Everyday SupernaturalSample

Harder Than It Needs to Be

A friend of ours, Debby Wright, leads the Vineyard movement in the UK with her husband John. She is amazing at stepping out and praying for people. One of the reasons we find her so encouraging is she makes it seem so normal and so doable!

About nine months before the time of writing, Debby went to collect a parcel from a neighbor, Emma. They had never met and so she introduced herself and they had a little chat. Debby then returned home and sat down to have her quiet time. As she sat down she felt what she described as a “flicker” or a “butterfly” and the words “acid reflux condition.” She thought That must be for Emma. After some deliberation—it’s so easy not to pay attention to these things—she decided to go back around and ask. She rang the doorbell, and when her neighbor answered she said, “Hey, Emma, I’ve come back because I’m a Christian and sometimes Jesus speaks to me. I’ve just had a little impression and the words ‘acid reflux condition.’ Is this something you have?” Emma was amazed and said it was. She explained she was on pills for the condition and that there were quite a few foods she wasn’t able to eat. When Debby offered to pray for healing, Emma invited her in.

Debby laid a hand on Emma’s tummy. She invited the Holy Spirit but didn’t take long and she spoke to the condition. She commanded the acid reflux to stop and for Emma’s body to become receptive to the foods it was reacting to. It didn’t take more than a couple of minutes. Afterwards, Debby told Emma to make sure she didn’t come off any medication, but suggested that she try a few different foods and visit the doctor if she noticed any improvement. She said, “Thanks so much for letting me pray for you,” and left.

Debby didn’t see Emma for several months and then one day there was a knock at the door. It was Emma. She was smiling as she said, “You’re not going to believe this,” (so which Debby said, “I think I am”), “I have been eating everything I want to eat. I’m now off the medication. We’ve just come back from an all-inclusive holiday and we’ve eaten everything. We always used to go self-catering because I had to have special food. Now I’m totally better. Whatever it is you did, one of those “impressions” you talked about, if you ever get it again, you’ve got to do it to other people.” Debby said, “I didn’t do anything. It was the power of Jesus.” Since then they’ve met up a few times. Emma is not yet a Christian, but she is on a journey.

Both of us are inspired by people like Debby. We feel inadequate and unsuccessful when it comes to power evangelism. We are, however, realizing that we’ve made it harder than it needs to be. We have resolved to step out in praying for the people we know and grow into praying for those we don’t. Debby and others demonstrate that if we make a mistake, or the person isn’t healed, the kingdom can still be advanced. People are almost always touched when we offer to pray.

We are Jesus’s ambassadors. He sends us out to advance his kingdom. We go with his authority and with the Holy Spirit. Let us grow into followers who proclaim the kingdom and who demonstrate the kingdom. Let’s be the one who offers to pray.