Coming into India, we had been told that healing and casting out demons were going to be a prominent part of our lives. Our ministry this month is simply that, visiting villages every night- praying for the locals, leading a service and praying for healing at the end. The seven of us load up in a taxi and ride to villages for our ministry. On Monday night as we were traveling between house visits I asked for more faith in this healing process. I didn’t really feel anything change and was a little discouraged, no sense of spiritual growth seemed to happen or so I thought. Later on that night, God put my faith to the test. As we started to pray for healing after the service I started to pray for a woman wearing a turquoise and pink sari. No idea what her name was, nor how to pronounce it. As I was praying, she fell to the ground and appeared as if she was having a seizure. I immediately knew it was an evil spirit that was possessing her. I looked to our squad leader who was praying nearby for help but realized that I had to face this alone, with the power of God. I continued to pray demanding for the evil spirit to leave and thanked God for this woman’s faith in this healing process. I wept- overwhelmed with joy, fear and love. Joy that He listened to my request and that my faith increased, fear that the words and my actions would not be enough to heal and the love of God that surpasses all understanding and that will never leave us nor forsake us.
When we all were gathered again, we were asked to pray for her as as group and the same thing happened as before. This time I felt stronger and prepared for what was to come- and had more faith coming into the situation than earlier before. When we talked about it as a group many of us admitted it was our first encounter., we were encouraged to be bold in the authority that we have in Christ.
That night I realized that I have not acted out of faith as much as I should. I’ve always known in my heart that God does heal but I never realized that I could be a tool that He would choose to use. I asked for faith and He decided to put it to the test, knowing that only good would result. I didn’t know what I was walking into when I started praying but I didn’t need to know. He would walk with me whole way and wouldn’t let me fall as long as I looked toward Him. Acting in faith that I have authority in Christ to pray for healing and to become an active vessel of His love and healing power.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
