Falling in love
Being surrounded by the spiritual and physical realities of Hinduism and Buddhism is actually quite helpful as a child of God. You see, everywhere I turn I am reminded of the family I belong to and His desire to remind every child of their origin, their new reality in Christ, and the peace that comes when we know whose we are. When I see endless attempts to appease and beg from golden idols on every corner, or blood sacrifices under trees, I am consumed with even more desire to see the His love demonstrated in such a way that He breaks the captives free. There is no end to the power of love in the message of the gospel of Jesus. He is the one who freed all of mankind, and He is the one who reconciles us back to Himself.
There is a family I met who recently abandoned Buddhism and joined our family. They had been to witch doctors, Hindu pandit’s, Buddhist lama’s and healers of every kind, except those who witness the truth that Jesus alone is our help. They were seeking help with their child whom they believed to be demon possessed. He had become violent and had threatened his sister and mothers life on the regular. They were desperate and despondent because none of their efforts to find healing and peace, even for themselves as they struggled with alcohol addiction, worked.
So one day my friend asked the father to do some work for him in construction, and learned of this man’s plight. He was later led to go to the families house to share the gospel and the son was instantly delivered. I met him about two weeks after this miracle and he wears the most beautiful smile you’ve ever seen. He is truly transformed. Not only that, but the mom was Instantly healed of alcoholism. She said even the thought of it made her sick. But more importantly, she found out how great is the love that Jesus has for us, that he laid down his life for us, so that we could rely on him to transform us by never ending love. The truth could not be denied, Jesus is the only way, the only truth and the only life. Now there is an unmistakable smitten look of one who has been found by the bridegroom on her face. She is learning what it means to be loved and to belong.
The instant I met this dad and his family, they had my heart. You know how God will just tuck someone in the fold of your heart, like a swaddled baby, and then they live forever in your prayers? I know they need to have ever increasing encounters with true love, and are meant to take the truth of Jesus to places never reached. But the dad still struggled with alcoholism and depression. Sometimes it takes a minute to understand the depth of your freedom once you believe.
One morning he came around and I felt that familiar tug to pray for him. I am telling you, God in his mercy is chasing this man for total freedom. As soon as I hugged him I smelled the alcohol, and was sad that he was still in that battle. With the help of my friend, as he translated, I prayed for God to deliver him of addiction and to fill him with a revelation of the spirit of Christ that indwells, among many other things. He was visibly being touched by God, and I was so grateful. A deep longing I felt in God’s heart, for him to find peace, rose up in my heart as tears flowed.
After I prayed, I was able to share with him the truth of Holy Spirit who lives in us, that we are never separate from the help we need, from the wisdom, the guidance, the liberating truth, the comfort, the advocacy, even words we don’t know how to pray are found in the other tongues he freely supplies, an awareness of how loved we are, and so much more. What an astonishing reality it is to belong to the creator of the universe.
I left him but continued to pray. Yesterday I saw him again and I noticed how bright and sharp he looked, like someone changed. He got my friend to tell me that since I had prayed for him, he cannot touch alcohol, he said it makes him nauseous and sick, and wanted to praise God for helping him. It has been 9 days and counting. Can we all agree that he is free forever?
Now this is an beautiful testimony, and of course I will continue to pray that God holds this family safe and anchored, but the real testimony is that he now knows he belongs to someone greater than himself, that God is real, and that peace is the promise for their lives now. He can turn to Jesus himself for help, who makes a way out of every temptation. As he learns to turn to Jesus on the inside of him, instead of idols, I know he will be met by love. Love heals. God is love.
We jumped, waved our arms, laughed, hugged, and hugged some more as he shared his gratitude to God. I can tell he is falling in love with the REAL JESUS. There is no one like him, no one more faithful and no one more true. There is a bride being made ready for her bridegroom, and now is the time to share the truth that all are meant to enjoy.. “I am my beloved’s and He is mine.” Song of Songs 6:3.
The reason this story is special to me is because I truly believe in the power of prayer governed by the heart of Jesus. There are many here who I see and want to help, but Jesus said, “I only do what I see my father in heaven doing.” I wanna be so in tune with what my Father in heaven is doing that I can do that too. Don’t you?
The real gospel is “Jesus in me, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27. It is about knowing who He is and who He says we are. I will never tire of seeing people find out the truth that they are never ever separated from the love of God, and that we have a lifetime and eternity to discover the richness of our inheritance with all the saints. (Ephesians 1-3). It is His love, His faith joined with ours, and His life in us which enables us to live freely and in peace, not strangled by strongholds of sin and powerlessness. Please show us those whose hearts you are after Lord.
I am praying for this nation that God will open up the floodgates and encounter every one, even under those trees or hidden in the deep recesses of darkness idol worshipping holes. There is nowhere He won’t go, and no one who he doesn’t love. After all, He sent His one and only son into this world to demonstrate His love for all of mankind.
“I am not ashamed of sharing the wonderful message of God’s liberating power unleashed in us through Christ. For I am thrilled to preach that everyone who believes (that Christ is savior) is saved, the Jew first, and then people everywhere. This gospel unveils a continual revelation of God’s righteousness- a perfect righteousness given to us when we believe. And it moves us from receiving life through faith, to the power of living by faith. This is what the scripture means when it says, “we are right with God through life giving faith.” Romans 1:16-17
Because of your support I was able to buy this family a Bible, (anonymously), and plan to help the dad learn to read at some point. Thankfully the daughter has gone to enough school that she can read it for the rest of the family. I hope to be able to support her growth as a child of God as well. She is the most challenging of the family so far, but God is madly in love with her. Thank you for praying!
haley