In July of 1986 Carlos and Emily Sarmiento received the call to full-time ministry under the leadership of Pastor Benny Hinn. After nine years of serving faithfully at Orlando Christian Center, Carlos stepped out and began to travel full time with Reviving This Generation Ministries. RTG was a revivalistic missions-focused ministry with numerous open doors to preach the word of God with signs and wonders all throughout the US, Canada, Caribbean Islands, South America and Russia.
Five years later, the Lord began to do a “new thing” in Carlos and Emily. Through much prayer and godly counsel from respected ministry leaders God confirmed His will for them to launch a Church in Ocoee, Florida. Living Waters Church was birthed on April 23, 2000 on an Easter Sunday morning with 97 people in attendance.
In February 2005 at a Kim Clement Service, Kim gave Carlos a prophetic word that would help position his heart to receive the direction of the Lord for the unique ministry the Lord was desiring to establish.
Kim Clement prophesied to Carlos (February 2005):
“take four steps toward this platform… one, two, three, four, STOP! For thus says the Lord; You have had four major steps in ministry, but the next one will be the biggest step ever. It will take you to the place where you have dreamed of. For the miraculous will flow out of you like water. Like Peter, God is releasing a faith in you to walk on water. Tens of thousands of young people will be touched by your steps of obedience.”
In May 2005, Carlos was given a heavenly encounter that clarified and redirected the heart and activities of the ministry. From this encounter, the Holy Spirit clearly revealed the five core values that the Orlando House of Prayer (OHOP) would embrace. A kingdom value system of Intimacy, Character, End-Time Urgency, Intercession and the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.
For three years (2005-2008) the Holy Spirit was prophetically transitioning OHOP to fully embrace their new identity. In February of 2008, Mike Bickle and his wife Diane from the International House of Prayer- KC came to visit the Missions Base. Together they ministered to our spiritual body and dedicated “OHOP” as a House of Prayer.
Today OHOP exists as a fellowship of lovesick believers of Jesus Christ who are forerunners and intentionally stand before the Lord night and day with worship and intercession. From this place of intimacy with the Bridegroom, we will reach the lost and restore the identity of believers as the Bride of Christ and provide biblical-based education and experiences for all believers of Christ in all areas of life so that they may each be intimate lovers of God. We will train equip and release forerunner intercessors and messengers empowered by the Holy Spirit through a lifestyle of prayer, worship and fasting for the end-time harvest of souls and provide a place of encouragement and training for all those who are stirred by the call of the prayer movement.
Currently OHOP is open seven days a week with over 100 hours of live prayer & worship sets. All the Leadership of OHOP embrace and are in full agreement with the vision and mandate of the house. OHOP serves the Body of Christ in Florida through our monthly Awaken the Bride services, Healing and Prophetic Ministry, Children Equipping Ministry, Youth and Young Adult ministries and other outreach and traveling teams. We also have an equipping school called the Forerunner School of Ministry, where we teach the five core values of OHOP.