My Personal Breakthrough

Last year, around this time, I was at a conference and I had a booth there to sell prints of my art. During the meetings, I was working on a painting in my booth. The painting was called, “Breakthrough.” No one knew, except those I told, because I would just hide it when the people were in the vendor area.

At this conference, I kept getting words that God was “promoting” me. I remember saying to one of them, in the prophetic room, “oh…that just means I am going lower.” If pride comes before a fall…humbling comes before a promotion. Someone gave me a book, after that, and when I opened it, I saw the title of a chapter, “Testing Comes before Promotion.” I knew God was speaking to me.

One of the days of the conference, a fellow vendor gave me a box…she said she had made it a while ago, but felt led to give it to me. When I opened it, I was surprised to find a handmade hammered bracelet with the word “Breakthrough” on it. It was confirmation for me. I told her about the painting and she was encouraged, but she said, “I feel like you are going to have your own personal breakthrough too.”

Last year, I went through such a sifting, I wondered if I would survive it. It came in two waves, the first was horrible…it started right after that conference, I literaly just begged God to let me go home. But, I finally came out of it in February or so. I was so happy, and started painting like crazy…but then the Lord told me in April “a fire was coming” and not to be afraid of it…it was Him, it would take me deeper and higher. He was not kidding…the fire came. It brought with it…such a despair. Such hopelessness.

But I did get free, one day in my quiet time, and after it left, a couple of weeks later, I woke up and smelled a fire, a wood fire with meat on it in my bedroom. It left, but was still in my arms and hands… I knew God was speaking to me. He was purifying my ministry. A couple of days later, I went to spend time with the Lord, and felt led to read my journal, and I came across the “fire” entry, that I had forgotten all about…lol.

I asked a sister to pray for me, before the despair had lifted, and she ended up calling. Her pastor and husband were there, and they all prayed for me. The pastor kept talking to me about doors that were going to open for me. And the keys of David. I did not know what that meant, but did some research. After that, I heard God speak to me, “It will cost you everything.” I did not know what He was speaking about, so He gave me a vision. In the vision He said He wanted to give me the keys to Heaven, but they would cost me everything.   ( read about it here: https://christinecouncilblog.wordpress.com/2013/07/21/keys-to-the-kingdom/ )

And sure enough, after the despair left, I started getting doors opening to me, from so many, to come and speak. I have never been a speaker before in my life…but I was being asked to do it. Then I was invited to go across the USA, and my trip was paid for. Something that has also never happened before. And then recently, I was invited to be on an internationally aired TV show.

So, I found the box from my “Breakthrough” bracelet the other day, and saw that there was a business card in it. When I took it out, I realized she had put a scripture on it, along with the word “Breakthrough.” I have been busy working on my own jewelry, and I just had the thought to look the scripture up…and to my surprise, it is the same thing Jesus spoke to me recently, when I had that vision of Him.
Coincidence? I don’t think so…

And just now, when I went to find the photo to add, turns out it was taken the EXACT same date last year. 10/6/12 So that means that is when she gave it to me too.

This was the scripture.
Matt 16:19 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

Memorial Day!

Breakthrough 36’x48′ Acrylic on Stretched Canvas

I went through something last year, and it was very hard. I asked God afterwards, what it was all about and He just said, “tests, tests, tests, tests, and you passed them all.” I still did not understand.

After that, God told me he was promoting me, then people began prophesying it to me as well. I went to a conference where I was painting, “Breakthrough,” and someone gave me a book on being a seer, when I opened it, it said right there in bold letters, “Testing Brings Promotion.” At that same conference, a woman gave me a bracelet she had made, not knowing the name of my painting, and to my surprise, it said “breakthrough” on it. She told me, “you are going to have your own personal breakthrough soon!”

The Lord started speaking to me a couple months ago about going to the nations, but, He told me, first I must be endued with power; and I would have to be still with Him so that he could do this. He has also been asking me to write books for a while too. He kept asking me “do you believe me daughter? “. Honestly, it was a struggle, because I know who I am, and I don’t understand why God would choose ME of all people to go for Him, or even to write books.

In December, I was in a meeting with Justin Abraham, I did not know who he was, but a friend had invited me and insisted I go. I tried to get out of it…but went anyway. In the meeting, he was encouraging us to be open to angels. Explaining that they are our servants, to not be afraid to interact with them. Sharing scriptures where people did interact with them. So, I decided to try and have faith to believe this, as I prayed, I saw a troupe of angels enter the meeting, in formation, one of them came up to me, and placed a spear in my hand. Mind you, I have never seen an angel before and I wondered if I was seeing one then. Sometimes I feel weird enough, without seeing angels too. I did not want to tell anyone, because I was not sure if it was even real. But later, God confirmed it was, and told me that he was an angel of Revelation, to help me with the books and he had a message of love and hope for me to take to a lost and dying generation. After that I saw the spear hitting a bull’s-eye and he said, “Don’t worry, you will hit the mark!” then He gave me Isaiah 55:11.

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;It shall not return to Me void,But it shall accomplish what I please,And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

Just recently I began to smell this beautiful vanilla scent in my house at certain times. I went to Kathie Walter’s website and looked up what vanilla means on her aromas’s list, and it was a “pure word of Revelation”. I had the thought that maybe it was the angel I was smelling? But I also wondered, again, if I was imagining things, but one night I wrote about the beautiful smell, on my Facebook page, that I thought it might be angelic, and someone wrote me privately and said there’s an angel of revelation in your bedroom. God confirms.

Couple weeks later I smelled it again, and this time I listened and heard him speak to me, as the Lord had instructed me to do, but still, I wondered if I was imagining things. The next morning a dear sister had written and asked me, right on my Facebook page if I had ever smelled angels. More confirmation.

One night not long after that, I was listening to Heidi Baker speak, streaming live from a church in the US. She started saying there are some of you being called to the nations, and you are like me when God said it to me, because I said “you want to send me? Really, me?”. Then she said, “there are angels that have been sent to you, I see them standing beside you with scrolls that you’re to take to the nations “. Whoa!

I also saw a vision and God was using me corporately to touch people as I preached from a pulpit. I lifted my hand and moved it from the left to the right and people fell out in waves. I was blown away by what I saw, and it was after that that God begin to tell me that this was going to happen, And when it did, people were going to get healed, delivered, saved, and set free….I WAS going to see it, but first I needed the power. I needed to sit before Him and be “endued with power” He said.

Surrendered, 36″x48″ Acrylic on Stretched Canvas

When I saw this happen it made me think of Benny Hinn and his ministry. I had the thought to reread his book, “Good Morning, Holy Spirit. ”

I went to a retreat right after that to paint, “Surrendered”, and the speaker on the last day got up and began to talk about hosting the Holy Spirit. He even spoke about Benny Hinn. He said, “it isn’t that Benny Hinn is a great healer, he just carries the presence of The Holy Spirit in a great way.”

For You! Liberty! (2) 18″x24 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas

At one point he even had me come up on the stage while he was speaking and hold this painting, “For You! Liberty!” as he talked about the power of the presence of the Holy Spirit. He said when we’re with the Holy Spirit this is what happens.

So this week I found my book, and began re-reading it. Let me tell you I have been crying so much, hearing Benny Hinn’s story, and seeing God working in his life…it is just so precious. So encouraging. God was so faithful to encourage Benny, he was as doubtful as I was, but yet God confirmed and led him to his place in the Kingdom.

So, I just wanted to share this, on Memorial Day. I know it’s a holiday for the military forces in the natural, but I want to honor those who have served in the Army of the Lord. They have fought and sacrificed their lives, to give us freedom and liberty too. I also want to recognize the Angels, God’s heavenly army, ever making war on our behalf…carrying out the will of Our Father.

Reading Benny’s book is reminding me of all the sacrifices he made to be one that carries the Holy Spirit. How he was persecuted, rejected and abused, especially by his family. The Holy Spirit became his best and only friend at times.

Did you know that he was a horrible stutterer and God didn’t take it away, until he out of obedience to God, stepped up to the pulpit for the first time, opened his mouth to preach, and it was in that very moment that God set him free!!!!? Amazing!!!

So I honor God’s generals today, on this Memorial Day!! Thank you to all who sacrificed and fought to be those who carry his precious Holy Spirit! Those that were willing to host Him so that He could move through them, saving, setting free and healing….so many.

I’m not sure if this is wisdom, to share what God is doing in my life…but there’s something about writing your vision out, making it plain, and honoring God with our testimony…doing that has power in it. It’s my Memorial to God and who He is making me to be in Him…despite my fears and doubts, He is still able.

I also want to encourage others, if they feel called to go to the nations, or to be used by God, that they spend time with the Holy Spirit. Jesus said he was leaving but when He did He gave us the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. We are supposed to spend time with Him, and he is supposed to be our best friend, our comforter, teacher and leader now, the Spirit of Truth!

* went to a revival on the 30th and 31st. The evangelist talked on the last night.about the Holy Spirit and being “endued with power…” The very words Jesus spoke to me!

“And I send the promise of my Father upon you: but stay you in the city till you be endued with power from on high.”
…and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you—John 16:14.
…when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth—John 16:12,13a