To begin with, it has been nearly two weeks since my precious father-in-law began a journey into, and through, a serious health episode. He has been experiencing the increasing ramifications of rheumatoid arthritis, COPD, and various other health conditions. He has valiantly and bravely endured a loss in the quality of his life, and as hard as that has been to watch, I have witnessed a growth in his spirit and relationship with the Lord that might not have occurred without him experiencing a decline in his health.
No one wants to face a serious health situation, and our family is facing a very high risk surgery today. The last two weeks have seen an acceleration towards this life event and, as scary as it has been to experience, there have been so many blessings as I watch this man who loves his family and his Lord have supernatural encounters with Jesus all along the way. Jesus has helped him get through an exhausting and painful MRI, counseled him on critical surgical decisions, and calmed him during frightening realizations of the fragility of this human life.
I have also been a party to the opportunities the Holy Spirit has given my husband, Mark, and I to lead our family from inexperience and indifference about the importance of spiritual warfare into dynamic participation on behalf of our patriarch. So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are His lovers who have been called to fulfill His designed purpose (Romans 8:28).
I had once prophesied over my father-in-law, [who questioned why Jesus had not healed him from all his infirmities], that God had a purpose for him. He wanted him to help his daughter grow her relationship with Jesus in the spirit. And here we were, witnessing her praying in the spirit for Jesus and warring angels to protect her dad!
So now we wait to see what God's designed purpose is tomorrow for this life-saving surgery. No matter the outcome, we know that my father-in-law will be in Jesus's hands -- whether he still has time to serve God here on this earth, or he enters into eternity with his Savior. In addition, we now, as a family, are using our power and authority to see our own spirits work in union with the Holy Spirit.
On top of dealing with the emotional and spiritual aspects of this family event, my husband and I had to attend an art event in the middle of this situation. We always approach this business side of our life with the knowledge that God will provide our needs as He also works His sovereign will. The outcome may not always be as profitable for our fleshly needs, but He has never disappointed when it comes to meeting the needs of His Kingdom.
These events are always stressful, because the world tells us to focus on the outcome -- paintings sold means bills are paid. And you are in the midst of 60 or more artists whose own anxiety over sales adds to a rather secular and ungodly atmosphere. It can be difficult to take every thought captive and shut out the lies of the Enemy. Plus we were operating under emotional and physical exhaustion from making long trips to the hospital to see Mark's dad. But the Holy Spirit woke me up in the early morning hours of the day of the Show and told me that I needed to make sure that I ministered to an artist's wife who was having to fill in for her husband because he was back home fighting a very serious bone infection after back surgery.
So when we arrived at the event, I sought her out, but she had not yet arrived. I had hoped to find her before the buying public showed up and the chaos of the night ensued. It wasn't until a couple of hours later that I even spoke of this Holy Spirit prompting to Mark and he immediately said, "Go now! Find her and pray with her". So I left in search of her and this time, I found her. I explained about my early morning prompting and told her I knew this wasn't a very convenient time, but she stopped me and said, "No, now is the perfect time!" So we stood there in the midst of the crowds swirling around us, holding hands; two women believing that I could lay hands [in the spirit] on her husband's back while he was receiving treatment back home in Arizona, and that the healing power of Heaven could do a supernatural work in the flesh of her husband. I will tell you that I felt the power of her faith in that moment, and as I finished praying, she ended our time together by declaring that Jesus was Lord and Savior, and "By His stripes, her husband would be healed!" We didn't notice what the crowd thought about our spiritual warfare, and frankly, we didn't care. We were just obedient to do what Jesus commanded us. And I am standing on God's promise that when two people are in agreement over what they ask for in prayer [in His Name[, that it will be received.
And previously, Mark had prayed over a Board Member of the Museum, who was incapacitated by herniated discs in his back, and would be having surgery in a few days. As I returned to stand [in the physical sphere before the paintings we were exhibiting], all the anxiety I had been feeling disappeared. I told Mark, "You know what? I don't think this Art Show is about whether we sell paintings or not. What if the reason we are here tonight is to be the conduit between Heaven and Earth? What if the primary reason we came to the Show was not to seek provision for us, but to pray over those two men and release the power of the Holy Spirit into their situations and see them healed?" Mark just looked at me, and I saw the exhaustion of the last couple of weeks slip away, and the strain of the evening disappear. He said, "I think you're right. It's about doing Kingdom work; not about us".
And you know something interesting? As soon as we put the Kingdom first, the atmosphere changed, and people began bidding on his work, and the Lord surpassed any expectancy we had about receiving His provision! And the joy at the end of the evening was not about number of dollars, but that we had been willing to hear the Holy Spirit and help Him invade that event with His Presence!
But it doesn't stop there! I have heard testimonies from my Brothers and Sisters in Christ of the opportunities they are receiving -- and acting on -- to minister to people; to heal them and to share the gospel. We are all discerning that the Holy Spirit is active and zealous for partners to work with. We are sensing He is on the move in the Body of Christ for those who are willing to hear Him and respond! The opportunities to do Kingdom work abound, and I pray that your heart and spirit are sensitive to hear the Lord calling, even as you answer Him, "Send me!"
Ephesians 3:20 "Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for His miraculous power constantly energizes you".