I am forty-nine years old, and I’ve never entered into worshipping Jesus the way I did in this morning’s service.
Today is the Sunday before Christmas, and it’s been a full four days since I walked out of Marti’s office a radically changed man. I am awakened to the existence of life through every sense. Colors are brighter. Smells are richer. Sounds are infused with emotion and beauty. Loaded down laundry baskets are lighter, and I’ve had to stop myself from dancing and giggling more than once.
So this is what most other people feel like most of the time? This is what normal is? I like it.
The end-of-service church prayer line is more full and animated than usual. My cheeks flush at the awareness that I’m the reason for the celebratory fuss. But I cannot keep what the Lord has done for me a secret.
Our precious group of friends surrounds me along with many of the congregants who have just heard my miraculous story. Their hugs, triumphant tears, and joyful laughter blends with my own as they see the outside of the new me that I know is inside.
Pastor Glen creates an inner circle with his intercessory prayer team and we all join hands. Grateful tears well up as I take in the faces of people who have stormed heaven for me to contend for my healing, all while loving and honoring me in the messy meantime.
After Glen’s beautiful prayer and many more tear-filled expressions of rejoicing in the miracle Jesus has performed, Grace slips her hand in mine and squeezes.
“Hey, before we head out, Claudia Fowler had something she wanted to share with us. She and Jim are back in the prayer room. She said it’ll just take a minute. Josiah has Abigail in the arts and crafts center.”
As I step in the now-familiar space where the gifted intercessory team has regularly laid hands on me over the past few months in prayer, a new wave of peace-filled wonder washes over me. Our friends Claudia and Jim stand up from the padded chairs and embrace me like a champion.
Grabbing my hand, Claudia pulls me to sit beside her. Jim and Grace join, the four of us in a close circle knee to knee. Claudia beams with excitement.
“Danny, I’ve been so excited to talk to you since Grace called me with the news Friday morning! I just had to tell you what the Lord showed me while I was praying for you. You’re aware that Grace has been sharing with me whenever you’ve had your ministry sessions scheduled with Marti, just so we can be covering you in prayer while you’re there. So last Wednesday morning I woke up with this prayer on my heart for you, and I wrote it down.”
Claudia picks up a small moleskin journal from the side table next to her. She opens it and reads the entry.
“I lift Danny Pierce to You today, Jesus. Without You he is orphaned and lonely. I know Your spirit lives in him. Manifest Yourself over him. Come, Lord Jesus, as his teacher and guide in a powerful way. Do not leave him comfortless tomorrow night, during and after his ministry session with Marti. Jesus, come as the Comforter. Come to his heart to abide. Break all demonic forces that are fighting for his mind. I hold Your blood, Jesus, over Danny’s mind, will, and emotions. Thank You in advance for what I know You can do. In Jesus’ holy name, amen.”
She turns the page to continue. “Then first thing Thursday morning as I prayed, I wrote this entry.”
Claudia’s voice breaks with a mixture of weeping and laughter as she reads her writing. “Danny was healed from his dissociative disorder. He is walking in freedom and fire! Thank You, Jesus, You broke all of them!”
Holding the page for me to see, she points to the multiple underlines of the last sentence before closing the book to lay it down.
He broke all of them!
The entry was dated and timed almost twelve hours before I was actually healed. I shake my head and start to answer, but she pats my knee.
“That’s not even the best part. Thursday afternoon while you were in your ministry session, it was right at 5:00 p.m. I was still praying as I started to pull out the ingredients to make dinner. As I opened the fridge, in my mind I saw a picture of these massive, dark silver magnets next to one another. But they were opposing each other so they wouldn’t stick together. Like the force of the resistance was massively powerful. But then all of a sudden, the magnets both flipped around and they slammed together and stuck to one another. It was almost like I could physically hear the banging together of the metal, and the force was so intense, it felt in my spirit like an explosion. And Danny, as God is my true witness, in that exact moment at 5:00 p.m, I absolutely knew you were healed. I heard God say in my spirit, ‘It’s done!’ I actually fell to my knees in front of the fridge and began to cry with tears of joy.”
5:00 p.m. The precise moment all of hell erupted out of my belly and vanished.
A grateful sob erupts as I glance at Grace. She giggles and weeps as she shakes her head. I want to reply, but I have no words.
Grace’s voice is an awe-filled whisper. “Wow, Claudia. The Lord did it. Right then. He showed you what was happening inside of Danny’s mind at the exact moment of his healing!”
Claudia brushes her tears away. “Isn’t He so good?!”
A new wave of appreciation and thankfulness overwhelms me, but I don’t resist. I welcome the tears as I see a mental image of Jesus in my own mind, His arms open toward me in an invitation.
Yes, Jesus. You are so, so good.