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The Living God

by | Jun 26, 2018 | Missions Articles

Have you ever heard someone share a testimony about their personal experiences with God and ask yourself: “Did this actually happen?” Or have you read a story in the bible and questioned if the miracles could occur today? For years I asked God this question: “Do You still perform miracles today, like you did in the bible?”

Little did I know that while on outreach in Papua New Guinea God would answer my question. I had just finished delivering a message about the power of prayer and worship when my friend felt lead to shout: “I feel like healings need to happen tonight, let’s worship and if you want healing come get prayer!” I blinked and standing before me was a woman in her 30’s, shaking as she asked me to pray for her. Her name was Lydia. Lydia expressed that she had been experiencing stomach pains so great that she was unable to wear tight shirts and she hadn’t slept through the night without severe cramps in three years.

Without hesitation, I laid my hand on her back and instantly my body became overwhelmed with peace. I just knew in my spirit, “God is going to heal this woman.” I had never experienced such joy in prayer before; it was as if my body had become uplifted and one with Christ. The words to pray flooded my heart and came through my mouth. Gradually I became more passionate about my prayer and confident that God would do just as He said he would – Heal. When I finished praying, nothing seemed to change in the physical but she hugged me and walked back into the crowd to worship. I tried to worship, but my heart was heavy… I felt so strongly that God wanted to heal Lydia, so I walked through the crowd to get back to her and was reminded of a bible story. Again, I rested my hand on her back and prayed this scripture over her:

“A woman who suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, she thought, “If I could just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment” (Matthew 9:20-22 NLT).

Suddenly it dawned on me, God wanted to heal Lydia, but He was waiting for her to BELIEVE that He would. Lydia began to share how she had only been a Christian for a few months and was still deciding if she believed God was real. Again, nothing changed, but the stirring in my heart encouraged me to persevere in prayer. While I didn’t see the healing happen right away, I knew God was teaching me to be faithful in prayer and to extend my trust in God onto Lydia.

In the days leading up to seeing Lydia again, I prayed earnestly. There was a moment when I wrote in my journal, “TONIGHT, Lord I ask that you heal Lydia.” Every time I prayed for her I had an overwhelming sense in my heart that when we would be reunited she would be healed.

A few days later I drove to Lydia’s village and anxiously walked into the church. Immediately, Lydia came running up to me; she was BEAMING as she exclaimed, “This weekend I slept THE WHOLE NIGHT without waking up to pain, yesterday I wore a normal shirt and today I have more faith than ever before!” While we may face doubt, discouragement and fear throughout our lives, we’re always given the choice to lean on God’s word and trust that His plans are to prosper us. Even when our faith is as small as a mustard seed, God will use our prayers to perform miracles in our lives.

Lydia’s life was forever changed because in the midst of her doubt she still chose to touch the robe of Jesus Christ, and my life was forever changed because God answered my prayer – He does still perform miracles today… He is The Living God!

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