Get Over Yourself.

Someone made the comment to me that they “feared praying for others, because what if the person got their hopes up and nothing happened?” Wow.  What happens if they do and something does? I believe every time we pray for someone, something happens. Even if it is half way across the world! I trust that God’s word is truth. “Believers will lay hands on the sick and they will recover” doesn’t mean maybe. Even if it is via the internet.

Last week I picked up a friend, T, who lives out of state, from a place in Buffalo. Long trek from the cities, but I have driven it numerous times. On this particular drive, the Holy Spirit drew my attention to a Thrift store on the left side of the Highway. As I whizzed by, the store sign became momentarily supernaturally illuminated. Like a pulsating glow. Can’t really explain it, other than it is usually a sign that I need to drop in. Why? God didn’t tell me. I just knew I was supposed to stop in after I picked up T.

On the way back, T and I walk in and see a little girl standing at a counter and I immediately hear God say “she is very creative.” I thought, Ok. What do you want me to do with that? I don’t want to pray over young kids Lord. Nope. Not unless their parent is there. I think it might seem creepy. Hey little girl….want some prophecy? Aggghhh…. Nope! Isn’t there someone else to pray for here? The place is tiny and it smells of old junk. Other people’s musty old junk. The place is about the size of my living room, and I am suddenly annoyed as I come around a corner and find 3 people, inspecting wind chimes, who are blocking my path. Holy Spirit whispers “pray for the woman in the red shirt’s back and hip.” Aggghhh no. It is too quiet in here and I will look like some weird religious nut job if I start asking to pray over people. Impatient, I turn to go back the other way and see the young girl again, and now notice she is beading a bracelet. I smile at her and say, “Hello! God told me when I walked in, that you were very creative.” She smiled back and I moved on, glad that God had no other word for her. I am near the front and decide to get my friend T and leave.  I find T next to some humongous , life sized, stuffed wild boar of sorts. “Ready to go?” Then I turn to see the woman in the red shirt, sitting in a chair, by the door. My heart softens. Ok, God. You got me. Don’t make me look like some freak now in front of T. Ok?.  God laughs, because He knows I will do it anyway.

“Excuse me, are you having pain in your low back and hip?”

The woman looked surprised, “Why yes, how did you know that?. ”

“God told me. Can I pray over it?.”

“Sure.” She stands up and I lay hands on her lower back and begin to pray quietly. Her friends don’t bat an eye and continue to roam the store while I pray.

“Try it out now. Lift your leg. Does it feel better.?”

She lifts her leg and says “Why yes! I think it does!”

“Ok, let me hit it again.” The room is still eerily quiet, but everyone in the store ignores me and I pray one more time.

Trust that it will continue to get better”, I tell her, as T and I walk out the door. And that was it.

There were no tracts or come to Jesus meeting. I didn’t pull out my cell phone and record it. I didn’t hang around to see what happened. I didn’t get her number or try to friend her on Facebook.  I just did what I was led to do and left. We need to start trusting that God will follow through. His word says that you will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. It never said instantly, even though I have seen that happen plenty of times. Next time you feel prompted to pray over someone, just do it! Regardless of where it is. Or who you are with. Just get over yourself.

Let the recipient get their hopes up and leave the manifestation of results to God.

Mark 16:17-1817“  These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”