Stories of God's healing power,...never grow old!

     I have committed in my blog to only share true stories of God's grace in whatever form that may be manifested.  To aid in ensuring this goal, I only share stories of people and situations where I have personally seen or observed the situation, I know the people involved, or have had the testimony shared with me by a highly reliable and trusted source whom I know personally.  That way I believe that as you read these blog posts you can have your faith built up, and grow a living faith, in a very living, and active God.

    With that being said, I am going share a story verbatim that was printed in a book entitled, "Beyond Reason" by Pat Robertson.  It was published 26 years ago in 1985.  But, I know the people involved, and can testify that they are all still alive and well, having been healed by God's grace.

     "When Kirt Hadick was a freshman in high school in Santa Maria, California, he went to the doctor to have a growth examined.  His mother Sue Hadick, stuck close to him as he was shuttled from one specialist and one round of examinations to another.

     Worry always plagues a family in a situation like this.  But at the same time, they still hold on to hope that there's nothing really wrong.  In Kirt's case, though, a great deal was wrong.  When the results were in, he was diagnosed  as having " embryonal carcinoma of the testis" - or cancer of the testicles, for which there is no known cure.

     There is hardly time for the blow to sink in before the surgery was set up.  But after several operations, the cancer continued to spread through Kirt's lymphatic system.  The doctors finally told Kirt the bad news: He had terminal cancer.

     The hospital's tumor board told the Hadicks that the cancer was " one hundred percent in Kirt's blood stream".  The doctors recommended chemotherapy, but Kirt made the final decision no to go that route.  He told the doctors that he would go home and live out whatever life he had left without any further treatments.  One thing that the doctors didn't tell the family until a little later was that they estimated he had no more than two months to live.

     "I just couldn't understand it," Kirt says, reflecting on his feelings as the full weight of his condition sank in.  "Here I was, only sixteen years old.  I wondered why a kid like me would have to go through something like this.  And it just blew my mom and dad out of the water.  They couldn't believe it."

      Sue and Ross Hadick and their four children attended a Pentecostal church near their home, and all had become committed Christians before Kirt was struck with cancer.  But even with his personal introduction to the Kingdom of God, they felt completely unprepared to reach out for the miracle they knew they needed for Kirt.

     " Before this crisis hit, i believed everything I'd heard my pastor preach about healing", Sue recalls.  "I'd read great books on healing testimonies from some of the godliest men that ever lived.  I'd been privileged to see miracles happen.  But if you walked up to me and said, "Sue, give me five scriptures on healing,' I'd have been at a loss.  I personally had nothing "hid in my heart" to stand against the enemy who had come in like a flood' (See Psalm 119:11) I simply had not memorized the healing Word, so it could go from head to heart to spirit.

     In effect, what Sue was saying was that it's important to know what the Bible says about miracles before we can know what our potential is to ask form them.  This knowledge of the Scriptures is an essential prerequisite for a growing faith; and faith, of course, is a necessary element if one's life is to be filled with supernatural power.

     Because of the fast deterioration in Kirt's physical condition, the Hadick family knew they would have to act quickly if they hoped to see a miracle before he died.  So they crammed a lifetime's knowledge and experience of miracles into just a few weeks.

     Sue plunged into Scriptures, and by studying the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels she soon found that God honors faith.  She said the only thing she could find in the New Testament that hindered Jesus from performing miracles was unbelief on the part of the people.  So she and her family decided to get rid of all their unbelief and replace it with faith strong enough to stake their lives on it.

     In describing this process of building up their faith, Sue says " we certainly were willing to have healed.  Since "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,' we began by trying to increase our faith and not hindering Jesus through unbelief.

     The Hadick family also learned to accept reality as what God wanted and not necessarily what human beings perceived as the "facts" in a particular situation.  " Faith can be the exact opposite of fact," Sue noted.  " Fact may not be what we see, feel, and hear. Jesus laid out a different principle for us - to walk by faith, not by sight."

     Even though the facts that the doctors presented pointed toward Kirt's death, the Bible indicated he could be healed.  So despite the fact that they didn't know where it might lead them, the Hadicks accepted the Bible as authority.  And they began to use these spiritual "tools" which they found in the Scriptures.

         They memorized verses of Scriptures and listened to tapes that taught biblical principles of healing.......................

        They began to "claim" God's promises...............................

        Others prayed and fasted for Kirt......................................

        They rebuked Satan ...........................................................

     With all this spiritual power being exerted around him, Kirt responded with a lifestyle that exuded faith.  A week after he got home from the hospital, he returned to school, bandages and all, even though his parents had arranged to have him tutored at home.

     Also, Kirt continued to refuse the opportunity for chemotherapy, even though he was told the treatments might lengthen his life somewhat.  " If I was only going to have a limited period of time on this earth, i didn't want to spend it getting doses of drugs which would cause me to be sick, lose my hair, and suffer bone deterioration," he said.  " So i said, "Lord God, this is it! I've got all of my apples in one basket.  I'm going to believe in you and , if this doesn't cut it, then there's going to be no tomorrow.' '

     At the same time that Kirt made this decision, he also made a commitment that " from here on, I'm going to go about like I'm healed."  Ad he did just that.  he went surfing and camping.  he finished high school and then business college.  He started working while he was in college and continued to work.  He recently got married and has been pronounced able to have children.

     What about the months he was given to live ?  Obviously, he's still alive and going strong!  What about the cancer?  Tests now show there is no cancer in his body.  The explanation? I'd say it's obvious, wouldn't you? "

     I haven't seen Kirt for many years now, but I know that he is alive and well because God is faithful.  This book was originally published 26 years ago like I had stated earlier.  So, I too know first hand that the two month sentence handed out by the doctors was overridden by the Great Physician some 25 plus years ago.  God is good, and everything He does is good.

{ Note: This story is from: Beyond Reason,by Pat Robertson, 1985, William Morrow and Company, Inc.}

     

    

    

The Power of Prayer...healing power is for Today!

     In Church we are going through a scripture by scripture study on healing.  Not a doctrinally based, or theologically based study, but a study of scripture itself; seeing what the Bible says or does not say on the subject.  It has been encouraging, uplifting, and challenging because even today in churches we are taught more about God's limitations than His desires and capabilities in this area of life.
     What never ceases to amaze me is the after effects of such a study on the people who hear the word.  Just last evening, we had two people testify about being healed through prayer. I firmly believe that the Lord can act wherever, whenever, and however He sovereignty chooses to act.  Yet, I also know that stirring faith in His ability to act by soaking in the scriptures can have much the same effect.  After all, His word is living and true.
     One woman came forward to share how she had been healed of a large tumor several days ago.  The cyst was growing on her right hand after she had injured it a few months ago.  She had been praying that God would heal it.  Yet, during the same time it just keep on growing and was causing discomfort to spread up her arm.   It had reached the size of about 3 inches long by 1/2 in height when she and her husband decided that they should have it checked out by a doctor.  The doctor told her that the condition could be remedied by surgery on her hand.  She asked if she could have alittle time to make the decision being that he would be operating on her right hand. 
     This was all happening during the same period of time as our church study.  Now, she was always a believer in God's ability to heal, and had been healed before.  That is why she had been contesting for her healing now through prayer.  Yet, as the discomfort in her arm increased, she found that surgery might be the best bet for immediate relief.  But, her spirit was still being stirred by the Wednesday night classes.
     When she awoke on Sunday after a good nights rest, she noticed that her arm was not bothering her anymore.  She looked to her hand and noticed that the cyst was gone!  The skin that had been stretched to cover the tumor was now taut and smooth.  She was overjoyed at God's grace and healing in her life. 
     A man also testified that he had had a bothersome foot condition which was going to prevent him from having a wonderful time with his visiting relatives, during an all day outing at an Amusement park.  He found that the pain that morning was hindering him from even crossing the parking lot at the entrance to the place.  He did share that he had been wrestling with this ailment during the week prior to the visit.  But, he thought that he could work through the discomfort so as not to spoil the time of bonding with family.
     Much to his dismay the pain was winning out, so he paused in the parking lot to inform everyone of his plight, and ask for prayer.  He did not want this situation to ruin the rest of the day.  So they all gathered around and asked the Lord to heal this foot condition.
     The gentleman told everyone that he would hold back at first, and urged them  not to allow this situation to hinder their fun.  Later that day, in a moment of reflection, he noticed that all of the pain was gone.  The condition which had bothered him for many days was now healed.  He was now able to thoroughly enjoy the remainder of his time with the family.
     I  personally know of a case outside of this period of time where a young boy was healed from wearing prescription glasses.  His eyesight was getting worse, and the glasses that he was wearing were not strong enough anymore. He was scheduled to go to the optometrist to get checked for a more current prescription when God intervened.  The boy was a believer and knew that Jesus could heal him.  He attended a church meeting with a special speaker who walks in the Holy Spirit with a gift of healing.  This boy wanted his eyes healed, and not have to get new glasses.  He felt that he should ask this man for prayer regarding the matter.
     After the service, he boldly approached the young speaker, explained his physical ailment, and asked for healing prayer.  The minister complied.  They prayed, and then the speaker pulled a book off the shelf and asked the boy to read it.  The words on the page were now crystal clear, his eyes had been healed. 
     The boy was so excited at the miracle that he quickly thanked the minister, and ran out of the room to show his mother what God had done.  The minister gave a bit of a laugh, still not quite sure of the healing due to the boys speedy exit.  But, he surmised that God had done a good thing, so he put the book back on the shelf.
     Healing is for today, just as much as salvation.  You see in some of the New Testament scriptures the same original word is used interchangeably in the English.  That word in the original Greek is Sozo.  Because it is God's will for all to be saved and all to be healed, read Luke 5: 17 - 26. ( Check out: Mark 5:23,Luke 8:36, Acts 14: 9 - 12, the word is Sozo, "saved/healed")

     The one thing that I would like to add is that the glasses that appear in the picture at the top of this blog, are the very ones the little boy has no longer had to use since the day that he was healed. Praise the Lord.