Late November 2017 my ex-husband drove himself to the ER with stomach issues. A CT scan revealed a large tumor on his pancreas. When asked what he wanted to do, Curt replied, “I want to live.”
The Lord has blessed my life in many ways over the past few years to provide a way for me to help Curt. In Matthew 10:6-8, Jesus tells His followers to go to the lost sheep. "As you go, proclaim this message: 'The Kingdom of Heaven has come near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." For, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
Curt was very receptive to prayer after his diagnosis, and many friends joined us in faithful prayer. "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:20) Jesus healed many, proclaiming “your faith has healed you.” (Mark 5:25-34; Luke 18:35-42)
A year ago my friend, Edith Prakash, invited me to attend the Pentecost service, where she would be preaching, at a church near my home. Jesus tells us that ‘faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.’ (Matthew 17:20) I drove Curt four hours to the Virginia Beach service.
Edith has a healing ministry, so I sat Curt down in the front pew and prayed fervently over him. During the service, Edith mentioned that she is a mere instrument of God. That it is He who heals. As the Disciple, Peter, explained after healing a blind man in Acts 3, it was done only "by faith in the name of Jesus."
At the altar call (after the sermon), I nudged Curt out of the pew and continued praying over him. Edith approached us and, passing Curt, she laid a hand on me, “God, glorify Vicki.” I gently protested, urging her to pray for Curt. She repeated, “God, glorify Vicki, NOW!” I was instantly overcome by an indescribable power, which rendered me temporarily unconscious, causing me to fall to the floor. God has chosen to make known "the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in us, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27)
Miserable from the effects of his treatments and the long return trip, Curt commented, “She didn’t even touch me.”
The tumor didn’t shrink after a year of chemo and radiation treatments — the surgeon refused to operate. After hearing this news, I asked Curt’s oncologist if he believed in miracles, and when he said he did, I asked him to pray. With that, we were off to Johns Hopkins to see what they had to say...
A year after his diagnosis, Curt came out of surgery cancer free. His oncologist confirmed, it was “miraculous!”
"Everything is possible for one who believes." (Mark 9:23)
It was not until recently I understood the significance of my experience during that altar call ... It is by His power and faith in Him, that the name of our Lord Jesus is glorified in us, and us in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12) Because, "God will meet all our needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19) And it is with confidence that "if we ask anything according to his will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him." (1 John 5:14-15) Before His death, Jesus said, "Whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My Name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in My Name, and I will do it." (John 14:12-14) "What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words." (1 Corinthians 2:12-13)
Curt was touched after all …
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8) “For I am the Lord who heals you.” (Exodus 15:26) Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31)
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen”. (Ephesians 3:20-21
