This book is copyright (C) 1998-1999 by Marlies Zechner. All rights reserved. It may not be sold or commercialised in any way without the author's consent. It may be copied for sharing with friends provided this notice is included with the copied text.
Marlies has just got onto the internet, and may be contacted for prayer ministry at m_zechner@hotmail.com .
Contents
1/ Fiji
2/ Egypt
3/ Israel
4/ Papua New Guinea
5/ Forgive or I cannot forgive you
6/ Jesus still heals today
7/ Suicide
8/ Long Bay Gaol
9/ Attempted murder
10/ Bathurst Gaol
11/ Angels
12/ How to pray
13/ Cords
14/ Counting the cost
15/ The heart condition
16/ Lorraine
17/ Dracula - fact or fiction
18/ If you love me
19/ Being gay
20/ Faith
21/ Roots
22/ Malaysia
23/ Fiji revisited - 1997
24/ What Jesus means to me
25/ My diary entries
26/ Conclusion
Introduction
There are two distinct worlds; the physical and the spiritual. We cannot see God and his angels, or the Devil and his angels, unless God allows us to do so. However, that doesn't mean they don't exist. We cannot see the wind, but we can see its effects. A gentle breeze can sway a tree; a hurricane can uproot it. So no matter how much people deny God's existence they cannot deny those things that they see on a daily basis, the sky, the grass, the flowers, food and water etc.
Romans 1:19 & 20
... what can be known about God is plain to them for God himself made it plain.
20/ Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all.
The purpose of this book has been to share the reality of God with those who read its pages. The stories are factual and show that miracles did not die with the disciples and apostles. God, through the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ, is as active today, as he was then, in the lives of the people who want to get to know Him.
Hebrew 13:8
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
If only people would seek a personal relationship with God through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, their lives would be dramatically changed and they would experience miracles in their life and the lives of the people around them.
1/ Fiji
Kara
In 1984 my daughter Rachael and I went to Fiji for a holiday. The first seven days were spent at Dick's Place on Malolo Lai Lai island. We were delighted with the Fijian style accommodation. While unpacking, a slim, tall Fijian woman, in her late twenties entered and asked if we needed anything. During our stay she would be looking after us and the bure. The red hibiscus was firmly anchored behind her ear and contrasted beautifully with the white teeth and dark skin.
I don't even remember how the subject of Jesus came up, but when it did, she started to cry. As we talked, it turned out that she had grown cold and wanted to know Jesus again. As we read the Bible, the Holy Spirit touched her and she gave her heart back to Jesus.
The next day she brought three other woman with her to hear the Word of God. Again the Holy Spirit touched their hearts and all three rededicated their lives to Jesus Christ. For the rest of my stay, we then had Bible study every evening.
On the last night I decided to simply read as much of the Gospel of John as possible. We didn't get any further than chapter one, where John talks about water baptism. I asked Kara if she had been baptised as an adult. The answer was "no". I suggested that she should go to the mainland and attend to the matter. "But, what if I can't find a minister," was the reply.
During our conversation God spoke to me. "You baptise her".
My reaction was, "What me? I am not a minister; besides I'm a woman!"
"You are my disciple, aren't you?"
God doesn't look at our gender, only our heart condition. Without further argument (arguments with God are pointless, He always wins), I hesitantly asked Kara if she would like me to baptise her. She was delighted with the suggestion. Only later did she tell me that God had told her that morning at 8 o'clock, to ask me to baptise her.
As the ocean was just outside the front door, I figured that there would be plenty of water for my first baptism. Wrong; the tide was out! Much can be said for Kara's love for Jesus, because water, or no water, darkness or daylight, (it was 10 o'clock at night) she was determined to be baptised. So we walked, for what seemed kilometres, out onto the reef, in knee deep water.
The shore lights gradually faded in the distance and the dark waters of the ocean appeared in front of us. I decided that knee deep was better, than no water at all. Never having baptised anybody, I didn't have the faintest idea of what to say, so I simply said, "Kara, do you want to follow the Lord Jesus Christ through the waters of baptism?" Her reply came quickly and clearly. "Yes". I then said to her, "I baptise you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; according to the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ." Then I asked her to lie down making sure that the water covered her.
As we waded back to shore I heard splashes in the water. Being in the tropics my first thought was -- sea snakes! I turned to Kara and asked her if that was the case. "Oh yes, lots and lot's, that's why I was a bit frightened to go into the water."
Just as well Kara told me after the baptism, because I certainly wouldn't have gone into the water if I had known about the sea snakes - which by the way are much deadlier than land snakes. Neither the snakes, nor the sharp coral could keep Kara from following Jesus' commands once she had made her decision.
Leprosy
The last seven days of our holiday in Fiji were to be spent on the mainland at Crows Nest. Here we met Selai, who introduced us to Mary. It didn't take long for the women and myself to sit down and read the Bible. The day before our departure Mary invited Rachael and myself to visit her family in the village.
Shattered were my dreams of post card Fijian villages, where huts are made of dried grasses and artistically plaited palm leaves. Here the walls and roof were made of corrugated iron. The average size Australian loungeroom, plus one bedroom was the size of this dwelling. A piece of material, down the middle of the sleeping section divided the double bunks and single bed, from the parent's double bed. The living quarters contained a kerosene fridge, food cupboard and a lounge. A small outhouse provided shower and toilet facilities. What the house lacked in material possessions was compensated for in cosiness.
The village we had been invited to, was not what we had expected, but Rachael and I were very glad to have been given the opportunity to meet a Fijian family in their home. As Billy said, "Unless you come into our villages and enter our homes, you will never come to know the Fijians and Fiji."
Joining the family on the uneven clay floor, we enjoyed the delicious food of corned beef and beans. They in turn enjoyed the apples I had brought them. From talking about every day issues the conversation turned to Mary's husband Billy, and his hand that was being eaten up by leprosy. I shared with him how I used to be a cripple and how Jesus had brought my dead leg back to life again. I assured him that even though the leg, over a period of time, had shrunk almost to skin and bone, God had totally restored it and He could do the same for Billy's hand.
As we talked about the love of God and his mighty ways, Billy broke down and cried. When the sobbing eased, relief rather than embarrassment showed on his face. Men have been conditioned not to cry, it is only the Holy Spirit who can touch a man's heart to the point where he can see himself for what he really is. Sharing the simple gospel of Jesus Christ with Billy, had given God the opportunity to touch his heart.
Billy had once been a Christian, but worldly interests had cooled his relationship with God. Before becoming a Christian he had leprosy in his right hand, but praise God, he was healed of that condition when he turned to Jesus. Unfortunately the leprosy returned when he became unfaithful to God and his wife.
I asked if Billy wanted to give his life back to Jesus. The answer was "yes". God then told me to put my hand on his diseased hand and pray for healing. Unlike the disobedience I had shown, in the market place, when God had told me to pray for a woman with a goitre, I did as I was told immediately. In the market place I had been too shy (ashamed, fearful??) to obey God's voice three times, there was no excuse to be disobedient again.
Mary wrote a few weeks later and told me that her husband's hand had been completely restored, as had their marriage and his walk with God. Both are now happily serving Jesus Christ.
Many years later I still thank God for that healing in Billy's hand, but I am also still saddened by my disobedience in not praying for the woman with the goitre. God wanted to heal her, but I wouldn't allow him to use me as a vessel. I can only hope somebody more obedient came along soon afterwards.
Back in Australia - The flea plague
Rachael and I had barely passed through customs when we were joyfully embraced by my other two daughters, Connie and Sonja, and Paul, my son-in-law. Echoes of, "we've missed you" were mingled with; "oh mum, the smash repair place resprayed the car bonnet a slightly different colour". "Sorry but half of the plants died, we forgot to water them." "By the way there is also a flea plague in the flat."
My head was spinning at what I heard. I felt like getting on the next plane back to Fiji.
Unpacking the suitcases was exciting, both for my family and myself. Being back home, in familiar surroundings felt great. The fleas must have realised that the mistress of the house had returned for they were in hiding. I even told the children that they must have imagined a 'flea plague'. Fleas or no fleas, I fell into bed that night, leaving half empty suitcases and dirty clothes scattered around the loungeroom.
Shock, horror, the gumboots weren't made out of black rubber, but black writhing bodies. This realisation hit me as I began to draw back the curtains next morning. So there was a flea plague after all! Just as well the pests were only sucking my blood from the knees down.
Being a cleaning fanatic, I wasn't going to share our home with millions of unwelcome, disease carrying insects. A very quick trip to the supermarket and five cans of surface spray, seemed to be the answer. First, all plants had to be carried out onto the front and back balcony, so that the fumes wouldn't kill them. Next, with a lot of muscle power, the furniture was shifted to one corner. The large lounge and diningroom, hallway and three bedrooms were all thoroughly sprayed. The effort nearly killed me; whether the fleas had been affected was another matter.
The next day there was a drop in numbers, but they had not been totally destroyed. I decided it was time to ring up the local pest control company. They promised to come the next day. That night, as I said my prayers, not even thinking of the fleas, God said:
"When my people were in Egypt, no plagues came near them, only the Egyptians were bothered by plagues. I created the fleas, I can just as easily exterminate them."
I was absolutely thrilled by what God had said. Naturally I prayed immediately asking God to kill off every flea. However, not until I picked up the phone the next morning and cancelled the pest control appointment, did all the fleas drop dead. Not one could be found and even many years later no flea ever bothered us again. Praise God for a mighty miracle.
Several days later God revealed to me why he had allowed me to go through all that trauma. In my own strength I had not been able to get rid of the fleas. I was to stop over-working myself, and instead I was to rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help me in all situations. With God on your side, life is so much easier and cheaper.
2/ Egypt
People all over the world have a favourite place they would like to visit. Egypt and Israel have always held a fascination for me, so on the spur of the moment I decided to visit these two countries, leaving on the 14th December 1990 and returning on the 1st January 1991.
No book, video, or pamphlet can prepare the visitor for the sounds, sights and smells of Egypt. People had warned me that I would find the place dirty, men would molest me and I would have a terrible time. None of the above was true and I had a wonderful time.
Egypt is very much part of Jewish history. Joseph was sold into slavery and ended up becoming second-in-charge to Pharaoh. Can you imagine my excitement, when on the island of Philae the guide pointed to a large stone saying that it contained the story of the seven years of famine and plenty, as well as the story of a young Semite who ruled second-in-charge to Pharaoh. The guide was quick to point out that the young man could not have been the Joseph of the Old Testament, because the name on the stone was an Egyptian one. What joy when later in the day God reminded me that Joseph had been given an Egyptian name, Zaphenath Paneah.
I marvelled at the massive statue of Rameses, at the Karnak temple complex, at Luxor. Whether this was the same Rameses who had enslaved the children of Israel, I don't know. What I do know is that, "The Israelites built the cities of Pithom and Rameses to serve as supply centres for the king." Exodus 1:11
Moses, a great man of God was born in Egypt. He led the Israelites out of captivity. God performed many mighty miracles among his people on their way to the promised land. Even so they continuously complained and grieved God by their unbelief. Things haven't changed that much these days. God's patience with his rebellious people absolutely amazes me.
Haggai 2:4,5 But now don't be discouraged, any of you. Do the work, for I am with you. 5, When you came out of Egypt, I promised that I would always be with you. I am still with you, do not be afraid.
The Bible speaks of worldly living as representing Egypt. I can say a hundred percent that God has never forsaken me since I turned my back on the world. "You are not of this world." God spoke these words to me during the night, as well as the following day. Not until I read John 17:16 did I realise how blessed I was. "They are not of this world even as I am not of the world."
The Egyptian guide Mohammed, tried to live in two worlds. God showed me this clearly as we toured a tomb in the Valley of the Queens. As the tour group followed Mohammed through the passageway into the tomb, God showed me that this man, although calling himself a Muslim, believed in the gods of Ancient Egypt. Constant visits to the tombs had allowed the spirits (demons) of these 'gods' to attach themselves to his mind. He was shocked when I told him what God had shown me. After all, devout Muslims believe in only one God - to them, Allah. To then be caught out believing in the gods of Ancient Egypt was a shock to the system.
As we walked through the amazing temple complex of Karnak, God spoke to me again about Mohammed. I was to pray the following for him. His eyes were to be opened to what was around him; broken down monuments, left by dead people. He was to turn from the dead monuments to the living God - Jesus Christ.
I was able to share with Mohammed what God had shown me, both before and during the flight from Luxor to Cairo. The man listened eagerly to my testimonies about Jesus. He, like everybody else I talked to about Jesus, was fascinated by the amazing miracles that God performs. People want to hear about the reality of God, not listen to boring religious arguments.
While in Cairo I decided to visit the Anglican church, just around the corner from the Hotel Marriott, where I was staying. The church service had just finished and I introduced myself to the first couple I spotted. All the people were Sudanese and that was how I met Lorna and Emmanuel. This kind couple invited me to their home for dinner the following evening. After a wonderful day of visiting the pyramids, the sphinx and the Cairo museum, I was picked up by Emmanuel.
The couple were so thrilled to hear about the mighty works of God, that they invited the neighbours as well. As the couple had not been baptised by full immersion as adults, it was my turn to invite them back to the Marriott. God must have had a reason for putting me in a hotel with a luxurious bathroom, and a deep bath. Emmanuel and Lorna, like most Sudanese, are very tall.
Pick-up time for the bus was 5 a.m. A chilly wind hit me straight between the eyes as I left the cosy hotel and boarded the bus. The sun had not yet risen, so we travelled in darkness. The poor of Cairo were already up and about carrying massive trays of freshly baked bread on their heads. The thin rags would not have kept out the winter wind. Two worlds were gliding past each other. The world of the tourist, sitting in a comfortable coach and the world of the Egyptian poor.
The bus left the narrow streets of Cairo and clawed its way up a steep hill to the last pick-up point for passengers. While the luggage was being loaded onto the bus, God directed my attention to a very large tree growing beside the hotel. The tree was ugly. The branches contained no leaves. The only beautiful thing about the tree were the nineteen large white flowers. How do I know that there were nineteen flowers? I had plenty of time to count them, considering how long it took to load the bus and seat the new passengers.
The white flowers stood out against the dark morning sky. God told me that they represented his children and the ugly tree represented the world. How true is the Word of God which tell us to be the spotless bride, ready for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
3/ Israel
I guess the natural sequence of events is to follow the dark road heading towards Israel. To the Australian citizen an armed escort is what they see on television, or in an adventure film. Being part of that convoy felt exciting. I wouldn't have been so thrilled if bullets had ripped the bus and passengers to threads. The Egyptian government had decided these precautions were necessary after Palestinians stopped a bus the previous year, shooting all the Israeli tourists.
The trip from Egypt to Israel, although ten hours, was very pleasant. Not all the time was spent travelling, there were delays when changing the escort, or waiting patiently at the border.
I sat at the front of the bus next to Karim, the owner of the company. Before long I was sharing the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with this Muslim. He in return, by the time we were ready to cross the Suez Canal, was calling me mother and feeding me from the lunch his wife had packed him. The hours flew quickly as we chatted. Even at a tiny town, when we stopped for a meal, I felt safe under the protection of this man.
As our journey continued I was contented to just sit and absorb scenes from an ancient land, where time had stood still. The sights along the way were fascinating. Bedouin encampments in the distance consisting of tents or rough wrought iron makeshift houses, camel herds strolling leisurely in the distance, or shepherds herding sheep, or goats. There was also the occasional oasis, a green patch that stood out for its tall palm trees, in the middle of rocky ground. I had expected to see only rolling hills of sand, this wasn't the case.
The ancient sights in Egypt thrilled me. The religiousness in Israel, especially Jerusalem, disgusted me. God must be so sad when he looks down at his beloved city. Jesus is big business in Jerusalem. Stalls and stores will sell anything from pebbles 'Jesus stepped on' to the most useless rubbish you can imagine. When the guide said we would go to the birth place of Jesus, I became excited! Instead, we entered a church. I asked if this was the actual birth place of Christ. His reply was, "Oh no!" If that wasn't enough, the church was divided into two sections, one for the Catholics and one for the Greek Orthodox.
The section we happened to be in was Catholic. Long lines of nuns patiently waited to kiss the marble slab at the centre of which was a silver star and a ruby goblet. The church of the Holy Sepulchre wasn't much better. Jesus hadn't been buried here either. From the church of the Ascension, to the church of Saint Peter, to the church near the tomb of Lazarus, to the church of ????. Some people in Australia go for a pub crawl, the tour I was on went for a church crawl. After a while I became thoroughly sick of the gold and silver, jewel covered religious ornaments and statues of the saints, Mary and Joseph. Between the Catholic church and the Orthodox churches (Greek, Russian etc.), the market was well and truly covered. Sadly I didn't come across one person who had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
The visit to "Jesus' Town" Capernaum, really did it. All that marked the place where Jesus had once walked -- you guessed it, were Catholic buildings. Don't ask me what they were because I don't remember. There was the ruin of a synagogue I would have liked to have had a closer look at. Beside those ruins also were the foundations of Peter's mother-in-law's house. Have a guess what prevented me? You've guessed it, a fence, but more annoyingly the building of a Catholic church, which had been built on a platform, on a pylon, rising straight out of the middle of ruins. The only way to get into the complex was to be booked in for mass first. At that news I really became annoyed! What gave the Catholic church the right to monopolise ancient biblical sights! The next day I decided not to go on another church crawl, but made my own way around Tiberias.
Once I had left the religiousness behind I felt terrific. My first project was to climb the hill behind Tiberias. From the top I had a great view of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordanian mountains. I hadn't felt God's presence in any of the churches the tour group had visited, but here on the hill I felt a tremendous peace as I reached out to God in prayer. At least it was possible that Jesus could have climbed this hill with his disciples. Only when it started to rain did I tear myself away from what I felt to be God's presence.
As the rain didn't last too long I decided to walk through the shopping centre. Two hours later I returned to the hotel laden with goodies - leather shoes and magnificently hand-crafted glass vases.
Later on that afternoon I enjoyed a swim in the heated swimming pool. The swim became even more enjoyable as I listened to the winter storms raging outside, how relaxing. As relaxing as bobbing up and down in the Dead Sea! The tour had stopped at the Dead Sea after viewing the fortress of Masada. King Herod, had been the first to see the possibilities of the plateau. The king wanted a summer retreat, so he built a palace on three levels on the northern aspect of the plateau. Sixty years after Herod's death, the fortress became the final resting place of 960 Zealots. This group of Jews preferred suicide, rather than falling into the hands of the Roman army, which had laid siege to the fortress. What made the visit to Masada even more enjoyable, was the fact that there were no modern churches amongst these ancient ruins. The builders in the time of Herod had shown genius, as could be seen in the remains of the bath-house. I was particularly interested in seeing distinct patterns in floor designs, or fragments of colour in remaining pieces of plaster.
Once the tour had finished I was able to enjoy two days of wandering, by myself, through the bazaar, in the old city of Jerusalem. The store holders were friendly and I enjoyed sitting and chatting with them. One store holder invited me to join him for a cup of coffee. Considering I was a total stranger, he trusted me with his belongings while he went to the nearest store to buy the coffee. I felt as if the clock had been turned back thousands of years as I sat on a low stool, amongst goods only found in the Middle East. My host asked me about Australia, while I asked him about his Palestinian background and life in Jerusalem. At no stage was I molested by either Palestinian or Jew.
On my second last day in Jerusalem I thoroughly enjoyed wandering through the "Tower of David" museum. There were models and artifacts representing 3,000 years of Jewish history. The model representing the siege of Jerusalem, by the Romans 70 AD, gave the viewer a better understanding of life at that time. Seeing the Roman influence in miniature, reminded me of the Roman monuments at Caesarea, the aqueducts and the amphitheatre.
I didn't find Jesus in Israel although there were plenty of churches commemorating biblical events. I had found Jesus twenty years ago, when I had cried out to God saying, "God I've made a mess of my life, help me to clean it up." I'm glad that God doesn't have a complex about being used; waiting and hoping, that maybe, one day somebody will actually talk to Him.
Jesus wasn't in the ruins of archaeological sights, or old churches, he had actually travelled with me in my heart. That is the miracle of my trip to Egypt and Israel. God showed me a land that has featured so much in biblical history, "I called my son out of Egypt" and the land Israel, which God sent his Son to, so that through his birth and resurrection we might have eternal life.
Religion causes division. Those who truly seek God will find Him, but only through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Often people will say to me, "Oh you're very religious. What church do you belong to?"
"None," is the immediate reply.
"But you have to have fellowship somewhere, "I'm a Baptist" - whatever. My answer to that point is, "True, but I always associate myself with Jesus first, for let's face it, no denomination ever died on the cross."
4/ Papua New Guinea
On 17th January, 1996, I boarded a plane bound for Papua New Guinea. I was to start teaching at the Lae Technical College the following Monday, the 22nd. After a two day stopover in Port Moresby, the trip continued on to Lae. Common sense should have told me that a third world country isn't rich and that I need not have bought new suitcases; they only stood out amongst the tattered ones of the nationals who also left the plane at Nadzab airport. Mareg, the driver and also a lecturer from the college, was already waiting.
The scenery flashed passed the speeding bus. The whole trip resembled an obstacle course, as Mareg tried to avoid the huge potholes. What, with the swerving and the speed, it was not possible to take photos, so I just sat back and enjoyed the scenery.
There were small clusters of grass huts sheltering under tall palm trees. At intervals locals sat by the roadside selling their wares; kaukau, sweet potatoes, bananas, coconuts and yellowish green fruits, the size of a plum. Occasionally a pig could be seen looking for food in the rubbish that was lying around. The dogs looked mangy and very underfed.
Closer to the suburbs the grass huts were replaced by solid cement block dwellings. As in Port Moresby, the doors and windows were covered with heavy iron bars. All the signs pointed to heavy criminal activity, but from the safety of the bus I didn't worry about that. Once in town the place looked like a war zone, very high wire fences topped with razor wire, electric gates, blood hounds and security guards - all for the purpose of keeping out the "rascals" - criminals in Pidgin.
My new home was to be a two storey townhouse, in a complex of four. My neighbours on one side were a national doctor and his wife and their children. On the other side lived an African and his P.N.G wife. The last unit was empty. As it turned out Simon the African, was my boss and would give me a lift to and from work.
From day one, Anastasia, the doctor's wife, and I hit it off. As all nationals, that I worked with, or befriended, she was lovely and couldn't do enough for me. On my first visit to her home I was dismayed to see how sick their child was. On the floor lay a very thin child which appeared to be about 11 to 12 months old; in fact it was 17 months. The, eyes appeared over-large because of the bony face. My heart grieved because it was only too obvious that the child would not live past its 17 months. Although the father was a prominent doctor and the mother a nurse there was nothing they had been able to do. Even visits to Australian doctors in Port Moresby had been of no use. There was nothing that could be done about the hole in the heart, or the complications in the respiratory system.The following week I asked the parents to bring the child to my home, so that we could pray for him. Little Marcus had been baptised into the Catholic church. I now asked the parents to dedicate the child to Almighty God. Then I prayed according to Isaiah 53:5, claiming his healing."But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received."
Nothing happened! There was no improvement at all in his condition. A week later as I was nursing the child, God spoke to me and told me to rebuke the spirit of infirmity. As I prayed earnestly for a few minutes, Marcus started to cough up mucus. Then he smiled and relaxed. After that prayer, the heartbeat and breathing became normal. The intake of food increased to the point where little rolls of fat were appearing, covering the ribs. Six weeks later for the first time, he started to crawl and two months later he was pulling himself up and walking by holding onto the furniture. Everybody that knew the family was amazed at the mighty miracle God had performed in Marcus.
People will ask how can a tiny baby have a demon in it that nearly caused it to die? The answer is simple. What the parents are involved in! After seeing the miracle in her child and hearing the message about Jesus Christ, Anastasia turned away from the church and instead asked God to forgive her for her sins and made Jesus Christ the Lord of her life. Shortly afterwards she followed Jesus through the waters of baptism. As she started to read the Bible she realised that much of what the Catholic church teaches is not true.
The Devil doesn't like it when you make a stand for Jesus, so one day at 7.30 in the morning, while on the way to work, Simon and I were held up at gun point. Even now I can see the man standing in the middle of the road, the sawn off shot-gun resting on his hip. The instant the car stopped a man with a bush knife pulled open the door, commanding me to get out. The same happened to Simon. The four men, two with guns and two with bush knives, then jumped into the car and sped off. The two of us were left standing on the road with nothing but our clothes. As the policeman later commented, we had been 'lucky' because I hadn't been dragged into the bushes and raped.
Just when I was getting over the armed hold up, the townhouse was broken into one night. My terrified screams brought the neighbours running. The criminals fled before they could be caught. As I couldn't bear to stay in the townhouse once it had been broken into, the college moved me to its motel units. At least I could breathe easily again.
One night my colleague and friend, Mary, together with her fiance John, came to visit me. During the course of the evening John told me how he had been sick for many years, suffering from chest pains, headaches, constipation and other intestinal problems. The doctors couldn't help and finally he had to give up his well paid job as an accountant. Before the pair left, John asked me to pray for him. I said a simple prayer asking God to let his intestines function properly and rebuked the parasites feeding on him. The chest pains and headaches were a result of the abdominal problems, so God caused me to pray for a mighty anointing of peace from the Holy Spirit.
The distance from the motel unit to their house was only a ten minute walk, but by the time they had arrived, John needed to go to the toilet. He hadn't done that for a long time without the aid of medication. The chest pains and headaches also disappeared. Praise God for the mighty work done in John's body.
After being healed and hearing the message about God's salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, Mary left the Catholic church and John left the Lutheran church. Reading the Bible on a daily basis, both could see that what the two churches were teaching didn't add up. Neither had found peace of mind, joy or healing, in the church they had attended, but they found it, and more, through a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
A few weeks later I made the following diary entry. "Wow, today I had the privilege of baptising Mary and John. What a mighty change God has performed in their lives. They are both beaming."
When the criminals attempted to break into the motel unit on two occasions, I decided to move in with Mary. At last I felt safe.
Before the couple had become Christians, they had ignored the poor and the crippled on the street. Now, they decided to go to the hospital and bring food to the sick children. One day I offered to take John's place. From then on Mary and I made regular visits every Friday afternoon straight after work. First however, we had to rush to the local market, before it closed, to buy the food. Finally, laden with bananas, raw peanuts, sugar fruit, hard boiled eggs and whatever else we could find that was easy to eat, we entered the children's ward.
Jesus said: John 8:31
"If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples", and Mark 16:1717) "Believers will be given the power to perform miracles; they will drive out demons in my name; they will speak in strange tongues;
18) if they pick up snakes or drink any poison, they will not be harmed; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ, I put Mark 16:17&18 into practice and saw many mighty miracles as I prayed for the children. There were many cases of malaria, both in tiny babies and older children. In one instance we had just entered the ward when we heard a seven or eight year old child sobbing loudly. He was terribly distressed. After Mary had asked permission to pray, I sank to my knees beside his low bed. I placed my hand on his little forehead which was burning up. As I prayed the crying stopped and the child fell asleep. Miraculously within minutes the temperature also returned to normal.
There were also many cases of tuberculosis. After weeks of prayer, the children's health improved dramatically and they were able to leave the hospital. Mary and I were overjoyed to see empty beds the next week, or hear parents tell us how God had performed a miracle in their child. Such was the case of a nine months old baby I had prayed for. The child's head had almost been twice its size, yet the swelling went down completely just after we left. In two other cases children had been in a coma for ten and fourteen days. After prayer both children regained consciousness - praise God.
On day we came to a couple who were holding twins. One was healthy and the other one was sick. The babies were only three weeks old. I said a simple prayer for the sick child and left it at that. The next week the couple were still there. I asked them how the child was and found out that there had been no change. Only when the father accidently moved the blanket did I get a good look at the baby. The eyes were staring wildly and the little face was twisted into ugly grimaces. Instantly I knew that I was dealing with a spirit of infirmity. The Devil is ugly and tries to make God's perfect creation ugly. I prayed very firmly under my breath, commanding the demon to leave the child. Without touching the child in any way it responded by crying. When I had finished I asked Mary to ask the parents if they had any dealings with evil. The answer was, "yes", a witch doctor. So here was the answer why one child was healthy and beautiful and the other one sick and ugly. Praise God, although that demon had to go and did, it took a few weeks for the physical damage to be repaired.
God also performed a mighty miracle in a child whose body was unbelievably swollen. The head looked like a balloon, on top of another balloon, the neck. The stomach of the child looked like she was twelve months pregnant. The mother next week was very happy to see us, and couldn't stop praising God enough for having healed her daughter.
I get so angry when I hear religious people tell me that it is God's will for them to be sick. The God I serve does not take delight in seeing people suffer, only Satan does. Somebody once mentioned to me that Joni, who is a paraplegic, was a blessing to people who had read her book. I must admit I was stumped for a moment and asked the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom. I asked the person, what would they rather be: me, healed from paralysis, or Joni still flat on her back? I also asked what was more glorifying for God, a healthy or a sick person? He couldn't answer me on both accounts.
Through our months of going to the hospital I was very proud of Mary. First she just translated the message of Jesus into Pidgin and watched as I prayed, but gradually I encouraged her, a baby Christian, to also pray. As she prayed, believing, she saw miracles and grew at a rapid rate. If we are to be true disciples of Jesus we can't just soak up a lot of information and never put it into practice.
James 2:14,17,24
14) My brothers, what good is it for someone to say that he has faith if his actions do not prove it? Can that faith save him?
17) So it is with faith: if it is alone and includes no actions, then it is dead.
24) You see, then, that it is by his actions that a person is put right with God and not by his faith alone.
God taught me that lesson, many years earlier, in Australia. It looked as if I had broken my arm, judging by the swelling and pain. I prayed for healing, but the pain still persisted. Two days later it had gotten to the stage where I couldn't even hold a knife and fork. God spoke to me and said, "Do you believe that you are healed?"
"Yes Lord."
"Then act like it."
I picked up the knife and fork and persisted in eating my meal. The longer I used the cutlery, the less the pain!
Let's go back to Papua New Guinea. God is not just into the business of healing the body, but also into restoring the mind. I made the following entry in my diary:
I went to the Hospitality & Tourism Department this morning. One of the teachers commented that George had cheated in the exam, his mark being 100%. My response was, "No, God has performed a miracle".
For four months George had failed every test and assignment I had given him. The marks being in the range of 8, 7, 12 out of a 100. It amazed me how he had ever gotten into the course. A few weeks ago I had said to him that he needed to cry out to God to help him. For not only were his marks poor in my subject, but all the others as well. He did as I suggested.
From then on his marks jumped to the 50s and 60s in my subject and now to top it off he had managed to get 100% in another subject. God had indeed performed a mighty miracle.
Many years before a similar thing had happened in Australia. A lady rang me and asked would I tutor her son. When he had improved dramatically, I was asked to tutor the daughter as well. Melanie was in Year 9 and couldn't cope with English. The homework tasks I set were sometimes done very well, at other times the quality was very poor.
Considering how much the parents were paying me I became annoyed and told my student that she needed to work harder, or I wouldn't be teaching her anymore. At that comment the child became very distressed and cried saying that she did try very hard. I felt terrible. As I sat there God put it on my heart to ask Him to help Melanie. Amazingly for the next four weeks the child's performance was brilliant. The mother thought that I was a great teacher, but I had to set her straight on the fact that God had unravelled her daughter's mind and my teaching had nothing to do with her performance.
Alas, five weeks later Melanie's performance was worse than ever before. I was shocked, what now?? I asked God what had gone wrong. The answer was simple. I had asked on Melanie's behalf - fine, but now Melanie was to ask God herself. At the age of fifteen she was old enough to make a decision. I told her what God had said. She asked Jesus into her heart and for his help in her school work. She did well in her School Certificate, and the subsequent T.A.F.E course. Finally she ended up working for a solicitor. God's miracles are not confined to any particular place on earth, be it Australia or Papua New Guinea, on the coast at Lae, or the Highlands.
During the Easter break I was delighted to receive an invitation from a fellow colleague and friend to go with her to Chimbu for the bride-price ceremony of her sister. Kama and all the other relatives who were going, had hired a 25 seater bus for the trip. The journey started at 6.30 a.m and by 7 a.m the bus was already on the outskirts of Lae.
The first stop was at 40 Mile, one and a half hours later. If the bus seemed overloaded with the thirty-five people who had piled into it earlier; now, with the added bags of beetle nut and coconuts, plus other produce purchased from the roadside market; the little vehicle was bursting at the seams. Just as well Kama had asked the driver to let me have the front seat. The view was better and I could rest my legs on the dashboard, there was nowhere else to put them.
Forty minutes outside Goroka we stopped for a meal. Half on hour later the bus stopped again, this time in the middle of nowhere, between the slopes of an embankment. Half the bus immediately scrambled out. Puzzled I looked at Kama. She in return whispered, "the toilet stop". I had also gotten out of the bus and before I knew it Agnus, Kama's sister and her cousin Mai, grabbed me by the hand and pulled me up the slippery clay slope. Once on top, half a dozen men could be seen standing in a row with their backs to the people watering the countryside. With the help of my friends I avoided excrement already there and looked for a place where I could squat in the high grass.
This was a toilet with a view. As you looked at the surrounding mountains and saw the hawks circling overhead, it was easy to take your mind off the business at hand. Just as well I always carry tissues with me, but even if I hadn't, a roll of toilet paper was being handed around.
The next stop was high in the mountains, a police car blocked the road. On this, the second police search, the aim was not to look for criminals, drugs or inspect the road worthiness of the vehicle, but see if alcohol was being smuggled into the Highlands. While the police checked our bags, we had a chance to stretch our legs and admire the view. The scenery was magnificent and could best be compared to the Swiss Alps in summer. Unlike Switzerland though, where solid stone houses form little villages, here small thatched huts and the surrounding vegetable gardens, clung like leeches to the mountainside.
As everybody climbed back into the bus, Kama said,
"Two more kilometres and we'll be home."
When the bus finally stopped we had travelled for six and a half hours. There were only two or three thatched huts beside the road and I questioned Kama whether this was the whole village. She only laughed and waved her hand over the whole hillside. Nestled amongst the avocado trees, sugar cane stalks, tall pine trees and hibiscus bushes, were another 40 to 50 huts. In the distance, a massive mountain served as a backdrop.
Kama explained that there was a track winding over the mountain, into the next valley. The women preferred to grow their yams, taro and kaukau in that valley because they felt that the vegetables tasted sweeter. I couldn't believe Kama. How could anybody climb up and over that mountain and then dig a garden? Kama also pointed out that the women usually carry a small child on their shoulders and hang a bilum on their head, to carry the vegetables as well. I couldn't help but feel we were talking about pack-horses, not women!
People took it in turn to push and pull me up the muddy hillside. Finally halfway up the hill we entered a clearing and were welcomed by piercing war cries. About 25 to 35 natives sat on plastic mats and a railing around the clearing. Without hesitation I walked up to the nearest person shook their hand and greeted them in Pidgin. Immediately three plastic chairs were brought out. One for the oldest women in the village, one for Kama and one for myself. I felt like royalty sitting on that chair. The old lady, 80 years plus - just sat and held my hand. I was the first white woman to have ever visited the village.
Kama's family owned the buildings around the clearing. There was the large hut, called the men's or boy's hut. The round house accommodated the women and the children. The other two huts were the kitchen and slightly behind it, the toilet. The boy's hut was divided into one large room and two smaller rooms. The large room contained a platform on which all the men slept. The idea being that if there was a raid on the village, all the men would be in one place, to fight off the attack.
The two rooms contained a single bed each. One room had been set aside for the bridegroom, the other room for me. While resting that afternoon, on a very comfortable bed, I couldn't help but wonder at the coming together of two cultures. A modern bed, in a hut where the walls, ceiling and floor were made of artistically woven grass. The curtain, a piece of cotton, with a large green, white and purple floral design, not only kept the cold out - to a degree - but also provided privacy.
After an hour's rest I once again mingled with the villagers. I couldn't get over how friendly everybody was. The women and children couldn't stop hugging me and stroking my blonde hair. I returned their affection, much to their delight. As Kama was busy with the preparation of her sister's bride-price ceremony, her relatives took me on a guided tour through the village.
The first point of interest were two pigs which had been slaughtered, to provide a meal for everybody. The carcasses were thrown onto a roaring fire. After a little while they were pulled off again and opened up to make sure that they were not sick, or full of parasites. From there on my new found friends showed me the rest of the village, which meant climbing a fair way up the hillside. Where ever we went people would come out of their huts to see the 'white meri', white woman.
During my socialising I met Pastor Lucas from the Four Square Church. In the course of conversation I shared with him the many miracles God had allowed me to see, over a period of time. When the man left later that night he asked me to speak at their church service the following Sunday morning.
When Pastor Lucas picked me up on Sunday morning I was ready and waiting, dressed in the traditional clothes Kama's mother had given me, a meri blouse and long wrap around skirt. As we neared his village and the area where the church service was to be held, Pastor Lucas apologised for the fact that the congregation would be sitting on logs, in the open air. Apparently the church had been too poor to afford a building.
Before I knew what had happened, I was telling the man that he didn't have to worry about money, for all that he needed to build a building was right in front of him and free of charge. Pastor Lucas looked surprised. "Why do you want to build a western style church, where you will need a lot of building materials, which are expensive, when you can build a traditional P.N.G. building with the wood and grass right before your very eyes?" I asked. "You're right," he agreed. "Besides the corrugated iron is not only very expensive, but hot."
Poor Pastor Lucas, the religious pictures were the next topic of discussion. On a raised platform, which acted as the pulpit, there was a large picture of a man supposedly representing Jesus. Gently and politely I asked how the people could be sure that Jesus looked like that. Then I pointed out that every supposed picture I had ever seen of Jesus, had been different and looked like some pretty pin-up boy. Pastor Lucas could see my point and admitted to having been prompted by the Holy Spirit to get rid of the pictures. He assured me that he would get rid of them soon. I asked him what was wrong with now! For a moment he hesitated, but then went and tore down all the religious pictures and threw them into the fire.
The singing of the natives was so enjoyable that I cannot find words to express myself. To my way of thinking dark skinned people seem to have much richer voices. Pastor Lucas' friend, Jerry, the secretary to the Chimbu governor, interpreted for me. After the service Pastor Lucas asked people if there was anybody who wanted prayer. As the pastor and I prayed for people, God touched their hearts, spirits and bodies. In one case a woman who couldn't walk, left her crutch lying on the ground. Another woman who was partially blind in both eyes, immediately received perfect sight. God is indeed a miracle worker.
After lunch which consisted of traditional food, such as kaukau, kumu (local spinach), sweet potato, rice, stewed chicken and fresh fruit, I was taken to a hut to pray for a woman who couldn't have children. As the couple sat opposite me, I shocked myself by saying, "There's nothing wrong with her, he's got the problem." The Holy Spirit had revealed to me that there was nothing wrong with the woman, but that the husband was infertile due to the illness he had had as a child. Jerry interpreted what I had said and the man agreed that I had spoken the truth. I went on to say that if God could make Abraham's sperm fertile in his old age, he could also bring to life this man's sperm.
Next I was taken to another village to pray for two women who had been sent home from hospital to die. One had throat cancer and the other breast cancer. Jerry and Pastor Lucas, plus other people from their village had accompanied us. Both women were housed in the same hut. After I had greeted the women and their relatives, I requested that everybody who was not a firm believer, should leave the hut. In the end only Jerry, Pastor Lucas, the two patients and I were left. I asked the Holy Spirit to tell me how to pray and to anoint my hands with Jesus' healing power. The mighty presence of God was felt in that hut as I prayed. In each case I was given a different prayer, based upon the Bible.
God performed a mighty miracle of healing in both women, but now certain principles needed to be followed in the natural. The Bible tells us that, "To have faith is to be sure of things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see." So in my heart I believed that the women were healed, but their wasted bodies indicated otherwise. So God instructed me to say the following to the relatives and friends of the patients, who had once again entered the hut.
Time was needed for the wasted bodies to repair. First of all the smoking fire was to be put out and the cooking was to be done outside the hut. Every morning, or afternoon the women were to be carried out into the sun and fresh air. Although I only have a limited knowledge of nutrition, God gave me some amazing ideas on healthy light meals. The food items were all easily available in, or around the village. After all, when Jesus raised the little girl from the dead, the first thing he did was to tell the parents to feed her.
Pastor Lucas interpreted in Pidgin what I had said. The husband from the woman who had suffered from throat cancer then started a lively discussion. Although I could only speak a few words of Pidgin, God interpreted the conversation for me and I found myself saying, "Stop. How dare you say that your wife cannot eat because her throat has been eaten up by the cancer. God is a mighty God, who can and already has repaired the damage done to your wife's throat." Everybody stared at me in horror because they knew that I did not understand the language and only God could have told me what was going on. My words did much to destroy the man's unbelief.
After my stay in the Highlands I was invited to go for four days to Madang. Agnus had invited me to visit her mother and stepfather in the settlement. Here again God combined the supernatural with the physical in a mighty way.
Life in the settlement is different to that in the Highlands. Houses are more solid. Michael, Agnus' stepfather, had built himself a house made of wooden planks, set on steel pipes and wooden beams. Steps led up to the verandah and front door. The roof was made of corrugated iron. The outdoor shower was a novelty: the type you see in an army film, four posts and a bit of material for privacy.
Just as in the Highlands, people were very kind to me. My first opportunity to talk about Jesus came when Agnus told me about the sore her stepfather had on his leg (on and off) for the last twenty years. When Michael rolled up his trouser leg I was horrified, the wound, the size of a man's hand had eaten deep into the flesh. After sharing the message of Jesus with Michael and his wife Marie, I offered to pray for him. In my heart I knew that Michael didn't believe God could heal him.
The second day in Madang was very pleasant with sightseeing trips in and around the town. The resort areas, situated on the waterfront were especially attractive. Later that evening I found myself playing nurse to Agnus' ten year old stepbrother, Roy. The boy had a cut deep cut in his foot. First I cleansed the wound with salt water, then I wrapped a bandage around it. Finally I used the clean serviette I had brought home that day from one of the resorts, to cushion the child's walk. Just as I had finished a visitor appeared at the open front door. As I was kneeling my eyes were exactly level with the huge tropical sores that had almost eaten away the woman's leg, especially the shin area. I called out to my hosts that there was somebody at the door.
The woman, a neighbour, had never set foot in the front door in twelve years, yet here she was, 7.30 at night. Nobody could work out why she had come, but from the minute she sat down her leg became the focus of our attention. A year ago she had fallen and the flesh had not healed, instead the infection had spread. The day before she had come home from a two day hospital stay, but they hadn't even cleaned the wound. I was disgusted at what I saw. To simply pray for healing and leave the leg in that filthy, pussy state would have been pointless. I asked Marie for boiled water which I poured into a baby bath. Next I poured salt into the water. I then asked her to put her leg over the baby bath, with the foot resting on the edge.
The first time I poured the salty water into the wound, she screamed from pain. Nonetheless, I sat there and thoroughly cleaned the wound from all dirt, dead skin, pus and even small pieces of gravel. When I had finished, my dilemma was, how to keep the wound clean, considering I had just used the last bit of bandage on Roy's foot. "What now God?" Instantly the thoughts came to me to ask Marie to get me a new shoot from the banana tree. The shoot was still tightly rolled up, therefore sterile. I poured oil over the wound, then used half of the banana leaf as a shield, which I tied on at the knee and ankle. The banana leaf would not stick to the wound, yet it would keep it clean during the night. I suggested that the wound be exposed to the sun during the day, to dry it out.
After all that I prayed for healing. The next morning the neighbour came with her husband to tell me that for the first time in a year she had been able to sleep without pain and that she could walk much better. She not only had told her husband about how I cleaned and prayed for her leg, but the message about Jesus. When I told my two doctor friends, back in Lae, about how I had treated the leg, under God's direction, they were amazed. Neither one would have thought of using a banana leaf to keep the wound clean. God is indeed a miracle working God, who delights in helping his children, if only they would come to Him.
Even as I was standing in line, waiting at the airport, God spoke to me about Michael. God had sent the neighbour to his house as proof that he is a miracle working God and just as He had healed the woman's leg, He could do the same for Michael. When I relayed the message he smiled sheepishly, because his unbelief had been exposed.
On my return to Lae I shared the events of the Highlands and Madang with Mary, John and the T.S.C.F (Tertiary Students Christians Fellowship) group. (Two months after my arrival I was asked to be the spiritual mother of the college.) Everybody was excited to hear about the mighty move of God, for many people accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour and were baptised. I also told the people how I pointed the new Christians in the direction of a church, which I knew was teaching correct doctrine. In the case of the Highlands, I most certainly felt the presence of God's Holy Spirit in Pastor Lucas and that church. I get annoyed when I hear people talk about "revival", which is to come. I've seen the mighty hand of God working in people's lives now, for the last twenty years. Revival has always been with us. It's just a matter whether God the Holy Spirit is moving in the life of the person who is preaching the Word.
Besides teaching Technical Communications during the day, I taught the T.S.C.F group (and a constant stream of visitors), about prayer every Wednesday night. On Sunday night, Jesus would help me give a Bible message relevant to their life, e.g relationships, cutting the cords with the past, Heavy Metal music and its influence etc. Because many turned to Jesus, Thursday night became the night to teach baby Christians the basics. Tuesday nights I led the prayer group. During one of these meetings, God showed me a vision.
My diary entry for the 25th April, 1996 reads:
The seven of us had an absolutely wonderful prayer meeting. God put it on my heart to pray for the college first. Then Victor (President of the T.S.C.F group) prayed for the student's forum. Instead of me continuing to pray for other matters, God caused me to pray for the six people at the prayer meeting. As I started to pray, this is what I saw:
A vessel, or container, that had a rather fat belly, but narrowed to a neck. The top of the neck curved slightly outwards. The handle, curved up and over the curved part of the neck, being attached to both sides. As I saw the vessel the words from Jeremiah 15:20 came to me.
"I will make you like a solid bronze wall as far as they are concerned. They will fight against you, but they will not defeat you. I will be with you to protect you and keep you safe."
Obviously the vessel was made out of bronze. A hand was polishing a part of the belly section and it was shining. The rest of the vessel was dull and oxidised.
Then I saw glowing coals being put into the vessel. The meaning being that God would purify us like pure gold from the inside. Then the verse from Revelation 5:8 came to me:
"...Each had a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people."
As we were in the middle of a prayer meeting that Bible verse indicated to me that our prayers were being heard. What's more, they were like sweet incense to God. Ephesians 5:10 says:
Try to learn what pleases the Lord."
God had spoken through my daughter Sonja, in 1985 (when she was 18) through a Word of Knowledge, that it pleased Him when we pray for others.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Mark my words a time shall come to pass like no other time has been before. People will search for Me, but will not find me, as I have waited for them so long to turn to me, but they were too busy living their own selfish lives. I love my people who serve and obey me. Peace be with my people. Remember to read my Word daily and pray to me for I shall answer you, as a father would answer his son. I want to be your friend, not your enemy.
Those who sincerely seek me will find me. The Holy Spirit is only too willing to help his people in need, or just to comfort them. I know the desires of your hearts, the good ones and the bad.
It pleases me when you pray and cry out for each other. Seek me, I want to save everyone, not just some of the people I have created. Look to me when you have a problem, not to others or horoscopes. They tell lies. I am one of truth. Follow me and I will give you rest. So many search, but never find me because there is no-one praying for them to be saved. It is only through Me life is gained and truth is found. Remember this my people, pray for others.
Although the above had happened in 1985, now twelve years later in P.N.G, God was once again letting me, and the others know how much it pleased Him when we pray for others. In fact our prayers were incense to Him; a sweet smelling aroma.
I believe it was the continued prayer efforts that brought about a breakthrough in the spiritual. New people came on a regular basis on the Wednesday and Sunday night meetings. The Holy Spirit touched hearts as they sat in their seats. I suppose I can relate this experience to something God showed me while I was walking through the village at Chimbu. Each hut had a beautiful garden around it and the children and adults who were accompanying me had picked a bunch of flowers. There was a dahlia which had been beautiful, but a worm had half eaten it, thus making it ugly. So it was with the people who came to the meetings, God had created them beautiful, but the devil and every-day living had nibbled at God's perfect creation. To me all black people are beautiful, but after the Holy Spirit had touched their hearts, they seemed even more beautiful.
I thank God for helping me with the sermons on Sunday night. There was a particular move of the Holy Spirit after the topic of Heavy Metal music. My diary entry for 30th April shows:
Praise God for his mighty working power. Today, after class, six students came after 3 o'clock and wanted to know why they shouldn't be involved in Heavy Metal music. As Heavy Metal music is of the Devil (and I explained to them why) they needed to make a choice between Jesus Christ and the Devil. At 4.30 p.m a student asked to speak to me privately. She wanted to ask Jesus into her heart.
At 5.45 p.m Donna and Michelle came back and I had the privilege to lead them to Jesus Christ. Even as I was leading those two through prayer George arrived and also wanted to ask Jesus into his heart. Praise you precious Father, praise you Lord Jesus, praise you Holy Spirit.
Thursday 2nd May
People started to arrive for the baby Christian class just after 3 o'clock when the Technical Communications classes finished. I finally finished at 5 p.m. Eight students in all had attended. The discussion had been on, Cutting the Cords. Two people needed the cords of martial arts cut. The rest are coming at appointed times to be prayed for.
I thank my God that I have the privilege of working for Him.
The baby Christians were growing at such a rapid rate that by the 1st of June during a baptism in the river, I felt God telling me to give Hacca the opportunity to baptise. The idea being to have her become a disciple of Jesus Christ. For we only become disciples if we follow Jesus' commandments and actually put our faith into action.
The entry for June 18th, is bitter sweet. It indicates the closing chapter of my stay in P.N.G as well as showing evidence of God's mighty works.
Today I had a farewell afternoon tea for some of my friends. Anastasia came with the children and it was a real blessing to see Marcus walking, by holding on to the furniture.
About four or five weeks ago I had prayed for Grace. She was suffering greatly from arthritis all down the left side of her body. At times the pain was so great that she couldn't even hold a pen. Praise God for healing her, for she has had no more pain.
The above entry reminds me of an incident at the Principal's house. My Muslim friends had been nursing me at their home, when I was sick with malaria. After criminals broke in I couldn't bear to stay there any longer and accepted the Principal's offer to stay at his home, till I was better. On the second night, I asked him how work had been. He complained about the pain in his hands, due to arthritis.
Later that night, as I was too sick to sleep, God put it on my heart to pray for the Principal. I was to ask God to fill the man's hands with His healing power and rebuke the arthritis, commanding it to leave. The next evening I again asked the Principal how his day had been, especially where his hands were concerned. The answer was, "good" to both issues. I told him that I had prayed about his hands and God had healed them. To that statement he just laughed, being a total unbeliever. The response made me angry and although I was a guest in his house I shocked myself and him, with my prayer before eating. (Of course I had asked if I could say a prayer for my food.) As he patiently waited to start eating I prayed the following:
"Oh Lord my God I thank you from the bottom of my heart for healing Richard's hands, even if he doesn't appreciates it, or believes in you."
Maybe my illness had made me unusually bold, I don't know, but I just had the urge to thank God. As the man sat stunned (with the food he had cooked, almost becoming cold), I told him about some of the mighty miracles God had performed. Four weeks later I asked him how his hands were. He replied, "Your magic is still working."
To that I replied, "God is a miracle working God isn't He?" He just smiled.
At the end of May I gave four weeks notice to my employers. The constant attacks on my life, plus the near fatal bout of malaria was just too much. I know God sent me to that country and I loved being there. The students, all adults, some even in their late forties and fifties were a pleasure to teach. I made a lot of friends, both amongst the nationals and the expatriots. Some found the weather too hot, but working in air conditioning was pleasant and the swims after work were very enjoyable. I would have loved to have stayed ten years, most certainly I would have fulfilled my three year contract, as it was I stayed only five and a half months. In that time I saw more miracles than some people see in five and a half years, or maybe all their life!
5/ FORGIVE OR I CANNOT FORGIVE YOU
Matthew 6:14&15
14) If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you.
15) But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done.
The lesson of forgiveness is the greatest one God has ever taught me. In my heart I said, "I can never forgive her." Upon which God said, "If you cannot forgive her, I cannot forgive you."
This incident came about after my best friend had just abducted my oldest daughter, with the help of her doctor friend in 1978. The doctor had made advances towards me, which I rejected. My friend on the other hand had been infatuated with him. Unfortunately for her, he wasn't interested. So, in order for him to get back at me for rejecting him, he decided to tickle her ego and make her feel wanted, by abducting my daughter,
What a shock to pick up the phone and hear a man's voice at the other end saying, "You'll never see your daughter again." Next your best friend gets on the phone saying the same thing. (Although the police were called in, it was nearly three weeks before I saw my daughter again.)
The next day a friend visited and I told her about the situation. Her response was, "You must forgive her." Why do people always tell you what you don't want to hear? Absolutely furious, I told my friend that I could never forgive the person who had abducted my daughter. God immediately spoke to me and said:
"If you cannot forgive her, I cannot forgive you."
Against my better judgement I rang her and said, "I forgive you", then I slammed the phone down.
The next few weeks were very stressful. If I saw my ex-best friend in the distance, I would run into the opposite direction. If I saw her on the street, I ignored her. Inwardly I felt like strangling her.
Finally she rang and asked if she could visit me and bring her minister. I decided to invite my minister as well. The minute I had opened the door she wanted to hug me. I took three very quick steps backwards and thought to myself, "So that's what Judas looked like!"
The minute they had seated themselves, I tore strips off her. After letting all the hurt, anger and bitterness out, I looked at the quivering, snivelling heap and I felt sorry for her, and apologised. As I did so, all the hatred, anger, bitterness and animosity disappeared.
My minister commented on the fact that he now realised people need to speak out their hurts. My friend and I became best friends again and it was as if the incident had never happened. Only God can bring about true forgiveness.
Often when I pray with people, God will cause me to bring up the subject of unforgiveness in their life. Unforgiveness is a blockage to deliverance and healing. A perfect example was my friend Joy. The joy had gone out of her life and when she walked into my place one day, (I hadn't seen her for about ten years), she looked more like a corpse than a human being. Her body was riddled with bacteria. Her intestines contained fungi which caused her stomach to swell. Besides that she had problems going to the toilet. In one week she would spend between $30 and $50 on medication, or health products - all to no avail. God showed me what was wrong with her.
"She holds a grudge against God. She also feels the world owes her something. The worms of bitterness, jealousy and unforgiveness are eating her up."
After inviting Jesus into her heart and prayer, her health improved tremendously. The change was visible almost immediately. Praise God she was able to throw away her medication and health products. The Word of God is so true:
Isaiah 55:1
The Lord says, "Come, everyone who is thirsty - here is water! Come, you that have no money - buy corn and eat! Come! Buy wine and milk - it will cost you nothing.
Prayer is free and so is the love of God and his blessings of healing, peace and joy.
If you hold unforgiveness in your heart, you really need to ask yourself if it's worth the hassle. After all, the person who you are bitter against doesn't even know about it. Yet like cancer, unforgiveness will eat you up. There are times when it is not humanly possible to forgive somebody. In that case I suggest that the person having the unforgiveness problem asks Jesus to help them forgive. At the same time asking Jesus to wash away, with his precious blood all hurt, bitterness and unforgiveness.
Joanne, a friend of mine, came close to dying because of unforgiveness. Being ethnic, Joanne and her husband lived with his parents. The family and cultural ties were so strong that Sam just wouldn't leave his parent's house, even though his wife had begged him for nine years. The cramped living conditions made life very difficult, but her pleas to move out fell on deaf ears. Three years earlier, both Joanne, Sam and his mother Margaret, had become Christian. Life changed a little, for the better, but not much.
In September 1996, I went to visit my friends. To my surprise Joanne acted strangely, almost as if she was drugged. The minute I sat on the lounge, she positioned herself next to me, grabbed my hand and begged me to pray for her. Briefly her family explained her strange behaviour.
Two weeks before, Joanne had gone forward for prayer in her church. The minister asked if she wanted the gift of tongues. She said yes. He then told her that he had been given a tongue for her by God and she was to repeat the words after him. (I strongly disagree with the practice of a person repeating some body else's tongue, for God the Holy Spirit is the giver of the gift not some human being.) Joanne repeated what the man had told her to say. Immediately she felt an icy coldness through her body and severe pain shot down her backbone. From that moment, she began to act strangely; obsessively reading the Bible all during the day and at odd times during the night; cursing her family and screaming uncontrollably.
I started to pray for her, but immediately she started to pray in tongues. When I told her to stop, she looked at me with glazed eyes and said, "Who are you?" (We had been good friends for four years.)
I decided to take her to my daughter's place for prayer back-up. Once we got there the situation worsened. Even though she had been filled with God's Holy Spirit for three years, she was insulting God, screaming uncontrollably; said I had been created to serve her and that the Devil had written the Bible for her benefit. The screaming reminded me of the incident of the demon possessed man from Gerasa (Mark 5:5).
My daughter and I agreed that prayer back up was necessary, so she rang an elder from the C.O.C. church she was attending. He declined to come. Then she rang the assistant pastor, who also declined, but suggested that Joanne should make an appointment at some time in the future. Above all else though she wanted to know if my friend was a Christian and a member of a denomination.
Finally by 8 o'clock between Sonja and myself, we had managed to get a few people together. The behaviour of two of the people was so disrespectful to God, that they had to be asked to leave. By 11 p.m that night the rest of us decided that we couldn't go any further, so a decision was made to meet at Joanne and Sam's place the following night at 7 p.m. and spend the day praying and fasting. I went home with my friends that night, in case problems arose. They did!! By 4 a.m Joanne lapsed into unconsciousness.
Sadly the next night none of the people who had come the previous night turned up. The two women from the C.O.C. church had phoned earlier that day, stating that they could not go against the headship of their pastor and needed his permission to come. In the end it was left to my daughter and myself to pray. By this stage Joanne had been lying unconscious on the floor for fifteen hours. My faith was sorely tested as I felt her pulse, which was very faint. The choice was to call an ambulance and have her taken to hospital, where she would have been locked up in a psychiatric ward for the rest of her life, or cast the demons out!
When I commanded the demons to name themselves, in Jesus name, they did not respond. We prayed with all our might for three hours, but nothing happened. As we sat back exhausted on the lounge, Margaret suggested that we should put on a Christian praise tape. When a song came on that said, "hand it over", we knew that God wanted us to hand Joanne, and the battle, over to Him. So we sat back and relaxed. After a few minutes I jumped up, and pointing my finger at Joanne I said, "You haven't forgiven Margaret." Instantly there was a reaction in her rigid body and she opened her eyes. There was even more reaction when I said, "You hate your husband, sister-in-law and father-in-law. You hate all of them and won't forgive them. I then pointed my finger at her again and said, "You must forgive them. Instantly the answer came, "No I won't".
At one stage she asked for a drink. We complied with her request and gave her a glass with water. The minute she had the glass in her mouth God warned me that the Devil was going to kill Joanne by getting her to bite off a piece of glass and swallow it. Praise God the glass didn't break, but it took three of us to get it out of her mouth.
I decided to call Sam into the room. He had preferred to stay outside, because of his lack of faith. I wanted Joanne to be confronted with another object of her hatred. Finally one and half hours later I told Joanne point blank that I was exhausted and if she didn't make an effort, telling those demons of hatred, bitterness, anger and unforgiveness to go, I would just call an ambulance and have her taken away. Sam also told her to do her bit. Yes, there are demonic forces, but there is also the flesh and a free will.
At last she repeated the words after Sam, telling the demons to go. As she had lain in her urine for twenty hours she needed a wash. It took three of us to get her into the bath. Margaret in the meantime prepared food for her. Finally my daughter and I left for home, by 11.30 p.m. that night. The patient was much better than she had been when we had arrived, but I knew that the job had not been completed and I needed to come back the next day.
The next morning, while I was having a shower, God told me that the whole family was to gather around Joanne and ask forgiveness for the way they had treated her. For it was they, who had brought on the hatred and unforgiveness, which had turned from the fleshly to the demonic, by the nine years of mistreatment.
I told the family what God had shown me and as Joanne and I sat on the lounge, each family member, starting with the husband, came forward, fell on their knees and asked for forgiveness. As the family sincerely asked for forgiveness, Joanne sincerely forgave them. At last the power of the Devil had been completely broken. Then the issue of what had happened at the church and the satanic tongues had to be dealt with.
I took Joanne through a prayer where she asked God to forgive her for the blasphemy that had come out of her mouth - even though she had been under demonic influence. The power of what had happened at church was broken, especially the satanic tongue issue. The family has since found another Spirit-filled church where they are happy.
Praise God for the mighty work he did in Joanne, for she was totally delivered. Now eight months later she is still very happy and healthy. The whole family has been reunited and Sam's marriage is the best it has ever been.
Unforgiveness lets the Devil into your life, forgiveness drives him out. Ephesians 4:25,26.
26) If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day.
27) Don't give the Devil a chance.
God had to teach me to let go of unforgiveness, for my own sake. I can only encourage anybody in the same situation to do the same.
When all else fails, bear in mind that Jesus said, as he hung on the cross, for six hours, "Father forgive them for they do not know what they do." If a pin prick hurts, think how much pain Jesus had to endure being nailed to the cross. The shame of hanging there naked would have been unimaginable for Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
FORGIVE!!
6/ Jesus still heals today
When Jesus walked the earth he healed the cripple, the blind, the epileptic, the deaf and the dumb. No disease or sickness was too big, or small for Jesus. The apostles followed in their Master's footsteps, and by the power of the Holy Spirit and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, many were healed and delivered from sickness and disease. Over many years, due to unbelief by God's people, miraculous healings dwindled to the point, where they were no longer seen as being applicable for today. Yet Hebrew 13:8 states:
"Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and for ever."
People who are only religious and do not know Jesus personally feel that it is God's will for them to be sick. Yes, in some cases God allows sickness in a person in order to draw them to himself. Many people only ever turn to Him when in need. Sadly to say that was the case with me. The Bible also shows that God punished people through sickness.
2 Chronicles 26:16
"but when King Uzziah became strong, he grew arrogant, and that led to his downfall. He defied the Lord his God by going into the Temple to burn incense on the altar of incense."
2 Kings l5:5
The Lord struck Uzziah with a dreaded skin disease that stayed with him the rest of his life.
The best thing to do is to ask God if you have done anything wrong, especially where unforgiveness is concerned, and ask Him to forgive you.
Many people never get healed because they haven't bothered to ask God why they are sick. Are you sick because there is a normal breakdown in the body function; is God dealing with you; or is the illness due to demonic spirits?
Luke 8:1,2 Some time later Jesus travelled through towns and villages, preaching the Good News about the Kingdom of God. The twelve disciples went with him, and so did some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases:
Luke 13:10 One Sabbath Jesus was teaching in a synagogue. 11) A woman there had an evil spirit that had made her ill for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12) When Jesus saw her he called out to her, "Woman, you are free from your illness!" 13) He placed his hands on her and at once she straightened herself up and praised God. The religious leaders objected to Jesus setting this woman free on the Sabbath. Jesus replied: 16) Now here is this descendant of Abraham whom Satan has kept bound up for eighteen years. Should she not be released on the Sabbath?
There are also incidents in the Bible that show children being ill due to demonic forces.
Matthew 15:22 A Canaanite woman who lived in the region came to him. "Son of David!" she cried out. "Have mercy on me! My daughter has a demon and is in a terrible condition." 18) So Jesus answered her, "You are a woman of great faith! What you want will be done for you." And at that very moment her daughter was healed.
Mark 9:20 They brought him to Jesus. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a fit, so that he fell on the ground, foaming at the mouth. 21) "How long has he been like this?" Jesus asked the father. "Ever since he was a child," he replied.
Jesus healed the boy and told the father, "Everything is possible for the person who has faith." If we expect God to do something for us, we really need to believe that he is capable of doing what he promises.
Over many years I have been healed and have seen many others healed. If I am sick I claim Isaiah 53:5 praying, Oh Lord my God, Isaiah 53:5 says 'We are healed by the punishment Jesus suffered, made whole by the blows he received.' I ask you now for the healing or wholeness of ........ (whatever). I also tell the pain to go in Jesus' name. I also tell any symptoms of the illness to go. Then I thank God for healing me according to his Word.
Healed from sclerosis of the liver
Lorraine had been given a death sentence by the doctors. So serious was her condition that she was medically retired by the Education Department. The situation looked grim, especially as she was the mother of a young child. Nothing to say of the agony her husband would suffer at the lose of his wife. After prayer God miraculously healed her. All praise and honour belong to Jesus Christ for his mighty miracle working power.
June and bowel cancer
The knock on the back door wasn't exactly welcome, for I was in the middle of getting ready for work, and running late at that. Nonetheless, I answered the door to find my landlord standing there, with tears in his eyes.
"June is in hospital. She is dying." "What's wrong with her?"
"She hasn't been able to go to the toilet for twenty days. The doctors say she has bowel cancer."
I told the man that I would visit his wife that evening and closed the door. As I walked towards the loungeroom, God said, "Rebuke the spirit of death over her."
"Wow". I thought. So June is dying. I prayed as God had instructed and hurriedly left for work.
That night I waved a bunch of flowers at June. Always as subtle as a sledgehammer, June told me she didn't want the flowers, but my prayers. I promised to pray for her on the night before the operation. In the meantime I sought God's help on how to pray. The following was the result:
Rebuke the spirits of the whip Satan is sending out to break the bond that Jesus has on her. Ask that God pour a burning mixture on that whip and burn it, so that Jesus has total free reign in her. Ask that God put his pace maker into her to control her heart, all her organs and that all her bodily functions be co-ordinated fully. Pray that God would give her the strength and will to fight through this. Ask God to make her body - that part of the infection and decay - strong and untouchable by further hurt from Satan. Ask that God cover her with His shield, his feathers, like a mother hen and that Jesus allow His blood to flow from Him to her, so that Satan cannot have her.
Before the operation I once again visited June. I impressed upon her that I could do nothing for her, nor were my prayers of any use if she didn't call upon the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Great Physician. I took her through a simple prayer and she asked Jesus into her heart. She also asked for forgiveness for her sins and the healing of her body.
The following morning when the doctors operated, they found only one large tumour, instead of the cancer, as shown by the X-rays. The doctors could offer no explanation for what had happened.
The next step was to clean out the intestines. Once again I promised to pray for June before the operation.
If Jesus' followers, 2000 years ago were commanded to ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, how much more should that command apply to us now. For that reason I took June through a prayer asking to be filled with God's Holy Spirit. The next day the operation ran smoothly and a bag was placed on the outside of her abdomen to drain the intestines. Miraculously within two weeks the bag was removed and June, strong as an ox, was back digging in the garden.
After several weeks I was surprised to find the whole family lined up on the driveway, waiting for me to come home. "Mrs. Mrs.", the landlord cried, "June is in hospital again." Apparently she had collapsed, because her bowels hadn't been functioning properly. I was unable to go to the hospital that afternoon, but promised to pray anyway. Two days later I finally had a chance to visit her.
"How are you June?" "Great, great!" came the reply. "Can you go to the toilet yet?"
"Oh yes!" "When did you start?"
"Two days ago, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon."
This had been the exact time I had prayed for her. My simple prayer being, "Oh Lord my God please let June's bowels function as perfectly as on the day when you created her." Praise God, June was totally healed and never suffered from bowel problems again.
Healed from a terrible skin condition
Have you ever seen someone whipped? The skin rash I was suffering from looked like I had been whipped. The swellings were extremely itchy and burnt as if a blow-torch was being held at my skin. Needless to say I sought the Lord on the matter.
Prayer 1/ Bind the spirits causing the swelling and inflammation in Jesus' name. Cover the rash with the blood of Jesus and say to Satan that the rash is cleansed and healed by the blood of Jesus. Ask God to pour out Jesus' precious blood over you. In Jesus' name and the authority of His holy and precious blood the rash shall then be healed.
The rash still persisted.
Prayer 2/ Keep on praying as I told you to and rebuke those spirits. Stand before God and ask Him to pour His blood and healing power over you. Ask God to cover every blemish, every bit of the rash and throw them into the deepest part of the ocean and you shall be healed. I will give you passages from the Bible you are to sit down and read them to the rash - Satan. After you finish reading each passage claim your healing by the power and authority He has invested in us, in order to cast out demons.
There was a tremendous improvement, but not all of the rash had gone.
Prayer 3/ Your rash is gone! Ask Me to open your eyes to this. The longer you think you've got a rash the longer it will stay. You must wipe the memory of that rash from your mind. Ask Me to forget you ever had it, because the longer you let it annoy you, the longer it will stay.
After this prayer the rash disappeared very quickly, until it was totally gone. I learnt a few lessons from this experience.
(1) Be persistent, don't ever give up!!
(2) The importance of trusting God's Word. If His Word says we have the victory in Jesus' name, then just accept it.
(3) The constant emphasis on the mighty power of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 9:14 ... how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit He offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.
Revelation7:14 ... These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 12:11 Our brothers won the victory over him (Satan, by the blood of the Lamb and the truth which they proclaimed;
By the precious blood of Jesus the rash was defeated. Also if the blood of Jesus can wash our conscience and robes white; how much more can it wash us clean from sickness and disease. Jesus most certainly washed my body clean from that terrible rash.
The above Bible verses, plus Colossians 1:20 & 2:15 and Hebrews 2:14 were Bible verses God gave me in relation to Prayer 2.
(4) Knowing the Word God and applying it to the situation.
Healed from haemophilia
As the grandfather and mother of my student sat opposite me during the parent interview, I informed them that the child's progress was not satisfactory. Their response shocked me. "Don't you know he suffers from haemophilia? That is why he is absent from school so much."
I could have slid under the table with embarrassment.
On one of the rare occasions, when he was in class, I decided to pray for him. As I stood near him I prayed this simple prayer, in my mind.
Oh Lord, my God, please drain all the imperfect blood out of him, and fill him with new blood containing blood clotting cells. Lord Jesus let your blood flow through that boy's body. Then I claimed the boy's total healing and wholeness, according Isaiah 53:5.
I finally realised that the child hadn't missed classes for some time. I asked him how he felt. The boy told me that neither he, nor his family could understand why he hadn't needed a blood transfusion for four weeks. Usually, at least one transfusion a week would have been necessary. Also due to constant injections in the left arm, the muscles had wasted away. He was totally amazed that I had prayed for his healing and that God in fact had worked a miracle. Praise God, when Jesus healed the blood condition, he also restored the muscles in the left arm.
Guy's skin rash
Guy had been suffering for some time from a skin rash. No amount of medication had helped the situation, until God told me how to pray for him.
Ask that Jesus remove the dead layer of skin and take with it the infection. Ask that Jesus would give him a new, more resistant layer of skin. Pray that Guy may reach out and touch Jesus' cloak and be healed. Pray that the blood of Jesus cover every sore of that man. Tell Satan that Lazarus had many sores and persecutions, but he still went to heaven, as will Guy.
Praise God, Guy's skin rash disappeared.
Francisco's skin rash
God is truly wonderful, for the work done on this young man's face. Francisco, a year 11 student, came to Bible study one lunchtime. His face horrified and disgusted me. Except for his eyes, his neck and face were covered with big pussy pimples. He looked truly revolting. During Bible study I couldn't help but ask if he wanted prayer. Without hesitation he answered, "Yes".
Besides praying for the boy then and there, I asked God for a word of knowledge. (I Corinthians 12:8 "For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit").
Rebuke the pins that Satan has embedded in Francisco's face, through which all the poison is entering. Command that the pins be removed and that the antiseptic of the Lord Jesus Christ fill the gaps. Ask that God siphon all the blood vessels under the skin which have been poisoned. Ask that God remove the impure blood from the cells and replace it with the perfect blood of Jesus Christ. Ask that God wrap himself around the skin and protect it from all the environment and satanic elements.
The surest way to know that you have prayed correctly is by the results. Within days there was a tremendous improvement in the boy's skin. Three weeks later there wasn't a pimple left on his face, nor were there acne scars. Praise God!
My foot
If I sat, or stood in one position for a while, it became very painful to move my foot again. (Ezekiel 6:3) Ezekiel spoke to the mountains, the hills, the gorges, and the valleys. He also spoke to the "very dry bones" in the "valley of the bones" (Ezekiel 37:1-14). He commanded the bones to be covered with sinews, muscles and skin, finally commanding the wind to breathe life into them. God gave me a similar prayer for my foot.
Take hold of your left foot and say in Jesus' name, I take all the blood vessels, tissues, ligaments, bones; everything that makes up that foot and tell them to release that pain in Jesus' name. Tell them that you pour out the blood of Christ on that foot and that pain and they can't disobey, because they are dwelling within the temple of God.
How wonderful to read in God's Word, 2 Corinthians 6:16, "We are the temple of the living God!" Likewise God showed me a powerful truth in this Bible verse, Psalms 148:5&6 (Good News version):
5) ... He commanded, and they were created;
6) by his command they were fixed in their places forever and they cannot disobey.
My blood, bones, tissues etc., are created, therefore they cannot disobey a command in Jesus' name. As expected, my foot responded to the Word of God and has never given me any trouble again. Also bear in mind that the Devil and his angels are created beings and likewise cannot disobey a command given in Jesus' name.
Erika's Headaches
Erika used to suffer terribly from headaches - not anymore, praise God.
Rebuke the clamp on her head and ask God to unscrew that tension. Also ask God that he would put a protective cap on her head to stop her from getting further tension headaches. Also that Jesus would fill her with His peace.
Marisha - Mental disorder for 12 years
For twelve years Marisha had been in and out of mental institutions. The situation put tremendous strain on her husband and children. God gave me the following prayer for her.
Rebuke the spirits of depression, suicide and unwillingness to go on in life. Ask God to fill her with the need to live. Ask God to allow her to see the little she has done in her life and therefore make her realise she's lived too little of life. She's only got one short life and she shouldn't lose it. Rebuke that which has a hold on her mind showing her the uselessness of life. Name the number of the demons.
Within three weeks Marisha was out of hospital, totally restored.
Stating the number of demons - God showed me the following:
Sometimes you have to say the number of demons, in case you are not forceful enough with a particular demon. Naming the number gives you more authority against them, when you tell each demon to go, because you're staring them in the face, telling them to go.
Anthony - Diseased Glands
Anthony, a friend of my daughter's, came to our home when he was 17. After a while he accepted Jesus into his heart and was baptised.
One day he came to me and asked if I could pray for his throat. Since he was a little child he had suffered from swollen glands. At times they would swell so much that he would have to be hospitalised and put on a drip. At times his condition became so bad that he couldn't swallow his saliva. There was the constant fear that he would one day choke to death. As I was about to pray, God said to me:
"Why don't you just ask me to cut out the old diseased glands and give him a set of new ones?"
Praise God! How easy!! Anthony, for many years now has been totally healed and delivered from that condition.
My crippled Right Leg
The abdominal operation had been simple enough. Complications set in when the doctor accidently cut the nerve to my right leg. I woke up from the operation and had no feeling in my leg, from the knee down.
For more than a year I had to wear special shoes with a brace attached to help me walk. Gradually the muscles wasted away and died. The leg shrunk to 25 cm in circumference. On a daily basis I prayed to God to heal my leg, finally after one year feeling returned and the muscles started to develop again. Today my right leg is as normal as my left leg. Only near the ankle is a small patch that has a feeling of pins and needles. God told me this would be a reminder to me, of how he had brought my leg back to life,
Jesus healed the cripple two thousand years ago; things haven't changed, only people's faith!
Warts
His hands were always hidden in his pockets. As he held the pen I realised why; they were covered in warts. Warts grew upon warts, they looked like little mountains.
"Brad, come and see me at lunchtime and I'll tell you how to get rid of those warts." When he came, I offered to pray for him. His face said it all; utter disbelief! I can't remember what little prayer I had said, but God had heard it, because three weeks later he came and showed me his hands - not one wart was left. At first I thought he was joking and maybe he had undergone a skin graft. However, he assured me that a few days after I prayed for him the warts turned black and fell off.
The same situation arose while teaching at another school. This time the student even had a large wart growing on his eye lid, there were others on his arms and legs as well. He was in a worse condition than the child at the previous school. Once again I told the child that Jesus could heal him from the warts. I prayed a simple prayer, commanding the warts to die from the roots up. When Jesus commanded the fig tree to die "all the way down to its roots". I used the same principle on the warts.
Sonja's Broken Arm
Praise God he is still in the miracle working business. We had gone to a barbecue organised by my grandson's football team. Together with other parents my daughter and I took it in turn to supervise the children. Sonja went downstream and I went upstream. Twenty minutes later there were cries for help, not from the children, but Sonja.
By the time I arrived people could be heard saying, "Oh no, she's broken her arm." Somebody made a sling for the arm, for it and the fingers had become badly swollen.
As I left the bottom of Macquarie Pass, Sonja tried not to cry and begged me to pray against the excruciating pain, as well as praying for God to heal the broken bones. Although the bones did not actually come through the flesh, they were sticking out, as she had fallen with all her weight on the point of the elbow.
I prayed as asked. After ten minutes of driving my daughter told me that her shoulder, arm and hand had gone numb and that she felt no more pain.
When we arrived at the hospital they laid her on a trolley. The doctor examined the arm and Sonja heard him whisper to the nurse that he might have to operate.
Needless to say while we had been waiting for the doctor to come and then for the X-ray to be taken, I prayed earnestly. The X-ray showed no fracture, chipped or broken bones. Also miraculously the bones had gone back into place and the swelling went down. The doctor upon examining the X-ray, having seen the arm, could not believe his eyes. He prescribed a strong pain killer, but as God had already given Sonja a sedative she didn't need to take even one tablet. Although there was no pain while the arm was held still, the amount of pain or discomfort, when the arm was moved did not warrant pain killers. Massive bruising came out on both the elbow and hand later on.
Later that evening some of the parents rang to see how things were. They could not believe that there were no broken bones, but as I pointed out there had been broken bones - only God had mended them.
Kim's Paralysed Arm
In late September 1996, while visiting my daughter I met her friend Kim. Due to an accident her arm had become paralysed. After four weeks of everybody praying for her nothing had changed. Once back in Sydney, while pottering around the flat, God spoke to me and told me to pray for Kim's arm. This was about 11 a.m on a Thursday morning.
The next week while visiting my daughter's place I happened to answer the phone; it was Kim. To my surprise when I asked how her arm was, she said it was perfectly normal again. Apparently the previous Thursday she had been to the doctor in order to start electric shock treatment. Just as a matter of course the doctor had asked if she could move her arm even slightly. Incredibly, much to the doctor's and Kim's amazement, she lifted the arm above her head. This had happened at the same time I had prayed.
My prayer had been that the dead arm would come to life again. I also prayed according to Ezekiel 37:4-8, where Ezekiel speaks to the bones, sinews and muscles.
Kristy's Eyes
My granddaughter Kristy had been born with an inturned eye. At the age of four she was operated on and the muscle was tightened. Her eyesight was so poor that the glasses she had to wear were the thickness of a Coca Cola bottle. Over the years my daughter and I had prayed to God to heal the eye that wasn't functioning properly, as well as giving Kristy better vision.
A few months before her tenth birthday she complained that the glasses she was wearing were causing her vision to become blurry. Besides that she was complaining about headaches. We all thought this was an excuse not to wear glasses any more, as other children were teasing her. To top it all off, the bad eye started to turn in, even if only for a moment. So my daughter decided to book Kristy in to the therapist.
Careful examination by the therapist showed that there was nothing wrong with the eye. Even more amazing, when the eye sight was tested, it was found that the vision had improved to such an extent that Kristy no longer needed to wear glasses. The therapist's verdict was backed up by the eye specialist.
God had allowed the eye to turn inward, to force my daughter to take Kristy to have her eyes checked, for the glasses she had been wearing were not suitable anymore and were doing more harm than good. Persistence had paid off, even if it had taken almost ten years. Praise God Kristy can see perfectly and does not need to wear glasses anymore.
Healed from AIDS
A homosexual man, classified as AIDS positive, was introduced to me. I knew that the man was homosexual, but I didn't know that he had a death sentence hanging over him. As a matter of course I shared the mighty miracles of Jesus with him. Later that night I prayed that God would give him a second chance at life.
The following week when I spoke to him, he told me an amazing story. The same night that I had prayed, he had also prayed for the first time, since childhood. He had asked God to give him a second chance at life. As he did so God spoke to him and said, "Marlies has already prayed for you." A few days later he decided to have more tests done; they proved to be negative. I mentioned the fact that God had been wonderful to give him a second chance at life. He looked amazed and asked how I had known that he had asked God for a second chance at life. I hadn't!
About two weeks later, God spoke to me about this man. I was to ask him to give God the first chance to come into his life, considering he had been given two chances. The news was listened to, but not acted upon. Apparently the fear of man, and what other people would think of him, if he became a Christian, was stronger than the gratitude for having received a second chance at life.
AND YET THEY DIE
From the few examples it is easy to see that no sickness is too big or too small for Jesus and yet people die. The following two cases give an indication why some people are not healed.
Cancer
My girlfriend's husband was dying from cancer. God gave me the following prayer for him.
Ask that the molten blob be removed from his blood stream and that God strain Evan's blood through his sieve. Ask that he'd be filled with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and that Jesus would give him the will to fight through this sickness. Ask that Jesus would give him the sense to get up and ask God - for he asks, fine, but lacks faith. He doesn't fully believe that God will heal him. Rebuke the feeling that this problem is too big for God and the thought that it's a problem that needs to be healed with time, food and medicines, but God is the only one who can heal him.
Evan died, he put more faith in the doctors than God. Also if we are sick we need to get up and fight. This man gave in and died.
Loren
The following is a diary entry made in November 1996.
Loren rang to wish me a happy birthday; I wish she hadn't. For almost 2 hours she argued why she should still listen to her meditation tape, "Self Healing", read "Positive Thinking" books and generally put her faith in New Age ideas, instead of trusting Jesus Christ for her healing.
After lunch while standing near the sink God said to me, "You see now why I gave you the song, "I Surrender All" for her. I hadn't sung, or even heard the song for a while.
All to Jesus I surrender
All to him I freely give,
I will always love and trust him
In his presence daily live.
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to thee my blessed Saviour
I surrender all.
Loren hadn't surrendered her New Age activities to Jesus Christ, yet she expected him to heal her. She died a few months later.
Jesus healed when he walked the earth; he still does today. Dare you trust him? I do!!
7/ Suicide
People have a fascination with the unknown, visiting fortune tellers, or reading the horoscope. Others are fascinated with horror books or movies, yet others become involved in seances and using the ouija boards. Very few people accept that there are actually evil spirits, much less that people are being controlled by them. Yet countless times I have prayed for people and cast demons out in Jesus' mighty name. Evil forces on the T.V. screen are much easier to cope with than evil forces in a person close to you, or the person down the road. Non-Christians and some Christians have the mistaken belief that if you don't believe in something, it doesn't exist. Wrong!
A young woman, in one of my classes, as a teenager had taken part in a seance. Seven or eight years later that act nearly took her life.
Sandra and I became friends after I helped her with some assignments, when she was sick. On one of the occasions when she came to my home she told me about some of the problems she was having, my answer was to hand them over to God. She replied, "He is your God, he won't listen to me."
A few nights later she was woken up to the sound of bongo drums and a voice saying, "You'll never find your God, you belong to me." Satan had obviously been eavesdropping on our conversation in my kitchen.
Eventually she did ask Jesus into her heart. The evil spirit living inside her did not appreciate the presence of the Holy Spirit, for soon afterwards she would visit me with her left arm bandaged from the wrist to the elbow. When I asked the reason for the bandages, she simply replied, "Oh, I cut myself." I understood this to mean that she had hurt herself through a fall or some other accident. While reading Mark 5:1-5, God revealed to me why Sandra's arm was bandaged.
1/ Jesus and his disciples arrived on the other side of Lake Gerasa.
2/ As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, he was met by a man who came out of the burial caves there. This man had an evil spirit in him
3/ and lived among the tombs. Nobody could keep him chained up any more;
4/ many times his feet and hands had been chained, but every time he broke the chains and smashed the irons on his feet. He was too strong for anyone to control him.
5/ Day and night he wandered among the tombs and through the hills, screaming and cutting himself with stones.
As I came to the words, "cutting himself with stones" God said to me, "Sandra". My immediate reaction was, "Oh no she's possessed."
"Tell her," was the next instruction.
After a few attempts, I finally had the courage to confront her. The reply shocked me.
"Yes it's true."
Immediately I decided to ring my minister, so that he could come over and pray for her.
As we waited for his arrival, I asked Sandra to explain why she thought she was possessed. Apparently at the age of fifteen she had participated in a seance. Not believing that such things as evil spirits exist, she had demanded for one to come into her life and to reveal itself. Only then would she believe. Sadly the doubters always want proof. Proof came in the form of a photo. While lying drunk on the floor, somebody had taken a photo of her. Nestled in her blonde hair, on her shoulder, was the face of a grotesque creature. Every time Sandra was drunk the evil spirit would try to kill her - namely by cutting herself.
While the minister and an elder prayed for her, the spirit actually spoke to Sandra; but refused to leave. Over the next weeks the whole church prayed for her, but still the spirit kept trying to kill her. Finally one day, her urgent voice pleaded with me over the phone, to come quickly, as she was dying.
As my car was being repaired I asked my brother Klaus to drive me to her place. Just as I was about to get into the car God told me to get the Bible.
"Lord, what is the point of reading the Bible to a corpse?" I asked. Nonetheless, I ran upstairs and did as I was told.
Neither my brother, nor I, were prepared for the sight that met our eyes. My friend stood in the kitchen, casually supporting herself on the breakfast bar - normally white, now red with her blood. Her face, neck and clothing were also covered in blood, there was even some on the phone, curtains, wall and ceiling. For all that, her greeting was unnaturally cheerful. The can of beer and broken bottle neck, said it all.
Without answering I placed my Bible on the freezer and told my brother we needed to clean her up before we took her to the hospital. Because of the tremendous blood loss, I decided to support her when we were ready to leave. As my left hand held her right arm, I remembered to take my Bible. At my request; my brother passed it to me. What followed comes straight out of a horror movie. Her body became twisted as if she was a rubber doll and a man's voice spoke out of her mouth saying: "Get away from me with that Bible; get away from me with that Bible." Sandra then proceeded to run through the house dragging me behind her. A bull-terrier couldn't have held on tighter and all I could say was, "I rebuke you Satan", over and over again. I didn't even have the clearness of mind to add, "in Jesus' name". In hindsight the scene must have looked rather comical, only my brother and I weren't laughing.
Finally she came to her senses and we were able to leave for the hospital. As we travelled along, a voice piped up from the back seat. "Look I burned my finger."
"How did you manage to do that?" I asked.
"When I dialled your number."
Obviously, Satan didn't want me to turn up, for, had she succeeded in committing suicide, she would have sent herself to hell. God sets the time for us to die, unless someone murders us and that also isn't according to his will. When it comes to dying a natural death, "He sets the time for birth and the time for death ..." (Ecclesiastes 3:2).
During the drive to the hospital, Sandra's constant worry was that I shouldn't pray for her while we were at the hospital. At that stage I was happy to agree to anything. As we sat in the Casualty Department of the district hospital, I couldn't help but think of the whole affair. In my mind I brought the matter before God, not even realising that I was praying. "What is the blockage God? Why hasn't this spirit left her? The church has prayed, I have prayed, what's wrong?" At that moment, to the shock of my brother and myself, a man's voice spoke out of her mouth, hissing at me, "Stop praying, stop praying, you're burning me." In shock, I stopped. At the same time the nurse called Sandra.
While she was being attended to, I impressed upon my brother the need to take the children out, once we got back home. I didn't want them to see what we had seen.
As soon as Sandra entered my home, she ran out onto the balcony screaming at the top of her voice, "I'm free, I'm free". I didn't want the neighbours rushing out to see what was going on, so I gently prised her fingers loose from the railing and led her into the loungeroom. Again she cried out joyfully, "I'm free, I'm free".
I couldn't help but ask, "How do you know you're free?" "As my arm was being stitched, I felt my chest tightening, restricting my breathing. The top half of my body seemed to shrink and I found myself gasping for air. Before the nurse could give me oxygen I vomited green stuff all over the place. At that moment I knew the spirit had left me. By the way, when you picked up the Bible at my place it turned into a ball of fire."
How amazing that the spirit in Sandra should see the Bible in my hand turn into a ball of fire and that is why it twisted her body and spoke out of her mouth. To many people the Bible is just a book, which is carelessly thrown onto the floor, or even used as a footstool for filthy shoes at church. I know this is hard to believe, but I have actually seen people do it.
God taught me an interesting lesson about respecting his Word. My habit was to read the Bible over breakfast. I was careful not to spill coffee onto the pages, but other than that I saw no problems reading the Bible during my meals. That is, until God convicted me otherwise, one morning.
"Would you speak to somebody with your mouth full and food dribbling down your chin?"
"Yuk, no Lord!"
"Well then, don't do it to me."
Needless to say, I never again read the Bible during a meal.
Some months later, I visited a Christian Fellowship. One of the girls was eating a yoghurt, sitting on one half of the Bible, while she was reading the other half. I shared with the group what God had shown me. Immediately, I was classified a religious fanatic. The next day however, one of the girls came and shared the following with me.
"Last night I was reading the Bible and God said to me:" "Do you believe that this is my Word?"
"Yes."
"Well what are you doing eating over my face?"
Since God revealed to me how his Word, the Bible should be treated, the words in John l:1&14 mean so much more.
1) Before the world was created, the Word already existed; he was with God, and he was the same as God. 14) The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father's only Son.
"The Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).
"The robe He wore was covered with blood. His name is 'The Word of God'" (Revelation 19:13).
The situation surrounding Sandra taught me three important things.
1) The Word of God is mighty and to be highly respected.
2) Prayer is powerful, to the point of burning the demons.
3) Through Jesus Christ we are victorious.
8/ Long Bay Gaol
Our gaols are bursting at the seams, with people who have committed a crime. Sadly there are many more people walking the streets imprisoned by circumstances beyond their control, or of their making. Jesus set Sandra free from suicide, he can also set people free from alcoholism, rejection, homosexuality, lust, hatred, insanity, fear, compulsive habits etc.
Paul had been out on probation from Boga Road Gaol, when the police arrested him for robbing a chemist. God, in his mysterious ways allowed me to meet Paul and his girlfriend Julie, through an acquaintance. The two offered to help me with the church youth group I was running. Three months, later Paul told me why they had been so obliging. He needed a character reference from a person with a good job and good standing in society. According to him I seemed to fit the bill. The longer however, that he had associated with me, the more he began to realise that there was something different - the difference being Jesus.
His words to me had been, "I want what you've got." Joyfully I told Paul and Julie that it was easy to get what I had, all you had to do was ask Jesus into your life. The world we live in today is very technical, complicated and confusing. There is nothing difficult about admitting that we in ourselves, are inadequate, have problems and basically make a mess of our life. Only Jesus, if we allow him, can make right the wrongs we have done.
After prayer God literally changed Paul's physical appearance. Before Paul had asked Jesus into his heart his facial expression had been hard and mean. He couldn't bear for anybody to comment on his balding head, or red hair. The red freckles didn't vanish, but they now added a soft touch to his face. The ugly tattoo of a Buddha, on his stomach, unfortunately didn't disappear, but the anger, violence and hatred melted as quickly as snow in a furnace. I guess in Paul's case, the cleansing furnace was God's love. Before asking Jesus into his heart Paul had often bragged how he had taken great delight in running over cats, or dogs on the road, if they hadn't been quick enough to get out of the way. What a change to see him rolling around the floor, playing with the children. He didn't even mind having the few tufts of hair pulled. The love Jesus had poured into his heart also helped him cope with life inside, once he was sentenced again.
Twelve months after Paul's confession the matter finally came before the court. I offered to go, as did the minister and half the church. Paul was still sentenced, because God is just and we need to pay for our crimes. Nonetheless, the sentence was only three years, compared to the five he should have received.
Just as Jesus had changed Paul's appearance, so he also changed his attitude. He became compassionate towards other inmates and shared with them how his life had changed. Programmes cannot change the heart and character of a person, only Jesus can wash us clean from our filthy life-styles and give us a new outlook on God and humanity.
The extracts from letters, I received from Paul, while in gaol, show just how much God had changed him.
Extract 1
Long Bay Gaol
To my dear friends and sister in the Lord. The Lord truly blessed me when we became friends. My heart goes out to you and all Christian friends. I look around me in these walls and I can see the hurt, the anger, the waste of life. I can see the emptiness of these poor souls. They hunger, but they do not know what they hunger for. Yet, if I were to try and show them I would be despised. I pray that God will give me a way. By His, and most of all Jesus' strength, I can do all things. The Holy Spirit comes, although it never leaves, sometimes I feel so high, higher than any drug I've ever been on in the past.
I feel a love for these people when I listen to their laughter. Yet, I know there is a great difference between us. Not that I am any better - just that my sins are forgiven. The Devil is all around me here and he has been testing me in many ways.
I remember that the Word of God is sharper than any two edged sword. I have not got enough of the Word in me yet. But with the Holy Spirit and Jesus I shall. I look at it this way: that a two-edged sword can be broken if not handled right. I listen to the Lord at night, after reading his Word. I pray for everyone and close my eyes. Then the Lord takes me away in his hands broken and bruised, yet so soft and warm and full of love.
He is truly a wonderful God, our God, whose depths are beyond us all. I saw the love of God in the court, in all my Christian friends. I will never forget the love and fellowship we had in Christ Jesus.
I stopped writing this letter for two hours while Joe read to me about Job. I found the word and insight beyond me. Yet it was in a way as if a child could have understood it. I pray to fear him, to trust him, no matter what the outcome. I want to be as gentle as a dove and as brave as a lion. If I keep my eyes on Jesus, all things will come to me. Praise God for the cell I'm in, with a window I cannot see out of.
Extract 2
Long Bay Gaol
I would like to give my love to your Bible study. I suppose I do not know a lot of them, but they are still my brothers and sisters in Christ. So I pray they will grow and grow through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Tell the group that Jesus has made me feel so high sometimes, that it makes LSD and all other drugs feel like Disprins. But at other times I have fallen to the deck. It can only be me who leaves this high. For Jesus will not leave me. I pray that the person who this message is for will understand and trust in Jesus' love. It is hard sometimes as I have cried and broken down, which is something I would not have done in my past because of my hard heart back then. I have found in here my heart was hard, but some of the hearts in here are like steel. Yet the ones that are like this make the time in here worth it.
Extract 3
Long Bay Gaol
I hope you will bear with me a bit. Last night or early morning, 3 o'clock, I felt that I should pray for someone, as well as others I hold dear to my heart.
Last night, in my cell, Graham accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. I have been witnessing in here and with the Spirit of Christ, I received a great blessing as Graham told me today. I was witnessing to another man called Fred and I feel in my spirit that he too will accept the gift of life. Praise be to Jesus for letting me be a tool in my Master's hands.
I long for Julie each day, but I kn