In the first four books of the New Testament, commonly referred to as the Gospels, the Gospel authors make 51* references to the healing miracles Jesus performed throughout his earthly ministry. Jesus in his full humanity, under the power of the Holy Spirit, guided by the Father performed the miracles referred to in the Gospels. That same power by which Jesus operated in is offered to us in the Holy Spirit. So if that same spirit lives in us then we should be able to perform the same miracles and do greater things than even Jesus. John 14:12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these…”
The question is why do we fail to operate in that power? Is it because we do not believe we have it? Has someone said that we are not capable of doing things greater than Jesus? Even worse, has someone lied to us and told us we cannot do the things altogether? Or are you like me, you believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is in you but you let fear control how you use it, despite all the people who have seen that God has given you the gift of healing. On Sunday July 6th God put me in a situation with two choices, I could act in fear or I could operate in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Lets set the scene: My team and another world race team are attending a church service in Palenque, Mexico with around 25 locals. It is a three-sided building with a gate front sandwiched between two houses in the middle of a residential area. We walk in to take our seats after we are greeted with a hug and bible verse. After seated I began to pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal whatever God wanted to tell me during this time. In this moment God reminded 
me of a previous world racer named Chad Mast who healed a boy’s eye in Africa. Chad put his thumb on the boy’s eye and prayed for healing. In this vision God reminded me of Chad’s experience and showed me that someone in the congregation was blind in both eyes and that I would need to put both thumbs on their eyes and pray for healing. I opened my eyes and began to look around for this person and up front was an older lady kneeling in front on the stage with her back to everyone. She had been in this position since we arrived. When she rose from her prayer another lady went to help her walk back to her seat because she was blind. In that moment I was confronted with those two choices; I could step out in faith and pray for her and others that were sick within the congregation or I could cower in fear and deny what God had just showed me. I decided to go for it when the time was right.
As the service was ending the pastor invited the world race teams that had attended to come up so the congregation could pray for us. This time was amazing in it self and might be another blog but when they were done I knew that this was the time to call up the sick for healing. Through our translator I asked for those who need healing to come forward. At this time about 12-15 people out of the 25 or so locals came forward including the blind lady. I took my thumbs and reached them out and put them on the blind ladies’ eyes and began to pray. When I had finished praying for her Tara and I moved to the others that came forward for healing.
Now I know it would be great to tell you that a miracle happened and the blind ladies’ eyes were restored but that did not happen. However, I had no doubt in my mind that the process of healing in her eyes is taking place. In that moment I truly had faith that when I removed my thumbs from her eyes that she would be able to see. Was I disappointed in the outcome? Was I scared what the people thought because what I prayed did not happen? To be honest how could I be. God gave me a vision of how he wanted me to pray for one of his children and I did it. I expected an outcome but the end result was far greater than I would have imagined. I believe that two significant things happened that day; the faith of the people in the congregation was strengthened and my faith and trust in what God is asking us to do as a body grew. In the future will I be confronted with the fear, of course. But I pray that I will be reminded of that day in a small church in Palenque, Mexico that a vision for the blind was given.
John 14:12 – I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these…
