The Power of God

[Gail]

I simply must share this story that happened yesterday:

Absolutely true!!

On Sabbath I was feeling under the weather and stayed home from church.

I received a phone call from a desperate person. She was feeling anxious spiritually, the cause being her backslidden life. Things weren't going right and she felt sinful and condemned.

We talked for a while and I prayed with her and shared with her a couple of Scriptures, namely 2 Timothy 1:7, which states that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Then I asked her to call me the next day to see how she was.

Well, the next day, yesterday, I was not well, as I have a migraine. She left a message on my machine but I could not respond at the moment. So today, she caught up with me and told me what transpired...

continued next post-

[Gail]

When she couldn't get a hold of me, she tried going to work, but was overwhelmed with anxiety. She thought she should go to hospital, but instead decided to head off in the direction of her workplace.

She ws anxious and suicidal. She decided to pray and plead with God to help her. Then she said that if there were any spirits plaguing her with this anxiety and suicidal thoughts that in the name of Jesus they were to leave immediately.

And the answer came just that fast.

Immediately she calmed down. Her fear was gone. She picked up her copy of Steps to Christ which, although long unused, she kept in her car. She opened it to the last place she read about how Jesus doesn't want anyone to die (her words). I'm not sure which chapter she read but it was the exact message she needed to hear.

For quite some time she has not been able to focus on reading her Bible. Now she can.

Also, during her time of her distress she was feeling condemned and abandonned by God. Since we had prayer together she told me that on 3 separate occasions people have told her that they love her. She said that she would never have expected it from any of the 3 sources, but it encouraged her that God was showing her a sign. Incidentally, during our prayer I prayed for a sign, something that I as a general rule don't do. It just came out.

She also told me that when she looked at herself in the mirror that her face was lit up. I know this person closely- and believe me, it's not often that happiness shows through her face. It's often quite the opposite.

I've asked her not to focus on the past right now, but to look up to Jesus who will take her every day, every moment if necessary, from right where she is. She is focusing on doing that for the time being.

[Gail]

Another answer to that prayer we had is, that I prayed that helpful people, Christian people, would cross her path. And that also happened that day at a store she was at.

I cannot believe how powerful an answer was given to this poor spirited soul. When I prayed, I didn't know what even to pray for. It just all came out. But I must share that near me was my little card file that I use for memorizing Scripture. I sure came in handy!! I was able to pray powerful verses on her behalf.

And the answer came just as she was just able to hold on by a thread, and in a powerful way it spoke to her.

Now- I've asked her to keep looking ahead in faith. I think and hope she will. She has this experience to hold on to and remember.

God doesn't always answer the cry of a soul so vividly, but he can and WILL glorify Himself if we ask Him to.

I thank Him for this wonderful help to this suffering soul!

[Guest]

You're a good friend to have.

[Gail]

Shame on me, but I don't always want to help... Sometimes I wish I was more effective and would say the right thing, like many folk.

But we are in a spiritual battle and I must remember not to "be weary of well-doing" as the Bible says.

But in spite of my bad attitude, God is not fazed by that. I even pray that sometimes, that my lack of good will not make a stumbling block of some kind.

And here he did. This amazed me, too!

[phkrause]

I know what you mean Gail. I'm also very hesitant to help, but after I do, it really feels good. Praise the Lord.

pk

[Overaged]

Just being there for this person was "saying the right thing."