Man oh man has the Race been awesome so far! God has been teaching me so much, and He has been laying it on thick if you know what I mean.
If you are an upcoming Racer or debating about going on the Race then I imagine you were like me and you have read just about every single blog that involves a miraculous healing. As I arrived in India I heard story after story about Hindus being cured of blindness, paralysis, deafness, and then giving their life to Christ; herein, my spirit was set on fire and my zeal to heal people in the name of Jesus Christ was great!
My team has been going from village to village, putting on service after service, and we have told the greatest story ever, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, countless times! We have also prayed for blind people to see, the lame to walk, and the deaf to hear. We have prayed for blessings and for the salvation of loved ones. Last night we went from house to house for about 3 hours praying over SO many people. As we prayed over one family the neighbors saw us and urged us to come pray for their sick family member or for blessings, it was an endless cycle of love and hope.
However, not a single person’s physical illness was cured…not one. What the heck, but I have heard so many stories, read so many blogs, I even saw a deaf man hear for the first time at training camp as we prayed for him! Now that I am in India why does the Holy Spirit not heal anyone?! I truly do believe that our God is an active, loving, and merciful God who loves to be glorified through miracles. I was so confused.
As I went to bed that night I prayed so EPICLY for answers and man oh man did God put me in my place as I slept. Yeah, he showed me some interesting stuff about myself. He agreed, I honestly do want Him to be glorified and not myself as He heals people. However, miracles are not a necessity for glorification to happen. I wanted a miracle for I felt one was necessary in order for God to get Himself out of the embarrassing situation His love had put Him in…me in. I was so obsessed in seeing a miracle, in performing a miracle, that I had forgotten how the mere presence of the Spirit can provide faith, hope, and love. I was blind to the Muslim man desiring prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, I was blind to the Hindu family receiving Christ for the first time, I was blind to the miracles happening in the heart and soul. As we went from house to house the joy and presence of the Lord went where we went, so much joy and hope was brought with us for the Spirit was among us. Yeah, God kind of lays it on heavy when He wants to teach us something out of love.
He is teaching me what it means to walk with Him and how to be content with the Spirit in the heart and soul without it being manifested in physical miracles of the flesh. Yes, the Spirit will be made manifest in my flesh, yes I will see miracles on the Race, yes He will use my team to perform them, and yes He is an active God. However, it is the renewing of the soul by the Holy Spirit that brings salvation, not the renewing of a deformed hand or paralyzed body.
Oh how powerful was God’s love the other night that He called us half way around the world to pray for Hindus, Muslims, and Christians alike in the name of Jesus Christ so that they may know the one true God loves them, so that the one true Spirit may rush into their hearts and break the chains of deception that trick them into worshiping idols.
Oh how content I am in the Spirit. I will still pray for the manifestation of the Spirit to perform miracles, but more importantly that it would wreck the hearts of non believers and encourage believers who make sacrifices every day. I patiently wait for the Spirit to teach me things of new, but I am so at peace and content with the joy, hope, and love the presence of the Spirit brings for that is what changes hearts and saves souls.
Galatians 6:9-10
Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest
if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity,
let us do good to all people.
