In the last few days, I have been reading and rereading and reading again Hebrews - Chapter 11. It's a familiar chapter to many people - it's the chapter of the Bible that focuses on faith and is where God reminds us of the unshakeable faith of the saints from the Old Testament (our forefathers).
Hebrews 11:1-2 says, "Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by FAITH, the elders obtained a good report."
The amplified Bible describes faith as a simple confidence and trust in God. So many times I find myself trying to make faith in God and what He CAN and WILL do so hard. I find myself looking for "signs" or "signals" about what He wants me to do or what I should do when I get in situations. I find myself using my OWN fleshly mind to try to figure them out instead of doing the only thing God expects me to do - TRUST - remind Him of His Word and then TRUST that through His Son, Jesus, who is IN me, His Word will come to pass - everytime! So, this past week, through my precious daughter, Kate, God reminded me that FAITH isn't about trusting in what you CAN see but trusting in what you CAN'T see - knowing that the rescue/deliverance/good report is coming - whether the circumstances show it right away or not.
Let me tell you about sweet baby Kate's testimony this week....
Kate had a sudden onset of a fever on Friday morning. She was fine one minute and had a 102 fever the next. Landis and I began praying for her healing but the enemy remained persistent. On Saturday morning, her fever continued to rise and reached 103 at one point. So, we decided to take her to the doctor. I thought she probably had an ear infection so on the way to the doctor, I continued to pray that Jesus would clear her ears and take away her fever. When we arrived at the doctor, the nurse did a flu test. This kind of surprised me because I did not think she would have the flu - no one in our house had been sick!
But...then, the doctor came in and checked her ears, throat, and lungs. Her ears were clear, her lungs sounded great, and her throat was fine - praise Jesus! Matter of fact the doctor was surprised that she didn't have a cough because she went on to explain that Kate had a type A flu. The doctor said Kate could run a fever for 5 to 7 days and gave us the option of using Tamiflu to possibly lessen the fever. This diagnosis angered me. This "flu" was sent by the enemy to attack Kate and then to create fear in our family for the possibility of the rest of us getting it. I was having no part of agreeing with the enemy on any of that - I left the doctor saying out loud - "What flu?" This baby girl is just fine!
In the car, on the way home, I got angry with the enemy and my anger gave me the boldness to cry out with confidence to Jesus. Landis and I together agreed not to give kate tamiflu but to give Jesus full control - to let Him to heal her of her fever. Through the power of Jesus in us, we took authority over the sickness and took back any ground the enemy thought he gained. We knew that Kate's healing was already done, now, we just had to trust and allow the circumstances to catch up with God's spoken words.
Kate continued to run a fever on Saturday night but on Sunday, her fever began to subside. She required no Tylenol or advil on Sunday. She began to play again, talk again, and to enjoy herself. The sickness (the 5 to 7 day fever) was gone in less than one day - with no medicine!!! The fear of a flu being spread around our house did not exist. "What flu???" We claimed! Jesus took that flu to the cross so it wasn't going to plague this house. Ohh, what a powerful God we serve!!!
But...then, the doctor came in and checked her ears, throat, and lungs. Her ears were clear, her lungs sounded great, and her throat was fine - praise Jesus! Matter of fact the doctor was surprised that she didn't have a cough because she went on to explain that Kate had a type A flu. The doctor said Kate could run a fever for 5 to 7 days and gave us the option of using Tamiflu to possibly lessen the fever. This diagnosis angered me. This "flu" was sent by the enemy to attack Kate and then to create fear in our family for the possibility of the rest of us getting it. I was having no part of agreeing with the enemy on any of that - I left the doctor saying out loud - "What flu?" This baby girl is just fine!
In the car, on the way home, I got angry with the enemy and my anger gave me the boldness to cry out with confidence to Jesus. Landis and I together agreed not to give kate tamiflu but to give Jesus full control - to let Him to heal her of her fever. Through the power of Jesus in us, we took authority over the sickness and took back any ground the enemy thought he gained. We knew that Kate's healing was already done, now, we just had to trust and allow the circumstances to catch up with God's spoken words.
Kate continued to run a fever on Saturday night but on Sunday, her fever began to subside. She required no Tylenol or advil on Sunday. She began to play again, talk again, and to enjoy herself. The sickness (the 5 to 7 day fever) was gone in less than one day - with no medicine!!! The fear of a flu being spread around our house did not exist. "What flu???" We claimed! Jesus took that flu to the cross so it wasn't going to plague this house. Ohh, what a powerful God we serve!!!
You see that's the difference in our God and savior, Jesus, compared to the gods of other religions. Our God - the Father of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jesus - He shows up with power, a power that we can see manifest here on Earth - only the God with the big G can do that! And...to see His power, all that He requires of us is faith and trust in WHO He is and WHAT He has already done for us!
You see - just because a doctor says we have something or labels a sickness doesn't mean we have to succumb to the symptoms that come with that "diagnosis." Matter of fact, we should ignore what symptoms THEY (the doctors) say could come and focus only on what God says which is that Jesus already took this sickness to the cross.
1 Peter 2:24 says, "Jesus Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by HIS WOUNDS, WE ARE HEALED." You see - Jesus took our sicknesses to the cross with our sins. We should not take them back when the enemy hurls them at us. Instead - don't claim the sickness, rebuke it in the name and authority of Jesus Christ, our savior from sin and sickness. Remind any symptoms that come of God's Word - speak them out loud and watch the sickness flee.
Today (one week later), I sit in my chair, healthy, blessed, and happy, and, most importantly - I sit here WELL! Baby Kate is WELL - Luke is WELL - and Landis is WELL! Through the authority that Jesus gave us here on Earth, this family cast the flu out of Kate's body and we forbid it to attack any other bodies in this house. We reminded God of His Word and His promises and, as He always does, He looked over them. We had faith (simple confidence and trust) in the Heavenly Father through his precious son, Jesus and, even though the circumstances didn't look like a good report at first - the healing came - as it always does when we give Jesus the full control and authority that He has already won.
1 Peter 2:24 says, "Jesus Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by HIS WOUNDS, WE ARE HEALED." You see - Jesus took our sicknesses to the cross with our sins. We should not take them back when the enemy hurls them at us. Instead - don't claim the sickness, rebuke it in the name and authority of Jesus Christ, our savior from sin and sickness. Remind any symptoms that come of God's Word - speak them out loud and watch the sickness flee.
Today (one week later), I sit in my chair, healthy, blessed, and happy, and, most importantly - I sit here WELL! Baby Kate is WELL - Luke is WELL - and Landis is WELL! Through the authority that Jesus gave us here on Earth, this family cast the flu out of Kate's body and we forbid it to attack any other bodies in this house. We reminded God of His Word and His promises and, as He always does, He looked over them. We had faith (simple confidence and trust) in the Heavenly Father through his precious son, Jesus and, even though the circumstances didn't look like a good report at first - the healing came - as it always does when we give Jesus the full control and authority that He has already won.
I KNOW in whom I believe! I KNOW who has authority in this house over all of our bodies and His name is Jesus! And, I'm so grateful!
Friends - Jesus is a healer - of everything - from small irritating colds to life threatening diseases. He's the deliverer of the person who goes to church every Sunday but still struggles with suffocating fear. He's the redeemer of the man sitting in prison for past mistakes who is repenting and turning his life over to God. (I've been a witness to each one of those examples and there are so many, many more.) Jesus loves you - trust Him, have faith in Him, get to KNOW Him and good reports and awesome testimonies - they will come!
Toddy
Friends - Jesus is a healer - of everything - from small irritating colds to life threatening diseases. He's the deliverer of the person who goes to church every Sunday but still struggles with suffocating fear. He's the redeemer of the man sitting in prison for past mistakes who is repenting and turning his life over to God. (I've been a witness to each one of those examples and there are so many, many more.) Jesus loves you - trust Him, have faith in Him, get to KNOW Him and good reports and awesome testimonies - they will come!
Toddy
No comments:
Post a Comment