Part 2. Before I knew it, both men appeared at my office as if they beamed in from the Star Trek Enterprise. They shared their proposed cure for my two week long debilitating sickness; prayer. Remember, these ordinary men are God-fearing work associates who are yielding to obedience.
Quickly they huddled like a quarterback trying to win a Super Bowl in the last minute. One looked at me and referenced scripture as if he received the winning play on his wristband system from an offensive coordinator. Matthew 18:19-20. "I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or more are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.
I have heard this verse before but because of my denial of miracles or fear of a James Brown swinging, singing and slapping healing, those seeds never had a chance to grow. My heart was so hardened that a 4030 John Deere tractor pulling a seven-furrow plow wouldn't be enough to prepare the soil of my heart.
"Ok" I said while nervously turning my chair as if I was at a Red Cross blood drive. I have one hilarious story about my first blood drive experience. Anyway, I laid my head down on the desk and before the men started to pray, I prepared my heart by swallowing the stones and thorns (pride) and said in faith "I believe." With those words, seed fell on good ground and instantly yielded fruit.
As they started to pray, I could feel heat radiating from their positioned hands on my back. I then felt as if the hand of the man leading the prayer began go inside my back, grabbing and pulling something out of me. As soon as he rebuked the illness in the name of Jesus Christ, their hands popped off as if my 4 year-old gave one of her hard-smacking high fives.
Remember that hand I felt coming through my back? As I quickly spun my chair to face the men, we noticed the man who lead the prayer grasping his hand and arm. His fingertips to the bottom of his elbow were carpet-burn red and his veins bulging as if he just curled a 100 lbs dumbbell. "Nothing like this has ever happened" he said as he cried. Peace filled the room.
"Wow" I said in reaction. As I spoke, my words were clear and the painful 50-grit sandpaper was no longer in my throat. My body felt strong. No fever or pain. We began to celebrate knowing what just occurred. I was healed! "Ow, I feel good!" would be the James Brown expression.
We just won the Super Bowl of Super Bowls. Conviction weighed heavily upon my heart. I fell to my knees and began to weep in victory. As I did, I clearly heard the words spoken "Pick yourself Saneda, and go about My business." That's exactly what I did.
Since that day my life has propelled forward in a direction only where He could pilot. The purchase of Sudden Service is a great example of me going about His business. I'll leave you with two verses that daily help keep me rooted in Him:
"For 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
If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23
It's unfathomable to me that He cares so much for us to have a plan written for our lives. One that is fruitful and prosperous. How do we get there? Choose daily to follow His plan. What's required? Simply believing, walking in faith, and taking up your cross daily.
The Answer
