Instantly healed

When I was a boy I listened with great interest to stories of how God moved on the mission field. It seemed that when missionaries when to foreign countries that God was with them in a special way. A pastor even told me that spiritual gifts were given primarily for use on the mission field, but not so much here in the USA. My home country, overlaid with a scientific mind-set that tended to deny supernatural reality, seemed to be a place of void of the power of God being demonstrated in a practical way.  All that has been changing over the years.  And this story is an example.

In about 2008, while pastoring in Bloomington/Normal, I met James Kaufman. He became a friend of mine. During those days he attended Grace Lifegroup faithfully. In 2010 as I was wrapping up my final days leading Grace Lifegroup, and my final days pastoring the Vineyard in B/N, James developed weakness in his left arm. He was unable to lift with that arm. Since he worked on cars and was a general handyman, this directly affected his ability to earn a living. One night after we finished praying together, he asked if we would pray for his left arm. So we prayed a simple prayer 'I command healing into this arm in Jesus' name'.  He was instantly healed.

This summer I went to his home where he has our old van in storage. I went to help him drop the motor from it.  He complained that his right arm was developing the same problem he used to have with his left arm. He then said to me, 'you healed my left arm, now do the same for my right arm'.  I had forgotten about the healing in 2010, but as he talked I remembered the whole thing. I remembered how I was irritated in my heart that he waited to ask for prayer until after we were done praying. I remembered how short my prayer was, and I realized I had not really given God much glory through the whole thing.  I felt the sting of a good rebuke as he challenged me to heal him.

James was on top of the engine of my van, reaching behind it to try to loosen a mounting bolt. So I just put my hand on his right shoulder and I said, 'Be healed in Jesus' name'.  A few seconds later I asked him to try to lift that arm to see if he was healed. He climbed out of the van and lifted his arm repeatedly. A smile came across his face and he announced that he was completely healed.  After posting this on FB, he came back a few weeks later to note that his arm was still working great!

Then we shared with Ron, who was a friend of James and a witness to all this. I invited Ron to come back to Jesus. Ron's eyes were wide as he had been listening to James complain about his arm for a couple days at least. Although to my knowledge Ron has not yet come back to Jesus, he did witness the power of God through Jesus' name heal his friend. We give all glory for these two healings in James' life. And we share this with you so that you know God is moving here in the USA.


Now for you my Christian friends, we invite you to ask God where He is working right now around you and join in as the Holy Spirit leads. Don't be afraid. We also invite you to pray for our work in Asia to multiply.