Jehova Rapha

The God who heals. Sounds illusive to some of you, doesn't it? You hear the testimonies of those who have prayed for others, but you have never personally seen someone be healed. When everybody gathers around to pray for someone who is sick, you think "I'm sure glad that so-&-so is praying, too. There certainly is nothing coming from me." You've tried before. You've put yourself out there and have seen nothing. And now it's just not worth it.

WAIT! IT IS!

For 4 years I went to college in a little town in the middle of nowhere, Georgia. Such a small campus, but amazing things were happening. Holy Spirit was moving in our campus ministry and we were seeing healings right and left. By we, I mean they. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how many times I prayed, I just couldn't ever seem to see someone healed. And I tell you, I tried. I went to Wal-Mart and prayed for random people. NOTHING. Other people saw healings, but it was just elusive for me.

I used to listen to people talk about healing and how their hands tingled when they had the power to heal. I heard so many preachers talk about how your hands had to tingle. Mine didn't tingle. I mean they sometimes did, but usually because I was cold. Or because I was gripping the armrests so tightly my blood wasn't circulating correctly.

So I was convinced I could never see a healing. Not unless I felt the tingling fire and had a clear word from God. And I felt shunned. The people who were seeing things happen kind of stopped talking to me because I wasn't seeing anything happen. Or maybe I stopped talking to them because I was embarrassed. I stopped trying. I didn't pray for people anymore. I did, however, try to reason and pray through everything. And for years I resisted the move of the Holy Spirit because I didn't understand Him.

But finally one night we were singing "Our God" and I cried out to Him. The lyrics "our God is healer, awesome in power!" were being sung and I cried out to God to see Him heal someone. And all of a sudden my knee started hurting. Now I could have said "awesome, God. Because I'm such a horrible person You hurt my leg" but I asked God and He said that someone's knee needed to be healed. So after the service, I obeyed. I asked around and found the person whose knee needed healing. I didn't tell them that I had never seen anyone healed before. I simply told them that God showed me their pain and I believed in His healing. So I stepped out in faith. I had no confidence in myself, but I had EVERY confidence in my God. He is Jehovah Rapha! His son Jesus bore our healing by taking the stripes on His back!

I didn't feel any fire rush through me, or my hands start to tingle. In fact, I had to pray for the guy twice. But I did feel the presence of Holy Spirit as He helped me. Because, see, He doesn't leave you hanging. It's He who heals, anyway.

Since then I have only prayed for a handful of people. Some have been instantly healed, some haven't. But God has ALWAYS shown up and met me with His grace. So whether you see that person healed or not, it's worth it. Because where two are gathered in His name, there His presence is also. What won't you do for His presence? It's amazing. I'll make a fool of myself anytime if He'll only meet me there.