Meet the Healer

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Love Heals

“How glorious the splendour of a human heart that trusts that it is loved!”

~ Brennan Manning

Unconditional love and trust seem to be two halves of a whole. When we truly know that we are loved, self acceptance and trust naturally evolve.

Building Trust

When praying for strangers, I’m aware of the need to build trust with people first, by making conversation, perhaps sharing a joke, and reassuring them that I’m not trying to sell them anything.

Understandably, many people don’t want to draw attention to themselves or display their emotions in public, and I do my best to be discreet and sensitive when praying. However, sometimes the people with the toughest exteriors are visibly touched by God’s love, and fight back tears, as they encounter his presence.

Recently, we prayed for an older lady in the marketplace, who was quite reserved and a little suspicious of us at first. She told us her name was Connie, and after chatting a while, she revealed that she had pain in her neck. She then allowed us to lay hands on her to pray.

After prayer, there was no difference to the pain. Sometimes people experience healing later, so we told her this, and we also said that God loves her and cares about her.

Healed Second Time Around

Connie was sitting on a bench in the marketplace a couple of weeks or so later, drinking tea and smoking a cigarette, after finishing her shopping. We approached her and asked how her neck was doing. “No better,” she replied. We asked permission to pray again. Connie nonchalantly agreed to this.

My friend placed his hand on her shoulder and I placed my hand on the base of her neck. She told us the pain was a level four on a scale of one to ten. After praying, Connie slowly moved her head from side to side, and then we saw the first proper smile break out on her face.

The pain had completely disappeared! Connie’s delight was evident; her natural reserve and guarded manner melted away.

Touched

“Did one of you touch my head?” Connie asked, placing her hand near the top of her imagehead, to show us the exact location. Neither of us had placed our hands there; my hand had been the closest, being at the bottom of Connie’s neck, but still quite a distance away from her head.

Something significant happened, that I have no concrete explanation for. Connie had felt a hand touch her near the top of her head, and it had affected her deeply; her whole countenance had changed. This was more than a physical healing; change occurred on the inside, too. I believe Jesus touched her with his love and power, changing her heart.

Love Heals

Divine healing flows out of the love of God for the person in front of us. Love and compassion can bring healing to the whole person, rather than just addressing the physical symptoms.

Connie is a strong, independent lady, and not in the habit of giving outward displays of emotion. Initially, she looked doubtful when we shared with her in words that God loves her, but when she felt his presence and received healing, I believe she felt loved. I hope to see Connie again soon, and ask her what difference this encounter has made in her life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Life Without Fear

Fear, Shock and Trauma

When my daughter was a young child, she broke her leg quite badly, while playing outdoors. The surgeon told me it was a complex operation, and he anticipated that he would need to attach a metal pin to the bone. However, the operation was more straightforward than he initially expected, and no pin was required.

Throughout the whole process, people had been praying, and I believe this played a large part in the positive outcome from surgery.

After a few weeks of using a wheelchair, with her leg in a plaster cast, my daughter then received physiotherapy, and had to learn how to walk unaided again.

Unfortunately, after all the shock and trauma of the accident, my daughter became very fearful of walking. Her personality changed from being a happy, outward focused little girl, to being unconfident, and terrified of falling and injuring herself again.

Injury or sickness can shake our self confidence, and significant trauma can be a gateway to fear.

Praying for the Whole Person

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At that time, I had been training with my local Healing Rooms, and I was learning how to pray for the whole person, rather than simply addressing the physical symptoms.

There is a verse in the Bible, (2 Timothy 1:7), which says: “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

One evening, I sat down next to my daughter and spoke this verse over her. I prayed to break the power of shock and trauma, so that fear could no longer have a hold over her. My daughter listened and understood. There were a few tears, as she received the healing.

Life Without Fear

From that day onwards, she regained her confidence, and was very soon walking freely, riding her bicycle, and running around playing, as she had done before the accident.

Fear can creep up on us, steal our confidence, and prevent us from receiving our healing, but I believe God’s love and healing power is infinitely stronger than fear.

 


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War Trauma

imageDivine Coincidence?

We stood outside the bakery shop window, gaining a little shelter from the pouring rain. The shoppers were not lingering to eat their chips at the marketplace benches today, but hurrying home to retreat from the stormy weather.

One of our friends had texted, saying she had a dream last night about someone being healed outside the bakery shop. Feeling a little foolish, standing there in the rain, we asked God to show us who we were supposed to meet.

He came and stood right next to us, and started talking. At first, it was general conversation about how he had come to the town for work. He told us his name was Simon, and he was an ex marine.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Conversation flowed so effortlessly. Simon told us how he had post-traumatic stress disorder after leaving the forces, and he had found life very difficult. Thankfully, a friend had given him a job opportunity, and helped him to get back on his feet.

We listened, as Simon elaborated further on some of the atrocities he had seen during active service in Afghanistan and Iraq; even witnessing some acts of violence, which he knew to be wrong, but he had turned a blind eye.

What about Forgiveness?

At this point, we had not asked Simon if we could pray for him; we were just listening to his story.

His next words were so poignant. “There are so many beautiful places in the world. But men destroy things. I’ve been involved in so many bad things in war. I sometimes get flashbacks. I’ve been talking to ‘the man upstairs.’ I’m wondering if there is forgiveness.”

We told Simon that we talk to ‘the man upstairs,’ too; in fact, we have Jesus Christ in our lives, and forgiveness is readily available through Jesus.

Simon’s countenance changed, when we told him that we didn’t think our meeting with him was mere coincidence. We were standing in this exact location, at this exact moment, because we had been led here through a prophetic dream. He looked visibly moved.

As we prayed for Simon, he appeared to be close to tears. We prayed simple prayers for healing from the trauma he had experienced, and we encouraged him to talk to Jesus himself when he was back home, and receive his forgiveness and peace.

Simon asked for a card with a phone number, in case he wanted to talk to us again, then shook our hands, said thank you, and walked away.

Courage

What I observed in Simon is true courage. Here is a man who knows how to handle weapons, a man who has killed in war zones, and who has worked in tough security jobs in civilian life. Here is a man who also loves his family, who sees the beauty amidst the brokenness in the world, and who dreams of a better future.

God bless you, Simon, as you receive your forgiveness. May you know the love of Jesus and the peace that passes understanding.


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Inner Healing


imageStrange Dream

It all began when a friend approached me, saying, “I had a dream about you, and I rarely dream.” She was puzzled about the meaning of the dream, in which she saw large cubes of meat. Initially, these cubes of meat had been thrown away, but my friend knew that she had to wash them clean and hand them to me.

Unknown to the dreamer, I was experiencing health problems: constant stomach cramps and nausea. After testing, it was discovered that food intolerances were the cause, especially dairy foods.

For months, I had meticulously checked the ingredients on food labels. I was already vegetarian; now I became vegan, trying to eliminate everything that caused symptoms. At times I simply didn’t want to eat, fearful of feeling sick afterwards.

(Note: In no way do I wish to imply that vegetarian or vegan diets are unhealthy; on the contrary, I believe they have many health benefits. I’m simply telling my personal story, as it occurred).

Root Causes

I decided to seek help from someone trustworthy in healing and deliverance ministry. It didn’t take long for the person leading the prayer ministry to establish the root cause of my health problems.

Growing up with a Mom who imposed very strict discipline, who rarely demonstrated affection, and who was often angry with me, I lived in fear much of the time.

As a child, I didn’t like meat: the taste, the texture, and the fact it involved killing animals. Around the age of six or seven, I told my parents I didn’t want to eat meat. This statement was met with ridicule.

If I didn’t eat everything on my plate, I was punished. Feelings of panic would rise up in me, as I began to feel overcome with nausea, and didn’t know how to force the food down.


Inner Vow

As a small child, I made a vow never to eat meat again, once I was old enough to leave home.

In the environment of harsh discipline and fear that I grew up with, food had become associated with punishment. My choice to be vegetarian wasn’t the issue. The source of the problem was the inner vow that I made at a time of intense pain and fear.

Deep wounds in childhood can be a point of entry for evil spirits to attach themselves; then inner healing and deliverance is needed.

Generational Hurts

My Mom was a prisoner of pain, too, acting in the only way she knew, inadvertently passing on generational hurts and behaviour patterns.

The survival mechanisms we use to get by can become the cages that imprison us.

Set Free

During the time of prayer ministry, I briefly revisited that time in my childhood when I made the inner vow, relinquishing it, handing it over to Jesus, forgiving my parents for the hurts they had inflicted, and inviting Jesus to bring healing to those memories.

At one point, I started to feel dizzy; as I quietly began praising Jesus, I believe that is when the evil spirit left. There was no drama; it was a very gentle deliverance.

Physical Healing

Imagine carrying a heavy weight around for most of your life – something like carrying imagea sack full of stones on your back – but being unaware of its existence. Then the weight is removed, and you feel such lightness, as if you are walking on air. That is how it felt. I had no doubt I was healed.

Within twenty four hours, all the stomach cramps and nausea had disappeared. Dairy foods were re-introduced to my diet, with no ill effects, and I even tried a little meat. I no longer feel anxiety about food; nowadays I have freedom to enjoy eating.

Unexpected Freedom

There was also a foundational change, that I hadn’t asked for, expected, or even dreamed of.

The critical voice that used to attack me with negative, violent, tormenting, self hating thoughts – that voice that had a habit of turning up the volume inside my head at critical moments, to hurl a barrage of abuse at me – that voice had gone for good.

This is freedom indeed!

 

 


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Creativity and Emotional Healing

imageDesire to Write

“There is a desire in you, hidden or already known, to write.” This was a prophetic word, that somebody wrote down for me a few years ago. It continued in the same vein, suggesting I was to express in words what is in my mind and heart.

This didn’t resonate with me; even as I thanked the person who had given me the prophetic word, I doubted whether he had truly heard from God. I tucked the piece of paper away, filing it away in my mind, to be revisited later.

God has a wonderful way of getting my attention. During the past year, I have received a series of unusual confirmations, often from people I hardly know, encouraging me to write.

Healing Takes Courage

What I hadn’t bargained for was the fear. I’m not talking about the usual kind of nervousness about stepping out of a comfort zone. This was a mind numbing, crippling, paralysing fear of writing. Every tiny step forward felt like wading through quicksand.

Oh, I read articles about conquering fears. I pushed myself hard, determined not to be defeated. But no amount of positive thinking or mind over matter helped.

“Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it.” ~ Tori Amos

I had to dig deep to find the courage to write again.

Cry for Help?

My six year old self didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. I was just sharing the thoughts in my head. Keeping it real.

One thing was clear: my Mom was angry, and my stories had caused it.

My schoolteacher had concerns about my welfare, due to the somewhat morbid content of the stories I had written. Did she think I was making a cry for help? Whatever her reasons, she made a mistake in expressing those concerns to my parents; now I was in trouble.

Surviving Not Thriving

It was a logical decision to stop writing stories. Admittedly, it was going to be a challenge, since creative writing was part of the school curriculum. However, I simply couldn’t risk being that vulnerable. I vowed never to keep it real again.

English was my best subject at school. It was relatively easy to bluff my way through, writing technically good pieces of work, minus the emotion. Perhaps I underachieved slightly in English, due to my aversion to creative writing, but I could still enjoy reading and critiquing other people’s stories. No problem. I learned the art of writing without soul.

As a young child, I soon comprehended that anything I wrote down or spoke could be used as evidence and ammunition against me. Creativity was frowned upon. My other outlet, painting, had also been blocked at the age of six, when I was punished, after spilling red paint on my school clothes.

The only private place, where nobody could intrude, trample or destroy, was inside my mind: the secret world of daydreams and imagination. Like a plant positioned in a dark room, I survived, but didn’t thrive.

Creativity Restores

Today I bear no ill feeling towards my parents. Some wounds were inflicted unintentionally: a strict parenting style clashing with the sensitivity of an imaginative child, causing me to live in fear. I didn’t forgive them overnight; in fact, it was only when I experienced Jesus’ love for me, that I also discovered the liberation in forgiving others.

Emotional healing has been an ongoing process for me. When I received the prophetic word about writing, it was another key to wholeness; I just didn’t realise it back then.

Creativity can be very therapeutic, helping to restore those things which were stolen from us, or which we defensively shut down, in reaction to emotional pain.

Maybe you, too, are feeling led to write, to draw, to paint, to dance, to sing… to follow your own creative path. If you have a personal healing story, I’d love to hear from you.


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Hope and a Future

imageSeed of Hope

“I have paranoid thoughts all the time,” Barry told us. “Voices in my head.” As he shared more, it was evident that Barry had a number of difficulties in his life, compounded by mental health issues.

We began to pray, and within a minute or two, Barry interrupted us. “They’re gone!” he exclaimed. “Those thoughts have stopped. My head feels clear.” He looked surprised. “I feel kind of peaceful.”

Barry’s mental health issues were not all healed in an instant, during those few minutes of prayer. I’ve seen him since, and he still takes medication and has ongoing support mechanisms in place. However, something shifted that day. Perhaps a seed of hope was planted.

In the wake of Robin Williams’ death, there has been a torrent of articles and blog posts about depression, suicide and mental health. In all honesty, I felt pressure to post something substantial, something that carried some weight, something that would maybe turn things around for good in people’s lives. This is a healing blog, after all!

Yet, what could I usefully add to some of the insightful posts already published? How could I achieve the right balance of compassion and sensitivity; not underestimating the desperate circumstances that some people find themselves in; not merely giving platitudes; yet speaking words that give hope? I confess, I didn’t think my response would be adequate.

Stigma

As a child, I had my first encounter with someone experiencing severe mental and emotional distress. A distant picture memory of my great aunt is indelibly etched into my mind. I remember her shuffling around in her dressing gown and slippers, a blank, desperate stare on her face, with the appearance of a hunted fugitive. The family only seemed to mention her name in whispers. Mental illness had shame and stigma attached to it in that former generation.

A subtle threat seemed to hang over me. If I didn’t pull myself together and toughen up, then perhaps I, too, would be sent off to the hospital, becoming institutionalised and forgotten, my name spoken in hushed tones. Perhaps my Mom meant it as a joke, (though it didn’t seem remotely funny to me), or perhaps it was her unspoken fear, manifesting in verbal threats: “If you’re not careful, they’ll come to take you away.”

Thankfully, there is more positive awareness and less stigma surrounding mental health issues today. Having had personal experience of living with people who have bipolar disorder, and who have been suicidal at times, I have seen first hand the devastating effects this can have, on both the sufferers, and on those closest to them. Yes, this subject gets very personal for me.

Healing Process

As a teenager, continuing into my adult life, I struggled with depression and anxiety. Although I may have appeared functional on the outside, it impacted my work and relationships, making it difficult to maintain any security and stability in my life.

For me, healing has been a process over time. There has been some quite dramatic inner healing, through prayer, coupled with the healing that has happened more gradually, through experiencing the love of God and the love of friends, whom I call my spiritual family.

Taking the Masks Offimage

In the course of praying for many different people over a number of years, one thing stands out very clearly to me. Once we
start sharing our hurts, our fears, our personal battles, it quickly becomes apparent we are not alone. Taking our masks off and reaching out for help, in a safe environment, with trustworthy people, can be liberating.

Despite all our technology, and the ability to connect with one another at the touch of a button, through phones and social media, etc, so many people feel isolated, fearful and lonely.

Do I believe Jesus can heal mental and emotional distress? Yes, I do.

I believe, too, that there is a universal human need to belong. Acceptance in a community of friends or family, who love and understand us, can be so important in sustaining good mental and emotional health.

Wonderfully Made

Having freedom to discover our unique identity and purpose in this life can also help us move towards healing and wholeness.

“You are… wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139)

“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

You matter. Your life is valuable. There is hope and a future.


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Forgive Yourself

When God Speaks About Loss

Cheryl visited our stall, while we were giving destiny readings at an event in the city. Spread out on a table before us, was a selection of random, everyday objects, which we used merely as prompts, while asking the Holy Spirit to give us prophetic words for people.

imageScanning the objects on the table briefly, Cheryl gently picked up the nappy pins, with decorative pink and blue heads. Years ago, when babies wore the old fashioned kind of cloth nappies, these were a familiar item in family homes.

My friend, who was on the stall with me, glanced across, meeting my eyes. Both of us were sensing Cheryl’s pain and loss.

My recollection of the words we spoke to Cheryl is vague. Something about her son. What I do recall most clearly is that God prompted me to affirm Cheryl, speaking positive words about her being a good Mom.

Burden of Blame

Hearing this, Cheryl dissolved into tears, sharing how her adult son had been killed in a motorbike accident. How she wished she had told him to take the car that fateful day! She felt that it was all her fault.

Holding her hand, but not wanting to intrude on this moment, we let her cry. God’s loving presence was so tangible, and He was bringing healing to Cheryl’s wounded heart, without our interference.

“It’s not your fault. You need to forgive yourself.” Very sensitively, we repeated this more than once, until, finally, Cheryl’s expression changed from despair to hope. As we prayed with Cheryl, we encouraged her to surrender all the pain and the feelings of guilt she had been carrying to Jesus.

Letting Go

imageBereavement is a different journey for each individual, and I had not walked in Cheryl’s shoes. I could only imagine the devastating heartbreak of losing her son, and the torment of blaming herself for many years. The questions, the guilt, the memories, the might have beens. The only thing I can say with certainty is that Jesus ministered to this precious lady, and she stepped into new freedom that day.

This burden – this inability to forgive herself for her son’s death – was a powerful force in Cheryl’s life, preventing her from moving forwards. This burden, that Cheryl had been carrying around for many years, which may have taken numerous specialist counselling sessions to resolve, fell away in a matter of a few minutes.

(Note: My experience is that Jesus sometimes sets people free of specific emotional wounds very quickly. This is not to say that I do not also acknowledge the wonderful work that many counsellors and therapists do, and that healing can occur through counselling, too. I also recognise that healing from deep emotional trauma is often a process, rather than a one off event).

The Power of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is so powerful. Going through life with a heavy burden of guilt for failings, either real or imagined, can be agonising and unfulfilling. Yet, for some of us, forgiving ourselves can be more challenging than forgiving others, who have hurt us.

If you are carrying a burden of guilt, I encourage you to let it go. Maybe that is the last bastion; the last line of defence against letting yourself receive healing. As you allow God’s unconditional love to reach into your heart, you can learn to love yourself.

Do you have experience of coming to terms with loss? Or experience of the power of forgiveness? Please feel free to share in the comments below. And if you would like us to pray for you, please check out our prayer requests page.

 


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Can a Tumour Disappear?

Prayer in the Marketplace

Street healing often involves praying for someone briefly, then moving on. In manyimage
instances, I may not see the person again, or find out how they are progressing. But this isn’t always the case…

Terry is an outdoor market trader in my local town, who has been receiving ongoing treatment for cancer. When we first met Terry and his wife, we spent some time getting to know them, asking if there was anything they would like prayer for. They are a friendly, engaging couple, and I quickly warmed to them.

Tumour

As the conversation moved on, Terry informed us that he was being successfully treated for a type of leukaemia, which was under control; his hospital consultant was also monitoring a small tumour on the kidney, which would be operated on, if it grew larger.

However, Terry was now really scared, as the doctor had found something else. This time, it was a tumour on his lung, which was being investigated further.

Scan Clear

So we prayed, believing God would remove the growth on the lung.

It took a little time for Terry to receive a straight answer from the consultant. I can only imagine the confusion among the medical staff at the hospital, as the scan was clear. No tumour.

Terry was told: “It appears to have resolved itself.” It was suggested to him that maybe it had been a chest infection, which cleared up, and not a tumour, after all.

Had a mistake been made, when the doctor first spotted something on Terry’s lung? Or did the healing power of Jesus cause the tumour to disappear, leaving the medical staff scratching their heads in disbelief?

Trust

All I know is, the next time we saw Terry and his wife, they were beaming happily at us. They greeted us, by saying, “Your prayers must have worked!”

News has started to spread on the marketplace grapevine that when we pray, something happens.

As we serve our community in this way, friendships are being established, and we are finding that other market traders are trusting us to pray for them, too.

We continue to pray that the tumour on Terry’s kidney also disappears, and that his whole body is a cancer free zone.

 


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Two Minute Healing

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Can I Make a Difference?

She was standing behind me in the queue, as I paid for my newspaper. I heard her mutter something, and I turned around, to see her hopping from foot to foot and holding her back, as if in pain. “Are you okay?” I asked. “Oh, it’s just my back is hurting,” she replied.

As the lady started walking away, I asked her if she would like me to pray for her. “Oh, yes. That would be great…” She hesitated. “But how long will it take? My husband is waiting for me.” She pointed at the man, standing a short distance away, who appeared slightly impatient. I reassured her it would only take two minutes of her time, and we found a small space near the shopping trolleys, away from the main thoroughfare, where the crowds of tourists and weekend shoppers were milling about.

I quickly discovered the lady’s name was Jenny, and in addition to her backache, she also had a number of other issues with her health: pain in her foot from an old injury, ovarian cysts, plus, she suffered with anxiety and panic attacks. Had it been possible to talk a bit longer over coffee, I sensed this lady’s story would come pouring out, but standing here in this busy shopping centre, with Jenny’s husband waiting, I had only two minutes to make a difference.

Peace and Healing 

The back pain was the most immediate problem, so, with Jenny’s permission, I placed my hand on her lower back and prayed very briefly. After a few seconds, I asked her how it felt. She told me the pain had eased, so I prayed again, this time including the other health issues, too, and asking God to bring his peace.

Afterwards, Jenny looked at me and said, “I feel funny all over.” This made me smile, as it’s a common reaction from those who receive prayer. Sometimes people will say they feel calm, relaxed or peaceful. It is simply God touching them with his presence, his love, his peace. It can be a powerful experience, causing people to stop in their tracks, full of surprise and wonder. I checked this out with Jenny, and she confirmed that she felt peaceful.

Before Jenny left to rejoin her husband, she gave me a big hug, and said, “Thank you so much for stopping and praying.”

So often, God shows up for people in the most ordinary circumstances. Though I’ve seen and experienced more dramatic healings and answers to prayer, I never take for granted the privilege of being able to pray for people in these everyday situations. It makes my heart sing every time I see someone’s face light up in delight and surprise, as they encounter a healing touch from Jesus.

It’s Not About Me

Sitting in the hairdressing salon recently, halfway through my appointment, salon gown and towel wrapped round my shoulders, I prayed for my hair stylist, and the pain disappeared from her injured knee. “That’s amazing,” my stylist said, as she walked around, testing out her healing. “You have quite a gift.” I reminded her it’s not about me; it’s Jesus working through me.

God isn’t phased if I only have two minutes to pray, or if I am in a hectic, crowded environment. Neither does it matter how undignified I might appear, praying with my wet hair scraped on top of my head, in the hairdressing salon. Just a regular day in the Kingdom of God.

Please check out the prayer requests page if you would like prayer for healing or any other needs. We would love to pray for you.

 

 


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Surprised by God’s Voice

“How did you know that?”

The young guy looked at me in amazement, as I shared some prophetic words about his imagedestiny as a filmmaker and scriptwriter.

To be honest, I was most interested in getting John’s back healed. He had initially been reluctant to receive prayer, as he was on his way to work and didn’t have much time.

In truth, he was also sceptical about this bunch of people doing healing on the streets, and was suspicious that we might be trying to sell him some kind of religion. He had some fair questions about our motives, which we must have answered to his satisfaction, because he gave the okay for us to pray for him.

Heat and Healing

As we laid hands on John’s back, his face looked as if it might explode with surprise. “What’s that heat I can feel?” he said. “Don’t worry, that’s God’s power bringing healing,” I reassured him. (Quite a few people report feeling heat when we lay hands on them, but this doesn’t happen to everyone, and it isn’t essential that someone experiences this for healing to occur. Some people feel nothing at all and get healed).

As John was still trying to get his head around this sensation of heat and healing power on his back, God dropped this thought into my mind: “John is in the wrong job, and that is the cause of the backache.” I asked John about his job, and he told us he was a truck driver, working very long hours.

Destiny Words

My mouth opened and words started pouring out about John’s creativity, about his dreams of a different future as an artist, about his destiny. Then I said, “I believe God loves your creativity, and he wants to encourage you that it’s not too late to pursue your dreams.”

At this point I hadn’t heard from God specifically about John’s craft, only that he was an artist of some kind. This opened John up to share that he did, indeed, want to make art, through filmmaking and scriptwriting, but there was a battle going on in his mind, as to whether or not this was a realistic goal. His work was alternative, and he wondered if he could be successful, outside of the mainstream, being true to his art. His question was: “Do I have to settle for less, just to make a living?”

 

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“Can we pray God’s blessing on your creativity, John, and for God’s favour to open the right doors for you?” He happily agreed to this, and as he left us, he looked encouraged, and seemed to have more of a spring in his step.

 

Because I rely on the Holy Spirit when I pray for people, sometimes I will hear words of knowledge and encouragement for them. It doesn’t happen every time, but when it does, it’s encouraging for me, too.

Holistic Healer

Why does God do this? Sometimes there are specific areas that the Holy Spirit is highlighting, to help in targeting healing prayer. Sometimes I believe Jesus likes to show up for us in a highly personal way, to demonstrate his love for us and his concern for every aspect of our lives. Jesus, the holistic healer, is interested in the whole person: the mind, body and spirit; and the hopes, fears and dreams that we carry. He is interested in our past, present and future.

Do you have hopes and dreams, as yet unfulfilled? Do you have regrets about choices you have made, or fears about the future? If you want to share in the comments, please do. If you would like healing prayer, or prayer about your job, your dreams for the future, or any other needs, please head over to the prayer requests page. We would love to pray for you.