At the same time as thinking about faith in God whatever happens, I am grappling with how that meshes with living with the expectation that God will and can heal right now, and with wanting to see the power of heaven on earth. Especially in times which seem to be very ‘end times-ish’, I long to see the power of God poured out.
John G Lake says, “The Church has been negligent in one thing...she has not prayed the power of God out of heaven”. Smith Wigglesworth says, “What this world needs is a return to a ‘show and tell message’ of the Kingdom of God”. Some people and some places do seem to do this. I’ve read two books recently including ‘Sustainable Power’, by Simon Holley that share stories of remarkable healing. Why them? Why there? What is it about these situations that results in such healings? We know it’s God who heals, not a particular place or person, so why do these types of things not happen more often in more places?
What does faith have to do with it?
I read recently:
John G Lake says, “The Church has been negligent in one thing...she has not prayed the power of God out of heaven”. Smith Wigglesworth says, “What this world needs is a return to a ‘show and tell message’ of the Kingdom of God”. Some people and some places do seem to do this. I’ve read two books recently including ‘Sustainable Power’, by Simon Holley that share stories of remarkable healing. Why them? Why there? What is it about these situations that results in such healings? We know it’s God who heals, not a particular place or person, so why do these types of things not happen more often in more places?
What does faith have to do with it?
I read recently:
“One of the more common things people tell me when I’m about to pray for their healing is, I know God can do it. So does the devil. At best, that is hope...not faith. Faith knows He will. For one who has faith, there is nothing impossible. There are no impossibilities when there is faith... and there are no exceptions”.
How does that fit with what Laura Story says that, “God’s primary desire is not to fix broken things, it’s to fix my broken relationship with him”? Joni Eareckson Tada seems to have a similar view. She is someone who you would think would have had something worth saying about the mystery of suffering, pain and healing. She was severely paralysed at age 17, then at age 60 she faced breast cancer. Even through these hardships she says, “Even though it seems like a lot is being piled on, I keep thinking about 1 Peter 2:21: "To these hardships you were called because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps." Those steps most often lead Christians not to miraculous, divine interventions but directly into the fellowship of suffering."
How does that fit with what Laura Story says that, “God’s primary desire is not to fix broken things, it’s to fix my broken relationship with him”? Joni Eareckson Tada seems to have a similar view. She is someone who you would think would have had something worth saying about the mystery of suffering, pain and healing. She was severely paralysed at age 17, then at age 60 she faced breast cancer. Even through these hardships she says, “Even though it seems like a lot is being piled on, I keep thinking about 1 Peter 2:21: "To these hardships you were called because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps." Those steps most often lead Christians not to miraculous, divine interventions but directly into the fellowship of suffering."
I want to be able to pray and see immediate results, but experience tells me it doesn’t always work like that. Does that mean I only have hope, not faith?
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