Looking back, looking forward...
* Author's note: I was cleaning out my inbox today when I ran across an email that I journaled to my accountability partners sometime last year. I am posting an excerpt of it as a reminder to myself of the things that Abba has taught my heart, and hopefully, as an encouragement to you who have been called out as Messiah's ambassadors... Baruch HaShem."This Tuesday, the bible study did not meet at the regular place, but a friend of mine, Brandon, decided he wanted to have a worship party at his house Tuesday night. This guy, at 20, is a walking instrument of praise to Messiah. Before I get into that night, at a number of bible studies and get togethers over the past three weeks, Jonathan had been talking about the question of why we don't see miracles happen today in the church here in the West. He was saying that his heart desired to see the Holy Spirit move in power in the same way that he did for Messiah's first talmidim. He also talked about a desire to study and understand prophecy and how it applies to today's world.
At the Tuesday night worship party, I came about an hour early so that I could get a chance to pray for the evening with and for Brandon. We prayed for transparency, for healing from addiction and disease, and for the presence of the spirit. Then people started showing up and one of the first things we discussed was desire, and having desire for God with the understanding that it was only through our desire for him that everything else we pray for– humility, selflessness, a servant's heart, joy, peace– would fall into place. From there we went into praise and the reading of scripture. Eventually we came back to the discussion of miracles and signs and wonders, thanks to Jonathan. And we began to talk about the Holy Spirit's power to heal. Then, with one accord, we put the words of scripture into effect, and started praying for very specific healing for some people in the room. One was a girl whose mom had been addicted to crack cocaine for 25 years, and had recently given her life to Messiah in December. She was back in Harlem, NY, and drug dealers were banging down her door and she was tempted. So we prayed, with her daughter standing in the gap for her.
After that Jonathan told everyone of how he had hurt his back and Jessica, another frined of mine talked about the back of her neck, which had been hurt somehow. Going back to the scripture that says, "Is anyone of you sick? Let them call the elders to anoint them with oil and pray for them to be healed..." I went and poured some olive oil in a cup. And I got the awesome privilege of anointing Jonathan and Jessica with oil as we laid hands on them and asked for healing. While we were praying for them, the Spirit told Brandon, who had been healed from back problems in the past through prayer, "There's someone else with back problems that needs prayer..." I had not mentioned anything about it... I think I wanted to believe that my faith alone in Messiah's will would be sufficient. But after I finished praying for Jessica, she said, "Ada, what about you? You have back problems too.." And Brandon's face just lit up! So Jonathan took the oil and just about drowned my head in it! He stuck all his fingers in it and smeared it across my forehead, and then as they were praying, he started putting oil on my hair and on the back of my neck, which is where my spine problems originate from. Anyway, as they were praying, I felt a cool sensation run down my spine, and it was almost as if the peace of God rested on my spine and put my heart to rest at the same time. The fear of what might happen to me if my spine was not corrected was lifted. There was no audible voice or fireworks, but surrounded by the body of believers with their hands laid on me in intercession, I felt restored; I felt whole. And while Jonathan was praying he said this, which has stuck in my mind. He said, "God, it is too small a thing for you to heal just Ada's body. You have called her to be a prophet to the nations, and I pray that you anoint her ministry..."
I told my chiropractor the next day what had happened, and he was amazed.. He's a believer, but he said he did not know many people who would pray for healing in that way.
So I was on a high yesterday from Tuesday night... My Messiah is real!! Guys, he WANTS to work in our lives, he wants to give us good gifts; we only need ask in faith and trust that we will receive what he has promised he would give..
And even if he chooses not to heal me of my scoliosis...it does not matter, because his sovreignity is absolute, and "though he slay me, I will yet praise him.."
After a day spent on a spiritual high, I knew that I would have to come off it.. And that happened last night, so swiftly that it took me by surprise.. All of a sudden I was down in the depths of despair, and it was like nothing that had happened the day before mattered. I was so down on myself that I started reading negativity into everyone's reaction to me... It was the weirdest thing, to go from so high to so low.. but it made me understand clearer how David felt in the Psalms, and it gave me a taste of the enemy's attack and spiritual warfare...
I woke up this morning down, but now that I saw clearly what the enemy wanted to do, I began to attack back with the only weapon I knew would work... unabashed prayer to Messiah to save me from the depths of the grave.. I started to write out my prayer in an email to myself at work, and as I wrote, and confessed and interceded and praised, I felt my spirit lift and the dark cloud around my head dissipate as Messiah's army of angels broke through once again for me...
And I write these things to you so that you may be encouraged, and you may share in my praise as we share in the body of Messiah, in his suffering and in his Shekinah glory.
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.
His desire for us is that in Him our joy would be complete...
Here's a verse to think on as Messiah's handmaidens; "Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Yeshua's feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." John 12:3
What are you pouring out on Yeshua's feet?
Is the place where you are filled with the fragrance of your praise, of your worship?
Can others smell it?"
His handmaiden
"Let us spur each other on to love and good deeds, all the more as we see the Day approaching..."
posted by Handmaiden @ 11:06 am
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