Journal Entry: Revelation of the Purpose for the Fiery Furnace
Bill Johnson said in a sermon, “The revelation invites, it doesn’t impart.”
“The revelation invites” — When God gives us a revelation (insight, understanding, or truth), it serves as an invitation. It’s like God saying, “Come explore this with Me.” It beckons us into a deeper relationship, a deeper walk, or a greater level of obedience, intimacy, or transformation.
“It doesn’t impart” — Revelation itself doesn’t give us something automatically. It doesn’t do the work for us. It doesn’t instantly transfer the fullness of the experience, power, or character into us just by being known.
Revelation is not a shortcut. It’s an invitation to process, engage, and pursue. It must be responded to, acted upon, and walked out. It offers access, not instant transformation.
The journal entry below and what ensued is a good example of what Bill means by that statement. I received a revelation of what the fiery furnace was for and about, along with clarification of my identify in the Kingdom. Still, the impartation would take a lot more time, effort, hard work, prayer, other revelations, studying His Word, submission, surrender, and obedience–it would involve more tests, trials, pruning, and discplining for it to be known to me beyond head knowledge and part of my experience and walk with God.
Similar to prophetic words, revelations can take a long time to come full circle.
Journal Entry Dated: July 16, 2022
It’s perfect for the storyteller to be in this predicament because the storyteller continues to look for and believe in twists and turns. The storyteller embraces character development.
Because You are good, because You keep Your Promises, and because You always finish what you start, the story is NOT over. The storyteller knows this. The storyteller can appreciate the fire while in it.
Every revelation is a layer to the story. We’re peeling layers off while adding layers to the story. The preface is the introduction to who I am; God has turned me into a storyteller for Him and a teacher of personal storytelling.
The revelations are written into the story and who the character is becoming. God is so almighty in His ways of engineering, of weaving, and planning–I can’t find the right words for the work God does and how He goes about it. No author writes and creates with such intricate details and attention. God is in the details. It’s a reminder of the tenderness, love, and uniquely imprinted, defined, and created our lives are.
Engaging with the Lord to understand, know, love, worship, and praise Him and to know and understand ourselves is important. Paying close attention to who we are and our lives.
The ropes are burned. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are in the furnace, the ropes that bind them up are scorched, but they aren’t touched.
I needed the fire to discover and know who my Lord, God, Savior, and Heavenly Father is. I needed the fire to learn He is all I need, want, and desire. I needed the fire to burn the depression–to send it up in smoke—and all the internal struggles–to burn the jealousy, unbelief, shame, embarrassment, and worldly concepts ablaze. Thank you, thank you, thank you–You are so good to me.
I’m in the fire for answered prayers. I’m in the fire for unprecedented growth, change, and revelations.
I wouldn’t have ended up in the fiery furnace had I submitted to what the world says rather than what God asked of me. Following what society does and says keeps us out of the furnace and our blessings. The most valuable blessing is the close relationship with our Heavenly Father and the release of everything that’s binding us. A lot of what I needed has been found in the fire.
Revelation of My Kingdom Identity as a Personal Storyteller
In this revelation, God confirmed He’s called me to be a personal storyteller. That calling didn’t just help me make sense of my circumstances—it gave me the ability to endure and grow through them.
By the time I wrote this journal entry, First Time Storytelling (FTS) was the only viable business left. I had just started writing a book on personal testimonies because God showed me that personal storytelling isn’t the final destination. It’s the bridge. A way forward to a personal testimony movement.
What’s the difference?
In our personal stories, we are the main characters.
In our personal testimonies, God is.
Around that same time, God had me erase everything I’d planned for FTS from the whiteboard.
“I will give you My plan,” He said.
So I waited.
Day after day, I stood before that whiteboard, marker in hand—ready. But nothing came. I eventually gave up and figured He’ll tell me when He’s ready to tell me.
It took six months before He revealed His plan.
I’m so grateful for the fruit of the Spirit of patience, because that was over two years ago—and I’m still waiting for the breakthrough that will launch His plan into action and fulfillment. And even though I’m still waiting, there’s no doubt in my heart or mind: I’m called to be a personal storyteller and equip others to become the same. This calling will unlock people’s ability to recognize God’s work in their lives and share their testimonies—and through those testimonies, reveal God in unprecedented ways.
This all began with God convicting me in a park in Prague in 2014, exposing something painful: I didn’t know how to care about people.
I asked Him to help me care about and connect with people. What He revealed was simple: for people to connect with me—and for me to genuinely care about them—I had to get to know them. That required me to let them get to know me. That meant opening up, being vulnerable, and sharing who I truly was.
I had no experience doing that, but when the opportunity to open up came, I naturally defaulted to sharing a personal story as my method of communication. That’s when I discovered something beautiful: Through personal storytelling, I could be vulnerable without feeling vulnerable. I could reveal who I am in a way that built connection while being engaging and entertaining.
He has further expanded and clarified the vision of how personal storytelling will be used to battle division, loneliness, and stagnation and transform hearts, change lives, and remake cities.
You can read more about what God is calling me to do with personal storytelling at the World of Personal Story School and Community Blog and my LinkedIn Newsletter.
Revelation of the Purpose of the Fiery Furnace
The revelation showed me what was possible, but the fiery furnace was just the beginning. It was the starting point that brought me to full submission and surrender to God. It’s where He began the deeper work in me: healing, pruning, transforming, and renewing. It’s where He taught me to hunger for His Word, to lean on His presence, and to pursue the fullness of my identity in Christ.
I came out of the fire on fire for Jesus.
And that fire has fueled the journey ever since.
Because the revelation didn’t instantly change everything, it invited me into the process—a process that has required intentionality, discipline, and obedience to build greater trust and faith. I’ve had to fight through spiritual attacks, push past discouragement, face my inner battles, and keep showing up—in prayer, in worship, in the Word—again and again.
This walk has required endurance. Not the kind that coasts, but the kind that digs deep, stands firm, and refuses to quit—because I know the One who called me is faithful.
And every part of the process has drawn me closer to the fullness of who I am in Christ. Every layer that’s been peeled back, every lie uprooted, every stronghold destroyed, every truth received—it’s all been leading me into a deeper relationship with God, freedom, and understanding.
How that all came to be is a big part of what this blog is about. I hope you’ll continue to follow the stories and testimonies of what has unfolded and continues to unfold.