An "Incurable" Disease Becomes an Incredible Praise
NOTE: This is the full version of the story that is in the December, 2019 issue of the Adventist Review.
You may not believe the following story, but it was told without any embellishments or dramatic additions by the one who experienced it firsthand. In fact, this kind of thing seemed somewhat normal to the teller, and the miracle to be a rather common occurrence, and to be expected. It was told by James, a Jesus for Asia Bible Worker, to Israel Prasad, our JFA India Director and translated by him as it was relayed.
A Hindu lady was quite wealthy. This made her relatives very jealous, so they hired a sorcerer to place black magic spells against her.
One day, this Hindu lady came to church while James was giving the sermon. He watched her slink into the back and hide behind some other ladies. Throughout the sermon, James noticed that she cried continuously. When the sermon was over, he called to her to come forward. She didn't want to, but James encouraged her saying "don't worry; I'm a pastor, I'm here to help you." Finally she came and fell down in front of him and cried so hard that she couldn't speak for another ten minutes. James asked his wife to talk to her and find out what was causing her grief. Finally she was able to tell her problem.
She had contracted Elephantiasis, a dreaded and incurable disease. Her leg was swollen and painful, with a rotten-smelling gash on the side. This is why she was so depressed.
"Within a week your wounds will be completely healed, and you will give your testimony in church next Sabbath!"
James prayed for her there in the church, and told her “you have to pray to the living God also.” He then made an amazing statement of faith: “within a week your wounds will be completely healed, and you will give your testimony in this church next Sabbath!”
A couple of days later, James went to her house. Upon entering, he could tell that something was wrong. Even while he was in the doorway, he could sense an evil spirit was there. James asked for some water, prayed for the water, and sprinkled it all around the house. When he came to the middle of the floor, he felt a lot of heat, like he was standing on fire. He told the lady to dig right there, and she dug up a coconut covered with evil strings and some of her hair all tied around it. He told them to take it outside and burn it. When they did that, it smelled like burning flesh. Then he prayed earnestly for her complete healing and went back home.
That night the lady had a dream. In her dream she saw a bright, shining man coming with many bright shining people. It was a vision of Jesus Christ coming to her in her dream. She woke up and went right over to James’ house, even though it was the middle of the night. She woke him and his wife up to tell them the dream. She said, “I saw this in my dream. I’m so excited! I’m so happy!”
The next Sabbath, she came to the church and gave her testimony that Jesus had healed her leg completely! It was a normal size, healthy, and the big wound had healed completely. The only thing that remained was a small scar where the wound had been.
After this happened, she and her whole family accepted Jesus Christ.
Now, whenever a program is in the church, she is the first lady there to participate and help. She is willing to do anything to help and has a high regard for the Adventist church and the pastors.
She is now a living witness in her village. When people hear her story, and see her healed leg, they become eager to learn about Jesus.
Praise the Lord for James and all our amazing Bible Workers that, by faith and the power of Jesus Christ, are rescuing the lost, releasing the prisoners, and setting the captives free. Stories like this, though often not so dramatic, are happening all over India, wherever a JFA Bible Worker is enabled to go.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkWrMwxjX14?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque]
Still, there are many places that have no Bible Worker, no pastor, not even a Christian. We receive calls every day from church leaders across India and other countries, like Myanmar or Sri Lanka, for Bible Workers that can carry the Gospel into new places and find people like this poor lady who, having never learned about Jesus, was powerless to overcome Satan.
What if James had not been there? What if no one had sponsored him so that he could devote his full time to this work? What would have become of this dear lady? Where would she be now? Still crying? Still sitting in her house watching her leg swell and rot away, thinking there is no hope? How many others have that condition of the heart? They may look good on the outside, but without Christ, what burdens are they bearing? What pain are they concealing inside that can only be cured by the Master’s touch through a believing human being.
Please pray and ask if God is calling you to sponsor a Bible Worker, or click here to make a donation to the fund that supports them.
James is thankful to God for this experience, and he asks us to, “kindly pray for me and the village.”