invitation of Pastor Denny Cline who was introduced to Todd
by Patricia King, also from Canada)—now continues even
when Todd is not present. There is what is being called a
“corporate anointing,” according to Pastor Denny Cline. The
anointing remains and other healing ministries are preparing to
come and impart even more healing. Randy Clark is slated to
come in May and other ministries are being scheduled.

Prophecy by Bobby Conner

The attention now being given to Albany—was first
prophesied when Bobby Conner visited Vineyard Christian
Fellowship of Albany, Oregon back in late 2000. Bobby
prophesied that the Lord was going to put Albany on the “M-
A-P,” Which Bobby said stood for, “The Master’s Awesome
Power.”1
So many healings were breaking out that, at the end of
December, Todd Bentley decided to clear his schedule in
January and hold healing meetings for 17 days straight. As
each night progressed, the anointing seemed to build on the
nights before.

THE ALBANY HEALING REVIVAL CONTINUES

Report by Pastor Denny Cline
There have now been 91 first-time decisions to receive Christ
as Lord and Savior, 50 recommitments with approximately 60
baptisms over the 18 nights including the last night after Todd
left. We have already had people visit from over 25 states and
six countries. Nearly a hundred pastors visited from all over the
Northwest and around North America.
Every time we meet in consecutive meetings the power seems
to increase as do the healings and miracles. These meetings are
different than other renewal meetings. There is something fresh
being imparted in healing, signs, and wonders—as well as a
tremendous deposit of fresh revelation that is coming from
Todd Bentley’s ministry.
We have contended as a congregation for the ministry of Jesus
for five and one-half years and have been on the brink of a
revival-type outpouring at least four other times since our
beginnings. But this is unique in the hunger that is being
created in people as well as the fruit that is being produced.
Not everyone is healed and not everyone is attracted to this
type of atmosphere. There is a blend of the “fear of the Lord”
mixed with the joy of the Lord and the meetings go very long,
sometimes for five hours. But our fellowship is committed to
loving and caring for all who come, as best we can, with our
present facility and core group’s involvement.
The worship leader brought different worship groups from
around the city to make it a corporate thing. They enlisted
intercessors from all over so it would be a Body of Christ move,
not just a Vineyard move. We invited in other healing
ministries so it was not a one-man show. It’s more than a man
having a gift. It’s because of Jesus.
Let’s believe that it can be transferable to a pastor or a prayer
cloth. Pastors have hands laid on them and miracles break out
when they go home. We mailed out over a thousand prayer
cloths and three cases of terminal cancer were healed. The
anointing is tangible and transferable. We want to see the
demonstration of the Spirit of God in power.
Every night people bring the lost and some get saved. People
were getting saved and then getting baptized immediately in
their street clothes. We hit the street with prophetic evangelism
and won backsliders to Christ. A 15-year-old prayed for
someone whose back got healed. The Body of Christ got
excited. Once you taste this you need more. The presence of
God was thick throughout the whole building.
Salvation and repentance, renewal, signs and wonders, they’re
all an expression of God’s “dunamis” power. The church will be
at least what we saw in the book of Acts and even more. The
glory of the latter house will be greater than the glory of the
former house. (See Haggai 2:9).
This move is very much about teams, not superstars. It’s about
being in the presence of God, holiness, consecration, and then
releasing it to the people. I call it a God-consciousness. We
need the Gospel again with signs and wonders.

THE ANGEL IN ALBANY

In February, I saw an angel twenty feet tall. The angel
stretched as high as the ceiling of the Albany auditorium. At
the time, I didn’t realize that the angel was the same one I’d
seen in Grant’s Pass. The Spirit gave me a sign that this angelic
visitation was real. A woman in the audience, Muffy Jo Howell,
(the daughter of Dale Howell, the pastor from Grant’s Pass)
also saw the angel. “Todd,” she whispered, “There’s a huge
angel in the pulpit.”
Muffy had been crippled with an infirmity in her hips from
birth. However, suddenly she screamed out, “The angel just
touched me,” and she was healed. I really knew God was up to
something.
The audible voice of the Holy Spirit, which accompanied
the angelic encounter, instructed me not to speak to the angel.
(In subsequent encounters, I also heard the audible inner voice
of the Holy Spirit.) The angel had a key, just as a mayor holds
the key to a city. The angel’s commission was to turn this key
over to pastors by imparting wisdom, authority, revelation, and
anointing so that they could take healing back to their
churches. The angel stayed in the pulpit and released a healing
anointing while I prayed for thirty pastors that night.

HEALING REVIVAL
I knew by the Spirit that the angel’s name was Healing
Revival. He was like the angel in John 5 that stirred the pool of
Bethesda. “For an angel went down at a certain time into the
pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first,
after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever
disease he had” (John 5:4).
This angel was a prophetic sign that God was going to
fulfill the vision that I’d had the year before about the coming
healing revival. I believe God sent the angel to Albany to
establish healing revival and regional breakthrough. This angel
is one of the many that I saw in the earlier vision of a stadium
in heaven waiting to be released to fulfill end-time purposes.
Albany is just one of many cities, and churches that will
experience a great healing outpouring.
It was revealed to me that this angel is not an archangel,
but ranks under them. He has authority to deal with powers but
not principalities in the demonic realms. A power is a territorial
spirit and it sets itself up over a city or region: “For we do not
wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers” (Eph 6:12). A principality has a mandate over
nations, just as the Prince of Persia written about in Daniel
10:13.
In Albany, I saw the angel open up a pool on the floor
about 30 feet by 30 feet. A portal opened in the heavens and a
shaft of light descended. I was under the power of the Spirit
and too “inebriated” to minister, so I called Denny to take over.
He gave an invitation for the sick to come. The Lord told me to
call the people up to be healed because the heavens were
open. So many people went forward to get in the pool and to
get ministry that the meeting went on for a few more hours as
joy was poured out and people lay scattered under the power,
all over the floor. As people drew near the pool, they fell down
like dominoes—without a touch from a single soul!
One woman was healed from various injuries, including a
fractured neck that caused other problems in her body.
Another person reported that over twenty years of pain was
healed, while a woman, whose breast cancer had spread to her
ribs (it was so sensitive no one could touch her) was also
healed. This was one of the most unusual and spiritually
intense atmospheres that I’d ever seen! Here’s more of Pastor
Denny Cline’s report about the meetings:

CONTINUATION OF ALBANY REPORT

by Pastor Denny Cline
I would not usually include a Sunday morning service in a
report, but there was such a carry over from the night before
that this day is noteworthy. At times, over the last few weeks
the spiritual battle for carrying on these meetings has been
intense. Many have been hit with minor sicknesses, even
Todd’s children and wife, and some who have been battling
serious illness for years took a turn for the worse. But in the
midst of it all, God seems to be increasing the intensity of His
presence and routing out the enemy. This morning the worship
leader called up the sick to receive healing during the worship
time. I sensed that some were still in their seats and were
feeling symptoms like nausea and breathing difficulty. This
was, to me, an indication that the enemy was on the run and
people were about to get delivered. That is exactly what
happened. Over the next half hour, many were set free in their
emotions and their physical bodies as they received prayer
from the ministry team.

MY MOTHER PASSES AWAY

In the midst of this dramatic move of God’s presence and
healing, my mom contracted pneumonia and died in February
2001. This was the last night of the Albany healing revival,
which had lasted almost two months.
This was a real test for me. Each day people were being
healed of stroke. Why not her? She had experienced a massive
stroke in November 1999. I prayed for her and within two
months she was walking and talking again. But she lived in an
apartment by herself, and she was depressed. She had a
second stroke and came out of the coma to tell Shonnah that
she didn’t have the will to live. She was paralyzed on one side
and had deteriorated to a place of complete incapacity. I had to
decide whether to give in to confusion, discouragement, and
anger. Her death challenged what I preached but finally I
decided I was going to push through. At my next meeting I
announced, “I’m going to go after this a whole lot more,” and
then I made a decision to press in and keep praying.
My mother’s struggle with deafness was also like a
signpost for me to diligently ask God for healing for the deaf.
Consequently, one of the greatest anointings on our ministry
today is for deaf ears. I’ve ministered in services where every
deaf person begins to hear. In one crusade in India, we actually
witnessed 139 deaf mutes receive their hearing during the six
nights of meetings.

ENDNOTE
1. See
http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?
ID=55—released Sept 24, 2000.
 Chapter 16

SCOTLAND HERE I COME

While I was still out on the floor in Albany, the Lord said,
(as a confirmation to me that this was an angel of healing
revival,) that He was going to give me the name of three
revivals and the three revivalists that this angel had worked
with. This word from the Lord would be a sign to ensure I
would never doubt that He again is commissioning healing
angels to stir up pools of healing revival in churches, cities,
and regions.
The first revivalist that the angel worked with was John
Knox in Scotland. I said, “I’ve never heard of John Knox. Was
there even a guy named John Knox? Who is he?” I discovered
that he was considered the “Martin Luther” of Scotland—a
great Scottish Reformer and the founder of Presbyterianism
there. He overcame the religious spirit in the 1500s and birthed
protestant Christianity out of the Catholic Church.
The second revivalist the angel visited was William
Branham. The angel, who helped release healing revival
through Branham, visited him in 1946. Revival history records
that Branham’s international miracle ministry, and the great
American Healing Revival of 1947–1955, began with an angelic
visitation.
The angel told Branham: “If you will be sincere, and can get
the people to believe you, nothing shall stand before your
prayer, not even cancer.” The angel also told Branham, an
unknown preacher, that he would soon minister healing before
crowded arenas of thousands. Branham received discernment
of people’s illnesses, thoughts, deeds, and specific sins
requiring repentance.1 Gordon Lindsay wrote in his 1952
biography of Rev. Branham’s early life and ministry: “The story
of the life of William Branham is so out of this world and
beyond the ordinary that were there not available a host of
infallible proofs which document and attest its authenticity,
one might well be excused for considering it far-fetched and
incredible.”
The third person the angel worked with was John G. Lake
who ministered in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
He started the healing rooms, which became wells of revival in
Spokane and other parts of the northwest region of America.
 VISION OF JOHN KNOX’S GRAVE
Although I’d been to the places where John Lake and
William Branham’s healing ministries in the U.S. started; before
this word from the Lord, I had never heard of John Knox, had
never been to Scotland, and had never particularly wanted to
go. However, seven days later while in a church in Portland,
Oregon and, during worship, I was taken into a prophetic
vision to Edinburgh, Scotland. I saw a castle and a moat. The
Lord met me and we walked two-hundred yards from the castle
to the grave of John Knox. On the left hand side were three
rocky outcroppings and beautiful rolling hills. I saw three
specific sites: his grave and memorial, the castle, and the rolling
hills of Edinburgh.
Two days later I received an email from a prophetess,
Catherine Brown, who lived in Scotland. “Hey Todd,” it said,
“Are you coming to Scotland?”
I thought, I guess I am now! I replied, “How about April?”
Then the Lord said, “This is a sign to you that I am fulfilling
the vision of the coming healing revival—about the 100 healing
pools of Bethesda.” He told me that the anointing would be
transferable and tangible. “I want you to take it all over the
world… every place you go, I’m going to open up and increase
in miracles, signs, and wonders! It’s not going to be just about
what I do with you, it will be about transferring and releasing
people into the ministry of healing.”
That night in Albany, the Lord asked me where I’d seen the
angel before. I replied, “God I’ve never seen him before.”
 “No, Todd, think about it.”
“I don’t remember the angel.”
“In your apartment three-and–a-half years ago—remember
that angelic visitation just a few weeks before I called you into
the ministry? It was the same angel that you saw in Grant’s
Pass and Albany. That day in your apartment was when I
commissioned you to take healing revival to the world. That’s
why I’ve done with you what I have so quickly; it’s because of
the angel that goes before you. This is your angel, the angel
from John 5 (at the pool of Bethesda). Everywhere you go the
angel goes. I want you to be a part of taking healing revival to
the nations. I don’t want you to have just a gift of healing. I
want you to be a part of what has been prophesied, in breaking
through and seeing the fulfillment of healing revival. I’m going
to have over 100 healing centers. Albany is one of those pools.
As a confirmation, I took you to Scotland in a trance. Now I
want you to get on an airplane and go find the grave of John
Knox. Go to the sites that I showed you.”
I toured five cities in Scotland and ended in Edinburgh the
last night of my ministry trip. I told the pastor that I wanted to
go to John Knox’s grave and then recounted the story about
the angel, describing the castle, moat, crag, the hills and the
grave. When we arrived at the castle, it was exactly as
portrayed in my vision! We walked into St. Giles church and I
even led the pastor right to the location of the plaque and the
memorial, without ever having been there in the natural before.
Immediately, I had a strong visitation of the Lord and fell under
the power of God for four hours. On a subsequent trip to
Scotland, I saw a huge increase in signs and wonders!

CONFIRMING ANGEL SIGHTINGS

Ever since my angelic experience in Albany, people I don’t
know, including children, and even warlocks, approach me in
different services and describe the angel. Countless times
people tell me, “Todd there’s an angel that follows you, and I
believe it is the mantle and anointing that was with William
Branham.”
Sometimes the angel visits in strength and authority,
pushing back the demonic realm. When his presence is
manifest in meetings (it has manifested at least 25 times over
two years), there’s a definite increase in accuracy of the word
of knowledge.
Before you get into unbelief about my angel and say,
“There’s too much emphasis on this angel stuff,” you need to
understand that the angels are the ones who do the work of the
ministry. I want to emphasize that our meetings are all about
Jesus and His ministry and love for people. However, angels
are real and they are sent on behalf of the saints to minister to
people.
For example, angels ministered to Jesus when He emerged
from the wilderness, “Then the devil left Him, and behold,
angels came and ministered to Him” (Matthew 4:11). And all
believers, including you, have an angel. “For He shall give His
angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their
hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a
stone” (Psalm 91:11). In addition, Scripture tells us that the
“angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him…”
(Psalm 34:7).
I believe in angelic ministry and angels who have different
purposes and tasks. Angels are involved with so much of what
goes on in the heavenly realm. I want to make it clear though,
that Jesus is the one who does the healings, not the angel. The
angels simply open up heaven and push back the warfare.
They bind the devils of infirmity, they are aids of salvation, and
messengers, but the source of the healing is the Lord.

THE RESURRECTION ANGELS

Some time after the Scotland trip, in January 2002, I was in
Kelowna, British Columbia, at a conference. Bob Jones called
me up to the platform. “Son, I have a word for you. In 1975 I
had a life and death experience. I haemorrhaged and died and
was taken to heaven but couldn’t enter. The Lord said He was
sending me back to prepare the church for a harvest of a billion
souls. When I returned to my body there were two angels
speaking to each other. These were the resurrection angels
speaking about the harvest and about me. Ever since that time
these two angels have accompanied me and I have been used
to raise the (spiritually) dead. The Lord has commissioned me
to release these angels to you.”
When Bob took my hands I trembled, shook, and fell to the
floor. I became light and weightless. The two angels lifted me
toward heaven. I was not permitted to go in but suddenly, in
this revelatory experience, I was on a brown horse in a harvest
field of grain that went on farther than my eyes could see. Then
I appeared before the stone that had been rolled away. I saw
two angels sitting on the rock and they said to Mary, “The one
you are seeking is not here.” I felt the presence of Jesus who
had risen from the dead. Then I knew I had received a true
impartation of the Spirit that brings life from the dead, and
these two angels were part of it. I also knew that God would
release power to me to raise the dead, those dead in spirit, and
even those dead in body. Bob said, “From this day forward,
these angels will be a part of your ministry.”

ENDNOTE
1. G. Lindsay, ‘William Branham—A man sent from
God’, pg. 9
 Chapter 17

HEALING REVIVAL IN THE NATIONS

As of 2003, I’d already traveled to 30 countries throughout

the world, in Asia, Europe, Africa, North and South America.
We’ve seen over 100,000 people saved over a span of five
crusades. It’s not unusual to preach to over 70,000 people in a
single service in some countries, and as I’ve shared, even be
favored with crusades that a radio broadcast.
The Lord has graciously brought me so far from those early
days ministering to the youth in a church basement, or
preaching to 50 or a hundred people. And I never did make it to
that Bible school that my church had generously offered to
send me to (ha-ha).
Our international headquarters are in Canada, and we have
offices in the United States and Africa. God has continued to
give us tremendous favor over the years. I’ve preached the
Gospel with signs and wonders. The blind see, the deaf hear
and the lame walk. Now our ministry emphasis has expanded to
include humanitarian aid for the poor, mass feedings, building
orphanages, and sending containers of food into war-torn
areas.
We’ve journeyed into the miraculous globally and have
seen the amazing faithfulness, power, and love of an awesome,
supernatural God! As you read the following chapters, open
your heart to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to impart to you
faith and the tangible, transferable healing anointing!

MASAKA, UGANDA—APRIL 2001

Upon arrival in Entebbe,Uganda, we could feel the presence
of the Lord. From the moment we touched down God poured
out His anointing upon us. We were met on the tarmac by the
pastors and then ushered into the VIP room where we cleared
customs. Only the President and his cabinet members had ever
used this room. The pastors had asked the government for
special permission and received it. They had also asked for
electricity at the crusade site for a good price and they were
told we could have it for free. God is good!
Once we cleared customs we were taken into the restaurant
where they had set up for a press conference. Various
newspaper reporters and photographers waited for an
interview. The pastors, 100 of them working in unity, had done
the groundwork, placing thousands of posters throughout the
city. I saw one large banner across the street, and I am sure
there were more. Thousands of leaflets were passed out, and
many press releases sent to newspapers and radio stations.
They rented buses to bring in a thousand delegates from other
cities, and also arranged meals and organized a Jesus march
through the city of Masaka to announce the crusade. The
crusade was to be held on the grounds of a golf course about
seventy miles from Kampala. The pastors set up a large tent for
leadership meetings during the day; and to house the extremely
sick (and even the dead) in the evenings.
Shortly after our arrival, we noticed a newspaper headline
that revealed the spiritual powers at work in the region.
“LOCAL WITCHDOCTOR STONED TO DEATH,” the
headline announced. Apparently, the witchdoctor had run out
of body parts for his traditional spells and had summoned the
powers of darkness, placed a curse, and commanded a great
accident on the highway. Fourteen people were killed when
their van turned over, and then the witchdoctor gathered up
the bodies. People were so enraged, that they stoned him to
death, right on the street.
We realized that the enemy was at work but that the Lord
was too. We were about to see great destruction to the works
of the enemy in Uganda—Jesus style—through miracles,
healings, and salvations!
 First Evening Service
We had an initial crowd of 2,500, but it grew to almost 4,000.
After I shared my testimony, we had an altar call and the hands
shot up into the air. About 60 people gave their hearts to the
Lord. Next, I loosed the anointing for corporate healing upon
the crowd. The power of God fell and many were touched by
the Holy Spirit. The miracles began. We do not have a total
count on all who were healed but there were many.
People who were completely blind had their sight restored
and many deaf began to hear. A woman who had broken legs
was healed, and another woman’s uterus was put back into
place. One woman who had been in an accident suddenly
could lift her arm, and another person’s knee was restored!
Many who had tumors watched them disappear, and cripples
walked without the use of canes.
Many who were oppressed by the devil were also set free
—those tormented in their minds, demoniacs, and others who
thrashed wildly on the ground. One person was carried to the
platform; her demons were speaking, threatening to kill her.
When she received prayer they screamed, “We’re leaving!
We’re leaving!”
This was the first time that a crusade had ever been held in
Masaka, and the first time for many of the pastors to witness
the power and demonstration of the Spirit. So many healings
and so many miracles! Afterward we stopped in at a local radio
station and were interviewed in a live broadcast about the
crusade and the wonderful works of God. This was only our
first night, and we knew that greater things were ahead in the
next few days.

The Following Morning

When we arrived at the crusade grounds on Thursday
morning, April 5, a huge crowd of about a thousand people had
already assembled and waited in the tent. Anticipation and
excitement was high, as people arrived expecting to receive!
The crowd called upon the Lord, their voices intense. They’d
already been there for two hours, and the two national
television stations were also present, waiting to report on the
outcome.
Just before I rose to address the crowd, a man came
forward, and it was obvious he was under some kind of
demonic trance. Before he could do anything, the power of the
Holy Spirit seized him, and his body went stiff and he fell to the
ground. The enemy definitely was not happy or impressed by
our meetings!
After praying for the worship team, I prayed for the crowd
and to release miracles, rebuking spirits of pain, sickness, and
disease. A man with a paralyzed arm was healed, another who a
few moments previously could not bend his leg jumped up and
down, and even did squats! A woman’s vision was restored,
and asthma and paralysis were healed along with many other
diseases. Many people who manifested demons were
delivered.
Nine people gave their hearts to the Lord and then I shared
on the power of the Holy Spirit. I ended my message with a call
for those who wanted to know Him more. Hands went up all
over the tent. Everyone stood to their feet as I prayed for the
crowd and called upon the Holy Spirit. Approximately 200 came
forward and as they received prayer, they fell down under the
anointing.

Thursday Evening—Outdoor Crusade

The crowd was larger with an estimated attendance of
5,000. After sharing my message, I gave an altar call for
salvation. Many hands went up all over the crowd but only 45
came forward. The pastor later explained that the reason why
many don’t come forward and why the crowd continues to
grow after it gets dark is because many are either Muslim or
Catholic. They do not want to be seen by anyone.
There were many testimonies of healing that evening. We
witnessed many cases of tumors disappearing, demonized
people being set free, and the healing of blindness, deafness,
as well as back, knee, arm, and leg conditions.
A man who received Jesus as his Savior and had been deaf
for six months could hear. A little girl who was partially
paralyzed walked. When a woman was hit with the power of
God she vomited and was healed of a tumor that she had for
over 15 years. A bedridden girl who had been brought from the
hospital and carried to the crusade, who previously couldn’t
even stand, suddenly stood and walked off of the platform!
No wonder the Bible simply says, “He healed them all.”
Multitudes were healed at this crusade. We ministered to too
many to keep count. Finally, we prayed for more sick, and
another 13 people came forward and received Jesus as their
Savior.

Ministry to Children
We had the opportunity to minister to about 600 children at
Hope Nursery and Primary School the next morning, Friday. I
shared what the Lord had shown me while in Moravian Falls
concerning children, and how HE was going to use them
powerfully in revival and healing. A hundred and ten children
received the Lord that morning. I didn’t want them to miss our
crusades, either, and rented buses to bring them in.
Later, we ministered at a secular secondary school for
children ages eight to twenty. Over 800 students attended
Stella Marts School, and on the day we ministered hundreds
more assembled outside the building. After I shared my
testimony, 150 young people received Jesus.

Tent Meeting 11:30 A.M.

At 11:30 that morning, we headed back to the crusade
grounds, and the tent was already packed, the atmosphere
electrified. At least 1,500 people pressed together, and the
presence of the Lord was thick. I gave some words of
knowledge, and the people eagerly responded. The ushers
brought many who were manifesting demons to the front. We
saw healings of many kinds, kidneys, stomachs, backs, and the
lame. One lady who couldn’t swallow attended our crusade
instead of going to the hospital and was healed! Tumors
disappeared, asthma and arthritis were healed, a deaf and mute
girl was set free and could hear and speak, and seven more
gave their hearts to the Lord, although there were many more
who had raised their hands to receive Jesus.

Open-Air Crusade
On the third evening as my vehicle approached the
platform, I glimpsed a local witchdoctor in the audience. He
was dressed as a shaman, and had amulets and fetishes around
his neck. His hair was dirty and deadlocked and his robes were
torn and tattered. He carried a large wooden staff with bones
and other paraphernalia on the end. As I neared, he challenged
me, and called on the power of darkness, then he shook his
stick wildly in the air, and cast spells and incantations.
Holy anger rose in my spirit as I ascended the platform, and
I took authority over the power of witchcraft and commanded
in Jesus’ name, “You will not operate in witchcraft during this
campaign.” An angry cloud had already covered the grounds
and it began to rain. Enraged, he shook his rod again, then he
left. God had given us a tremendous breakthrough. The sun
appeared again, and we rejoiced.
All total, almost 7,000 attended the night’s crusade, and 90
gave their hearts and lives to God. After I shared a message on
covenant relationships, I called for the sick to come, but many
were being touched even as I spoke. Those who were healed
made their way forward to share their testimony. Tumors
disappeared—gone, dissolved! A doctor examined one woman
and told her that the tumor in her spine was no more! A person
who had lived with a swollen leg for four years was healed, and
two women, completely deaf could hear! Many with heart
conditions, pain, lung infections, and the demonized were set
free. The meeting closed early, though, because the authorities
were concerned for our safety and decided to take precautions
after Muslim dissidents made threats

Saturday Morning
My team and I visited a public school where I shared my
testimony with 250 young people; 48 souls came into the
Kingdom. Later, we drove back to the crusade grounds and the
tent, and people began to share their testimonies of the
healings of the night before. Someone who had tuberculosis
for six years shared his healing, and another shared about a
withered hand restored.
I called out many words of knowledge, and also gave a
salvation call and nine more went forward, including a woman
who manifested demons. She went into a trance, and when the
demon was cast out, she returned to her right mind. We saw
tumors, goiters, and lumps disappear!
After I shared a message on the anointing, 2,000 or more
people lined up to receive an impartation of the Holy Spirit! As
the ministry team anointed them, the power fell and many
collapsed, two, three, four at a time—there were “bodies”
everywhere overcome by the power and presence of the Lord!
After the tent ministry, we traveled to Kako Public School,
where over 800 students heard my testimony, with 42 giving
their hearts to God.
 Evening Crusade
For the evening crusade, 6,000 to 7,000 people had already
gathered to listen to the worship team. I was surprised to see
the witchdoctor on the platform with the pastors! I discovered
later that while he was in the trance the previous night and
communicating with his spirit demon guide, a “short, fat white
guy, with a beard” broke into his trance and preached the
Gospel to him! He gave his life to Jesus because he knew the
power was real. The pastors had already prayed with him and
he had laid down the power of witchcraft! Now he was saved,
and in his right mind! I laid my hands on him, and he fell out
under the power, trembling!
Then the heavens opened and it started to pour, in both the
natural and the spiritual. Hundreds fled in the pouring rain
while others stayed to receive their miracles from the Lord. A
lady who was paralyzed in her right leg, which was swollen to
twice its normal size, was healed and she walked. Two deaf
mutes began to hear and speak and several who were
possessed by demons were set free. Vision impairment, tumors,
stomach problems, and more were healed. Our next stop after
this crusade was Kampala, and Streams of Life Church.

Kampala
When we arrived in on Sunday evening, a large crowd had
already gathered outside in the parking area. The sound
system was set on high and the choir had commenced singing.
Several blind had their vision restored and five deaf people
began to hear. One woman, who was walking with crutches and
wearing a cast, threw aside her crutches and took off the cast.
Many breathing conditions, fevers and more were healed.
There were so many healed, that it seemed as though everyone
that we prayed for received their miracle from God. Another 60
surrendered their hearts to the Lord.
On Monday, we visited four schools, and had a great time;
830 accepted Jesus! At one school, the children pressed into
the team asking for blessings! Their hunger for a touch from
God overwhelmed us at times.
We returned to Streams of Life Church in the evening and
yet another 80 were saved. Once again, miracles happened. A
mute girl spoke for the first time, ever in her life. At first, her
words weren’t clear, but as she tried to speak and repeat words
we gave her, they became clearer. Her mother jumped for joy!
Another girl had sickle cell anemia and could not close her
hand. After prayer, she maneuvered her hand perfectly! A man
born blind, and with a white filmy substance over his eye,
experienced the joy of seeing as the white film dissolved!
Many were set free of demons, as well.
It was our last night in Uganda, and we thanked God that
we could be a part of what He was doing in the country and in
the continent of Africa. It was only the beginning though,
because later we visited South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana—for
we knew in our hearts that God definitely had a plan for our
ministry there. We are forever thankful to the Lord for the
faithfulness of our partners—those who have helped finance
our Africa ministry.

KENYA MIRACLE CRUSADE—AUGUST 1-7, 2001

Before I even left for Kenya in August 2001, the Lord
showed me someone I would pray for when I arrived. The
vision came as I was ministering and speaking in Kelowna, B.C.
The Lord took me to a Kenyan hospital where I prayed for a
crippled man. Afterward, I yelled out to my friend Rob, “Hey,
remind me that when we arrive in Kenya, we’re supposed to go
to the hospital to pray for a particular terminally ill guy to be
healed.”
Later, while in Kenya in August 2001,I visited that same
hospital, where the doctors and nurses accompanied me from
room to room as I prayed for the sick. I found the man the Lord
had shown me, and learned that he’d been bedridden for six
months, and was dying of AIDS. When I prayed, fire shot
through him and he jumped out of bed, and ran down the
hallway shouting, “I’m healed! I’m healed!” I turned to the
doctor and asked, “What do you think of this?” and he just
shrugged and said, “I guess we’ll send him home.”
Some people have a hard time believing how someone can
be sovereignly moved by the Holy Spirit to “another place.”
It’s biblical, though. The Lord can take a physical body to
another place, and it’s known as being “transported” This
happened to Phillip when he finished ministering to the
Ethiopian eunuch. “Now when they came up out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch
saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing,” (Acts
8:39).
This type of experience apparently happened a lot to Elijah
because, in First Kings 18:11-12, Obadiah tells Elijah, “And
now you say, ‘Go, tell your master, “Elijah is here.”’ And it
shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you that the
Spirit of the Lord will carry you to a place I do not know; so
when I go and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will kill
me.”
The other way to travel is to be translated, that’s where
your spirit goes on a trip, but your body stays home. Paul
refers to this in Second Corinthians 12:3-4, “And I know such a
man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know,
God knows—how he was caught up into Paradise and heard
inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”
Kenya was indeed a place of miracles and favor. When Rob
Galbraith and I arrived, the nation embraced us warmly.
National television commercials opened up the country for the
preaching of the Gospel.
The first night of a four-night crusade in Eldorate, about
four hours from Nairobi, was a huge success. Around 10,000
people gathered for an open-air crusade in the “64 Stadium.”
The city had never hosted an event on this level. Over 100
pastors worked together for the success of the crusade. After I
gave my testimony and preached about the power of God to
save, heal, and deliver, nearly 1,500 souls were saved. I prayed
a mass prayer of healing and deliverance and many were
delivered from demons.
 One lady who was carried to the platform, demonized and
mute, was delivered, within moments, of severe pains in her
body as well as of several demons. After the service, she ran
toward me, screaming with excitement, to tell me she’d been set
free from years of torment and sickness! Many people were
healed instantly by the power of God while standing in the
field! A man who could barely stand or walk because of a
dislocated knee for nearly a year and a half, felt the Lord heal
his leg, and then he jumped up and down on the platform. A
deaf girl, who couldn’t hear in one ear, heard through it for the
first time, and a man deaf for 11 years, could hear! Many were
healed instantly of what we would consider “minor” illnesses,
like ulcers, stomach conditions, migraines, and back problems,
easily treatable in North America, but not so in the third world.
The next day, we visited a sad area of the city where drug
addicts and alcoholics gather—young and old alike—a place
so dreadful, that children sniffed gas there just to get high. A
thousand souls gathered there for a time of spontaneous
worship and preaching. Over 200 souls responded to the call of
salvation. The power of God came upon us, and one young
fellow fell prostrate. This was the beginning of miracles!
Rob and I conducted a healing line in the park, and deaf
ears heard, a neck that could not move moved, a person who
could not see at a very far distance regained eyesight, a
paralyzed man could suddenly move the upper left side of his
body and arm, joints and muscles were healed, and various
other torments healed. Over 1700 souls were saved in those
two open-air market meetings too. Glory, glory, glory!
 Torrential Downpour Doesn’t Phase the Lost
During the second evening crusade, an African storm rolled
in bringing a torrential downpour. We believed the crusade
would be cancelled, but when the pastor arrived that evening
we were surprised to learn that nearly 11,000 people had
assembled and although many had left, still thousands stood
for hours in the rain to hear the Gospel. Another 200-250 souls
responded to the altar call for salvation, bringing the total in
two days to over 1,950 souls.
The miracles continued as before. Demonized people fell
out under the power and manifested violently in the crowd.
One young woman, so crippled with arthritis that she had to be
carried to us, walked after the casting out of a demon. God
healed a woman whose body was rotten with cancer. The fire
of God touched her, the cancer left, and her arm was restored.
We saw a dislocated hand come into alignment, and the fire of
God touched another cancerous malignancy. God even healed
a person instantly from the symptoms of typhoid fever!
After the crusade, we conducted a live national radio
program to over eight million listeners! While being
interviewed by two women, I laid hands on them, and they fell
out under the power, live! Someone had to take over for them!
After the broadcast, the station was inundated by callers
sharing their testimony of healing, and the next day, we heard
countless reports of salvation. The station manager granted us
a second live broadcast the very next day, because of God’s
power.
 The last two evenings the crowds swelled to almost 30,000,
and the crusade was broadcast live to over 8 million again.
Many, many shared their testimony of healing while listening
to the previous broadcast. A woman, Theresa, bedfast for three
months testified of the healing of her dislocated knee and
deliverance from drug addiction. The station’s phone lines
were plugged with callers phoning in with healing and
salvation testimonies.
The final night, 1,500 people committed themselves to
Jesus, and counselors worked for hours with new believers. In
fact, the pastor had to build more benches for the Sunday
service to accommodate all of the new believers. As I preached
the evening’s message, before I even finished, people were
being carried up to the platform, having fallen under the power,
and set free by the message end. The miracles that night were
amazing! An epileptic since birth delivered, a deaf and mute
man, after 28 years heard and spoke, and a three-year-old baby
boy born deaf and lame could suddenly stand for the first time,
as the Lord healed his twisted, inward feet. It overwhelmed us
to watch the little guy’s face as he heard for the first time. Even
an infant, little Stephen, born completely blind, received his
sight. Many, many blind were healed that night.
A woman reported that she was delivered from witchcraft,
and a demon-possessed woman shared that a flash of light
filled her soul as demons left her. I called four people to the
stage through a word of knowledge about their tumors, and
they dissolved! A girl, Lydia, received instant healing for her
broken arm. Paralyzed limbs moved, and 20 years of ulcer pain,
vanished.
In total during those final crusade evenings, 30,000 people
filled the stadium, and 2,000 souls saved. Reports were that
there had never before been a crusade of this magnitude in the
city’s history!

THE HEAVENLY VISION

ATLANTA, GEORGIA—2001
Still, our healing revivals continued. At a church meeting
while in Atlanta, I heard the Lord say, “Lay down on the pew,”
and so I did. I felt myself ascend out of the building, and then
propelled down a highway. I flew without a vehicle, passing
over bridges, underpasses, and signs. Then I was propelled
onto the North Chattanooga highway, and eventually alit
outside of a large prison in Atlanta.
I entered the building, walked the corridors, and stopped at
the cell of a 22-year-old man. I knew through a word of
knowledge that he was in prison for crimes he committed
before he was saved. It was a vivid experience, where I saw
every detail of this young man’s appearance, right down to his
glasses. I prophesied to him about God’s call on his life as an
evangelist, and the revival that was about to come to the
prison, and then, I was back in the church!
That evening as I ministered, I shared the experience and
asked if it meant anything to anyone. One woman jumped up
and said, “That’s my friend’s son. She rode with me to the
meeting tonight and received a phone call that there was an
emergency and she needed to return home.”
“Call that woman right now,” I instructed. She dialed the
number and gave me the cell phone—a thousand people
witnessed and overheard my conversation.
“Do you have a son in a prison in Atlanta?” I asked the
woman, after she’d answered. I could have described him in
more detail, but decided not to at that point.
“Yes,” she replied.
I discerned witchcraft, rebuked the curse of death, and
prayed. She cried out in praise to God for His loving attention
to her son in prison, and for unveiling the darkness in her
home. My call didn’t only affect her son, but her home life,
where that day, her 17-year-old son, a satanist, had attempted
to kill his father. My phone call diffused the crisis. The woman
drove right over to the meeting, to testify the word of
knowledge was true.

THE MIRACULOUS
ECUADOR & PERU—OCTOBER 1–7, 2001
We arrived in Ecuador for a three-day crusade, before
heading for Lima, Peru. We were to minister in a small sports
stadium with a capacity of around 6,000 people. The Pepsi Cola
Company wanted to sponsor the event, and asked me to visit
their offices and pray for the company.
Favor and miracles continued to abound. Reporters
clamored to interview me, since the city of Quevedo were
hosting the crusade. A reporter asked me twice, “What is that
energy I feel?” and I told him that it was the power of God, and
prayed for him right there on television! Afterward, we were
invited to do a radio program that would reach 60 percent of
the country, and comprising millions of listeners. The
interviewer received Christ when I prayed for the sick live. He
said it was as though Jesus had walked into his body. He felt
the fire of God! Then he testified to his listeners right there that
prior to the interview, he had not known Christ, but that now
he did! The station owners called in when they heard the
broadcast, and although they shared how sceptical they were
of God, they said that there definitely was a new, strong
presence and fire that transmitted through the radio and that it
greatly impacted them.
Within hours of being in the country and on the street
having a coffee, the team and I were able to pray for three
people to be healed and they were, and a man was saved. We
called it the “Sidewalk Cafe Healings.” One man fell under the
power on the street! We had plenty marketplace opportunities
to evangelize outside of the evening crusades, and in one
restaurant alone, eight employees were saved.
Some say Ecuador is the poorest country in South America.
Many in South America cannot afford wheelchairs, and they
don’t go to doctors. Although we were warned that it was
illegal to preach the Gospel and that we could be arrested,
jailed, or fined, we preached anyhow. The crowd began small,
but swelled to hundreds when miracles happened. One man
totally blind received sight. The deaf heard, and 90 percent of
the people we prayed for throughout were healed. Fifty more
were saved right in the street!
One of the crusade time highlights was our invitation to a
prison, where the worst criminals served their time. The moved
us into the main courtyard, with the prisoners, and locked the
door behind us! Armed guards with machine guns stood at the
ready atop the wall as we preached the Gospel. That day,
according to our count, 49 men gave their lives to the Lord and
we prayed for at least a hundred healings.
The harvest continued wherever we went, in the streets, in
hotel lobbies, in a taxi—wherever. We saw hundreds of souls
saved and healings in our evening crusades, and of course,
reached millions through the radio broadcast. The preaching of
the Gospel was confirmed daily with signs and wonders. One
little boy, mute his entire life, spoke for the first time. I had him
repeat the English words I gave him, instead of Spanish, and
my translator jokingly said that the reason the boy didn’t speak
all of those years, was because he wanted to learn English!
God did a creative miracle in the bones of a cripple, seven deaf
people heard in a single service, a woman blind for twenty
years saw, and at least 1500 sick people were prayed for in one
night. One of the most powerful testimonies was that of a taxi
driver, who turned to the pastor after dropping myself and a
team member off and said, “What is the energy coming off of
those men? I feel something in the car!” This man, backslidden
for years, returned to Jesus!

Lima, Peru
In Lima, Peru we hosted open-air meetings for up to 2,000
people. Some 150 people responded to receive Jesus at the
very first meeting, and every evening we saw up to 200 souls
saved. We also had a church meeting on Sunday, and another
80 raised their hands.
In these crusades, God came in unusual power. At the
moment of salvation, many were instantly healed and filled with
the Holy Ghost! Hundreds were filled with the Spirit without a
hand laid on them. Fire fell on hundreds of people, causing
them to weep, shake, cry, fall under the power, and speak in
tongues.
Healing testimonies poured in every day. We verified one
testimony of a woman, completely deaf and mute, hearing and
speaking for the first time. So, we asked if anyone knew of the
woman, and her neighbor came forward and reported that she’d
always been deaf. This miracle and 75 percent of all miracles
happened en masse: A seven-year old boy with a large hernia
from birth, a woman who could hardly walk and with infection
from two surgeries, more then eight tumors, including one on a
woman’s face that completely disappeared. In total, the Lord
healed more than 50 deaf people and 40 tumors dissolved!
On the final day of meetings in Peru, we decided the ruling
religious spirit and witchcraft needed to be broken, so we had a
“no-holds-barred” service. After prayer, hundreds of youth
were laid out under the power, including children weeping,
shaking, and crying out to God. Almost 500 were baptized in
the Holy Ghost at one time, breaking into tongues, with at least
a thousand over the four days.
 In much of Peru, and almost all of Ecuador, the people have
no experience with the river of God, renewal, or revival. Most
don’t speak in tongues and have never seen manifestations of
the Spirit.
On the final evening, my team and I got hammered in the
Spirit, and staggered around “drunk” on the platform! The
pastors, worship team, and hundreds of others in the crowd,
who I taught to drink by faith, got “plastered” too. The crusade
was so successful in these countries, that we were asked to
return to Lima the following spring, to hold a large crusade in a
stadium that holds up to 45,000 people!

BRANDON, MANITOBA—OCTOBER 10-14, 2001

After our return to North America, I traveled to Manitoba to
minister. Here’s a report by someone who attended our
conference:
It was such a joy to have you ministering at the International
Healing Conference October 10th-14th. We certainly enjoyed
having Ivan Roman with us too. It was an incredible time in the
Presence of the Lord. When you spoke on the deaf and dumb
spirit nearly 100 people stood to testify of restored hearing,
including me (Ramona). I had 25 percent permanent hearing
loss and God healed it! He also healed my directional dyslexia
after 59 years!
Andie Meyer, the young woman whose totally blind eye was
healed, continues to astound her doctors. Her eye was shot
out seven years ago and she underwent surgery, and was
given a cadaver cornea to try to save the eye. The surgery
failed and the sight in her eye was 20/400, totally blind. When
she went through the ‘tunnel of fire’ on Friday night, her sight
was restored! Her Jewish doctor examined her the next day and
wrote a note to Andie’s father letting him know of the
unexplained change. From 20/400 to 20/25! Not knowing what
to do, he sent her to the University. Doctors there examined her
thoroughly. It seems that she has a brand new eye, praise God!
According to the doctor’s report, they can find no sign of the
injury or surgery!
Also, a woman at the healing Roundtable received a transfer of
anointing (Yes, all saints can do this!) As a nurse, she was so
concerned about all of the people she saw dying around her,
she decided to do something about it. She went to work after
the conference; when a baby was stillborn, and the doctors
could not resuscitate the infant after about 45 minutes of trying
everything from the paddles, to injections, and bagging, they
handed it off to the nurse to prepare the baby for the morgue.
She took the child aside and, as compassion welled up in her,
laid hands on it and, in the name of Jesus Christ, commanded a
spirit of life to come in. The child was raised to Life! God is so
good!! This was not one of the traveling evangelists with a
healing ministry, but a nurse who had faith imparted to her at
the conference.1

TREMENDOUS MIRACLES AND HEALINGS

ONTARIO, CANADA—NOVEMBER 14, 2001
I’d been praying for my father and his salvation for a long
time, and even offered him a job in my ministry, editing tapes
and videos, so that he would have to hear and watch the power
of God at work. It would also expose him regularly to the
anointing! I claimed the promise in Malachi 4:6, that God would
turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. I kept asking the
Holy Spirit, “How can I reach him,” and I finally did.
I asked Dad to join me on the road, to a meeting in Ontario.
He accepted, and looked forward to going back to his “home”
province, to where he and my mom had first met.
For several nights, he heard testimonies of God’s power, he
heard and saw healings. I pulled him into the anointing, so to
speak, and taught him how to “catch,” people as they fell out
under the power. There was a woman there who I laid hands
on, who manifested a demon, and writhed on the floor like a
snake. I’ll never forget the look of horror on my dad’s face, as
though he were experiencing something right out of the
Exorcist movie. Even though I had no doubt that this power
encounter would be hard for my father to deny, I was still
surprised when I gave the altar call, that my dad raised his
hand and came forward for salvation.
I wept inside, and felt a little awkward. Is this really
happening, I thought. What’s our relationship going to be
like? What will happen tomorrow?
I was afraid, and excited. To be honest, this was the first
real emotional experience my father and I had ever shared. As
we prayed the sinner’s prayer, I wept, my lips quivered as I lay
hands on him and he fell under the power. I knew in my heart
that this was the beginning of a powerful work of healing.

MEETINGS IN ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO

Ray Young, pastor of The Father’s House, in St.
Catharines, Ontario, said that our days there were best
described as miracle days. People with every kind of sickness
and infirmities were healed every night. A man with a severely
damaged heart (it operated only one-third of its capacity), was
healed, and a girl born completely blind in her right eye, could
see through it after prayer. Many people were healed of ear
conditions and degrees of deafness, and a young woman
received a tremendous deliverance after years of struggling—
the transformation was immediate.
A pastor from Quebec reported excitedly to Pastor Ray that
after the meetings, God moved powerfully in healing and
outpouring in his own church. Ray, too, reported that he saw
an increased outpouring in his own church, and that a mother
and daughter with stomach afflictions were set free—able to
eat anything without ill effect. Words of knowledge and
healing flowed, people healed in their arms, legs, backs, knees,
bladders, and in all manner of illness.
“We witnessed major emotional healings of people who
suffered trauma and abuse,” said Ray. I had preached on the
different levels of anointing, faith, and the sovereignty of God.

TRAVELING CANADA
Toward the last part of 2001, we traveled to Alberta,
Manitoba, Ontario, and clear across the rest of the nation to
Newfoundland. At a healing conference at the Toronto Airport
Christian Fellowship (TACF), there were at least 300 and as
many as 500 healings. In one day alone, 70 people shared
healing testimony, most of them creative healings: a severed
retina reattached and vision restored, partial paralysis to full
mobility, a woman with Bell’s palsy healed as the Holy Spirit
created new nerves. God also healed some 12 cases of severed
or detached nerves. There were also many vision impairment
healings; cataracts healed, and people putting away their
prescription glasses. One man, deaf for five years, received
healing in his right ear as he drove home from one of our
meetings in New Market. We saw many more healings in
Ontario, from multiple sclerosis to ear tumors. God did a
creative miracle in a man from Manitoba with internal injuries
that had damaged his stomach and digestive system. He
responded to a word of knowledge, and for the first time in 14
years, ate a piece of his wife’s apple pie, yummy!

ENDNOTE
1. Ramona—Brandon, Manitoba.
 Chapter 18

HEALING AND MIRACLE HARVESTS

BATTLING FOR MIRACLES NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA

—JANUARY 2002
Our Newfoundland meetings got off to a slow start. It was
my first meeting ever in that part of eastern Canada, and the
words I preached simply seemed to bounce off the walls. I
didn’t sense a strong anointing for healing, let alone faith that
something would happen. The meetings were a lot smaller than
I anticipated, too.
My mother’s family is from Newfoundland, and several of
my uncles and other extended family members attended. Since
they were from a Salvation Army background, I was concerned
that if any manifestations happened, they’d be scared off. But
God showed Himself strong, and as difficult as it was to
minister, we saw several breakthroughs.
Every evening, we pressed in for detailed words of
knowledge. (I believe that the prophetic ministry and revelation
are important to break religious strongholds.). In Springdale, a
community of only 3,500, the church exploded on the Sunday
morning after I received an angelic visitation in the pastor’s
office, from the “Harvest” angel. I released a prophetic word for
the church and prophesied most of the morning to the rest of
the congregation.
Then it happened—one young man was taken into a vision
of Jesus and people ran around the sanctuary as though they
were in a marathon! Some prophesied, others experienced
drunkenness in the Holy Spirit, and one elder, who was pinned
to the floor for over two hours, received a creative miracle. The
doctors had planned to surgically repair the crushed bone and
cartilage that completely blocked his nostrils. He felt an intense
burning sensation through his sinus cavity, and he was healed.
A man who used pain medication every day for two years
testified that his hips and sciatic condition were healed.
That Sunday evening, right in the pulpit, I was overcome
with the drunkenness of the Spirit and laughter. So, it was right
to start and lead a fire tunnel that laid out 90 percent of the
people in attendance—yes, Lord!
 We also ministered in neighboring towns and saw the
power of God at work. A woman responded to a word
concerning damage to the rotator cuff in her right shoulder.
God not only healed her so that she could use her arm, and
move as she use to, but He also exposed the injury and the
hurts associated with it.
An elder’s wife received a word of knowledge and prayer
for back and neck pain, and for days afterward felt a “heat
glow” around her head, and is now pain and pain medication
free. At one location, miracles happened even between
meetings! While four friends were having tea, the Spirit
manifested, and an egg-sized lump disappeared from one
woman’s calf muscle, as well as a small lump from her thigh.
Another there had her shoulder and arm muscles healed, and
they witnessed gold dust!

FIGHTING DARK POWERS

REINOSA, MEXICO—FEBRUARY 2002
The first of two nights in Reinosa, Mexico were difficult,
however, God gave us several key miracles and over 100
salvations. That evening in my hotel, I felt spiritual backlash.
We discovered that the local witchdoctors covenanted
together to release the power of witchcraft against the
meetings.
At 2:30 A.M. I saw the form of a woman and I felt her
presence at the foot of my bed. She had “astral projected” to
my room. I knew the power of witchcraft was being released
against us, and I took authority in the Spirit over its power.
“Every curse, spell, and sorcery: you will not prevail against me
and this campaign. Greater is He that is in me than he that is in
the world. I will go forth in His power and prevail.”

Breaking the Power of Witchcraft

The Holy Spirit spoke to me and told me about these
witches who had gathered. The next evening at the crusade I
said, “A witch came to my hotel room last night to challenge
the power of God. I know there are many witches and warlocks
in this meeting. I’m going to confront you and the power of
witchcraft now.”
I took authority over the atmosphere and climate of the
room in Jesus’ name. I broke and rebuked its power and
commanded every devil associated with witchcraft to let go.
Individuals were thrown two rows back. Twenty-eight
people writhed like snakes on the floor. The team carried these
manifesting people to the altar. One woman, with blood in her
mouth, screamed and shrieked! Another young woman, now
set free, looked to her left and saw a grotesque demon step out
of a local witch. She fainted. When she regained
consciousness, she said she wanted to know Jesus.
God gave us an open heaven and miracles happened. The
local town cripple, paralyzed from the waist down for 11 years,
and bedridden for two, arrived in her wheelchair. Such was the
intensity of her chronic pain, that she couldn’t even hug her
children. The Lord healed her and she pushed her wheelchair
herself, out of the meeting! That day, we indeed experienced an
open heaven of miracles—over 200 were saved!
 THE MIRACULOUS IN
CALCUTTA, INDIA—MARCH, 2002
I traveled to Calcutta with our team member Ivan, my father
Dave, and our associate Jeff Vosgien. We didn’t take a full
team this time because of the danger. India is unlike any place I
had preached the Gospel. We ministered in a village just
outside of the main city of over 15 million people. The Indian
government opposes Christianity, so we had to come into the
country for the purpose of visiting our friend Dr. “X.” We
could not, therefore, hold public meetings, large or small, as we
could do elsewhere. The Hindus actually held a festival to
oppose our coming.
We heard Hindu chants and prayers play day and night
over the loudspeakers throughout the village. Idols were
everywhere, especially along the roadsides; spiritual
oppression was great. But we held on to God’s word in Isaiah
60:2 which says that when “darkness shall cover the earth, and
deep darkness the people… the Lord will arise over you, and
His glory will be seen upon you.”
The Christians and missionaries who were there for the
healing impartation faced beatings and sometimes even daily
threats on their lives. Only a few years ago, foreign
missionaries were burned. Many new converts are chased
down and threatened, made to deny Christ, or are persecuted in
other ways. In addition, the common deception that Jesus is
just one of many gods, makes it difficult to have large meetings
and harvest here. However, we will have victory.
 We stayed on a large compound patrolled by armed
security. People were hungry for the power of God. Some of the
pastors and evangelists attending the conference traveled five
days from Nepal and the Himalayan mountains; some even
walked three days to catch a bus for a two-day ride just to be
there. In the first morning session, 145-150 responded to the
altar call after I made it clear that they would need to forsake all
other gods, religions, and idols. Most of the converts were
children (aged 5-15), school teachers, and a few villagers.

The Miracles Begin

One pastor’s wife was healed of a tumor on her left side
when a word of knowledge was given. A man and a woman,
who were new converts, were both healed of deafness. This
man’s wife, who wore a brace around her back and hips and
could barely stand from the constant pain, was healed as well.
One man with tuberculosis was blind in his right eye. He gave
his life to Christ and God opened his vision more. There were
many other healings as well.

Harvest
After three days in India, we began to overcome the
resistance to the meetings, and the number of salvations
reached 706. The new converts were followed up on and
discipled by the team in India and Bibles were distributed.
Most of the converts were Hindu and Muslim, and daily faced
intense persecution for their newfound commitment to Christ.
As I preached the Gospel nightly, we told them that a
commitment to Christ meant the forsaking of all other gods and
idols. Many began removing idols and making steps to be
delivered. One young woman, after receiving her eyesight,
ripped off the bandage on her wrists—a fetish that carried a
curse, even though it was supposed to protect her husband.

More Miracles—Deaf and Mute

Hundreds pressed in nightly to be healed and many fell
under the power, including hundreds of young children; it was
precious to see them receive. The miracles were straight out of
the Bible and created a stir throughout the village. The first
miracle happened to a local man, widely known in his village as
a deaf-mute—he heard and spoke. The second healing was a
Muslim woman, also deaf and mute. She was only 16 years old
and already married. God healed her and she wept with tears of
joy on the platform. Then three deaf mutes, all siblings, began
to receive their healing and speak. A woman paralyzed on one
leg for over eight years, testified of her healing and the healing
of another sickness. An evangelist’s wife from Nepal gave a
testimony of a tumor of four years dissolved at the very
moment I spoke the word of knowledge. Then she had a
visitation from the Lord in which He told her she was also
being healed of other infirmities.
Miracles abounded and after the third service, at least 400
entered into the Kingdom—a total of 700 in three days. Thank
You Jesus!

The Team
 God used my team members Jeff, Ivan, and Dave mightily.
He also used my dad to open deaf ears, even though and
ironically so, he had trained in sign language several years
previously. When a demon growled at him, my dad roared
back, “Every devil GO!” and the man was set free! Ivan prayed
for a young woman who was in constant pain, and she
received a partial healing. The Lord instructed Ivan to ask her
what it would take for her to follow Jesus, and she said, “I want
to be healed, and then I serve Jesus!” Right then, right there—
BAM—under the power; up, and healed!
Jeff prayed for an elderly lady who could not bend her left
knee for twenty years. After prayer—BAM—healed, kicking
and running across the altar.
Miracles happen nightly here in India! In a few nights, we
witnessed 19 deaf mutes hear and speak. Over nine completely
blind people were healed, and more received healing of their
partial blindness. Cripples began to walk and many healings of
various sicknesses occurred. We prayed for hundreds nightly,
one by one.

More Souls
In five days, over 900 people prayed to receive Jesus. The
resistance to the Gospel was strong in India. The Muslim and
Hindu faiths are predominating—many come just to receive
healing and believe they can have Jesus and their gods too.
Every night we made it clear in the altar call that turning to
Christ involves forsaking all. We also explained what it would
cost to be a Christian because many face persecution for
deciding to follow Christ. Many people who wanted to be
saved were afraid of the radical Hindus and Muslims.
The first breakthrough came Saturday morning when I was
led by the Spirit to preach on the subject of demons. In the
service, Ivan had a vision of one of the Hindu gods; Jeff and
Dave saw a large demon. That night, a woman violently
manifested a demon that we discovered was the most powerful
spirit in the Hindu culture. She was married to a Christian, and
with the help of two of her brothers, had her husband beaten
because of his faith. However, two hours later she was set free,
and she and her daughter accepted Jesus.

Incredible Baptism of the Holy Ghost Service!

Saturday afternoon, at a meeting attended by over a
hundred leaders, pastors, and evangelists, I preached on the
Holy Ghost and power. The power of God fell, and the pastor
and I shook and jumped up and down under God’s fire like
pogo sticks.
The Holy Spirit seemed to be rushing or, as someone said,
“Swirling in from the roof like a small tornado.” At the
beginning of the service we heard a sound like a generator—
then it hit. People fell out of their chairs and literally rolled
across the floor for several minutes. One wave of the Spirit
after another rolled in—leaders became drunk in the spirit and
many started to laugh. I could not preach on the baptism
because it was already happening! Fifty to sixty individuals
responded to a call for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. As God’s
Spirit rolled in, a roar-like sound ascended to Heaven and row
upon row of people were whacked onto the floor.
People assembled on the side of the road outside; I imagine
it was like the day of Pentecost. Some Indian leaders who
received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues
were even heard speaking in English…and we understood it!
Others were taken into visions. One woman ran to the altar,
“I see the fire of God!” she exclaimed. An hour and a half later,
the visitation lifted, and several received deliverance from
devils. One woman hissed like a snake; even her tongue made a
snakelike manifestation, until she was set free!
The Lord performed outstanding miracles during our time
here. A five-year-old child, crippled in the left arm from birth,
healed. A nineteen-year-old deaf-mute girl received her hearing
and spoke. She was so excited, she wouldn’t stop shouting as
she spoke out all of the new sounds she heard. A little girl
blind from birth and a man as well, both began to see. The man
was very excited to see the flash of a camera, praise the Lord!

EASTER RESURRECTION CELEBRATION

SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA—APRIL 1, 2002
Summary of meeting, by Senior Pastor Greg Babish
Celebration Community Church
Glorious Resurrection celebration weekend, beloved
Revivalists! As the Jewish community sings the Passover
s o n g , “Dayenu (It Would Have Been Enough),” we
acknowledge that our gracious Lord of Glory keeps on sending
us His best…keeps on pouring out His River…keeps on
revealing triumphant, conquering, victorious Christ in us…and
keeps on releasing grace for grace!
And now God has sent beloved, prophetic, healing evangelist
Todd Bentley back to the San Francisco Bay Area. Last night,
Thursday, March 28th, he began an Easter weekend of
POWER-filled meetings. Discerning regional spiritual warfare,
26-year-old Todd Bentley identified the constricting, choking,
suffocating python spirit (of cursing/witchcraft/divination)
over our entire area—and went right after it, breaking the
assignment of death and rebuking the python spirit and all its
effects.
He absolutely nailed it for so many of us who had been
wondering what was wrong with us! That spirit that had been
trying to slowly squeeze the life of the Spirit out of us was
broken; we were given a supernatural, divine strength to
overcome. Todd called for the angels to minister to us as
angels strengthened our Lord Jesus on earth.
Todd obviously really loves releasing the anointing that heals
and teaching the revelation of our Kingdom authority…
biblically-sound, experiential Christianity in the fullness of the
manifestation of God’s presence.
As he said, “Do you know who you are? Do you know what
you have? Do you know how to give it away? God wants to
move us into the authority of the rule and reign of JESUS!
Don’t be a victim of circumstances, your feelings, or what
anybody else says! Most of us are satisfied, apathetic, or
afraid to press in: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he, ‘Eat
and drink’ he says to you, but his heart is not with you” (Prov.
23:7). This hinders the manifestation of the life of God. Occupy,
seize by force, and militantly POSSESS THE LAND! Make it
happen! As Caleb says in Numbers 13, we are ‘well able’ to
overcome; we’re not grasshoppers (vv. 13, 33)!
“Well able” means in the Hebrew to have power; have the
capacity to have success; could and can. This Scripture
emphasizes that we can have as much of God as we want now
instead of waiting for Heaven. Todd made the important point
that Christianity is not centered on the past or the future. God
is here and now. We won’t need healing in Heaven. Healing is
for now!
Todd Bentley inspired us with his flamboyant fun, his wild
testimony, and his attitude: “I’m gonna have the fullness of
what You say I can have, Lord!” This lines up with the apostle
John’s prayer: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all
things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2).

GOD’S POWER TOUCHES MWANZA, TANZANIA

Summary and Report by Brian Hill

Welcome to Mwanza
Our 39-member Fresh Fire team arrived in Mwanza to a
spectacular welcome. A huge gathering of over 200 pastors,
church officials, along with others greeted Todd and the team
warmly. Todd was given an ambassador’s welcome with a
garland of flowers placed around his neck. Later, we were told
that no other “westerner” had ever received such a tremendous
greeting. After a short press conference, the team was loaded
up into passenger vans and Land Rovers. The crusade was
now officially “in country.”

Severe Poverty, Great Unity

The infrastructure of Mwanza is in shambles. Poverty and
squalor reign supreme over these beautiful people. Many of
our team members were heartbroken at the living conditions (or
lack of) that prevailed. After an arduous trek over terribly
rutted dirt roads, dodging other cars, carts, people on heavily
laden bicycles and countless pedestrians, our team arrived at
the Hotel Tilapia; a veritable palace compared to what we had
just witnessed. Humbled by the experience, our hearts were
being prepared for our commission.
The following day, Todd met with the council of church
leaders. They informed him that an incredible 80 percent of the
churches in Mwanza had gathered to support Fresh Fire’s
crusade! One idea that gained great momentum was to rent
large trucks or buses to pick up as many crippled and sick
people as possible and bring them to the Crusade. As the
crusade budget had already been taxed heavily by ongoing
expenses, many of the leaders and, later, team members,
donated their own money to rent over three large buses for the
entire time of the crusade! The local church contingent gave us
more incredible news. They had canvassed the area with
posters, calendars, radio announcements, etc. In some of the
radio spots, it was being announced that although AIDS does
not have a cure, Jesus could cure anything!
As a ‘grand finale,’ they informed us that the High
Commissioner of Tanzania was coming to personally open the
Crusade with a speech. With his arrival, representatives of all
the media, including national television, would be attending.
This would, in fact, give national attention to the event!

Child Crippled from Birth WALKS!

During Todd’s leaders meeting, a small group of Fresh Fire
Ministry team members visited a local orphanage. Numerous
children gave their hearts to Jesus and several received healing
in their body. After prayer, one child, crippled from birth, rose
from his chair and began to walk shakily on his own! Other
children—blind, deaf, and dumb—began to see, hear, and
speak!

Gift Shop Deliverance

While they were in the hotel gift shop, team members prayed
with a Muslim man who wanted to give his heart to Jesus. As
they did so, he began to writhe around and hiss, like a snake.
They commanded the demon to leave, and the man was
delivered and saved! During the days before the crusades
started, the team went into the market to do the works of Jesus.
People were saved and healed everywhere we went. In one
home for street kids, over 30 children and two staff members
prayed to receive Jesus into their hearts!

Prison Warden Set Free

We also visited the largest prison (2,200 inmates) in Mwanza.
The top officials of the prison, including the Chief Warden who
was also in charge of six other prisons in the region, greeted
us. We were given the opportunity to offer prayer to the staff
members. Before she even left the states, a member of the team,
Pastor BB Rail had a word of knowledge regarding someone in
the government that had a disabled child. At first no one
responded, but then the Director called up one of the women
guards into the room. The team member prayed for the woman,
who received it well. Then BB asked if any one wanted to
receive the gift of Salvation. Again, no one moved. Then,
unexpectedly, the Chief Warden stood up from his desk and
announced that he would accept this gift. One of the officials
standing behind the Director looked shocked as his superior
prayed the prayer of faith! Upon receiving his salvation, the
Director said, “I feel happy.” He grinned widely as he shook
the hands of numerous team members.

Healing and Salvations in the Hospital

Other Fresh Fire Ministry teams went out to the AIC Health
Center and to the open markets on the street. At the AIC, the
team reported three salvations and ten healings. Of the saved,
the first woman was delivered from hearing voices and being
tormented with continual nightmares. With the aid and
confirmation from a local pastor and the interpreter, the woman
said she felt something leave her body and now felt happy and
peaceful! A man with an IV in his arm was healed of malaria
then asked for salvation. The man was visibly strengthened
and was beaming with joy as the team left his bedside. A
Muslim man gave his heart to Jesus and then was healed of
chronic stomach pains. A child of about four or five years old,
had malaria and over 80 different parasites in her body. When
the team arrived, she was unresponsive, almost catatonic. After
receiving prayer, she was smiling and happy. Flora, another
patient, received salvation and was healed of malaria and
migraines. Several of the women on the team were in tears of
joy, reporting that her face was actually glowing when they
left.

Street Ministry Miracles

Next, we took God’s power to the street, where we saw many
miracles and salvations. Here’s one notable story: A Muslim
man had injured his leg in an auto accident and the other leg
was crippled from polio. He received prayer and the injured leg
regained its strength. As a result of his healing, he gave his life
to Christ! The team discovered that the area that they had
chosen to minister in was about 85 percent Muslim.

THE CRUSADE BEGINS

First Night: 25,000 Estimated Attendance—Over 500 Saved!
I have never experienced such a joyful time in worship as I did
this evening (and I’m on a worship team!). Though a video
camera and all the gear that goes with it encumbered me, I
couldn’t stand still. The choirs from Uganda and Tanzania were
awesome. The crowd danced and sang with all their heart.
The High Commissioner of the Tanzanian government arrived
shortly before the last choir was up on stage. He joined in the
praise heartily. Afterward he addressed the crowd, giving his
endorsement to Fresh Fire Ministries and encouraged the
people to heed the evangelist’s words. He then proceeded to
give a Gospel message of his own, and challenging people to
repent for their lack of commitment to following God.

Salvations and Healings

Rather than going into preaching, Todd launched straight into
releasing a wave of healing over the crowd. He also gave an
altar call in quick succession. About 270 people surged forward
to receive salvation. Hundreds more were waving their hands
to signify that they had also received healing or salvation but
the crowd up front was so tight that they were unable to press
forward. A few people, healed in the crowd, were able to come
to the stage and testify.
Eight or nine deaf people received either partial or full
restoration of their hearing. A young crippled girl pressed
toward the stage, waving her crutches over her head in victory.
She had been in the middle of the crowd and was healed in the
first wave of healing. The crowd went wild! Another woman
began to receive her sight. A man with a skin disease that
inhibited his movement was able to bend and jump easily.
Several demons manifested in people, and the team joined in to
cast them out and deliver their hosts. One woman was very
violent as she spat and raged, writhing like a snake on the
stage. She was set free and began to rejoice and praise God.
The Fresh Fire Ministry teams continued after the power was
shut off around 7:00 P.M. Many more testimonies will be
forthcoming in the days to come as the leaders gather
information from their respective teams. This has been a
fantastic day!

Fishing for Souls at the Docks

The next day got off to a great start as teams gathered for
intercessory prayer and worship. We have been meeting in a
small open-air restaurant in the hotel complex that is right on
Lake Victoria. It is also a favorite place for local fishermen who
paddle their small boats into the cove to drop lines for Tilapia,
a local fish. This setting seems prophetically appropriate for
our work here.
After prayer, we loaded into our sturdy vans and bounced and
careened our way to one of the open markets of Mwanza. This
one is on the lake where local fishermen and cargo boats full of
grain and other produce come to sell their goods. Mid-morning
is a busy time for the market, and people filled the streets.
Today, Todd conducted the open-air meeting in a highly
concentrated Muslim fishing village. Local pastors and
Christians from Uganda came along as interpreters and
musicians. As they began to play lively Swahili music, a crowd
of about 500 or so gathered. Todd was introduced and he
began to preach. The atmosphere was heavy with unbelief or
fear, so Todd continued encouraging the crowd to give their
hearts to Jesus and to also meet the challenge to come up for
God’s healing. By the time the meeting was over, we had
around 150 saved souls and several healings of damaged
bodies and many opened ears!
 NIGHT 2 OF THE CRUSADE
50,000 Attendance/700-800 Saved/Numerous Healings
The word had obviously been spreading throughout this city
of over 1 million that something very unusual was happening.
This night, the crowd swelled to approximately 50,000 people.
An air of anticipation grew as the worship teams danced and
sang jubilantly.

Confronting the Powers of Witchcraft

When Todd came up, he immediately attacked the powers of
witchcraft and sorcery. The previous night, we found out that
curses had been placed against us. Blood and animal parts
were found on the stage that morning, which is evidence of the
evil that oppresses this area. Todd, through a word of
knowledge, began to fast and pray, starting the previous night,
to get a breakthrough against the local powers.
Todd gave an altar call for those who wanted deliverance from
witchcraft, including witchdoctors who desired to give up their
occult practices. The front area, roped off for ministry, was
soon filled to overflowing. In that altar call alone, around 400
people got saved! When Todd led them through a salvation
prayer, many people began to manifest violent demonic
activity. Prayer teams to help deliver them from their torment
immediately encircled these people. Approximately 40
demonized people were delivered.
One woman was extremely violent and thrashed about for
about 45 minutes while the team prayed over her. When she
was brought to the stage, she tried to attack Todd! After more
lengthy deliverance, she was restored to her right mind and
gave the following testimony: A witchdoctor had blown
powder in her face and up her nose, which caused her to lose
her sense of smell and hearing. Also, she said it felt like a knife
was constantly being driven into her back. When she was
delivered, her hearing and sense of smell returned. The back
pain was gone as well.

Miracles Increase
That night hundreds of people were healed in a mass wave of
healing. Here are a few of the testimonies:
A three-year-old boy, called up by a word of knowledge, had
never walked in his life and also had malaria. He received
dramatic healing and ran back and forth across the stage
several times!
A man with a paralyzed right leg was healed after I grabbed his
leg, and cast out the demon oppressing him. A woman, with a
tumor protruding from her stomach, received healing. The
tumor shrivelled up and disappeared! Several crippled people
were able to walk on their own. A woman with polio was able to
stand straight for the first time in years! Several deaf/mutes
were healed. This brings that count up to well over 12 so far! A
woman with a stunted leg gave her life to Jesus as she watched
her leg grow!
Hundreds of others were healed of various pains and sickness
but were unable to get to the altar and testify because of the
crowds pressing in for healing! An estimated 700-800 souls
were brought into the Kingdom by the end of the night!

Fresh Fire Ministry Team—Street Reports

Reports from the Fresh Fire Ministry teams are now flowing in
fast. In addition to what has already been reported, there have
been at least 300 more salvations through street ministry, visits
to hospitals, orphanages and schools, ministry in the crusade
crowds and one-on-one encounters throughout the day! The
reports of healings are incredible: two people with AIDS freed
from chronic pain; 28 deaf ears opened; 21 blind eyes healed;
15-20 cripples healed; 15 tumors either shrunk or disappeared;
12 demonized people set free; 8-15 people with various lung
diseases healed; 12 wombs restored and too many general
healings to mention!

CRUSADE NIGHT 3
At Least 700 Saved—Healings Abound
We are now at the halfway mark of the crusade, with only two
more nights to go. The crowd has consistently been around
30,000-50,000 people. It is hard to get a solid count, as there is a
constant ebb and flow of people coming and going.
Todd shared his testimony with the people. It was much like
what many in the crowd were dealing with in their own lives.
When Todd gave the altar call, hundreds of hands went up all
over the field. They began streaming down towards the altar
until there was no more room. Still hundreds in the crowd
waved their hands as they gave their lives to Jesus.
As has happened in all the previous nights, when the prayer of
salvation is shared, dozens of people begin manifesting
demons fighting to keep their hosts in bondage. A special tent
was dedicated to delivering these people, but the numbers
were so many that some were dealt with right in front of the
stage.
Spontaneous healings also took place all over the field. Here
are a few: a woman, crippled for over a year received healing
and walked on her own; dozens of deaf ears were opened;
numerous blind eyes were restored and a woman was healed of
a tumor on her stomach, the size of a baby’s head!
Here are some more notable healings:
People witnessed their tumors disappear during the
mass healing wave.
A thyroid goiter shrank to half its size.
A woman’s stunted leg grew two inches.
A baby, paralyzed in her legs and blind from birth,
received both her sight and strength to her limbs!
Another girl of about 4 years of age was deaf from
birth. When she got healed, she began to cry and tug
at her ears.
Many people, crippled from disease or injury
received healing and regained use of their body.
An eight-year-old boy was demonized so badly that
six grown men couldn’t hold him. Though he didn’t
speak English, a voice erupted from the boy,
 growling, “Who are you!” at one of the Fresh Fire
Ministry team members. Eventually he was delivered
and later testified on stage that something was
strangling him.
The current tally of salvations exceeds 2600. The healings are
innumerable!

Intercessors and Pastors

We drove up into the hilltops where a small group of local
Christians had been fasting and praying for over ten days,
interceding for the Crusade and the people of Mwanza. These
dedicated souls were gathered in a tiny room at the back of an
orphanage for children whose parents had died of the AIDS
virus. We blessed and prayed for the intercessors as well as
the children gathered in the front yard.
For three days, Todd met with about 500 Pastors and Church
leaders from all over the region. He taught and exhorting them
about the Elijah Anointing: the transferable gift of healings,
signs, and wonders. On the last day, he preached out of
Matthew chapter 10: Preach the Gospel, Heal the Sick, Cleanse
the Leper, Raise the Dead, Cast out Devils. He ended the
conference by laying hands on each and every person,
transferring the Healing anointing to them all.

CRUSADE NIGHT 4
Still 30,000-50,000 Attending / Over 1,000 Saved This Night!
As with the previous nights, the crowd surged like the ocean
tide. At all times there were at least 30,000 people in the field’
but when word spread about a particularly spectacular healing
or deliverance, the people would come running off the streets
to see what was happening, driving up the attendance to
around 50,000!

Salvation = Healing
Todd opened the evening by teaching the people how to
receive God’s miracles and healings. He explained how, in
Scripture, the word for salvation speaks of healing of the spirit,
soul, and body. “If you can ask Jesus for a healing, why can’t
you receive everything else that He has?” During the call for
salvation, demons began manifesting and the ushers started
carrying people out of the crowd and into the deliverance tent
as the demons caused their hosts to thrash about violently. At
least 1,000 people prayed “the sinner’s prayer” in that moment.

The Miracles Come Forth!

Soon, people began coming forward with testimonies of
healing. In just a few moments, there were the testimonies of a
blind eye, a deaf ear, and a tumor all being healed! Other
miracles that were testified to on stage were:
A man with a tumor for 15 years—the tumor
disappeared!
A young man, deaf in his left ear for three years,
received his hearing.
A woman with a tumor for 28 years—healed!
 A man with chronic back pain, unable to work for five
years—healed and jumping around!
A man, deaf in his right ear for 25 years, was healed
instantly!
A woman who went blind in one eye a month ago
received her sight!
A woman deaf for 30 years instantly healed!
Another woman with two tumors in her abdomen for
two years; again, they had disappeared after prayer!
Twin boys mute and deaf from birth speak and hear
for the first time in their lives!
A young boy, afflicted with AIDS, showing classic
symptoms (nausea, lack of appetite, weakness)
prayed for at the crusade two days earlier. He was
brought forward by a relative (both his parents had
already died of AIDS) and testified that the boy was
now eating and regaining his strength! After more
prayer, Todd instructed the woman, who brought the
boy, to take him to a doctor for testing.
Tonight the count is approximately: 8 tumors, 2 blind eyes, 7
deaf ears, 3 mutes, 1 AIDS victim, 1000+ salvations, and many,
many more that went undocumented… all in one night!

5 DAYS TOTAL ATTENDANCE

OVER 210,000/ OVER 5,000 SALVATIONS
Countless Healings, Miracles, and Deliverances
 Sunday Morning Services
On Sunday morning, the Fresh Fire Ministry teams ministered
in approximately 20 churches throughout Mwanza. In those
services more salvations and healings continued. In one
service, Todd and Dave prayed for Mary, a paralyzed woman.
Todd prayed over her, cast out some demons, and Mary was
set free. She was able to get up and walk on her own!

FINAL NIGHT OF CRUSADE

50,000 ATTENDANCE/ 1500 SALVATIONS/
PENTECOSTAL
FIRE/ INCREDIBLE MIRACLES

The Best Wine of the Party

God always seems to leave the best for last. The final night of
the Crusade was no exception. The attendance was high,
approximating 50,000 people. Todd preached on salvation and
being filled with the Holy Spirit. At the altar call, over a
thousand people surged forward and half that many waved
their hands from the crowd behind the roped partition. The
estimated number of salvations for Night 5 was approximately
1500!
When Todd prayed with the crowd for the Holy Ghost
Baptism, thousands more were filled and speaking in tongues!
As with all the previous nights, when people began to press in
to God, the demons came out of the woodwork! At least 16
people were rushed to the special deliverance tent for intense
prayer and another 10 demoniacs were set free right in front of
the platform.

Miracles Upon Miracles

When the Holy Spirit fell on the ripened field of souls, the
manifested power of God blazed forth! There were so many
healings and other miracles that it became difficult to keep track
of them all. The following is a partial list:
32 tumors healed and disappeared!
18 cases of deafness healed and hearing!
Several mutes healed and speaking!
Several cases of partial blindness healed and seeing!
One man was paralyzed for two years, unable to walk.
After receiving prayer, he stood on his own and
jumped around on the platform!
A woman, near the front of the crowd, was suffering
horribly from AIDS. She couldn’t move and could
barely breathe. Some of the Fresh Fire Ministry Team
members prayed for her, and she was able to stand
up and climb the stairs to the platform. She testified
that her breathing was easy and she felt strength
coming back into her body!
Another man had been insane, not knowing right
from wrong. He said he would eat garbage from the
street, not realizing what he was doing. In the past,
he had spent some time in American hospitals but
was not cured of his condition. After receiving the
 Holy Spirit, this man came into his right mind! He
stated that he was going to start living a normal life
and was hoping to find a job soon.
Summary of Miracles during the five-day Crusade
(approximations only):
Salvations: 5000
Deliverance: 100
Tumors: 60
Deaf and/or Mute: 80
Blind Eyes: 25
Paralytics & Cripples: 25
AIDS (obvious symptoms reduced or eliminated): 4
Various other healings: Too many to count!

Tanzania Highlight: Invading the Fish Market

My fondest memory in Mwanza was a day I said, “Let’s go
to the marketplace,” even though the police said that the
Muslims were enraged and had killed Christians in the past.
The police recommended against it. The local pastors said it
would be better if we just stuck with the campaign in the
evening and not go to the markets.
I asked, “What would Jesus do?” I decided to take our team
to the heart of the Muslim district to present the Gospel with
signs and wonders. I knew that this would shock these
precious Muslim people.
 We set up at the local fish market; hundreds were there and
the local leaders gathered. Wearing their white robes and
religious head covers, they crossed their arms, as if to say,
“Who do you think you are coming into this area proclaiming
Jesus?” There was an angry stir in the air.
We preached the Gospel with boldness. There was urgency
—we had to snatch a few from the fire. I shared my testimony,
and 157 Muslims pressed in to know Jesus. But there was a
confrontation in the spirit, a wall of resistance, the greater core
of the audience continued to mock and scoff. I knew we
needed a power encounter. The Lord gave me a download of
faith so I issued a challenge, “The first person who steps onto
this platform will be healed right now, whether blind, deaf,
crippled, whatever the infirmity. If not, we will discontinue our
campaign. We will turn our backs on God, say the Bible isn’t
true, and my team and I will go home. If the first person isn’t
healed then everything I’ve preached in this city is a lie.”
The Muslims were confused; they murmured angrily. They
were caught off guard over my boldness. No one moved. I
issued the same challenge a second and third time. “Bring me a
sick person. Why am I so bold? I challenge you today. If my
God doesn’t heal the first one here, everything I have preached
is not true.”
Finally, three people came forward. One blind, one crippled,
and one deaf. As the Lord sovereignly performed these
miracles, my team all breathed a big sigh of relief. (Oh ye of
little faith!) The heavens opened; there was a shift in the Spirit.
We were shaken to the core and spoke the word of God with
boldness. Our team prayed for over an hour for many others to
be saved and healed. In this city we preached to over 210,000
in five days.

A NEW KIND OF POWER EVANGELISM

SOUTH KOREA—AUGUST 8-30, 2002
After training, equipping, and teaching on the prophetic,
how to hear God’s voice, and prophecy we released over 1,000
Koreans to prophesy over one another for over thirty minutes.
I said, “If it can work in the church, why not in the market?”
“For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all
may be encouraged” (1 Cor. 14:30-31).
Hundreds converged on the food courts at the mall. We
hung up a sign that advertised “Free Spiritual Readings” and
set up six tables, with two people and a translator at each. We
gave prophetic words over the lost for two hours, while
hundreds of others went throughout the mall praying and
gathering more unbelievers. There were 174 souls saved in two
hours. Several of them were Buddhists.
The prophetic anointing carries in it the power to convict,
convince, and reveal. Even if the word is “Jesus loves you!”
delivered under the Spirit of prophecy, it reveals God. Hearing
God is as easy as Psalm 139:17-18: “How precious also are Your
thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I
should count them, they would be more in number than the
sand.”
All you have to do is ask God for one of His thoughts for a
person. You may just have a mental picture. Sometimes you
may not understand what God is showing you, but the person
will.
Most times, we cannot operate in the gifts of the Spirit in
the marketplace because we turn it off outside the four walls of
the church. We need an increased prophetic awareness. Let’s
start asking God for words in unusual places, especially
restaurants.
God wants us to make ourselves available to Him. It’s time
for the Samaritan Well anointing. In John 4:5-42 Jesus shared a
word of knowledge with a Gentile woman about her many
husbands and her response was, “Come, see a Man who told
me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ? Then
they went out of the city and came to Him.” The whole city
came because one woman received a word from God.

POWER EVANGELISM STRATEGIES

Christians need to invade the world with God’s power. We
need to try prophetic, dream interpretation, or “free prayer”
booths in flea markets, malls, coffee shops, or juice bars. God is
going to anoint street preaching again, like in the old-time
revivals. Servant evangelism is powerful too—acts of love
carry power!
God can use anybody. I was teaching on prophetic
evangelism once and a business man and his wife decided to
make themselves available, gather some prophetic people, and
go to the market for ten days. They set up a booth offering
“Free Spiritual Readings.” After each prophetic word they
offered salvation and 650 souls came to Jesus. Its time to take it
to the markets—that’s where Jesus had some of his greatest
miracles and healings.

OVER 5,575 PEOPLE COME TO JESUS

PERU AND ECUADOR—OCTOBER 2-11, 2002
Most of the 24 team members who accompanied us on this
trip had never been overseas or seen the type of miracles that
they witnessed. One pastor from the Midwest said, “I saw more
genuine miracles than expected; when one says the word
‘miracle’ it can be used pretty loosely.”
There were over 80 deaf mutes healed and some 20 cases of
blindness, over 40 lame and crippled healed, tumors and more.
There was deliverance from demons, and the sick on beds and
mats were carried into the stadium. There were sick people
everywhere carried in from hospitals with the nursing staff, and
the IV still in their arms. Hundreds of crippled bodies, sick
children with deformed heads, exposed sores, growths, and
wheelchairs covered the crusade grounds each night in both
Ecuador and Peru.
The crusades, held in two sports stadiums, were put
together over a six-month period by hundreds of volunteers,
more than 600 pastors, over 500 counselors, and several full-
time coordinators. As always, our partners and intercessors
made this crusade a success—their prayers and financial
support helped us reach over 45,000 people in the crusades
alone.
 Headline news footage of the event was on the number one
rated TV show, “Video Control” in Ecuador. During the
interview on the show, the host returned to God after being
backslidden for two years. He even added to the interview,
preached, and gave a prayer for salvation. This TV show is like
“Much Music” in Canada and “MTV” in the U.S.A. that
reaches mostly teens and people in their early twenties.

Crusade and Team Highlights

The first day in Lima, Peru the FFM team went into the local
prison. Most of the prisoners had committed rapes and murder
and were young men in their early twenties. Over 20 souls were
saved. One couple on our team, unknown to us at the time, was
told by a guard they’d not get out alive unless they paid about
$50. Of course, when we found out the ministry reimbursed
them!
The first night at the crusade grounds was a little
overwhelming for some on the team. The platform was set up in
the middle of a housing neighborhood and there was traffic all
around, a few thousand gathered on the grounds and the sick
were everywhere. The team didn’t know they would step
nightly into the masses to pray for thousands. Demons threw
people on the ground. One woman wailed, kicked, and
screamed through her deliverance and another, after two days
of manifestations, coughed hers out. A teenage boy paralyzed
from the waist down from a car accident was healed on the spot
as I called out a word of knowledge.
What really undid the FFM team was the outreach to the
hospitals. When they prayed for one, hundreds of others
would crowd around for prayer. There were nights they pushed
and pulled at our clothes by the hundreds and it was necessary
to push our way out of the service or back to the platform.
The people were so hungry and desperate each night. Some
live on only a hundred dollars a month and are sick and
crippled with no means of medical assistance. Relatives were
weeping as their loved one on a stretcher was prayed for or
cried tears of joy when cancer was healed.
One night a dying woman was carried into a crusade
service on her hospital bed. She received prayer, sat up, and
said, “The pain is leaving my body and the fluid in my lungs
just emptied.” Her breathing was restored and strength began
to return to her body. The daughter pressed through the crowd
with tears in her eyes and helped her mom try to stand up out
of the hospital bed.
I remember the first night of the crusade in Chicayo, Peru, I
saw Jesus in a vision step into the cripple section. When I
prayed for mass healing, instantly six or seven, who could not
walk, walked for the first time in years. Jesus did it! We took
crutches, walkers, and canes up on the platform when we could
each night and waved them in the air in the devil’s face. “Jesus
is the same today, yesterday, and forever.” God used the team
and they saw blind eyes and deaf ears open almost every
night. We encouraged them to keep a nightly journal and e-mail
what they could of how God used them. My heart is to impart,
train, and see others do the ministry of Jesus.
 One other favorite miracle was of a mother and her seven or
eight-year-old daughter—both had tumors in their bodies.
During the mass prayer from the platform, where hundreds of
healings happened, with no hands laid on them, she and her
daughter were both healed when they felt fire go through their
bodies.
Some nights there would be twenty deaf mutes healed in a
service. Sometimes Jesus touched them in the crowd, other
times we would pray for them on the platform. I can still
remember the precious children saying “hello” or “mama” for
the first time. I’m just about to weep writing about it now.
In the final service after I preached, “What kind of Jesus do
you have?” over 1,400 responded to the altar call. The last
night together the team shared how excited they were to bring
this fire back to their churches and that their faith level was
increased to believe all things are possible. Others are already
praying about how they can come to India or one of our
upcoming missions trips.
Hundreds were saved each night. On one other occasion
over 1,300 responded to the Gospel call. We saw over 5,575
souls saved and many more than this healed. The Holy Spirit
still confirms the Gospel with signs and wonders!

JINGA, UGANDA—NOVEMBER 2002

Even though it had been sunny all day, the first evening of
the crusade, at 3:45 a dark black cloud poured rain. We’d been
expecting 50,000 people that evening. Only 8,000 showed up
and when I gave an altar call, only 76 got saved. I was
discouraged, and I was feeling discouraged for the team we’d
brought.
Early the next morning the team prayed and the skies were
blue. That afternoon when we got to the crusade at 3:45 the
clouds rolled in and it rained. The attendance was about the
same as the night before. Usually we can expect growth of
10,000 each night. That evening during the altar call 100 got
saved, and the Lord did bless us with some creative miracles.
I don’t remember doing a mass crusade with only 176
people saved in two nights. I was used to seeing that many
saved in the open-air markets. I wondered if this was the kind
of witchcraft I’d faced in Uganda two years before, when a
witch doctor chanted on the other side of the river. Those
practicing witchcraft have power over the weather and
accidents.
That night at the crusade we had several amazing miracles.
During the mass prayer I said, “If you’re being healed come to
the altar.” The first miracle testimony was a man who had had a
massive growth over his male extremities. This affected his
relationship with his wife, and she was getting ready to leave
him. During the prayer his tumor shrank. He was ecstatic. The
next miracle was a woman who had visible breast cancer—skin
and tissue had eaten away the breast. She was totally healed; a
new layer of skin appeared. The third miracle was a woman who
had breast cancer for three years and had tried all avenues to
get healed—multiple trips to witch doctors and soothsayers.
Many people in Africa go to witch doctors like we go to
doctors. Finally, after trying everything, they surgically
removed her breast. She was known as “the woman with one
breast.” This woman had a new breast grow out during the
mass prayer!
“Holy Spirit, why are you healing all these reproductive
organs?” I asked. “I want to open the womb of the church,”
responded the Spirit, “and begin healing its reproductive
function and the breasts that nurture. It was a sign of the birth
of the coming harvest.”
The next day the skies were blue. The Holy Spirit told me,
“Fast today for the Spirit of Elijah so you can overcome the
spirit of witchcraft working against the crusade.” I fasted all
day and at 3:45 P.M. the sky was still clear. At the crusade, the
crowds swelled to 20,000 or 25,000. When I arrived at the
crusade grounds at 5:15, I thought I’d gotten the breakthrough:
“Praise God, we’ve made it.”
All the talk of the town during the day had been, “Let’s go
see the power the white man possesses that even breasts grow
in the meetings.” Soothsayers and witch doctors were there
because of the creative miracles. The Holy Spirit had told me to
give an altar call for witch doctors, anyone who had practiced it
or come under the power of its curse.
When I got on the stage at 5:30 P.M. , I grabbed the
microphone and it started raining on me. Thousands of people
ran for the exits. It was pandemonium. I said, “Today in prayer
the Holy Spirit told me He wants to break the power of
witchcraft. If you’re a witch doctor, a soothsayer or practice
witchcraft or come under the power of witchcraft come to the
altars now.” Eighteen hundred people responded.
I prayed for the Holy Spirit to come and rebuked the power
of witchcraft, “Devil let go of the people now in Jesus’ name.”
Nothing happened. I just went after it again. I said, “In the
name of Jesus, power of witchcraft let the people go.” Nothing
happened. I prayed the third time. “I command every devil of
witchcraft and sorcery to let go of the people now in Jesus’
name. In that moment it was like something snapped in the
Spirit. Hundreds were thrown to the ground in one swoop.
There were violent demonic manifestations—foaming at the
mouth, vomiting, writhing, contorting, rolling and slithering in
the mud—but simultaneously, in the heavens above, the rain
cloud split in two and rolled away.
The sky became blue and there was a double rainbow.
Hundreds were being delivered. The ministry teams were
throwing people up on the muddy platform. I could barely
move. Team members were running everywhere; three hundred
were carried into the deliverance tent, and our Ugandan team
ministered to them. The rest lay on the grass down front where
they experienced sovereign deliverance.
Then the testimonies came. A woman paralyzed in the neck
and one paralyzed from the waist down were healed; several
people also testified of being healed of insanity and madness.
We went on to great victory. For the next few days the skies
were clear and the crowds swelled to 60,000. About 34,000
people made life commitments to Christ during our ministry in
Uganda. Truly, the Lord had revealed Himself to us as healer,
deliverer, and mighty warrior.

BOMBAY, INDIA—DECEMBER 2002

Report by Pastor BB Rail, Fairfield, Iowa
Millions of gods occupy the hearts of the people of India;
hence India itself has many faces. Multitudes of people,
pressed together, overcrowd the streets and marketplaces.
Hoards of vehicles dart unpredictably from the left to the right
side of the road. Small black and yellow taxis aggressively
swarm like bumblebees through bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Everyone honks in agreement with the sign on all the trucks:
“Horn OK Please.” Pedestrians appear to be fair game.
The local authorities did not allow the word “miracles” to be
used in advertising the services. Instead, colorful flyers invited
people to come to a “Jesus Festival,” and experience the peace
and love of the Christmas Season. Christmas trees, tinsel,
ornaments, even frosty the snowman, did not distract us from
focusing on the harvest!
God immediately revealed His nature as “the Lord who heals
you” in the very first service by causing tumors, growths and
cysts to instantly dissolve. The conservative crowd,
predominantly Roman Catholic and Hindu, stood in amazement
and grew each night as God faithfully confirmed His healing
Word with accompanying signs and wonders. Armed guards
became so overwhelmed seeing the miracles, many requested
prayer and some were born again! Faith among the people rose
to such a high level that on the last night a young girl,
paralyzed from polio, spontaneously began walking. Everyone
cheered as we all watched her “staggering run” through the
crowd!
The people are unbelievably kind, grateful, and humble. Many
of the ladies who had been healed were so thankful they began
bowing down and wanted to kiss my feet. We made sure they
understood Jesus alone was their Healer and to worship only
Him!
A final highlight before leaving Bombay was a visit to St.
Lawrence’s private school. They gave us VIP hospitality. The
students were captivated by Todd’s personal testimony and
allowed us to pray for each one of them. Approximately 1000
were born again that morning, bringing our harvest total to
4,525 as we departed for Goa.

GOA, INDIA—DECEMBER 2002

Our arrival in Goa, India was like stepping into another
world. We were met at the airport with flower leis, fresh
coconut milk, and a group of students playing Christmas
songs. Were we really still in India? Clear air, white beaches,
and tropical landscapes dotted with plantation type homes.
Expectations were high as we headed off to the “festival”
grounds. God did not disappoint us. Once again, as He
demonstrated His power over sin and sickness, the crowds
doubled each night! The Lord had put in my heart that the
Church was like the lame man outside the gate named Beautiful.
Just as that man received a miracle, the Church would be filled
with the power of God and rise up. Many cripples received
healing that night; it was as though Goa would be the Gateway
for God’s healing revival!
As in Bombay, many blind, deaf and dumb were healed.
There was such an explosion of joy the musicians could not
hold back from playing. With each healing report, the music
would explode and everyone would begin shouting and
dancing before the Lord. Fortunately, the platform was of solid
construction. The hunger of the crowd for salvation and prayer
was of such a magnitude, the people all but trampled on
another to come towards the front. Desperate for Jesus, unlike
anything we see in North America. Meetings for pastors and
leaders were held during the day. Todd gave me one of the
morning sessions in which I shared my healing testimony, and
the Lord healed many backs. It is quite difficult to adequately
report all the wondrous events that we witnessed.
We left India with a conservative count of ministering to a
total of 16,450 persons, of which 10, 825 were born again and
placed in Churches. One hundred and 39 deaf and dumb were
healed, 11 blind eyes opened and 8 cripples began to walk. A
medical doctor on the platform verified all healing.
After ministering in Goa, India, I awoke at 2 A.M. —a demon,
fourteen feet tall, manifesting as a menacing black shadow
stood at the end of my bed. Chills went through my body. The
whole hotel room was dark, but the demon was even darker
than the night. The room had turned chilly. I yelled, “In the
name of Jesus, devil, go.” After I blurted out this command, the
spirit left my room.
 I found out later that the spirit went to the room of three
other staff members and tried to take their lives. My dad was
struck blind: “I was bumping into dressers. I couldn’t find the
phone; I panicked, my heart started fluttering. I’d only been
saved about 14 months. I really thought I was going to die, but
after several minutes it left.”
It went to the room of my mission director, John Macgirvin.
The shadow passed his door three times and then came in. “I
felt like I was drowning in fluid in my lungs. I tried to pound on
the wall to get Dave’s attention, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t even
breathe. I finally staggered to the bathroom and expelled some
clear liquid. I couldn’t speak; I could only rebuke it in my
mind.” Jim Drown, my South American coordinator also felt the
dark presence enter his room.
Here’s another India report from a former doubting Thomas:

OVER 10,825 SOULS SAVED/ 139 DEAF

HEALED—DECEMBER 8-19, 2002
Pastor Ken Greter, Abbotsford City Fellowship, BC, Canada
A team of seven from the USA and Canada embarked on a trip
of a lifetime to Southern India December 8-19, 2002. This was
undoubtedly the most profound evangelistic crusade I ever
had the privilege of being part of. Quite frankly, my heart was
somewhat skeptical regarding the testimonies I had heard from
Fresh Fire team members involving miracles that were just like
in Bible days. Well I am here to testify that with my very own
eyes I saw the most amazing miracles, signs, and wonders in
India. I turned from a “doubting Thomas” to an “authentic,
Holy Ghost, Bible-believing believer!”
In all of my 22 plus years in pastoring, my Christian walk has
never been so shaken to the core like it has been as a result of
this crusade. I believe that every pastor needs to experience for
himself the same miracles Jesus performed while on the earth.
Jesus truly is the same yesterday, today, and forever! I can
hardly wait to go on the next overseas crusade, where souls
will be saved, pastors and leaders will be encouraged during
the teaching sessions, and numerous signs and wonders will
take place!
 Chapter 19

JESUS—THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY,

AND FOREVER

GOMA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

CONGO REPORT 1—MARCH 1-10, 2003
I had never been so overwhelmed. We had just arrived in
the city of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, a border town
of about 500,000 on the Rwanda border. In 2001, a volcanic
disaster destroyed or damaged more than 50 percent of the
entire city. Volcanic rock and ash some ten feet high buried and
crushed churches, schools, homes, and businesses. The
twisted metal wreckage of half-buried vehicles sticks out from
the hardened lava. Hundreds died and tens of thousands are
still homeless.
One young woman shared her story of how her father, who
is a pastor, cannot enter Congo to be home with his family. The
rebel government calls him an exile. Her home was half
destroyed in the volcano and she had taken fifty other people
into her home because their homes were completely destroyed.
They had nowhere to live and nothing to eat.
Another story I will never forget is, how 75-100 Christians
gathered into a Catholic church when the volcano first erupted,
to pray for God to have mercy. They were all buried alive in the
church.
People there were totally desperate. After years of civil war,
the country split into three pieces. A natural disaster destroyed
what was already desperate lives coping with hunger and third
world conditions. Thousands of children were without
education. They could not even afford the five dollars a month
for school, and thousands more were without the basic school
supplies for an education.
As we crossed the Rwanda/Congo border we were
welcomed with a band and Jesus parade. As we traveled
through the ruined city, in the midst of volcanic boulders, ash,
and destruction, the city came to an abrupt halt with traffic
jams and shouting and dancing in the streets. Jesus had
arrived! I knew in my heart that God would give Goma beauty
for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning. Isaiah 61:4 says, “and
they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall rise up the former
desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the
desolations of many generations.”
Since the devastation in 2001, promise after promise of
humanitarian aid and relief efforts have been pledged.
However, the people have seen very little relief. I was asked to
meet with the president of this region of Congo and pray.
There were three governments and they tried to sign a peace
process and build one unified government. Fresh Fire
Ministries said, “We will help.” Even today we will take food to
2,500 families in a refugee camp for those left homeless after the
volcanic eruption.
There were more than 12,000 people hungry and living in
conditions so inhumane that our animals live better. I saw
homes that were nothing more than plastic tarps, sticks, and
mud. We told the president that Fresh Fire desired to build an
orphanage, put roofs on churches, feed the poor, and send a
40-foot container of cranberries and school supplies for the
children.
Shonnah, the FFM team of 16, and I were broken, so
overwhelmed with the needs that we were speechless. I was so
impacted that for a week after I would break down and cry. I
have never wept so much. I am weeping even now.
As our team and seven truck loads of food made our way
toward the refugee camp, the children ran to the roads with
their buckets in their hands or whatever they could find to hold
food. It was heard among the hungry crowd, “We aren’t going
to get the food and eat tonight even though we see the trucks
of food!” Corrupt pastors and thieves have taken the food from
the people so many times before, that these people wept
saying, “Will we really eat?” We distributed the food to all the
families. James 1:27, “Pure and undefiled religion before God
and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their
trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
Years of civil war and the Rwanda genocide of the ’90s has
left thousands of children without families. Many lost their
homes and families in the volcanic disaster of 2001; thousands
more are without education, and even in some desperate cases,
food.

Jane’s Orphanage
Shonnah, the team, and I were taken to an orphanage. A
woman, Jane, and her husband, have such a heart for theses
children to feed them, clothe them, and house them. She had
opened up her home to receive the children even though she
received no assistance from the government. They house
about 125 children and 325 children are expected to eat there.
The facilities are terrible; the boys sleep in no more than what I
would call a rented old barn, without windows or insulation.
The beds are so full; they sleep sometimes eight to a bed. I saw
faces of these children broken and many maimed from the civil
war. I saw children with scars across their foreheads hacked
open by machetes and children without hands, arms, or fingers.
I said, “How do we feed these people?” And the woman
replied, “There are times when we can’t even get food from the
city to this rural area. One, the roads are buried in molten rock,
and two, we have no truck to transport food.”
The kitchen was nothing more than a 6’ x 6’ shed with a
huge cooking cauldron and the firewood stacked in the corner.
As I walked through the orphanage, I saw no toys, and when
we brought out biscuits, the children were so desperate; they
stepped on, pushed, and screamed at each other.
That day, Fresh Fire bought one truckload of corn, rice,
beans; a three-week supply. There is no government aid, no
ministry support, nothing. We need to do more. Fresh Fire
Ministries has committed to building new orphanage facilities
and to provide food for the orphans.
God has given us tremendous opportunity in Congo. We
were asked to meet and pray with the general of the entire rebel
army. There are more than 80,000 soldiers. They asked us to
train evangelists in the military so they could better evangelize
the army. They also asked us to build a church on the military
base.
FFM opened a pilot office in Goma and took staff from the
Ugandan office to work with the government in Congo. The
advisor to the president, a born again spirit-filled Colonel, aids
and administrates leadership of each project.

CONGO REPORT 2

The First Miracle Crusade Night

A small Fresh Fire team of 17 drove four hours through
Rwanda over the border to Congo. This would be another life-
changing experience for both the staff, and those who had
never been a part of a mission’s team in Africa.
It was hot; the air in the city was still filled with volcanic
poison and pollution. The poverty and desperation here was
the worst that I have seen yet in any country in Africa. Over
200 churches worked together with our Fresh Fire Ministries
crusade team based in Uganda to host this five-night miracle
campaign. The first evening, a small group of 20-25 thousand
people gathered, Baptists, Anglicans, Pentecostals, revival
churches, Protestants, and unbelievers came to hear the word
and to be healed.

The Crowd Grows, Miracles and Healings Begin

Over the next five days the crowd swelled to over 60,000.
Each night thousands were saved, each day people would
testify to being healed the evening before while listening on
radio.
Each night the crusade was broadcast live to those living in
Congo, and parts of Rwanda. One night I asked how many
people here tonight got saved via the radio message at home
the previous night, and a hundred plus hands went up. Each
night, there were healings, miracles, and even signs and
wonders in the heavens above. The first evening a deaf school
of thirty-two students lined up on the platform, each was
prayed for and 26 deaf and mute heard and spoke in that one
wave.

Disrupted by Witch Doctors

 After two days of breakthrough, the third evening I noticed
the crowd had dropped by several thousand. There was a
report in the city that day that during the third evening of the
crusade local witch doctors had planned a violent
confrontation.
Then the rains came and during that meeting once again we
offered fervent intercession and petitions up before God. “God
break the power of witchcraft, we rebuke the rains, and pray for
heaven to open.” In that instant not only did the rain cease,
but the temperature of the wind changed.
Six or seven people were cast to the ground simultaneously
under demonic influence, each one was carried onto the
platform, devils were cast out in Jesus’ name, some screamed,
shook, and even spewed spit from the mouth, we believe that
these ones were sent by the witch doctor to disrupt the
meetings.

The Crowd Grows Again

The next day the crowd swelled and the report of the local
Congolese was “we saw with our own eyes, they broke the
power of the witch doctor.”
Each night the Fresh Fire Ministries team would wade their
way out into thousands who had made their way forward for
prayer. When the miracles broke loose, a press of people ran
up to the front. People were grabbing, pushing, and shouting.
A Fresh Fire security detail, a gift of troops from the president
himself, had to break up several fights.
 Each night the Fresh Fire Ministries team, even ones that
have never prayed for the sick, shared testimonies of the deaf
that heard, and the blind that saw. When the team would return
to the hotel, they would share testimony of what took place
that evening. Two nights the team agreed that it was as if every
single person they prayed for was healed. Each night there
were testimonies of tumors healed, various pain, sickness, TB,
and paralysis healed.

Cripples Are Healed

One night two cripples were placed on the platform, one
boy whose legs were twisted from birth, received prayer. My
wife heard the Lord whisper to her, “Pick him up.” His legs
straightened and he began to walk! Within moments the crowd
screamed and cheered again as the second cripple stood and
walked twice across the platform.
Sunday morning each team member was given an
opportunity to preach in their own church service. Each team
member shared testimonies of healings in their service and
testimonies of salvation. One pastor, during the Sunday
evening crusade service, testified, “I now know this anointing
is not just upon Todd Bentley, it is a transferable, tangible
healing anointing.”
When my dad and John Macgirvin, the Mission’s
Coordinator, preached at a church on Sunday, they prayed for
one cripple, his legs straightened out, and he danced around
the church. Dave gave several words of knowledge, even
calling out first and last African names! Whew!
 The Pastors’ Conference
The pastors’ conference, consisting of 1,500 to 2,000
pastors, leaders, evangelists, and ministry workers, gathered
each day. Each service built until the anointing service took
place, teaching on soaking, the healing anointing, spirit of
revival, holiness, and repentance. In one service Pastor Ken,
Mission’s Director, gave an altar call to repent of sexual sin,
and more than half of the people came forward to get their life
right with God. In the final service, 1,800 leaders stood
shoulder to shoulder in the hot sun in a line one mile long
winding down the streets of the city to receive a fresh touch
from God.

REVIVAL IN THE LAND CONGO REPORT 3

by Pastor Ken Greter, Abbotsford City Fellowship
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on us, because the Lord
has anointed us to…bestow on [Goma] a crown of beauty
instead of ashes” (see Isaiah 61:1,3b, emphasis added).
As I sit here, I wonder if it’s really possible to give an accurate
description of the devastation that we saw while in Goma, a
city of about 450,000 situated near the Rwanda border. This
city was once a tourist hot spot for people from all over the
world, but due to a massive volcanic explosion that occurred
over a year ago, Goma now lies in ashes.
For approximately three days during the eruption of Mount
Nyirracongo, tons and tons of volcanic lava spread like a black
blanket covering a huge section of the city and brought it to an
absolute stand still. Gerald Mwebe, our African coordinator,
wept when he first came into the city to prepare for the Fresh
Fire crusade. I now have a bit of an understanding how
Nehemiah felt when he was told the wall of Jerusalem was
broken down and that the gates were burned.
The evidence of destruction brought about by this volcanic
eruption could still be seen everywhere. Entire downtown
sections were completely wiped out; twenty-foot steel
telephone poles were partially immersed in six feet of hardened
lava rock; churches, homes and schools were completely
demolished. Understandably, because of the magnitude of this
catastrophic event, thousands and thousands of people were
left homeless, and many, even to this day, are living in some of
the most deplorable conditions imaginable.
Todd and Shonnah knew that the Holy Spirit had brought them
to Goma for such a time as this and the entire Fresh Fire
Ministry’s team, consisting of 17 from US and Canada, were
ready to roll up their sleeves and begin the long process of
restoring beauty from the ashes of total devastation.
Due to the physical, economical, and psychological impact of
the recent civil war and continuing tensions, Congolese
pastors and Christian leaders were in desperate need for
encouragement.
We arrived in Goma, Congo on March 3rd. Multitudes of
people greeted our arrival with cheering, whistling, and
singing. We were escorted through the downtown with a first-
class parade and then rushed into a building where the media
was waiting to interview Todd.
Right from the start, Todd and Shonnah wanted to visit some
of the most devastated areas and help out in humanitarian
efforts. Contacts were made immediately and in short order
truckloads of food items were purchased, filled, and ready for
distribution. The Congolese pastors took us to a camp of
12,000 displaced individuals living in conditions that the
average American would consider inadequate even for animals.
We formed a convoy consisting of pastors, military personnel,
and the media, with seven trucks loaded with beans, corn,
soap, and other necessary staples. Upon arrival, children
everywhere were shouting and raising their hands, ecstatic that
the trucks had finally arrived to fill their empty tummies. The
interpreters were telling us that the kids were screaming, “Now
we don’t have to go hungry anymore.”
Enough food was given to this camp to feed them all for
approximately two months. If there was ever a time that I’ve
seen the fulfillment of James 1:27—”Pure and undefiled religion
(is) to visit orphans and widows in their trouble…” this was the
day.
During the week Todd and Shonnah were inundated with
interviews with governors, colonels, presidents, and pastors.
Talk about favor! In most places we went, there was total
security protection guaranteed; what a relief this was as
tensions between governments and the different military
factions were still at an all time high.
The morning meetings were scheduled for pastors and
Christian leaders, with over 2,000 registered for the sessions.
After some initial resistance, one morning Todd delivered a
message with great fervor entitled, “The Fear of God, The
Ministry to the Poor, and God’s Mercy.” The pastors were
riveted to their seats, their hearts were deeply touched, and the
place was blown wide open. We concluded the final morning
by lining up all of the registrants outside the church building to
receive Holy Ghost impartation from Todd and the Fresh Fire
Ministry staff.
On the first evening of the crusade we saw crowds of up to
25,000 eager to hear “the man of God from Canada” share about
his past background. A bizarre and humorous rumor that
circulated for a short time was that Todd was a professional
wrestler. Many of the team got a kick out of this and for a while
Todd was subjected to some good-natured ribbing.
As is common in many cities in Africa, the people are steeped
in magic and witchcraft is widely practiced. The city of Goma
was no exception. Word reached us through the interpreters
that the “man of God from Canada” was a challenge to the
witch doctors and that a war was brewing.
Apparently, the witch doctors were trying to shut down the
meetings by sending out curses and by subtly planting some
of their cohorts in the crowds. For a brief time it appeared that
they were succeeding as rains fell on two different nights,
causing somewhat of a damper on the attendance. But glory to
God, during the Saturday evening crusade, Todd began to
operate under what I call a “breaker anointing” and after the
altar call was given, hundreds responded. It was then that
Todd went after the spirits of witchcraft and oppression.
We were now in the pouring rain, which had held off until after
the altar call. Next, five women, tormented by demons, were
carried onto the platform where their bodies twisted and
contorted in a manner not possible for a normal person. Oh
thank God for the Blood of Jesus! One by one their bodies and
minds were set free from the demonic strongholds, and they
were gloriously filled with the Holy Spirit. We found out that
these witches had hid in the crowd every night. However, the
Holy Spirit exposed and set them free. Truly this was like an
“Elijah and the prophets of Baal” confrontation.
The final evening of the crusade was a surprise to everyone.
The pastors estimated that between 60,000 and 70,000 people
crammed into the soccer stadium ready to hear the Word of
God. As a result of these five nights of crusades, over 15,000
souls came to Jesus. This figure did not include those making
decisions for Christ as a result of radio broadcasts. An
awesome harvest! Also, hundreds received the baptism of the
Holy Spirit, the lame began to walk and the blind received their
sight.
On Sunday morning many of the team members preached in the
churches, and reports came back to us once again of numerous
salvations and healings. One Fresh Fire team that preached in a
Methodist church was able to pray for the pastor and his wife;
this couple was gloriously baptized in the Holy Spirit!

Revival Among the Pygmies

One highlight of these meetings was when a group of tribal
Pygmies walked 60 kilometers from the jungle to attend the
crusade, dance for the team, and bring gifts. These four feet
tall, full-grown adults are considered to be the lowest of the
low in their society and, in fact, there is even a common belief
among some Africans that the Pygmies don’t even have souls.
We’ve heard reports of recent inhumane acts against these
people including murder and even cannibalism.
One African woman has been so touched by God’s love for
these people that she provides them with food and disciples
them. She is called ‘Mother Mary’ by the Pygmy tribes she has
adopted. Mother Mary has been spreading the Gospel for
several years to this people group, traveling as many as 50
kilometers one way to reach their villages with the Gospel of
Jesus Christ.
The Pygmies live in the jungle and by faith, they sometimes
survive days at times without food. Their testimonies of God’s
miraculous power of provision are right out of the Bible. Here’s
one example: once they were out of food for eight days and the
Lord instructed them to eat dirt. As they did, it had the taste of
corn and beans in their mouths.
When they arrived at our hotel, they sang a special song to us
called “Jesus is My Winner-Man.” These people had more
heart, soul, and fire as they danced and praised the Lord, than
just about everyone else. At the conclusion of their song, Jim
Drown invited them to pray for the Fresh Fire team. There was
not a dry eye among us as these precious Pygmies laid hands
on each Fresh Fire participant blessing us with the power of
the Holy Spirit. The other Africans at the hotel were shocked
that we would even allow the Pygmies to touch us.
Up to this point, Mother Mary has led more than 900 of these
Pygmies to Jesus, and she believes that this is just the
beginning of what God wants to do among the Pygmy people.
Hallelujah! People from every tribe, tongue, and nation will be
found in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Miracles in the Open-Air Market in Rwanda

We were all deeply impacted during the last leg of the journey
as we left Goma and came into Kigali, Rwanda. Todd
spontaneously decided to have an open-air crusade in a busy
section of the city. We connected with one of the local
churches in Kigali, and after a sound system and speakers were
set up, Todd blasted away with his testimony. In no time at all,
hundreds began to crowd in to hear Todd’s story about how
Jesus set him free from drugs and a wild lifestyle, and when the
altar call was given, dozens came forward to receive Jesus.
Miracles began to take place all around us as the Fresh Fire
team prayed for people in the crowd.
The harvest was so ripe; it was like the fish were literally flying
into the boat. Altogether, between the cities of Goma and
Kigali, we recorded 15,277 souls coming into the Kingdom of
God. What we experienced in this open-air market was just the
first fruits of a much bigger harvest that Fresh Fire believes to
reap as we go back in September 2003 to hold a crusade in
Kigali, Rwanda and Kisingani, Congo.

Remembering the Poor

Last but not least, Todd and Shonnah along with the Fresh Fire
team were taken to a very special place that brought tears to
everyone’s eyes. An African lady by the name of Jane, along
with her husband, both ex-government employees, have
answered an amazing call to feed and disciple 125 orphans,
permanently residing in some makeshift shelters (how’s that for
a contradiction in terms?). As many as 200 more orphans are
fed daily by their ministry, with no government aid. As many as
six to eight children sleep in one bed.
I had never seen so many children with hands and fingers
chopped off by machetes. Huge scars could be seen on dozens
of children criss-crossing their faces and bodies. These
children are the victims of a brutal civil war in which over a
million people were killed. Shonnah was overwhelmed and in
tears—totally speechless. She absolutely fell in love with this
couple and with the orphans.
We thank God that we were able to quickly gather together a
small truckload of food and goods for this precious orphanage.
Todd pledged in his heart to go back to the Fresh Fire partners
in US and Canada, and to share the vision of providing another
building for this orphanage and to assist in the establishment
of a regular feeding program. Todd also felt impressed by the
Holy Spirit to raise funds in order to put some roofs on some of
the churches in Goma, and to build a school in order to
facilitate the education of underprivileged children. Plans have
already begun in conjunction with other ministries to send a
40-foot container loaded with cranberry sauce, and school
supplies to help with the children’s education and physical
well-being. What a massive project! We serve a mighty big
God!
Many of the Fresh Fire team members shared with us that they
had never experienced miracles of this caliber in their entire
Christian life. It was almost as if we were living ‘smack-dab’ in
the middle of the Book of Acts. Who says God doesn’t perform
miracles today? Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and
forever. If you need convincing, plan to come on a trip with
Todd and Shonnah for a future crusade and watch and see
with your very own eyes. To God be the glory!

GREATER BATTLES, GREATER VICTORIES

LILONGWE, MALAWI, JUNE 4-7, 2003
“For dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the
nations” (Psalm 22:28 NIV).
This was one of the most amazing mission trips I have ever
experienced, as over 90 people from Canada, USA, South
Africa, Austria, and Australia joined with Shonnah and me to
feed the poor and to live out Matthew 10:8, “Heal the sick, raise
the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.”
I knew that this long awaited Malawi crusade was going to
“go over the top,” because of the constant opposition before
we arrived. Just days before the crusade was to begin, Gerald
Mwebe, our African Coordinator, sent an urgent request telling
us that the Malawian health department would deny Canadian
entry into their country because of the fear of SARS (Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome). However, we praise God
because Gerald was able to convince them that if we would get
a medical check-up indicating negativity to SARS, we could
come. All 24 Canadians scrambled and were able to get these
reports just in time. Other complications among team members
included stolen laptops, accidents, stolen vehicles, and
delayed flights.
It was only later on in the crusade that we learned from a
local pastor that this region is a paradise for witchcraft and that
most North American evangelists go to Blantyre, a neighboring
large city where the churches are much bigger and the
crusades larger. Having 2,500 in our evening crusade would be
considered a great success.
The opening night about 2,500 attended. The local pastors
were very encouraged by the turnout as they repeatedly told
us that Lilongwe was a preacher’s graveyard. Approximately
500 responded to the altar call. I knew in my spirit we needed a
breakthrough, so I invited all team members to fast over the
next few days.
The second night of the crusade the attendance was
higher. Before preaching, the Holy Spirit told me to call forward
those who had made blood covenants to witch doctors. Over
400 responded to the call. In addition, hundreds of children
received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of
speaking in tongues. Children could literally be seen all over
the crusade grounds, totally intoxicated with the wine of the
Spirit. That night there were over 1,000 salvations recorded.

These Signs Shall Follow Them That Believe

 It was an honor for Fresh Fire Ministries to partner with
Rolland and Heidi Baker of Iris Ministries on this trip. We
engaged in the largest feeding program either ministry has ever
attempted. The Holy Spirit has given Iris Ministries
tremendous favor in the nation of Mozambique and the
surrounding countries in Africa. Through the generous
contributions from those who have given toward the Malawi
Outreach and Humanitarian program, FFM was able to donate a
2003 flatbed large truck to Rolland and Heidi’s ministry. This
truck was put to constant use while we were in Malawi,
including hauling generators and sound systems for the open-
air market meetings, carrying local worship teams around, and
as a pulpit for preaching.
The Lord promised a great harvest if we would preach the
Gospel and feed the poor in Malawi. This nation was just
coming out of a severe famine due to drought during the last
couple of years. The 90 members of our group were divided
into eight teams. Every day they fed the poor and preached the
Gospel. Even after the first day of the outreaches, team
captains came back ecstatic with reports of the blind seeing,
the crippled walking, the deaf hearing, and the sick recovering.
Every day, teams were sent out to local villages, hospitals,
and other remote areas, where miracles and healings took place,
and where thousands upon thousands of bags of maize and
beans were distributed to the poor. At the hospitals we
distributed the maize and beans to everyone, including the
patients, who are required to provide their own food during
their stays. The main building at one hospital had four floors,
and of course no elevator. Thanks to our huge team of ninety,
we were able to form a line winding all the way up the staircase
and pass bags to the top floors.
In many cases, food was given to the local leaders of the
camps or village in order to ensure everyone received their fair
portions. In fact, in a number of situations, potential riots
began to brew during the feeding process, forcing us to solicit
the efforts of the local Malawian police authorities for
assistance.
There are few things in the world that are more satisfying
than having the privilege of providing precious souls with both
the natural and the spiritual Bread of Life. We were excited to
be able to feed hundreds of Muslims as well and were able to
plant the seed of the Gospel into their hearts.
On one of the morning outreaches, as the Gospel message
was preached and the salvation invitation was given, thirty
village chiefs came forward to accept Jesus. Another 500 from
the crowd responded. Revival had come to the land.
At every crusade that I host, I encourage the locals to bring
the dead, so we can pray for a resurrection. During one
hospital outreach, a handful of team members sneaked into the
holding room of the morgue. Although there was no
resurrection, I know many more opportunities will be waiting in
the future, and yes, the dead will be raised in Jesus’ name.

A Young Girl Healed of Polio

A young girl stricken with polio received Jesus into her
heart, and immediately burst into a big smile. When a team
member prayed for her, she felt the power of God hit her body
and experienced circulation for the first time in two years. What
an awesome sight as she left the hospital totally healed,
carrying bagged food on top of her head that had been
donated by FFM partners.

Refugee Camp Hears the Gospel

Dzaleka, is a refuge camp of 20,000 people who have fled
civil wars and other catastrophes in their homelands—Somalia,
Burundi, Congo, Rwanda and Malawi. After preaching,
hundreds of children were born again. However, many adults in
the crowd were very skeptical. By the unction of the Holy
Spirit, I invited those who needed a miracle to come forward
and assured the crowd they would witness the power of God.
A number of deaf and mutes came forward, and when the first
miracle happened, the crowd surged forward, almost
suffocating some of the team members.
Immediately after we prayed for the sick, we distributed
bags of beans and rice. What a blessing it is to fulfill the
Matthew 25 mandate of Jesus, to “feed the poor, clothe the
naked, visit the sick and imprisoned.”

The Orphanage
Several team members visited an orphanage and prayed for
Tullie, a 14-year-old boy with a blind left eye. They witnessed a
progressive healing—he could see “men like trees walking.”
After continuing in prayer, Tullie was able to identify a small
piece of candy, and said, “I see a sweet.” He immediately
began to cry, which caused all of the team members to break
out in tears of joy as well. The supervisor of the orphanage
said Tullie had been thrown into the city dump at six months
old and his eye was pierced. Imagine not having sight in one
eye for over thirteen years. What an amazing miracle!

Confronting the Powers of Darkness

Though we were met with much resistance at the evening
crusade, (some of the stage and platform collapsed, injuring
people) Friday night was truly the breakthrough we were
looking for. Over 3,700 came forward for salvation and the
baptism of the Holy Spirit. Lilongwe had never experienced
anything like this before.
Before I could direct the new converts to a special area for
further prayer and follow up, a backlash of demonic power
erupted. Those who were demonized began manifesting and
creating commotion in the crowd. Over one dozen demonized
people, mostly women, were hurled onto the stage where they
writhed around like snakes, screaming and flailing in every
direction. I prayed for a woman, commanding the evil spirit to
loose its hold on her body and mind. The evil spirit defied me,
spit, and cursed me. I actually felt an evil substance, like
poison, shooting up my arm. Thank God for the Blood of Jesus
and His resurrection authority. By the end of the evening, all of
the demonized were no longer victims but victors, all because
of Jesus.
One of the more outstanding miracles was a local witch
doctor who heard the radio broadcast of the crusade, and
responded to the altar call. He also received a physical miracle
in his body—oh yes, truly, greater is He that is in us, than he
who is in the world.

Jesus Appears In the Crowd

Saturday was the final night of the crusade, and again,
approximately 2,200 received Jesus in their hearts. I will never
forget what happened. I saw an open vision of Jesus, clothed
in a scarlet robe, walking among the new believers. Wherever
Jesus was standing, dozens of people in that area fell under the
power of the Holy Spirit. The presence of God came as a glory
cloud and hovered over the crusade grounds. Truly Malawi
will never be the same.

Creative Miracles
Every evening the team prayed for the sick and cast out
devils. During one of the evening crusades, a number of team
members witnessed a creative miracle as an 18-year-old team
member laid hands on a little baby’s head, commanding the
healing virtue of Jesus to flow into the body. The baby had
what is called “water on the brain.” His head was noticeably
enlarged. Instantly, the head began to shrink back to normal
size, to the amazement of the parents. To God be the glory! He
does all things well.
Malawi, as well as many other African countries, is plagued
with AIDS. At the crusades, I invited those afflicted with AIDS
to come unashamedly and receive forgiveness and cleansing.
Three different individuals (one who was listening at home on
the radio) were tested by their doctors who pronounced them
totally healed of this dreaded virus. AIDS can be beaten!

Hotel Supervisor Healed

At the hotel where we were staying, the grounds
supervisor desperately wanted to attend the crusade meetings,
but was unable to because of his conflicting work schedule. He
was experiencing excruciating back pains, and during one of
the evenings, was taken to the hospital hoping that some
medication would alleviate the pain. However, nothing seemed
to help.
He was taken back to the hotel lobby and heard the crusade
over the radio. At the exact time he entered the lobby, I asked
for those who needed healing to put their hand on the radio as
a point of contact. He immediately felt the power of God surge
through his back. There was no small stir among the staff in the
lobby that evening as he shared his testimony again and again.
Is it true? Is Jesus the same yesterday, today, and forever?
A little child, paralyzed from birth received a miracle and began
to walk for the first time. As in Scripture, we were starting to
see the sick “walking and leaping and praising God” (Acts 3:8).
I know that reading a big list of statistics can be boring, but
remember that every number represents a person loved and
touched by Jesus, a person whose life will never be the same!
Here are the final totals from Malawi:
Over 10,000 responded to the call of salvation
 Thousands received baptism in the Holy Spirit
124 Blind received sight
18 Healed of HIV (AIDS)
61 Healed from dreaded Malaria
Over 120 deaf and/or mute heard
11 People healed from tumors
52 Healed of the “killer” Tuberculosis
And many more miracles and healings

A TEAM MEMBER SHARES

Report by Shara Pradhan, Kansas City, MO
Perhaps these numbers seem distant or unfathomable. I hope
that in the following accounts you can hear the heartbeat
behind the multitudes, and see how God touched thousands,
one precious life at a time. Here are a few accounts from my trip
to Malawi.

God’s Love for Muslims

One afternoon, we were at a school preaching and praying for
the sick. The Lord whispered to me, A 14-year-old girl is here
who is Muslim and afraid of receiving Jesus because her family
will persecute her.”
Looking around at the beaming smiles and hungry hearts, I was
a bit alarmed at how I would find this girl in the circle of faces.
Holy Spirit highlighted one bright shining girl named Roshan. I
asked her if she was Muslim. She said yes and told me that she
was orphaned years ago and had to stay in the care of her very
harsh, very Muslim (Sikh) grandma. Holy Spirit warned me, that
Roshan was afraid to talk to me in the crowds for fear that her
peers would squeal to her Grandma, and she would face painful
repercussions. So I smuggled her on the ministry bus!
She was desperate for Jesus but petrified at the costly
persecution facing her if she chose Jesus. Suddenly my leaders
announced that we were leaving. A decision had to be made.
Roshan decided that she wanted to accept Jesus. So we prayed
together and then she had to leave. Holding her hand through
the window, I pleaded with her to come to the crusade that
night. We drove off, tears streaming down my checks. I was
devastated at the thought of what awaited her at home.
Hours later, we arrived at the crusade; at least 50,000 people
blanketed the fields. Roshan was waiting for me as I stepped
off our bus! She brought her aunt and two little cousins (all
Sikh Muslims!) who wanted to be healed from their full-blown
AIDS. Her aunt’s right eye was blind because of the HIV virus.
We preached the Gospel to them and they accepted Jesus.
Then we asked the Lord to heal her AIDS and fully restore her
sight as an indication that the virus had left her body! We
prayed fervently and nothing happened. My heart sank, and
the crusade started so we were whisked to the stage.
On my knees, crying out to God for wisdom of what to do, I
just worshiped Him. Then the Lord dropped one word into my
spirit, “Prostitute!” This aunt definitely did not appear to be a
prostitute; she was conservatively dressed in nice clothes. “Uh
oh! Help God.” I wavered, trying to decide whether or not to
risk losing the relationship by offending her. Finally I asked her
the question and learned her story.
Her husband had sold her into prostitution before he died!
This trade was the only way she could support her family. Now
both of her daughters had AIDS! After wrestling through
worries about how she could ever take care of her family
financially, she finally repented of prostitution and decided not
to go back to this life of sin. We prayed and her sight was fully
restored! Can you believe the kindness of God? Here was a
partially blind, Muslim prostitute with AIDS and her two sick
children not even looking for Jesus when He looked at the
devastation the enemy wreaked in their lives and healed her!

Three Blind Women

One afternoon in a village, I was praying for a 90-year-old
lady whose skin was weathered and cracked, and who was
about 90 percent blind in both eyes. She loved Jesus
desperately.
With fiery faith, I prayed for her for awhile and nothing
happened. Distraught and desperate, I started crying.
Immediately, the Lord reminded me of the account in the
Gospels when He spit in the dirt, made mud, and used it as
salve to heal a blind man.
“If you want to see healing, this is what you do. Why not
today? Why not now?” So, I took some dirt, spit in it, made
some mud and gently put it on her eyes. Seconds later, she
started jumping up and down screaming, “Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!” She could see!
Immediately, another lady with one blind eye approached
us. In order to prove to the village that this was about Jehovah
Rapha—not our American team—I had the 90-year old lady
pray for the next blind lady and she received her sight!
Then another woman with only partial sight in both eyes
approached the three of us. I wanted the saints to be
encouraged to pray for each other after we left, so we all
prayed, and she too was healed!

Johannesburg, South Africa—June 8-10, 2003

Johannesburg is a big modern city, a total change from
Malawi, which was years behind. At night we ministered in
church in a rough part of the city and during the day we did
outreaches.
After a meeting one night I told the pastors to take us to
the street children. Unemployment is so high (over 50 percent)
that many children and adults live on the streets. It was about
midnight when some team members bought food at a local
grocery store, started making sandwiches and passing out
food. The rest of the team just loved on the children and
prayed for them. It was early morning before we returned
exhausted to our hotel room.
There is continuing white/black tension in South Africa.
We went to minister in a park where whites would never go.
Even the pastors had never done anything like this before. The
park was a high crime place—stabbings, shootings,
carjackings, and drug dealing. Apparently, no insurance
company would cover vehicles in that area.
While we were evangelizing there a crippled woman was
miraculously healed. This woman was carted by her husband
on something like a skateboard—a piece of wood on four
lopsided wheels with a rope handle. She was completely healed
and walked two blocks with the team. Many were saved and
healed in that street outreach.

Open Market Ministry

Another day, during an open market ministry, 150 people
were saved. These outreaches are my favorite. We chose a
desperate, dark area of the city and set up a small sound
system in the busiest area. Music always draws a crowd of
people. So one of the worship leaders from church started off
by singing and dancing to some upbeat worship songs. I
preached, gave an altar call, and we all prayed for the sick.
During two of these open-airs, the blind saw, the deaf heard,
and the lame were healed!
Several weeks after returning from Malawi and
Johannesburg, I was ministering in Kansas City when I asked
several team members in the audience to share about the trip. I
jumped for joy on the platform when I heard the following
report which had just come in by e-mail:

TUBERCULOSIS WARD EMPTIED IN MALAWI!

JUNE 22, 2003
Report by Linda Pallone, Iris Ministries
Oh hallelujah!!! I just got word from Malawi of an incredible
report and had to tell you right away!
Two weeks ago while in Malawi, Iris Ministries partnered with
Fresh Fire Ministries to hold open-air meetings in the city of
Lilongwe, Malawi for four evenings. I was in charge of
organizing outreaches to take place during the day in which the
Gospel was preached and food was distributed in each of
seven locations. One of these locations was a “hospital” with
very poor humanitarian and sanitary conditions. Many of the
patients in this particular hospital had to sleep on the floor, and
we found many desperate people there. We distributed food to
every patient and every member of the hospital staff. This
brought much joy and word of what we were doing spread
throughout the city.
We also went through the entire hospital and prayed for every
patient to be healed. Well, I’ve just received word that within
24 hours all the patients in the tuberculosis ward were healed
and discharged from the TB ward!! All of them! There were
over 65 patients in this ward, many of them on oxygen and in
advanced stages of tuberculosis! Not one patient remained in
the hospital!
More and more reports are coming in from people in Lilongwe,
Malawi about how they were healed. God is so amazing! God is
so good! There are many other testimonies… the next one I will
send is regarding the salvation of 30 village chiefs!
I know that after reading these tremendous reports of revival,
healing, and harvest, that you are no longer satisfied with the
normal Christian life; there is a hunger in your heart to say,
“God I want this anointing to come upon my life.”
My purpose for sharing so many healing testimonies isn’t just
so you hear my story, but so you understand that Jesus is the
same yesterday, today, and forever. I am just one of many first
fruits of the promised healing revival the Holy Spirit has
spoken about through many prophetic voices. A revival
generation is still rising up as a healing army to the nations.
My life is just one of many divine signposts pointing to the
greatest times in church history yet to come.
 Chapter 20

HOUND OF HEAVEN ON DAD’S TRAIL

This is my dad’s chance to tell his story. If you remember,

our relationship wasn’t very strong as I was growing up. Well,
God is very gracious and this story has a very happy ending. If
you’ve been to any of my meetings since September 2001,
you’ve seen my dad ministering right along side me.
Sitting on the stairs in the church, I had no idea what to do.
Everyone was worshiping and praying. This was totally foreign
to me. I was at my first conference with Todd and I wondered,
“Why am I here? What are all these people doing?” They were
singing and dancing and praising the Lord. This was not
something I was used to seeing. This was not like anywhere I
had ever been before. The hairs on my arms were standing up;
a cold chill entered my body. “What was this?” I had no
explanation. “Was this my first experience of Jesus?” It was
September 19, 2001 and from that day on my life would never
be the same again. But I didn’t know that yet. My name is
David Paul Bentley and this is my testimony:
I was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1956.I had a 13-year-
old brother and a 6-year-old sister. Both my parents worked but
they still struggled financially. Even though it was hard they
tried to keep us all fed and clothed.
In Toronto there was an outbreak of Tuberculosis. At this time
a lot of people were isolated for signs of TB. My parents were
both hospitalized for about two years. When I was about five-
years-old my father passed away with tuberculosis. My mother
couldn’t care for us all. Much to her dismay she sent my sister
and me to live with her sister on a farm outside of Toronto that
was called Lang Staff.
As a five-year-old who had just lost his father, to now be taken
from his mother was excruciating. This was something I will
never forget. I ended up living with my aunt and uncle for
about four years. My uncle was an alcoholic. He had his own
family, two boys and one girl to take care of. There was not a
lot of food there and they lived off of the land. He was not a
nice man and treated me like an outsider. I was the youngest
one living on the farm. It was too far to go to school so I never
attended.
When I was about nine years old my mother remarried a man in
Nappanee, Ontario. He already had children. They sent for my
sister and me. There were two girls and one boy and the
youngest was 14-years-old. His name was Jimmy and he was
deaf and dumb. This was going to be even harder than normal.
How do we communicate? We didn’t get along at first but a
while later I started to learn sign language to communicate with
my stepbrother. (I didn’t know that this would come in handy
years later when I pray for the deaf.)
Summer was over and it was time to start school. I was nine
and going to school for the first time. They decided to start me
in grade one. I was in class with five, six, and seven year olds.
Because of my size and age I became a bully, showing off,
fighting, and getting into trouble. That was my way of getting
attention. This only lasted for a year then they transferred me.
They decided to put me into classes with kids my own age and
size. But I continued to fight. Learning was not a priority for
me. I had to show these kids that I was tough. I would find the
biggest kids and start a fight. I was transferred from one grade
to the next even though I was failing classes. I was getting too
old for primary or middle school, so they put me into high
school. It was going to be tough now there were so many kids
there. How was I going to be the bully? I tried to get into fights
on a daily basis. One day I broke a student’s leg. We were
fighting in the hall, and I threw him down a flight of stairs.
I’d had a couple of warnings about fighting so I was
suspended for two weeks. I didn’t bother telling my parents. I
had a friend living on a reserve and he didn’t go to school so
we started hanging out. We got a hold of a bootlegger and
started drinking wine every day. Then we started smoking, so
each day I took a few of my parent’s cigarettes. It didn’t take
long until I got caught. My stepfather thought he would fix me
and make me smoke a cigar. He didn’t know that I had smoked
them before. My friend and I would steal them from the drug
store a couple times a week.
We started hanging out back of the bars and watched for
people to put beer or anything of value in their cars.
Then we’d take it. Drinking, drugs, and stealing had become
our daily activities. Being drunk and stoned made that two
weeks go by fast. I went back to school and within two days I
got a broken arm in a fight. Even with a broken arm I was still
fighting. In gym class one day the teacher grabbed me from
behind. I reflexively turned around and hit him in the nose with
my cast. His nose broke.
I was blacklisted from all schools in Ontario. My life as a 15-
year-old changed fast. Now I had all day every day to do what
I wanted. My friend and I started drinking more and smoking
more just to stay high. It was taking more and more just to get
where we were the day before. Soon we were trying other ways
to get high, we started inhaling everything we could find, it
didn’t matter what it was—glues, stolen gas from cars or lawn
mowers, Cutex, etc. This was a new high.
One day three of us were in my stepfather’s shed. We were all
sniffing and drinking wine. One of my friends, Gary, said he
had enough, that he was going to go home and commit suicide.
We thought he was joking. About ten minutes later we heard a
big bang. We ran to his house, but it was too late. He was lying
on his back porch where he had shot himself in the head with
his dad’s shotgun.
This incident didn’t have an effect on my behavior. By this
time I was willing to try anything and everything. I was sent to
a physiologist, but he just said I was an angry young man. At
16 I was well known by all the police. I was always in trouble.
They decided to take me for a day stay at the Kingston Prison,
as they did with a lot of kids who were in trouble. This is one of
the most dangerous prisons in Canada.
That was a day that I would not soon forget. Now this tough
kid didn’t look so tough. Unfortunately, my behavior didn’t
truly change. I didn’t want to go back to that place so I got a
job in a bowling alley to get money so I wouldn’t have to steal
my cigarettes, liquor, and drugs. This lasted for a while, but I
decided it was time to leave this small town where everyone
knew what everyone else was doing. My brother was trying to
be helpful and said I could move in with him. He tried to get me
in school in Toronto but couldn’t. I ended up getting a couple
of different jobs. One was stocking shelves in a gas station. I
was able to do this and still do drugs and booze daily. In
Toronto there were even more kinds to try.
I started hanging out with my cousin. He was the leader of the
Toronto Hell’s Angels. There I tried marijuana and acid. I
would get it from my cousin and even sell it to the people I
worked with. Now my newest thing was pot and acid and
alcohol. At nights I baby-sat my niece and drank vodka from
the cupboard. Then I’d fill the bottle with water. I thought I
was being very sneaky, but my sister-in-law figured it out.
At 17 I wanted away from my brother so a friend and I rented a
place together. Now no one could tell me what to do. I went to
the bars with my cousin and that started a new downward
spiral. I got myself some false ID and started hanging out at the
bars all the time. This would be where you could find me every
day after work. On the weekends I would be there all day until I
was so drunk they would kick me out. I started drinking beer
for breakfast.
I met a girl who worked next to where I worked so we met daily
at the bar. We stayed there until closing time every night. We
started hanging out together all day and night. About a year
later she became pregnant. What to do? We took a holiday
together to British Columbia to visit my brother. I fell in love
with B.C. so we decided we would stay. We never went back to
Ontario, not even to get our belongings. We married and
settled in. This was hard for me as I liked being a single man,
but I knew I had to take care of her and the baby that was soon
to come.
I got a job in the mill. She thought this would give me a break
from drinking for at least eight hours a day. I just had to learn
how to hide my addictions. I hid my beer and pot in the garage
where no one went but me. On my way home from work I
couldn’t pass the bar without stopping. Most of my drinking
was hidden.
On January 10, 1976, Todd David Bentley was born. Now my
life had changed, married and a new son—I was just 19. Now it
was time to grow up fast. My job at a mill enabled me to take
care of the family financially.
My wife was slowly losing her hearing. We couldn’t
communicate. Things went from bad to worse and we fought
constantly. This gave me an excuse to even drink more. I
stopped coming home and started hanging out in bars more
and more. Soon we were separated.
Todd was now about five years old. We only got together on
weekends but not for long periods of time. Todd and his
mother moved to Newfoundland where he began school. When
he and his mother moved back to B.C. I had already moved to
Alberta with Darcia (who has been my wife for the last 20
years). During these years of living apart, Todd and I would
not see each other for long periods at a time. This was not what
I had wanted but divorce bring a lot of painful baggage.
Through these years I still drank and did drugs daily. Todd and
I were not as close as I had hoped and he had been told things
about me that weren’t true. This talk kept us apart even more.
As a rebellious young man he started getting in to trouble—
stealing, setting fires, etc. until he was sent to jail. I thought
that would straighten him out. But little did I know he was a lot
like me! He was doing drugs and drinking, all the things I
hoped he never would.
When he got out of jail we tried to get him back into school but
that didn’t work. I would see him just hanging uptown doing
his thing. I told him if he was going to do drugs he should do
them with me. At this time it seemed like a good idea. This
would keep him from getting in to bad drugs on the street. We
did drugs and drank together. This seemed to be an every day
event. I now became my own son’s drug dealer and bootlegger.
He was getting so carried away with drugs, he had lost all the
jobs I got him. Now he was stealing my drugs and he had
overdosed several times. He progressed to street drugs. We
talked about it but that did no good. After his third or fourth
drug overdose he just disappeared, all his belongings,
everything we had given him in his apartment was gone. Even
the furniture that was not his was gone.
I’d pretty much given up hope for him. Darcia and I figured the
next time we heard anything about him it would be from the
morgue or a prison. A year passed and he phoned me to say
that he was reborn. Well I thought he was high, plus I didn’t
know what it meant to be reborn. He tried to explain it to me but
I didn’t believe.
The next time he phoned he told us he was getting married.
This was not what I expected to hear. I still didn’t believe he
had turned his life around. I told him we couldn’t make the
wedding, but we would set up a honeymoon for them. I really
didn’t think he would get married, but he did. When Todd came
to the island he had the most beautiful wife, Shonnah. We all
spent a week together, the first time in years.
Todd started telling us about God. This was not the Todd I
knew! At this time I told him I was not at all interested in, “his
new God thing.” Well Todd soon started a Ministry called
Fresh Fire and he kept telling me about it. He sent me some
tapes of his meetings. I watched with disbelief—people
screaming, falling (pushed?) over and supposedly being
healed. “What kind of scam is this?” I wondered. I thought he
was in some kind of a cult. But, I had to admit he was doing
great. This God thing had made him a happier person. I still
didn’t believe it, but if it made him happy that was great. Todd
went on to have three children, which made me a proud
grandpa. For many years Todd tried to teach me more about
God, but I didn’t think that was me.
At age 45 it had been almost 30 years that I had been drinking,
doing drugs, and smoking cigarettes. I hadn’t cut back over the
years; in fact I did more than ever. I would still have my beer
for breakfast, pot and beer at lunch; I was drinking about a
dozen beers a day, and smoking more than a pack of cigarettes.
For many years I thought I was getting away with all this. I was
fooling my self thinking that Darcia didn’t know what was
going on. She knew, but she also knew that the more she tried
to stop me the worse I would get. She stood by me for all these
years, and I do thank God for her.
In December 2000, on Christmas Eve, we got a call from our son
in-law. They had just taken my stepdaughter, Barbie, to the
hospital. A few days earlier at a doctor’s exam they had sent
her back home, thinking she just had a bad back. Two days
later they rushed her to the hospital and found that her
appendix had ruptured days before. Darcia and I drove two
hours. I stayed with the two grandkids, Matt and Taylor.
Darcia went to the hospital.
At the hospital where they sent Barbie there was no doctor
who could help with her condition. She had so much poison in
her they told Darcia that there was nothing they could do.
They rushed her to the next hospital where there was a
surgeon. He said there was nothing he could do for her, either.
She told me to call the family and let them all know. I phoned
Todd and he said he would pray, and told me I should do the
same. “Todd I don’t know how to pray.” He said to just start,
so I began to pray saying: “God, I ask you to save Barbie from
death. If you do this I will seek and search for you.” I prayed
this over and over thinking, “Why am I wasting my time doing
this?”
The doctors told us that her chances of living were 30 percent
at best. “Don’t keep your hopes up.” Barbie went into a coma
for two weeks. During that time I did as Todd asked, and kept
praying the same prayer every day. On January 17, 2001 Barbie
came home! That is a day I will always remember. Thank you,
Lord, what a great birthday present!
A month later Todd’s mother passed away. Todd asked me to
help him with the arrangements because he was out of the
country. This would be the first time Todd and I would be
together in a long time. A month after her death my own mother
passed away. This was a hectic six months that I wouldn’t
want to re-live.
A month later driving home one day I had the strangest thing
happen. A voice out of nowhere spoke to me in the car. This
was not at all what I was used to. “DO NOT FORGET YOUR
PROMISES.” I went home, lit a joint, and opened a beer. When
Darcia got home I told her what happened. She said I should
follow what I felt. She was hoping that she would see the same
change come over me that came over Todd and she was afraid,
but also excited because she knew I really needed a touch from
God.
Todd called me and said he was coming to town for a couple
days and wanted to get together. It turned out he had a
position open in his ministry and wanted to know if I would
work for him. I had been out of work since Barbie was in a
coma. I had worked for this company 12 years and they let me
go. After thinking about it for a while I said yes.
Driving to the airport the voice came to me, “DO NOT FORGET
YOUR PROMISES.” I called Darcia. “It happened again.” (Later
I realized that God was reminding me about my promise to seek
Him out if Barbie lived.)
It was a new experience walking onto a job that I knew nothing
about. Todd had me listening to all his teachings to find bad
tapes and to fix them. I didn’t realize I was being set up! I
learned more about God everyday. But this was Todd’s plan
from the beginning!
On September 28, 2001 Todd prayed for me to quit smoking,
drinking, and doing drugs. The next day God delivered me. No
cravings; no withdrawals; all gone; thank you, Jesus.
I traveled with Todd to a couple of conferences. I’ll never
forget my first experience, which was with a demon-possessed
woman. She was screaming, rolling, and biting at Todd. He
asked me to help him with her. I was new at this and wondered,
“Why not just knock her out and stop all this?” I held her
down. Todd prayed and she calmed down some. But that
wasn’t the end of it—night after night the same thing would
happen. The fourth night she came in and I thought she looked
different. She was calm and happy. Then I knew what a
difference God’s power could make in the life of a person with a
demon. She had been set free.
One night at a meeting in Ontario, Todd gave an altar call.
Everything seemed normal when all of a sudden I was standing
in the front of the church with a few other people. This was
November 14, 2001. I gave my heart to the Lord that night. Still,
I do not remember walking to the front. But I was there and
have not regretted it since. The Lord has shown great mercy in
my life and I am thankful for that day.
This was the beginning of a whole new life. The Lord was
about to show me all I had been seeing in Todd’s videos was
true. I used to ask Todd, “How much do you pay those people
to fall down?” My unbelief was about to change.
We were at a church in Toronto; Todd was calling people up
for healing. There was a young lady sitting about six rows back
who kept waving at me to come to her. After awhile I asked
Ivan, who was Todd’s disciple at the time, what I should do.
He told me to go to her. She said that God told her if I helped
her to the front and prayed for her she would walk. She had
been in a wheelchair for 10 years. I laughed and went back to
my seat. I told Ivan I thought she was crazy. I stayed in my
seat but she kept waving. I went back to her and tried to
explain that she couldn’t walk because she was in a wheelchair.
She insisted on me taking her up front and praying for her.
I sat back down and Ivan told me to do what she wanted. With
not one ounce of belief I gave her my arm and kind of dragged
her up front. She went down on the floor and took me with her.
It appeared to me that she had fallen asleep, but she said, “Pray
for me.” I still didn’t know how to pray for someone so I said
the same sort of prayer I used when Barbie was sick. The
woman said she “felt something,” so would I please help her
up. I did and she went back down, holding on to me even
tighter than before.
After about 20 minutes she said she wanted to walk around the
church. My thought was, “Yea, right. I bet you do.” She asked
if I would hold her hand, boyfriend and girlfriend style, and
walk with her. We started to walk and WOW she was walking,
slowly, but we actually walked around the church twice. Then
she wanted to go up stairs. She did it! When we got to the top
Todd and the whole congregation started to clap. This woman
left the church walking and someone else was pushing her
wheelchair. Praise the Lord! That was the first time the Lord
used me.
The next night, at the same church, everyone was praying for
people. Ivan told me to pray. I went to pray for a woman who
had white blotches in both eyes. I watched every one else
pray, they seemed to be touching the person they were praying
for so I put my hands on her eyes. Then for some reason I
thought I shouldn’t do this. I took my hands away and looked
at her. “Excuse me but did your contacts fall out?” The white
was gone. She said she could see well. I thought she was
joking but her friend said she had cataracts for 3 years and was
almost totally blind. Well, I’ll tell you, that experience sure
helped boost my faith that God really does heal and that he can
use anyone to do it.
I have been traveling with Todd for eight months now and
have been saved for 18 months. Together we have been all
over the world: India, Africa, South America, Mexico, Europe,
and many other places. I have seen all kinds of healings and
miracles, from headaches to limbs growing as well as the blind
seeing, the deaf hearing, and the cripples walking. The only
thing I haven’t seen yet is the dead raised. But I know we will
also soon see this because we ask people to bring the dead to
our meetings.
If you’re hungry for these experiences, come with Fresh Fire on
an overseas crusade and you will see these things too. God
bless you. I hope my testimony helps you to believe, even
more, that God is the same today, and He does the same
miracles as He did in the Bible. Let’s go out and obey Jesus’
command to His disciples: “Preach the Gospel, heal the sick,
cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons…”
(Matthew 10:8).
Dave Bentley
 Chapter 21

GET READY!

Let’s talk about the incredible future that lies before us.
God is getting ready to do amazing things. Get ready for
supernatural visitation and open heavens—the supernatural is
about to become natural. There’s coming a release of an
apostolic anointing, which I call the popcorn release into
ministry, where men and women are going to be thrust into
worldwide ministry overnight. Tomorrow you’re going to go to
work and the next day your city is going to be in revival. Can a
nation be born in a day? “Can a country be born in a day or a
nation be brought forth in a moment?” (see Isa. 66:8). Yes!
 Get ready. There are things that are about to happen in the
church that eye has not seen and ear has not heard and you
can be part of it. Even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe it.
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of
the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14).
I want to share with you in more detail than I did in the
opening chapter, the four aspects of what I believe will happen
in our future and the future of the church.

1. HEALING REVIVAL
“And the inhabitant of the land shall not say I am sick”
(Isa. 33:24). I believe that this verse is speaking of a time in the
church where there will be such a level of healing anointing
that no sickness or disease will touch God’s people, just like
when Israel came up out of Egypt. “He also brought them out
with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His
tribes” (Psalm 105:37). Not one feeble or weak? Think about
that, more than 3 million people healed after 400 years in
oppression and bondage!
Kathryn Kuhlman prophesied that there would be a day
when the church would say, “I am not sick!” and in some
meetings every single person would be healed. Many others
have prophesied a great healing revival in the end times,
including John G. Lake. There will be a renewed focus on the
message of repentance. Sickness and disease started with sin.
In the beginning the Garden of Eden was paradise without
sickness, disease, poverty or death. That was always God’s
plan for us! When sin entered the world then came sickness,
disease, and death. “Therefore, just as through one man sin
entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death
spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12).
But with the resurrection of Jesus came a new law. Romans
8:1-2 states, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those
who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the
flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life
in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and
death.”
A new force is in motion today to empower us to live holy
and be made righteousness. All the angels of Heaven are
prepared to back up that law. “For the law of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death”
(Romans 8:2).
We are redeemed from the curse of the law. “Christ has
redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse
for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a
tree’) that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the
Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of
the Spirit through faith” (Gal. 3:13-14).
Today God’s will is Third John 1:2, “Beloved, I pray that
you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your
soul prospers.”
Most of the world’s sickness and disease stems from
turning away from God to other idols and false religions.
Whole nations are under curses (see Deut. 28) because they
have turned to other gods. When we examine the beliefs of
countries in Africa, India, and South America, many are rooted
in witchcraft or idol worship. In India alone, they worship over
three million gods. I have been in many nations and have seen
innocent children affected by poverty, famine, hunger, war, and
sickness. I have grieved as I’ve driven down some streets and
seen a temple on every corner. The innocent suffer because of
the unrighteousness of governments and leaders.
In order for us to see a greater wave of healing in the
church today there needs to be a renewed focus on repentance
and personal holiness because many times our own sins of
bitterness, envy, jealousy, unforgiveness, sexual sins, etc. are
not only the roots but the hindrances to healings. In the
coming healing outpouring, as people repent of their wilful sin
and make a fresh commitment to holiness, then when healing is
preached we will see more miracles.
James 5:15-16 says, “And the prayer of faith will save the
sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed
sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one
another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”
The Lord has also showed me that as the Church and as
nations repent of corruption and worldly ways and turn back to
God, He will bring a mighty healing revival. Hosea 6:1-2
implores: “Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn,
but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise
us up, that we may live in His sight.”
As repentance and the revival of righteousness sweeps
through the church, so will more healings and miracles. Healing
will take place supernaturally without the laying on of hands.
In Jesus’ ministry He healed every sickness and disease among
the people. “When evening had come, they brought to Him
many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits
with a word, and healed all who were sick.” (Matt. 8:16).

2. SAINT’S REVIVAL
Another thing we’ll see in the future will be a saint’s
revival. God is going to do away with a clergy/layman mentality
and raise up the saints—the Body of Christ—to do the work of
the ministry. I strongly believe in the local church and godly
leaders, the fivefold ministry and apostolic relationships built
on trust and friendship. But, it will not be just the pastors or
evangelists, but the saints released by God who will begin to
preach the Gospel and heal the sick. It has always been God’s
plan that every believer gets involved in the ministry of Jesus.
John 14:12 says, “He who believes in me, the works that I do he
will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I
go to my Father.”
I believe that when the early church was birthed, many
ordinary people moved in signs and wonders. “The Apostles
called out seven men full of good reputation and the Holy
Spirit. They laid their hands on them. The number of the
disciples increased greatly” (Acts 6:1-7). We all know Stephen,
full of faith and power, was doing signs and wonders, but who
were the rest in verse five? We never hear of them again or
their works of power. But, I believe they flowed in an anointing
just like Stephen. God is going to use the church deacons,
businessmen, cashiers, housewives, and children to work His
great power—”nobodies,” as it were, a nameless faceless
generation. People we don’t know, just like those chosen by
the apostles, will flow in this anointing.
Through the Church God will show signs and wonders in
the heavens and the earth. The Church will have the same
power as Jesus over the natural elements—the winds and the
sea obeyed Him. We will move into a ministry of wonders,
fulfilling Joel 2:30-31. We will speak to limbs like Jesus did in
Luke 6:10, when He said, “Stretch forth your hand.” and it will
happen.
The wonders we will perform will be like in the day of Elijah
or Moses. We will walk in authority like Joshua who spoke,
and the sun stood still. I don’t just see healings and miracles,
but signs and wonders of great proportion, which will jolt
people from their busy lifestyles—the world will stop and see
the glory cloud literally come down upon the Church just like it
did with Moses. In some cities we will witness signs of the
Lord’s glory for days that will even capture the media’s
attention.
“These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in
the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters
to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues,
as often as they desire” (Rev. 11:6). This Scripture says,
concerning the two witnesses, that they could do their signs as
often as they desired. Now that’s power! Pray it in. Let’s
believe God to confirm His word and trust us with the last
days’ anointing we’ll need for the last days’ harvest. The God
of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses will once again begin to
show up in the Church just like He visited His people in Old
Testament times.

3. CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
I have seen a great move of healings and miracles by the
hands of children. I had a vision of an eight-year-old boy with
a Bible in his hand preaching with fire and boldness to
thousands. He preached the word of the Lord, and the sick
recovered in their seats. I see children being used to grow
limbs working creative miracles by the spoken word and faith.
Some children will become part of the prophetic Samuel
generation as young as eleven or twelve years old.
We know that the Kingdom isn’t in word only but in power.
Children are going to move in the power of the Kingdom, drive
out spirits, and heal the sick because the Kingdom is theirs.
Jesus said in Matthew 19:14: “Let the little children come to me
do not forbid them, for of such is the Kingdom of heaven.”

4. LAST DAYS’ ANOINTING OF POWER

I have seen a glimpse of the anointing that will be on the
last days’ church. We think the Book of Acts was glorious, but
the glory of the latter house will be greater than the former. We
are going out with a bigger bang than we came in with.
The end-time anointing is the Elijah anointing! The Elijah
anointing turns the hearts of the nations to God like it did in
First Kings 18, where Elijah called down fire on Mt. Carmel in a
confrontation with the prophets of Baal. In these last days, it
won’t be Elijah as one man, but it will be the Spirit and
anointing of Elijah working through the Church that will get the
job done. We’ll do miracles and signs like Elijah did. Some
thought John the Baptist was Elijah the man, but they were
actually seeing the Elijah-anointing on his life.
In Matthew 17 on the Mount of Transfiguration, the Father
sent Moses and Elijah as a prophetic fulfillment and to show
that Jesus was who He said He was. I believe as we near the
second coming of Christ, God will again confirm the Church as
His voice in the land. He will do this by bringing the spirit and
power of Moses and Elijah upon His end-time army to release
forerunners to prepare the way of the Lord and to prepare the
nations for God.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming
of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the
hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the
children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with
a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6).
It will be a movement of the prophetic, power evangelism
and healing that will turn nations to God—some in a day! I’ll
develop this is more detail in the next vision.
That hour is at hand and you need to reach out for this.
The supernatural needs to be natural. It shouldn’t be rare in the
Body of Christ. I believe that those who are hungry to have an
encounter with the Holy Spirit will be filled.
 It’s not about who you are, or your righteousness, it’s not
about your ability, it’s about your availability. It’s about the
time we live in and a mighty God who has chosen to work
through weak human vessels. The Spirit and the anointing
have the power and the wisdom. “Not by might, norby power,
but by my Spirit says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).

HOUSES OF PRAYER FACILITATE THE GREAT HARVEST

Recently I was in Latvia, a small Baltic state in Eastern
Europe, formerly under Soviet rule. While traveling to an
evening crusade I was caught up in an interactive vision. I saw
the great harvest field already white. The angels were working
in this field.
Then Jesus came to me. I knew in my spirit He was the Lord
of the Harvest but He came to me dressed as the Good
Shepherd (see John 10) and holding a staff. I wondered why
the Lord of Psalm 23 was the Lord of the Harvest. Then I
understood that this is not just about winning souls but also
about discipling these same souls. Jesus doesn’t want to just
be Savior, but He also wants to be the great overseer of their
souls and He wants to lead them into the depth of Psalm 23. He
desires to restore their souls and to lead them beside the still
waters.
Immediately these Scriptures came to my mind:
Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its
fullness, the world and those who dwell
therein.”
 Revelation 11:15, “The kingdoms of this world
have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of
His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
Isaiah 40:15, “Behold, the nations are as a drop
in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust
on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a
very little thing.”
Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I will give you the
nations for your inheritance, and the ends of
the earth for Your possession.”
This was a faith level where whole cities and nations can be
saved in a day. The Lord said to me, “Todd, enter into My
harvest power! It’s the Harvest of Amos 9:13: “‘Behold, the
days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘When the plowman shall
overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows
seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills
shall flow with it.’”
There is coming an acceleration of the laws of sowing and
reaping. The seed will be planted and as soon as the seed is
sown it will be reaped. There will be harvest until the days of
sowing and sowing until the days of harvest—a holy
overlapping of continual sowing and reaping. When this
acceleration happens, men and women will cry out, “What
must I do to be saved?”
As I continued to walk in the harvest, I noticed a tent in the
field and asked, “Lord, what is that tent doing in the harvest
and why does it look so old and ragged? It’s not as glorious
and golden as these fields.” The Lord responded, “Todd, this
is the tabernacle of David and it looks that way because, for
many, prayer is so uninviting. It is a matter of perspective and
priority. To many, prayer is tedious work but to others it is the
glory. Most importantly the tabernacle releases the Amos 9:13
harvest.”
In the Book of Acts, Paul, Barnabas, Peter, and their
ministry teams are seeing tremendous harvest in cities.
Churches are being planted and the Holy Ghost is falling on
the Gentile believers as well as the Jews. In Acts 15 they meet
for the Jerusalem council and give reports of the harvest and
discuss whether Gentile believers need to be circumcised. In
the midst of this, James quotes Amos 9:11-12:
After this I will return And will rebuild the tabernacle of
David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I
will set it up; so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the
Lord who does all these things (Acts 15:16-17).
I said, “God there it is again—the great harvest and the
house of David.” Night and day prayer, 24 hours a day, seven
days a week is already taking place in the church. These
houses of prayer are essential to the releasing of an end-time
signs and wonders movement, healing revival, and the
geographic healing centers.

THE HEALING CENTERS

I’ve already spoken about the many healing pools of
Bethesda (like in John 5) that I’ve seen throughout North
America and different countries. The grace of God will give us
an outpouring of the rains of healing and miracles, until the
power of God increases and we have a flood of miracle rain and
many pools of healing. Once again great multitudes will come
from all over the world to geographical healing centers just like
God did in Spokane in the early 1900’s with John Lake’s
ministry. This coming healing outpouring will be the forerunner
to the great harvest.

ELIJAH ANOINTING
God has promised the spirit and power of Elijah in these last
days. With the spirit and power of Elijah we also have a
promised healing revival in Malachi 4:2: “But to you who fear
My name The Son of Righteousness shall arise with healing in
His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed
calves.”
The great prayer movement is the key to the release of the
great healing revival that comes in the day of the Elijah spirit.
But, before God releases the power to the church spoken of in
Revelation 11:3, (“And I will give power to my two witnesses,
and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty
days, clothed in sackcloth”) the Lord conducts an evaluation
of the church in Revelation 11:1: “Then I was given a reed like a
measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, ‘Rise and measure
the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.’”
The angel was to measure three things: the temple of God, the
altar, and those who worship there. The temple can represent
the believer’s lives or the church, local, citywide or national.
When the levels of worship, prayer, and intercession are right
in the church, God will release His end-time power and the
promise of the spirit of Elijah. Only when the bowls of
Revelation 8:3-5 are full will God release His power:
Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood
at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it
with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which
was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the
prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s
hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from
the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises,
thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
God is checking the levels of intercession, worship, and
prayer in the believer’s life, in churches, in cities, and in
nations. And when the levels are right, then He will give power
to the two witnesses. The House of David model (24 hours,
seven days a week, day and night prayer, worship,
intercession, and intimacy with Jesus) are key to releasing
power to prophesy and witness with signs following to the last
days’ generation.
Now here is the part of the vision that should encourage
us, but also make us tremble. When I asked the Lord which
cities would have these healing centers He replied, “Which
cities want them? I am checking the levels of worship,
intercession, and prayer. Their hunger will be the deciding
factor. Every city has equal opportunity.”
 If there was ever a time to press in and go for it, now is that
time. I repeat the question I asked at the beginning of the book.
If not now, when? If not you, who?

BE ENCOURAGED
My life has been marked by the supernatural: my
conversion; three-month visitation; move to Abbotsford;
marriage; three months of soaking and God launching me into
an international ministry with supernatural miracles, signs, and
wonders.
Maybe you are reading this and getting discouraged or
feeling jealous. You’re asking the Lord why things like this
haven’t happened to you. I want to say, I’m a sovereign vessel
in a sovereign time. God will use and anoint anyone, but He
has a timetable and makes sovereign choices. God is God and
we are not.
I encourage you who have been serving the Lord and
waiting for the prophetic promises that haven’t come true yet,
to keep your eyes on Jesus and hold on to God’s word. Jesus
loves you as much as he loves me. I am only where I am
because of faithful laborers who have come before me. Some of
you were praying for this move of God while I was getting high
on drugs! I’m the first fruit of your labor. It’s the time in which
we live, certainly not because of my righteousness. I’m looking
forward to the day when Jesus will do greater things than He’s
done with me. That’s my prayer for faithful pioneers and
intercessors.
 Don’t forget the parable of the laborers in the vineyard
(Matt. 20:1-16) who worked for one hour and got paid the same
as those who labored all day. It’s not what track you run on it’s
that you finish the track the Lord put you on. Fight the good
fight of faith.

DARE TO ASK!
I wrote this book to help you understand what God is doing
in our time and to encourage you to take steps of faith in areas
where you may have been holding back. I want your heart to
be inflamed with passion for Him and your vision to soar. I’m
boasting in a big God. I’m excited about what He’s done, but
I’m more excited about what He’s going to do. He wants the
supernatural to be natural. In Daniel 11:32 the Lord says, “…
the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out
great exploits.” That refers to you too, not just me.
I encourage you to believe in a big God and dare to ask Him
to fulfill big dreams. This has become a key verse for me: “Ask
of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and
the ends of the earth for Your possession” (Psalm 2:8).
God will do amazing things with ordinary people who
totally yield their lives to Him.

MY PRAYER FOR YOU

After receiving several e-mail requests asking for the
transfer of the healing anointing through the internet, I felt God
prompt me to also release that anointing through this book for
those who would come into agreement with a prophetic
proclamation calling for the release of God’s miraculous power.
First, let’s establish a biblical precedent for this. We know
that Jesus didn’t have a laptop, and they weren’t “online” in
Jerusalem. But consider the story of the centurion who said to
Jesus, “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed” (see
Matt. 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10). Jesus marveled at the centurion’s
faith, not because he believed Jesus could heal, but because he
believed Jesus could heal even though He was far from the sick
person physically. Jesus lavished praise on the centurion,
saying he had more faith than anyone He had met in all of
Israel! How would you like to have Jesus say that about you?
When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who
followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great
faith, not even in Israel… Then Jesus said to the centurion,
“Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for
you.” And his servant was healed that same hour (Matthew
8:10,13).
There are other New Testament examples of people getting
healed “from a distance.” The use of prayer cloths is one
example. “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of
Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from
his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil
spirits went out of them” (Acts 19:11-12). It’s funny that people
think it’s an awesome miracle when they read about Paul using
prayer cloths, but when we try the same thing, or a variation of
it today, the same people think it’s weird or “New Age-y.”
 In my ministry I’ve seen the healing anointing transferred
through prayer cloths and over cell phones. People are
regularly healed, even of AIDS, when listening to my crusades
over the radio. One of my favorite stories about this comes
from Cal Pierce at the Spokane Healing rooms. He tells how a
woman in Africa was healed when someone made a Xerox copy
of a prayer cloth and faxed the copy of the cloth to Africa.
What great faith! What great use of technology!
Can this transference really happen through a book? Well,
if God can heal through cloths, over telephone lines and
through radio waves, it’s safe to assume He can also work
through the printed page. In fact, He’s done it before because
people used to get healed when they would read John G.
Lake’s newsletters.
All these examples indicate what we really already know—
God is not limited by time and space. If you believe that the
anointing is transferable and you want to agree with me that a
greater release of His healing virtue is going to come into your
life, ministry and church, I want you to align yourself in simple
faith with this prayer.
Here’s the prayer I’ve prayed for you: “Father I ask You
right now in the name of Jesus to begin to release Your
transferable, tangible healing anointing for those asking for
more of Your power on their life and ministry. I release healing
virtue in Jesus’ name! Let an explosion of miracles and healing
come to them now. I pray that they would be forerunners; that
they would lead the way into the coming healing revival. I pray
that the spirit of Elijah would fall on them and that they would
evangelize in the marketplace with signs and wonders
confirming their message. Lord let them enter into the night and
day prayers of the tabernacle of David. Father, pour out Your
power and grace. I ask, that those agreeing with this prayer will
receive a fresh anointing now in Jesus’ name.”
Now, I want you to pray out loud:
Father, I want more of the anointing transferred into my life. I
believe now for the healing power to fill me. Give me a greater
release of miracles, signs, and wonders from this day forward.
Come now, Holy Spirit. I receive. I exercise my faith and
declare that, “The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead
lives in me.” I will take this healing gift to the sick in Jesus’
name.
From this day forward, I want you to believe God, to preach the
Gospel, and to heal the sick! Go lay hands on them and see
them recover. Start where you live, one person at a time. Now if
you need a healing miracle get ready! If you are believing God
for a healing right now I want you to put your hand on the part
of your body that needs to be healed. Or, if there is someone in
your house that needs healing, lay hands on them and pray
this prayer of faith with me: “Come Holy Spirit; heal me now in
Jesus’ name. Father I command this sickness to go; I command
my infirmity to go. Satan loose me now in Jesus’ name. Touch
me Jesus. I receive my healing!”
I stand in agreement with your prayer, “Lord, I pray that you
would let Your healing touch every infirmity of those reading
this book, right now.” Rise up in Jesus’ name and do
something you couldn’t do before. Move your body; thank
God now for healing you.
Let’s not stop. He’s got an unlimited storehouse and He loves
you—continue asking for more: “Father, I want to cooperate
with what You are doing in heaven, so I pray for the Spirit of
wisdom, revelation, council, and might. Please give me eyes to
see and ears to hear so that I can understand eternal things. I
earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially that I would
prophesy. Let it come right now, Lord—let the Holy Spirit fall
with that prophetic mantle. Holy Spirit come! I want a
download of the Spirit of prophecy.
“Lord give me the word of knowledge for my workplace and for
my school. Let me go into the marketplace with Your anointing,
authority, and mantle. Let me hear Your word, wherever I am,
whenever the lost and hurting need Your loving touch. Oh
God, let your mantle fall on me for healing and for prophetic
evangelism.
“Lord, thank you for the coming power, miracles, healings,
signs, and wonders. According to Your word Father, as I speak
words of faith, I can see supernatural manifestations. Let the
authority and spirit of Elijah come again—let it come into my
life. Surprise me Lord, it’s not by my might or power but it’s
through Your Spirit.
“Let me produce 100-fold fruit that remains for your Kingdom.
Help me to do exceedingly, abundantly above all I can ask or
think for Your glory. Lord, draw me into night and day
intercession too. I want to help fill those golden bowls to
hasten Your coming. Let me not grow weary; open my eyes to
see the power and impact of my simple prayers on the lives of
others.
“Thank you, Father for answering this cry of my heart.”
 PRAYERS

Now, here’s a tear-out sheet of prayers. Place it on your

mirror, refrigerator, or any place you think you’ll see it often!
Pray these prayers every day and see what the Lord dos in
your life over the next year!

1. I want more of the anointing transferred into my life.

Father, I believe now for the healing power to fill me.
Give me a greater release of miracles, signs and
wonders from this day forward. Come now Holy
Spirit, I receive. I exercise my faith and declare that,
“The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives
in me.” I will take this healing gift to the sick in
Jesus’ name. Thank You Lord.
2. Come Holy Spirit, heal me now in Jesus’ name.
Father, I command this sickness to go; I command my
infirmity to go. Satan loose me now in Jesus’ name.
Touch me Jesus. I receive my healing!
3. Father, I want to cooperate with what You are doing
in heaven, so I pray for the Spirit of wisdom,
 revelation, council, and might. Please give me eyes to
see and ears to hear so that I can understand eternal
things. I earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially
that I would prophesy. Let it come right now Lord—
let the Holy Spirit fall with that prophetic mantle.
Holy Spirit come! I want a download of the Spirit of
prophecy.
4. Lord, give me the word of knowledge for my
workplace and for my school. Let me go into the
marketplace with Your anointing, authority, and
mantle. Let me hear Your word, wherever I am,
whenever the lost and hurting need Your loving
touch. Oh God, let your mantle fall on me for healing
and for prophetic evangelism.
5. Lord, thank You for the coming power, miracles,
healings, signs, and wonders. According to Your
word Father, as I speak words of faith, I can see
supernatural manifestations. Let the authority and
spirit of Elijah come again—let it come into my life.
Surprise me Lord, it’s not by my might or power but
it’s through Your Spirit.
6. Let me produce 100-fold fruit that remains for your
Kingdom. Help me to do exceedingly, abundantly
above all I can ask or think for Your glory.
7. Draw me into night and day intercession. I want to
help fill those golden bowls to hasten Your coming.
Let me not grow weary, open my eyes to see the power
and impact my simple prayers have on the lives of
others.
 INDIVIDUAL TESTIMONIES

Here are more testimonies from people of all ages that have
been on a Fresh Fire Mission’s trip. The first testimony is from
a self-proclaimed, “grandma type” and the others are from
young people, men, and women of various ages and
backgrounds. There’s a place for everyone in the harvest!

Patricia Mason (Spring Hill, Kansas)

I am a woman who is a “grandma” type. But I told God I
wanted to re-fire and not retire, and He met me at that season
of my life. It was totally awesome what I saw in Malawi and
South Africa. God used just little nobody people like me to
open blind eyes and bring deliverance to people who had
been deep into witchcraft. I was used a lot in ministering
deliverance especially to young people and children, just
pouring out motherly love to them and seeing them change in
the spirit. Mothers lined up for me to just bless their infants
and I believe the Lord released destiny to them as we laid
hands on the future of Africa these young ones represented. I
will never be the same seeing God perform miracles of all
kinds through Todd, his family, and us, his team—it was
amazing and over the top. I think I was one of the oldest ones
on the team and I loved every minute of it. No one
discriminated against me because I was a senior citizen—they
just loved me.

Lindsay Larson (Portland, Oregon)

Hey, I went to Mexico with Todd and a bunch of other
youth in July. That mission trip changed my life. Before I went
I never felt comfortable worshiping God or talking about God
around my parents even though they were Christians
themselves. After I got back from Mexico I realized I was
totally free. I worship God in church, at home, and I talk
about him with my parents all the time. I even spend more time
praying and seeking God. I love it. I would go on another
mission trip with Todd in a heartbeat. God bless you to the
fullest!

Kevin Basconi (Infirmity Prayer Service, Bluefield, WV)

I could write a book about how Todd’s ministry changed
my life! However, I will put together a couple of short
paragraphs. I first met Todd Bentley in a very small church in
Newfoundland, Canada, November 2001. During those
meetings I was healed of near deafness, a ruptured disc in my
spine, and heart and lung disease. Today I have perfect
hearing, (had it tested), and have not suffered any back pain
for nearly three years. On the night of November 26th, 2001,
at 10:37 P.M. , after Todd prayed for me and released the
healing anointing, I received a visitation of the Lord Jesus
which lasted for nearly five hours. Since that night, I have
walked in “the Book of Acts” on a daily basis and been
released into ministry. I see Jesus heal all types of infirmity in
my ministry including around 22 people healed of total
blindness, cataracts dissolved, several deaf ears opened,
mutes speaking, and documented cases of AIDS and cancer
healed. I have seen Jesus touch paralytics and raise them up, I
have witnessed legs grow more than two inches in length,
spines straighten, fingers and toes grow, withered hands
restored, and, recently, I saw a blind man, who had no orb,
grow an eyeball and have his vision restored. However, the
greatest miracle of all is that the Lord has allowed me to lead
about 1,380 people to Him.
The only miracle I have not witnessed is the dead raised,
and I believe God for that this year. The Lord has
supernaturally opened doors for me to minister all over North
America, and beyond, confirming his word with signs
following. Todd imparted the word of knowledge, and I
receive detailed downloads from the Holy Spirit on a daily
basis including types of illness, how injuries occurred, many
times with dates and names, as well as accurate prophetic
words of encouragement. I have never had someone who
responded to a word of knowledge that Jesus did not touch
and heal. I give God all glory for these things. I believe that
Todd is a forerunner of the coming move of God in the
younger generation. He is called to release this generation
into such miracles, signs, and wonders that the four walls of
our churches will not be able to contain them! I consider
Todd to be my mentor and spiritual father even though I am
44 years old.

Jim Drown (Atlanta, Georgia)

I was at Todd’s meeting in Atlanta, Georgia about 3 1/2
years ago. I had a growth on my inner thigh that really hurt
badly, especially when I walked. I didn’t get specific prayer
from Todd, just the general prayer for everyone. When I woke
up the next morning the growth was gone.
I’d been reading books about John G. Lake and had been
asking for a powerful experience with the Holy Spirit,
wanting that healing anointing. Todd was the closest thing
I’d seen. I started listening to all his tapes and going to more
of his meetings and he’s right, the anointing is transferable
and tangible.
Now I have confidence to do what God has called me to
do. We’ve been doing crusades or meetings about once a
month either on our own or with Fresh Fire. We’ve done
several crusades in South America this year and have seen
miraculous healings with thousands coming to the Lord.

Ardena Shipp (Canada)

I had been really seeking God’s direction in my life. God
directed me to take this trip. He provided finances for me that
I didn’t have which was a miracle. I went on the trip thinking,
I know that this is a God-directed thing because I would not
just decide to go to Mexico without my friends, and I would
not just decide to go on a trip like that out of the blue. I am
not that adventurous and I am not usually a risk-taker. But
God is changing me. I prayed that God would teach me about
healing and that He would use me to bless others. Praying for
others on my own was an easy thing for me, but when I would
go to pray in groups I would feel bound up. The first night we
were in Mexico Todd called us to go and pray with the sick. I
remember praying “God help I can’t do this without you.” We
went and prayed for a young girl with a lump in her breast.
The lump got smaller as we prayed. We kept praying for her,
and I felt like I should pray for emotional healing. I was like,
“God I don’t even know this girl, if this is You, You have to
confirm it.” The translator suddenly says, “She needs
emotional healing.” It was so cool—that was all it took to
release me to trust that what I was hearing was the direction
of the Holy Spirit. It gave me a confidence to pray with
boldness for people all week, and it has continued since I
returned home. I am walking in an incredible knowledge that
my God is a God who heals and one that I can place my hope
in. We will see the captives set free and people healed.

Jessica Maldonado (Gardena, California)

I’ve traveled with FFM to Tanzania, Malawi, and South
Africa in the summers of 2002 and 2003. Traveling with Todd
Bentley has changed my life drastically. The spiritual
covering that we ministered under allowed me to move in
supernatural ways I had never experienced before. I prayed
for the blind, deaf, and crippled and they were healed. My
faith grew by leaps and bounds in a matter of seconds and
increased rapidly over the following two weeks that we
ministered together. It was out of this world!
I always believed that we served the God of the impossible.
However, I had never seen Him do the impossible through me.
I was blown away and loved every minute of it. I preached at
a church of approximately 60 members on a Sunday morning.
The Lord used me to prophesy over people. It was like a chain
reaction, one after the other non-stop. I didn’t know what hit!
It had to have been the Holy Spirit because it certainly wasn’t
me.
Traveling with Todd and the Fresh Fire team has changed
my life, expanded my faith, and built life-long relationships.
I’ve enjoyed being part of a ministry that truly moves in the
full Gospel of Jesus Christ and I can’t wait to do it again.

Judy Desjardins (Springfield, Massachusetts)

I went to Goma, DRC, Africa with Fresh Fire in March
2003. Afterward, I wrote a 16-page report. I was so moved I
spent months weeping over Africa, trying to understand all I
experienced. I hear the children’s voices in my mind’s ear
still. I see their eyes looking at me. I have never seen such
desperation and at the same time so much faith as I saw in
those eyes.
The anointing that is on Todd is transferable. My husband
and I prayed and God moved with power, healing blind eyes,
tumors, fevers, and every sort of sickness. I have faith I never
knew I had. We prayed for rain to stop and it did, convincing
many that the witch doctors were not as powerful as our God.
Many miracles happened.
 The last person I prayed for was a believer in Rwanda
named Peter. He asked us to pray for his daughter, Glory. This
man spoke perfect English. He said a man with AIDS had
raped his daughter, and his wife was fasting and praying for
the test results to come out negative. When I asked how old
his daughter was, he said 2 years old.
This wrecked me. I knew that I could never go back to life
as usual. The call of God on my life compelled me to change. I
am planning another trip to Africa now. I am going on
missions trips until Jesus comes. It was the best choice I made
in my life. My husband agrees.

Cliff Pash (Lawrence, Kansas)

When I traveled with Todd Bentley, I saw God work in the
same way that He did in the Bible. I believe that every
believer should accompany somebody such as Todd on a
ministry trip. Being a part of a large Crusade is exciting
enough, but to see the miracles, the healings, and the
manifestations of the power of God as He moves through a
crowd is an experience that every Christian must have. Then,
to pray for people under the anointing that God has put upon
Todd Bentley, and see our God move and break into lives and
change them causes the whole Bible to come alive in ways my
30 years of being a Christian never really prepared me for.
For the most part, we are a people who are filled with
such doubt and fear and unbelief. While we believe that God
exists and that He has the power, most of us have never
experienced that power, nor do we believe God would ever
manifest Himself through us. To watch tumors disappear, to
pray for a woman who was blind for 30 years and see her
receive her sight back, and to watch as a whole deaf school
receives prayer and 28 out of 32 get healed. Well, all doubt,
fear and unbelief have just melted away and I am now filled
with an awe of God that just continues to grow.
My wife and I have been in business for ourselves for over
20 years. Our world is being rapidly changed as we find God
working through us in ways we had only talked about or
dreamed about before. We are being called to ministry work
in Uganda and Kenya—that could have never happened
years ago. The purpose for which we were created and the
works we have been called to are finally being fulfilled.

Debbie Lenz (Columbia, Missouri)

Thirty-three years ago I took three years of high school
Spanish hoping to travel to Mexico on a mission trip. My 12
year old daughter and I both saw the “Youth Outreach to
Mexico” on Todd’s website and God quickened it in our
hearts. Although I was no longer a youth at 50 years old, and
my daughter was only 12, we began to pray about it.
Neither one of us will ever be the same again! Todd has an
amazing heart for God and freely imparts everything that God
has given him—so we got to do “the stuff!” We saw miracles,
healings, deliverances, and salvations as we watched deaf
ears open, tumors leave, lung conditions healed, cancer
healed, gang members saved, people receive the baptism of
the Holy Spirit, and demons cast out!
While we were in Reynosa, I realized I did not really have
a heart for the lost, but I wanted one. The Holy Spirit did that
for me. I began to weep uncontrollably as I looked over the
homes in the village and realized there were precious people
that did not know the saving power of Jesus Christ. I have an
intense longing to return and minister in the streets of
Reynosa, but now I also have a longing to go into the streets
of my own city and see the same things!
I came away with a larger vision of the IMMENSITY and
the POWER of God’s love. God’s heart is that the Holy Spirit
would be released in power, that Jesus would be exalted in
the earth and that all people would come to know the
Father’s love. Todd asked me if the trip had met my
expectations, and I had to be truthful and tell him, “No, it did
not.” Then I continued, “It so far exceeded anything I could
have ever imagined, or hoped for, or even dreamed about that
I can hardly contain what He has done in me!” Would I do it
again? Absolutely! In fact, we are already praying about
when the Lord will have us return to Mexico with Todd.
 COME SEE THE WORLD WITH US!

Fresh Fire Ministries is an international ministry called to

global harvest. Todd Bentley and his team take God’s saving,
healing, delivering power to the nations. Todd and his team
conduct healing crusades throughout Africa, India, South
America, Europe, and beyond. Thousands have been saved,
healed, and delivered.
Todd preaches the word of God with the power and
demonstration of the Spirit—God confirms His word with signs
and wonders following. God has released an increase of the
healing anointing into Todd’s life and the blind see, the deaf
hear, and growths dissolve as Jesus heals sickness and
disease.
The harvest has never been so ripe, and we are praying for
laborers to go on these crusades to help bring in souls for the
Kingdom of God. Literally, dozens of nations have been calling
us, and urging us to come and hold pastors’ and leaders’
conferences in the mornings, and crusades in the evenings.
Whether you’re a housewife, student, or pastor, there’s
room for everyone. It seems wherever Fresh Fire Ministries
goes, and whatever nation we are in, Matthew 10:7-8 is fulfilled.
The sick are healed, the spiritually dead are raised (and we are
believing for the physically dead to be raised as well!), devils
are cast out, the lame are walking, and the blind are seeing.
Without a doubt, we are fulfilling Acts chapter 29, experiencing
the very same miracles as the early disciples did!
We have great anticipation, believing the Holy Spirit is
going to double our efforts in the area of miracles, signs, and
wonders, and in the giving of prayer and financial partners.
Todd has been impressed by the Holy Spirit to include
humanitarian aid in many of their overseas crusades. We
believe it is important to minister to the whole man—spirit, soul
and body.
The many partners and friends of FFM are shaking the
kingdoms of darkness because of their passionate praying and
giving. I guarantee your spiritual life will never be the same
after coming on a crusade with Todd and the FFM staff. Your
life will be absolutely “wrecked” for Jesus! We trust that you’ll
impart that fire and passion back to your local churches.
We at FFM desire to work in close association with the
pastors and their local congregations. If you have any
questions about us, or are considering sending those from
your church, (i.e., youth groups, college and career groups,
etc.), please don’t hesitate to contact us. If we can be of any
service to you, it would be an honor and a privilege. Together,
let’s reap a worldwide harvest for the King of kings and the
Lord of lords!
Pastor Ken Greter
Missions Director-FFM

If God is touching your heart to be a part a FFM crusade

you can call for information at our
U.S. office, 816-761-0033 or Canadians call 604-853-9041.
E-mail [email protected] or [email protected].
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