The first healing miracle I ever experienced at my own hands involved a man I knew who worked in a local store. One day, I went into the business and he shared with me that, even though he was only in his forties, he was going to have to retire. “I’ve got arthritis so badly in my arms, elbows, and hands,” he said. “I can’t reach up to lift boxes anymore or use the tools I need to use.” The store was crowded with people at that time, and I felt awkward about asking to pray for him. So, I came back a few days later.
When he mentioned again how much pain he was in, I said, “I believe God wants to heal you. Can I pray for you?” He wasn’t a Christian, but he quickly agreed and sat down on a nearby chair. I put my hands on his elbow and his shoulder, and I prayed a very simple prayer. I rebuked arthritis, speaking directly to the problem and telling it to go. The prayer lasted about a minute or two and, when I was through speaking, he began to move and test it out. He started to stretch and wave his arms around, examining himself curiously. Looking up at me, he suddenly said, “I’m completely healed!” It was a dramatic moment for both of us, but I may have actually been more shocked than he was! Ecstatic, he said, “Bill, you’re a healer!”
I let him encourage me, but then I explained, “Do you know what really happened? This happens in church sometimes. Jesus will show up in a service, walking up and down the aisles, speaking encouragement to one person, touching another so that their headache goes away, or giving someone sudden insight about a decision they need to make. It’s so fun for Him, that He’ll give one person a gift for healing and make sure that they connect with another person who needs that healing miracle so that the gift can be given away. What really happened just now is that you were visited by Jesus!”
A couple weeks later, I went in to see him. He saw me and exclaimed, “Bill, you’re a…” and then he stopped, correcting himself, “I got visited by Jesus!” He got it.
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