I entered the full-time ministry in 1983, leaving behind a good position as a mechanical engineer with Rockwell International to serve in the ministry of helps at a large church. One function of my job was transporting guest speakers and caring for their needs.

It was a step of obedience, and we saw God’s blessing on it. It was evident we had moved up to a new level of faith where we had not walked before. At that level I found gifts of abilities and wisdom I had not previously possessed.

In the second month in this position, I enjoyed the honor of transporting a great international evangelist who had seen millions saved throughout the nations of the world. We immediately became close friends. He gave me his home phone number and encouraged me to call any time, so over the next four years I kept in touch with him. He came to the church once or twice a year, and we exchanged letters and phone calls. We were the same physical stature, and he gave me a complete wardrobe of his clothes. He invited us to visit him and his wife any time. It seemed he was as drawn to me as I was to him.

I knew I was called to preach the gospel to the nations of the world. It was one of God’s promises to me. As time passed, my desire to work for this man grew. The more time I spent with him, the more I wanted to serve him. I frequently was approached by other believers who said, “I believe you will work for that man one day.” This always brought me great excitement, for it was the desire which already burned in my heart. I was certain it would prove to be God’s way of fulfilling His promise that I would preach the gospel to the nations. But for the time being I remained a van driver with big God-given dreams.

After I had worked for four years in this position, I shared with my pastor and his wife that I felt God was preparing us for a move. They supported us but also gave me the freedom to work for them as long as I wanted.

Eight hours after our meeting, the international evangelist called my home. He asked Lisa and I to come and oversee a local church and Bible school he was starting. He said, “John, can you see the vision? You’ll start the church here in the United States and then start others like it all over the world where my wife and I have preached.”

When I hung up the phone after our two-hour talk, I was so excited I just hit the ceiling. I went outside to think and drink in all that had just happened. It was almost too good to believe. As I walked outside, I noticed an uncomfortable feeling deep in my heart. I thought, God, You can’t he saying no. I could not believe what was happening, so I tried to shake it off.

But the check in my spirit did not leave. I wrestled with it for three days, reasoning that it could not he from God. Finally in frustration I did an ignorant thing: Thinking it was possible that I was battling the enemy, I shouted, “I am going to work for him in Jesus’ name.”. The uncomfortable check in my spirit left.

Three weeks later, we flew to their headquarters and interviewed for five hours. We accepted the position and were introduced to their staff during their Christmas banquet. The salary was set, and we had a place to live.

I returned to Dallas, resigned from my position and pre­pared for our move. But with only three weeks left before we were to leave, the uncomfortable witness in my spirit returned. Thank God for His mercy.

We flew again to their headquarters. This time everything was different. The meeting was strained and uncomfortable for all. Together we concluded that it was not God’s will. We Said our good-byes, and I left, knowing we had obeyed God. But I felt empty and bewildered. I no longer had the dream that had encouraged me.

Over the next few days I wept frequently while in prayer. Confused, one morning I cried out to God, “Why did You ask me to put the dream You gave me on the altar?”

God immediately answered, “I wanted to see if you were serving the dream or Me.” Instantly my sadness left. In that moment many questions were answered. Now I understood. Later God showed me that I had passed a test.

A few months later another internationally known pas­tor asked me to join his church staff. He wanted me to Oversee his young people. I almost laughed as I thought, I have turned down the greatest opportunity I could have imagined and now I’m being offered this menial position. (It’s terrible, but that’s what T thought. I desperately Searched for a check in my spirit but found only peace.)

I knew it was God, and I accepted the position two clays later. As soon as I accepted the call to go, joy and life sprang up in my soul. We packed up everything and moved.

At our first Sunday service the pastor announced my arrival on staff and invited me to speak to the congregation. Before moving, I had been eager to preach hut not very good at it. In fact, just the year before I had lost a tape to one of my teaching series from a Sunday school class and wanted to replace it, so I asked my wife and her friend to he my congregation in our living room ‘while l rerecorded it. Halfway through the message, they both fell asleep. Looking back now it is comical. I became so frustrated I wanted to wake them up, but I couldn’t because I was recording the message. I preached the last half of my mes­sage to two sleeping women.

Now I was getting up in front of a few thousand. My wife prayed, “God, please don’t let John embarrass himself.” (She told me this later.)

When I took the microphone, the Spirit of God came on me, and within thirty seconds the entire congregation was on their feet, going wild. I knew my words were not my own, and I felt an authority I had never known before. For the first time I sensed power in the words I spoke. I sensed a flame burning deep inside me.

When I sat down the people kept shouting. I was shak­ing tinder the influence of God’s Presence. It continued for several minutes. My wife looked at me in disbelief and said, “What happened to you? You are not the same man!” It happened again when I rose to speak in the second Sunday service.

The youth group grew from 60 to 250 young people in

one week. I was preaching like a new man. My wife describes it this way, “When you crossed the state line to our new home, you became a different man.”

The faith and anointing on my life had increased due to my obedience. I believe if I had gone to work for the first international minister, I would not have risen in faith, anointing and authority to the spiritual level I did as youth pastor. We must remember, God gives His Holy Spirit to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32).

I grew more over the next two years in that position than I had in the previous eight years. A year and a half later my pastor had a vision that he shared with the eleven pastors of his staff. The vision held three messages; one dealt with the United States; one with our local church; and one with one of his pastors.

He told us the portion which concerned the United States and the local church and then said, “God has shown me that one of you pastors is not going to be on our staff much longer. You will travel full-time. That pastor is you, John Bevere.”

As he spoke, the Spirit of the Lord came on me, and I wept. He said, “I don’t know when it will happen, all I know is that it will.”

Six months later, August 1989, I received seven invita­tions from all corners of the United States to preach in the same three-week span of time. I made an appointment to share it with my senior pastor.

“What do I do with these,” I asked.

He laughed and said, “I prophesied it; looks like you’re leaving.” He and I planned my departure for the end of the year.

Over the next three months two different men from a foreign nation at two different times called me out and prophesied what God was getting ready to do. They did not know me or what had transpired in the last nine months. In fact, the youth heard it for the first time in one of those services. My pastor, my wife and I were in awe of how the Spirit of God confirmed what He was doing.

A month before my salary stopped, I was a hit concerned. I only had two new invitations to minister (having already gone to the seven meetings that I had received ear­lier), one at the beginning of January and the other at the end of February. We had very little money, not even a third of our house payment for a month.

My pastor had blessed me with a letter of recommendation and the addresses of six hundred pastors. He encouraged me, “Do what you would like with this.”

I addressed several envelopes when suddenly the Spirit of God questioned me, “What are you doing?”

I replied, “I am letting churches know that I am available.”

He said, “You will get out of My Will.”

I replied, “But nobody knows me out there!” He said, “I know you; trust Me!”

I threw out the envelopes. As I write this book seven years later, we still travel full-time. We have never lacked a penny or a place to preach. We have never had to send out letters begging for financial support. Though at times it’s been tight, God has always been faithful. He has led me to more than thirty states and several nations. God is true to His promises!

God continues to fulfill His promise to me. It always comes His way. With each step of obedience comes a new level of faith.

Bevere, John. The Devil’s Door. Lake Nary, Fl: Charisma House, 1996, p. 188-193. With permission, www.charismahouse.com.