When we were teaching a series of Bible studies in another small town one of the ladies in the group asked me to come to her work, a hospital, and pray for a coworker who had multiple sclerosis. Mary was the person's name. She was so contrary because of the pain from the illness that her boss had to turn her desk to the wall in a corner because of the unpleasant attitude she exuded in the office which affected everyone. My friend Sue was convinced that Mary would be healed if I would pray for her.
My mind-set at the time was not one of overwhelming belief. In fact, I was plagued with thoughts of unbelief and doubt because I had heard two preachers who had international healing ministries state that they had never healed a person with multiple sclerosis. Those statements programmed my mind with thoughts of impossible results from praying for Mary.
I had learned years ago that there are many ways to get healed, medicine, surgery, exercise, diet and prayers. We all go to God when everything else fails. I also knew that there was no way I could ever get anyone healed, that only God knew each individual situation and He is the only one who could intervene in this situation and get Mary healed of the devastating disease which had already afflicted her legs, causing her to walk with an uneasy, halting gait from which she easily fell.
The disease affected her attitude so badly that she was an office outcast. My heart went out to her even before I met her face to face.
Boy, did I quickly go to God about this matter, wanting His insight and wisdom.
Sure enough, He had the solution to the problem, one that no man could ever have devised. He told me that Mary was very religious, keeping all the religious feasts of her denomination, that she was a loyal member of the church, but that she wasn't reborn, she hadn't been renewed by the Holy Spirit.
God showed me in an image in my mind that I needed to tell her that she needed His life inside of her to chase out the multiple demons that had invaded her body. He instructed me to then pray for her to be baptised in the Holy Spirit and her body would be healed completely of the effects of the disease when the Holy Spirit completely permeated her body, soul and spirit.
That all sounded good to me, relieving me of the responsibility of getting Mary healed. What could I do? Humans can't supernaturally heal. Only God can do that.
I set up a meeting with Mary in a small room at the hospital where she worked and went loaded with faith that God would do what He promised He would do, heal Mary of multiple sclerosis and restore her body and mind, even her attitudes.
It was easy to identify Mary when she walked into the room. Her limp and her demeanor, having had them adequately described by Sue, were very apparent. Anger exuded from her entire being, and rightfully so, anger at her being afflicted by a horrible crippling disease and being the office outcast.
I began to talk to Mary about the new birth experience and being baptised by God himself through His Holy Spirit. I read the scriptures to her relating to the power of God healing people. And then I told her what God had told me about her, that she would be healed completely when she accepted the totality of God into her life. That got her full attention, that God had told someone specific instructions about her. She felt that that must mean that God truly loved her and wanted her whole.
We prayed a simple, child-like prayer and Mary began to speak in God's spiritual language as the Spirit gave her the words. She was instantaneously healed and made whole, body, soul and spirit. Her entire countenance changed. She exuded light and joy from her eyes rather than the precious anger.
Mary's testimony and healing impressed her mother and brother so much that they both wanted the same experience, which God arranged as only He can do.
There is always a remnant of doubt when one sees someone else so dramatically healed. In the years after Mary's healing I occasionally wondered if she still was healed and whole. God takes care of those things too, like I said, as only He can do.
We were having breakfast in a restaurant ten years later and Mary and her mother walked in. She recognized us and came to our table and told us that her life was still changed very dramatically since that fateful day when she met God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, She told us about a wonderful dream she had had where she was in heaven and God revealed many mysteries to her. She was transfigured.
Mary was a blessing to me more than I was a blessing to her that wonderful day. My job was a delivery person. All I did was introduce her to the most Loving Father she could ever know, and He did His wonderful work. My blessing was that I got to see Him do what He knew was necessary for Mary.
Mary is no longer contrary. She's a garden growing the fruit of God's Holy Spirit.
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