As mentioned in last week’s column, I attended a miracles and healing service at the Agape Church in Wentzville, MO. several weeks ago, and wanted to share portions of it with our readers.
The congregation is what most folks would consider average, the normal Sunday attendance is between forty and seventy, and the members of the congregation appear like most folks who attend the churches in our area. I felt right at home there, and the Pastor, Mel Bond, is a quiet spoken, unassuming man, who in his own words simply believes what God says in the Bible, and along with many gifts of the Spirit, Pastor Mel also has the gift of discerning of Spirits which is mentioned in I Corinthians.
I went expecting to see miracles and healings, because Jesus healed everyone who asked for healing during his ministry on the earth, and because he provided for our healing at the same time he saved us from our sin.
Within an hour and a half, I saw many, and I also witnessed something I had only read about in the Bible. The pastor could minister directly to individuals using his gift of discernment to see in the Spirit how ungodly spirits where affecting those people having signs of arthritis, diabetes, bad backs, bad necks, blindness, paralysis, stomach problems, reproductive problems, heart trouble, lung cancer, unequal limbs, aches and pains, and all other kinds of symptoms. Some folks may not realize this, but the same ungodly spirits who were in operation during Jesus’ ministry are in operation today. There are spirits of blindness, infirmity, uncleanness, etc. And while Jesus has given us authority over those spirits, if we don’t use our authority against them they will continue to cause us trouble. As the pastor identified the offending spirit by using the gift of discerning of spirits, he would command it to leave in Jesus’ name and would see it leave. So the problem was gone but there was damage that still remained, so in the next step the pastor commanded that person’s body to yield (or relax) and receive the healing power of God. He would command damaged heart tissue to regrow properly, or in the case of arthritis he would command in Jesus’ name that the body yield and that the bones and connective tissue regrow in accordance with God’s word and become perfect just like God created it. But the third step was up to the individual, and as we can see in some examples of Jesus’ healing he required the person who received healing to do something (take up your bed and walk), so the individual was encouraged (but not forced beyond their faith and will) with assistants on either side, to do something that would have been hard for them to do before. For example, walk without a walker, or bend over and touch their toes, climb steps, identify something they could not see before, walk without using oxygen, etc. Then the pastor would ask them how much relief they felt (this is important- to focus on the relief, not the symptom,-because we get what we seek) These services bring glory to God, minister to the sick and bring many to the Lord.
So how do you receive your healing? First, I want to say that we can’t live on junk food and treat our bodies badly, (though I do enjoy a good meal), and expect to wave a magic wand and receive healing. However, do not allow the devil to trick you into thinking you are not worthy to receive healing because in the past you lived a poor lifestyle. If you have turned from that life, then Jesus will meet you where you are. Jesus has provided for your healing because he loves you.
Exercise Your Faith-Believe in your heart that Jesus paid for your sins and provided for your health. (By his stripes you were healed) Past tense. It is already yours.
Speak It-Command the ailment to leave. You must speak it, Jesus never thought spirits to leave, or bodies to be healed, he said it, and he has passed that authority to you, using the power of the Holy Spirit. That ailment is no longer welcome in your body.
Yeild- relax, and yield that portion of your body to the healing power of God.
Focus on the relief. The relief. You are going to be tempted to focus on the problem-don’t do it, notice how much relief you feel, and bless God by remembering how good he has been to you through your life.
Act-The best way I can describe this step is to practise forgetting about your problem by acting normal. Do something you couldn’t do before. God’s healing process is a natural part of the Christian’s life, but we have gotten away from it.
Receive-your behaving normally is the faith required along with your heart faith to see the manifestation of the healing power of God.
If this doesn’t seem to work, keep practicing and you will see results. God is always willing to heal, we just don’t receive well sometimes.
A Warning. I say this with all love. If you have unforgiveness, bitterness, strife, in your heart, especially unforgiveness, don’t expect to be healed. Let it go and get forgiveness in your heart. Unforgiveness permits the devil to attack you and he will do it with glee, so choose forgiveness and receive the healing that the Lord Jesus Christ has provided for you.
Until next time, God bless you and your loved ones.
