Sunday, May 08, 2005

Our Collection Is Growing…

Two young ladies from our church had to attend a business function to help their Dad this Saturday morning. They were a little bummed that they couldn’t go out for our Saturday Morning neighborhood outreach but decided to “Make the most of every opportunity”. So they were looking for an opportunity to bring the Kingdom of God there in the hotel where they were at.

Here is their story…


We (Erin and Sarah) were planning on going to the neighborhood on Saturday to do outreach stuff with Ryan. But then our dad told us that we were not going to be able to go because he needed our help at a business conference. We were really bummed, but we were just like, “whatever”. So, all day Saturday we were praying for God to send someone for us to either heal or get born again or something like that. We were really bored and found a TV in the hotel foyer, and started watching Star Wars.

Then, all of a sudden, this guy on crutches comes hobbling through the hotel lobby. Immediately we looked at each other and just ran after the guy with the crutches. Unfortunately, he got in the elevator and the doors closed, we missed him. So we started praying for God to bring the guy back. No less than two minutes later the guy came hobbling back out of the elevator. So we jumped up and went after him, yelling, “Hey dude, hold on!” Then he turned around with a weird look on his face, and replied, “Yeah?” We asked him what was wrong, (We were kind of hoping it was his ankle because Ryan had told us that we had complete authority over ankle injuries. – We have seen a bunch of instant miracles with ankles and knees) and he said, “I sprained my ankle and ever since then I haven’t had any feeling in my foot but have had severe pain in my ankle”. So we said, “Do you mind if we pray for it because Jesus can totally heal your ankle”. He said, “Yes”.

Before we prayed we asked him to rate the pain 0 being the best 10 being the worst, he said it was a 7. So we laid our hands on his ankle and commanded all pain to go, and all feeling to return to his foot in the name of Jesus. Immediately his countenance changed, and he got really wide eyed and said, “Oh my God I can feel my foot!” We asked him to rate the pain again, but he never did because he was so dumbfounded. We prayed again for the swelling in his ankle to go down and for total mobility to return. The swelling went down right before our eyes. He started walking around, saying, “Oh my God, thank you!” We prayed one last time for total and complete healing, because he was still limping a little bit. The whole time we were praying he was saying, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!”

By the time we were done praying Jesus had totally healed him! He was walking around without his crutches and jumping up and down. He said his name was Antwon, and he asked us what our names were, and we told him. We asked, “Are you born again?” He answered saying, “Yes, I believe that Jesus is King and that he died and rose again.” He continued to tell us how he had just gotten back from serving in Iraq a month ago and how ever since he has been back his view of Jesus, America, and people in general had been very pessimistic. He told us, “You don’t understand, this is the best thing that has happened to me since I have been back, thank you!” We told him, “Jesus is King, and he healed your ankle. Now you have total authority over ankle injuries, so every time you see someone with an ankle injury, command it to be healed in Jesus name and it will happen because you believe.”

He thanked us again, and we went our separate ways. We were so excited about what Jesus had done that we ran back into the hotel and interrupted the business meeting to tell our parents. We started telling our parents the story, and by the end of the story everyone in the business meeting was gathered around us listening intently. As we were telling them, Antwon walked over and started telling everyone his testimony himself and showing them how he could now walk and also jump up and down. When he was done telling everyone, we pulled him aside and asked him if we could have his crutches since he obviously no longer needed them. He said yes and ran to get us his crutches. He gave us his crutches, thanked us again and then walked away completely healed!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello, I read the story of Erin and Sarah! Thank you Jesus that you are still the same!

But I have a question... They write that this man that got healed, now had total authority over ankle injuries. I don't quite understand this? Can this authority be transferred? How does this happen? I you are healed by someone in Christ, do you gain the authority to heal the same problems?
Thanks you,

In Christ,
Fernando

Unknown said...

Fernando,

You ask a great question. Here's my attempt at an answer...

There is a clear prececedent in scripture that we receive authority for healing others in the very areas we are wounded ourselves.

For example, it's by the Lord's stripes that we are healed. In the same area that he was wounded, he received authority for healing. We aren't healed through his faith, patience or longsuffering, we are healed by his stripes.

***1Pe 2:24 He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that dying to sins, we might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.

We comfort others with the same comfort that we receive from God for ourselves.

***2Co 1:4 He comforting us in all our trouble, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in every trouble, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

The Lord Jesus told the apostles to give to others from what they had received for themselves.

***Mat 10:7,8 And as you go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received freely, freely give.


That's a cursory glance at the statement they made. I would agree with it... generally.

MaryAnn Mease said...

jumping and leaping and praising God....

and as far as the authority question:
I tend to agree...freely you were given now freely give.

your TEST becomes your TESTimony

it helps boost the belief in a person if the person says "I had that..I know exactly how you feel...Jesus healed me from it and wants to heal you. Be healed."

I am encouraged greatly by your witness here...i look forward to our trip to Atlanta to "check you out" in person!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, thanks for your encouragement to the body of Christ to walk in our authority in Him.

Unknown said...

You're welcome!

Unknown said...

4-5 times a week.