The Holy Spirit Encounter That Changed Everything | Episode 18 with Russell Benson

What can the lives of Christianity’s greatest revivalists teach us about miracles, failure, second chance and finishing well? Daniel Kolenda sits down with author and revival historian Roberts Liardon, creator of the bestselling God’s Generals series, to uncover remarkable stories from some of the most influential ministers of the last century. Roberts shares how, at just 12 years old, an encounter with Jesus launched him on a lifelong mission to study the lives of great Christian leaders, learning not only why they succeeded, but also where some of them went wrong. The conversation goes especially deep into the life of Kathryn Kuhlman. Roberts recounts attending her services as a child and witnessing extraordinary scenes of healing, including people rising from wheelchairs. He also shares rarely heard stories surrounding Kuhlman’s final service, her last days in the hospital, her decision that she was ready to go home to heaven, and the powerful second-chance story behind the ministry for which she later became famous. Daniel and Roberts also explore the incredible life of Aimee Semple McPherson, including her massive evangelistic ministry, healing meetings, media innovation, exhaustion, and the lessons future generations can learn from her life. According to Roberts, some of the greatest failures in ministry did not begin with a deliberate decision to destroy everything. They began with exhaustion like physical, mental, and spiritual fatigue that weakened judgment and allowed things into a leader’s life they would normally never tolerate. Whether you’re a pastor, evangelist, ministry leader, or simply fascinated by revival history, this conversation contains decades of hard-earned wisdom about staying humble, protecting your private life, learning from failure, and finishing what God has called you to do.

What happens to your faith when everyone prays for a miracle and the miracle doesn’t come? Evangelist Levi Lutz joins Daniel Kolenda for a deeply personal conversation about losing his wife, Ashley, at just 40 years old, facing death threats, and undergoing another major heart surgery. Through it all, Levi shares the realization that sustained him: he wasn’t holding on to Jesus, Jesus was holding on to him. From his rebellious years in East Texas to 25 years of preaching the gospel, Levi reflects on the encounters, mentors, and painful seasons that shaped his life. If you’re walking through grief, wrestling with your calling, or struggling to find the strength to keep going, this conversation offers an honest testimony of faith in the middle of suffering. Subscribe for more conversations about faith, evangelism, revival, and following Jesus. What part of Levi’s story spoke to you most? Share in the comments, and send this episode to someone who needs encouragement.

What does the Bible really teach about healing, prosperity, giving, and money? Daniel Kolenda sits down with Ashley Terradez to hear the incredible story of his daughter Hannah, who was suffering from a severe autoimmune condition and had been given only days to live. After attending a Christian conference and receiving prayer, Ashley says she woke up asking to eat and she has remained healthy ever since. Doctors later told the family they could not explain what had happened. But the conversation doesn't stop with healing. Daniel and Ashley tackle one of the most controversial topics in modern Christianity: prosperity. Ashley explains why he rejects the phrase “prosperity gospel,” while still arguing that biblical prosperity is part of the abundant life available to believers. They discuss the difference between genuine generosity and manipulative prosperity preaching, why money can become a master, the “spirit of mammon,” and how Christians can protect themselves from financial manipulation and scams. Whether you agree with everything discussed or not, this conversation will challenge you to examine what you believe about God's character, healing, generosity, provision, and prosperity.

What if the miracles we read about in the Book of Acts are still happening today? In this extraordinary episode of the Daniel Kolenda Show, Daniel sits down with legendary missionary and evangelist Mel Tari, author of the Christian classic Like a Mighty Wind, to hear firsthand stories from the historic Indonesian revival that began 60 years ago. Mel recounts incredible events that sound like they were taken straight from the pages of Scripture: evangelistic teams crossing a dangerously deep river, a man being raised after two days, food multiplying, Christians surviving poisoned food, supernatural healing, and water reportedly turning into wine again and again. But for Mel, the miracles were never the point. He explains why he believes miracles are not given to entertain Christians, but to point people to Jesus. In the first six months of the revival, Mel says approximately 80,000 people were born again as young evangelistic teams traveled from village to village preaching the Gospel. Stay until the end as Mel prays for viewers to receive Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

What does the Bible actually teach about demons, deliverance, and spiritual warfare? In this powerful and challenging podcast, Daniel Kolenda sits down with Vlad Savchuk to tackle some of the most controversial questions surrounding deliverance ministry. Vlad shares his remarkable journey from battling deep insecurity and suicidal thoughts as a teenager, to becoming a pastor known around the world for teaching on spiritual warfare and deliverance. He also warns against turning deliverance into the answer for every problem as it doesn't replace discipline, inner healing, character development, medical care, or discipleship. Later Daniel and Vlad discuss why deliverance appears to be gaining attention again, how pastors can approach the subject without falling into extremes, whether deliverance can happen online, and why believers ultimately need to move from deliverance, through discipleship, into dominion.