Jerusalem, O Jerusalem!

Jill Bixby from Spokane, WA, USA had visited Israel two times, but had never been on an Aglow Israel trip. When she learned that the 2019 Aglow International Conference would actually be held in Jerusalem, she felt that it was the right time to go with Aglow.

Right away, a big difference that Jill noticed between her other trips and the Aglow trip came during times of worship. Jill said, “From the Convocation in Jerusalem to the boat rides on the Galilee, we worshipped as we went about The Land. There is something special about singing praises to the Lord right from Israel. Everywhere we went, we prayed with one of the most impactful opportunities taking place at the Lebanese border. We slipped our hands through the gate and prayed for Israel’s neighbor to the north. It was powerful!”

In 1967, Jerusalem was recaptured on June 7. That same year, four women in Seattle gathered in prayer because they had a desire to experience a greater relationship with the Lord. Aglow was birthed as each woman received the same scripture, Romans 12:11 in the Amplified Bible - Never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord. Aglow and Israel entwined from the beginning.

In 2000, Aglow felt to take a tour to Israel. Amazingly enough, the second intifada began in the spring, and tourism was greatly impacted. Yet, 450 Aglow women descended upon Israel in what would grow into a yearly commitment to Israel and the Jewish people.

The following summer, Jane Hansen was attending a Convocation about Israel in Florida, and as she will often say, “Early on, my heart was not yet connected with Israel.” However, at this meeting, everything changed.

Sitting in the back row, Jane was surprised to hear her name being called. Those in charge of the meeting were calling her to come forward! After it was all over, Jane had been identified as an Esther who was called to Israel, anointed for the call, and it was said that she would be going in and out of Israel. And since then, Aglow has taken trips faithfully in response to the call.

Jill said, “Traveling with Aglow people is a unique experience. It is a blessing to be among such joy-filled, like-minded people of God. While those I knew from home ended up being in different hotels and on different buses than me, it did not matter as the Aglow family is friendly and kind. And it is always fun to meet and connect with new people. What if some of the new relationships are divine connections orchestrated by God? I was blessed by every interaction I had.”

Jill went on to say, “If you have been to Israel, you know that there is something eye-opening and soul-awakening. As a Christian, it is like a divine spark that lights up so many things inside you. The pages of your Bible come alive, making the land both foreign and familiar at the same time. While your spirit connects immediately, it took my head some time to process.”

Jill has had a natural love for Israel most of her life, and in Aglow, most people do not question her interest and love for the land. However, those outside of Aglow have asked her questions like Why is Israel so important to you? and Why do you believe God cares about Israel? Jill welcomes the opportunity to teach those asking the questions so that they, too, can become informed. Jill said, “I have taken for granted that Christians understand why Israel is the apple of God’s eye, and why, as believers, we should pray for and stand with Israel. With the growing anti-Semitism around the world, it is time to speak out about the Biblical truths concerning Israel and God’s covenant with them.”

While Aglow’s unchangeable foundation is built on prayer and evangelism, we also have three Biblical foundational truths that have been woven into our DNA. From Genesis, God’s plan for mankind is to have a people, both male and female, who walk in dominion that brings Heaven to earth. In fact, Jane Hansen Hoyt first spoke a message on Male/Female Reconciliation in 1981. In 1991, Aglow was given a prophetic word to love the people of Islam while exposing the spirit behind the system. In 2001, the call to Israel came. Three end-time truths came to us over the course of 30 years, spaced exactly 10 years apart. What an intentional God we serve!

Jill closed her testimony covering her trip to the 2019 Jerusalem Convocation with this thought. “Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to attend an Aglow seminar called Watchmen on the Wall for Israel,  WOW for short. It is something I would recommend that everyone in Aglow make a priority to attend. The teachings lay out the Biblical truths of why the land belongs to Israel, why the Church does not replace the Jews, and point out current-day events that are fulfilling Biblical prophecy related to end times. Everyone who attends a WOW event and then travels to Israel with Aglow will be commissioned as a Watchman on the Wall for Israel. On this trip, one of the most memorable moments for me was standing on Mt. Scopus, overlooking Jerusalem, and taking an oath to pray for Israel. It was a simple little ceremony with a big impact. I would encourage anyone to go with Aglow, even if you have gone with other groups. You will feel right at home among the Aglow family, and there will be countless opportunities for God to touch your heart. You will be blessed.”

Practical Applications

Knowing who you are and knowing Whose you are is vital to our walk in this world. GameChangers and LifeChangers are designed to help you see who you are from Heaven’s perspective. In Aglow, we believe it is important to know why our stand with Israel is irrevocable.

This Fireside Chat is designed to educate those in your group about Aglow’s position with Israel and her people. Our hope is that your group would contact Sandy Wezowicz, Aglow’s Israel Education Director, to bring the full teaching of Watchmen on the Wall. Contact Headquarters for Sandy’s contact information. Sandy also has a blog called Israel Unveiled. Home - Israel Unveiled

It would be helpful to have a copy of Anchor Point One as a handout if you so choose, and a Bible as you go through the following questions.