Dear People Who Keep Company with God,
The Apostle Paul had a desire to give spiritual gifts much like we have a desire to bless our family and friends with gifts at Christmas (Romans 1:11, Acts 19:6). One of Paul’s methods for giving spiritual gifts was by laying on of hands (2 Timothy 1:6) and praying. We refer to this practice as impartation. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established – Romans 1:11 This has been a very substantial year in terms of the different people from whom I received ministry and those who have prayed for me to receive spiritual gifts that have impacted both me and our church.
Becky and I began the year by attending the annual Pastors and Leaders conference at the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship in January. We were impacted by the resident river of the Holy Spirit in that place and some very powerful visiting ministers. John and Carol Arnott laid hands on every person attending this conference for impartation. This was an impacting time for Becky and me and we are still seeing fruit from that time. In February, Kelanie Gloeckler ministered at Riverlife. Kelanie is one of Becky’s favorite worship leaders and many of her songs were used by the Lord as the Holy Spirit river was first being released to us. We had a Holy Ghost weekend and the Lord gave me significant visions for Riverlife and our part in the coming revival during this time.
In May, Bob and Bonnie Jones came to our Sunday morning service with the intent to worship with us, however the Lord began to speak to Bob and we were blessed for him to minister. Over the past two years I have been blessed to get acquainted with Bob on a more personal level. During this time Bob and Bonnie have spoken into our lives, ministered in our church, corrected and admonished me and laid hands on us for impartation. Bob is considered by many in the body of Christ to be a true father in the prophetic and I am blessed for the opportunity to receive ongoing ministry from him.
In June, Becky and I attended a Fellowship of Ministries Retreat where Bill Johnson spoke for five sessions. These messages were apostolic level messages which carried a weight and a grace that I have only experienced a few times in the last 30 years. Andy, Marlin, Matthew and I were blessed to have Bill pray an impartation prayer over us. I asked Bill to pray that we would be able to have a sustained move of the Holy Spirit in our church as he has in his church for the past 11 years.
Also in June, Becky and I were blessed to visit in the home of Al and Anna Roundtree. They wrote The Heavens Opened, The Priestly Bride and Heaven Awaits the Priestly Bride . They are three powerful and impacting books about heavenly encounters they have personally experienced. They gave us wise counsel concerning the heavenly realm and prayed an impartation prayer over us. We felt honored for this opportunity as the Roundtree’s are no longer doing public ministry.
In July, Becky and I along with a team from Riverlife went to Argentina to minister at the HHM base in Resistencia and it was a blessed time. One of the highlights for me was to meet and be ministered to by Luisa Sosa (Luis Sosa’s grandmother); she is a spiritual mother and was involved in revivals with Clifford Long back in the 1950’s. Luisa ministered to me from her bed as she is elderly and in failing health. She is very prophetic and spoke openly of her experiences in revival, what I should expect in revival and some of God’s plans for my future. She laid hands on me and prayed a powerful impartation prayer. It was a moving experience and what she prayed is already beginning to manifest in my life.
Another powerful experience was the love and honor I received from the Argentine saints. At our last meeting they formed a fire tunnel and prayed for each of us; it was really remarkable. I was totally overcome by the Holy Spirit when I came out of the fire tunnel. I will never forget this time. In August, Arthur Burt, one of our spiritual fathers, came and ministered at Riverlife. Arthur ministered with Smith Wigglesworth, experienced many revivals, traveled the world preaching the gospel and has been an influence in our lives since the late 1970’s. He stayed in our home and prayed a blessing over Becky and me. This is something that Becky and I know to be a real spiritual treasure that has lasting value.
In October, Dennis Degrasse ministered at our church. Dennis has tremendous prophetic gifting and gave us some input that proved to be an excellent example of edification, exhortation and comfort to the church (I Corinthians 14:3). Dennis revealed to us one of the traps the enemy had set for us and gave us a word on speaking in tongues which has been a pivotal word for our body in this season.
Also in October, Kathie Walters ministered at our church. Kathie is a remarkable woman and we have some common friends such as Arthur Burt and Tony Nash. Kathie has a strong prophetic gifting and functions as a seer. She regularly sees into the realm of the Spirit and is able to communicate in a unique way what she sees. Kathie’s ministry is very fruitful. She laid hands on Becky and I and we both received a strong prophetic impartation. I can testify that her prophetic input to me personally has already started to come to pass.
In November, Gustavo Sosa, the son of Luisa Sosa, and his wife Monica ministered at Riverlife. Gustavo is a pastor and has a children’s ministry in Argentina. Gustavo is much like his mother, he is very prophetic yet humble. He laid hands on Becky and me and we received a powerful prophetic download. I listened to Gustavo minister to several Riverlife folks and it was if he had known them for years. It was a real blessing for Gustavo and Monica to minister in our church and to us personally.
One of the greatest blessings I have received and continue to receive is regular prayers from the members of Riverlife. It is truly remarkable how many have laid hands on me on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings, from little children to the more senior saints among us. I have received healing in my physical body, inner healing, counsel from heaven, encouragement, Holy Ghost impartation and a lot of love! This has really been a year of the Lord establishing us.
Many Blessings, BW