Isaiah 43; Psalm 23 - "All Things New"

Walking into the sanctuary with a cane, very nauseated, very emotional, in pain...

Dancing out of the sanctuary on my own strength, feeling very joyful and thankful...

I went expecting...I received...praise His Holy Name!!!

How well I remember six years ago on this day. That night was amazing in not only my life but in the lives of many others. God showed Himself in some big ways! He showered many with physical healings but there were also relationships healed that night, emotional hurts healed, financial hurts healed...the list goes on and on. The smiles on faces were priceless as pain was eradicated from bodies. I remember as I listened to the truth from Brother Dan being given I kept praying for miracles to occur. Of course I wanted a miracle in my own body but I kept telling the Lord what I really wanted was His will. When Brother Dan asked for any who wanted to receive empowerment to come forward, many went and stood across the front of the sanctuary. Suddenly I found myself kneeling on the steps...crying out...begging the Lord to take away my affliction. I don't know how long I was there but I felt hands touching me and heard prayers all around me. I begged and pleaded the Lord for Him to take it away. It seemed like it was so long that I continued. I cried...I moaned...I talked to Him. All of a sudden I felt different. There was peace in my stomach. I felt as if I was going to burst. Then I heard, "Sheila...Sheila...come here..." I walked over to Brother Dan and he prayed over me. He commanded the MS out of my body. He commanded restoration in the myelin of my brain. He commanded the pain to be gone from my legs. He commanded my site to be pure. He commanded fear to be gone from my life. With the authority given to him by the Holy Spirit he commanded. Woo hoo! The warmth flowed from the tip of my head to the tip of my toes and I was overwhelmed by His Spirit. I'm not sure what happened for a few minutes...the Spirit overtook me. My next recollection was sitting in front of Brother Dan and him praying over me more. He said the Lord was doing more than healing. "New things" were happening. This fulfilled what the Lord told me a couple days ago about "new life"...

It hit me this morning that it has been almost nine months since the MS exasperation hit my body. Nine months. What else takes nine months in a woman's body? New life. The Lord has seen me through some pretty rough days over these last months. He has seen me through treatments, physical therapy, sickness but He has been my strength through it all. Yes, there have been days I have felt like giving up but I refuse because He will not allow me to let the enemy win. 

I persevered...I refused to give up even that night as I begged the Lord to take away my affliction I did not give up. The enemy tried to get me to by telling me the Lord was not going to heal me again. I told the enemy that I was the King's Daughter and He would heal me. I trusted Him. I had faith in Him. I know He loves me. Those are the reasons I continued pleading. As I prayed I thought about the promises in Isaiah 43 and knew I had to stand on them.

 

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Do not be afraid, for I am with you...

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Praise His Holy Name! "...a new thing..." Yes! That is exactly what happened that night for not just myself but for many. The Lord woke me up that night at at 3:23 and 5:32. I was saddened with why He woke me. He said, "Daughter, pray against those who received but are doubting." So I prayed their strength in the Lord would be greater than the doubts and lies of the enemy. I prayed they would bask in the Lord's presence instead of wallowing in the enemy's junk. I also prayed for those who received but didn't realize what the Lord had done for them. I prayed against spiritual attacks on people. Those are prayers I pray often. So many times the enemy tries to get a foothold. He tries to tear apart what God has done in our lives. I am reminded of a sermon from a couple weeks ago. God created good things that the enemy manipulates and makes bad. We must be strong in the Lord and not allow that to happen. Yesterday was a perfect example of how the enemy tried to take God's creation in the daffodil field and use it to make me doubt God's love for me. He did not win. Yes, the tears fell but I did not wallow in the grief but embraced it. Praise His Holy Name. This morning I am thankful for the reminder of the promises of Isaiah 43 and Psalm 23. 

1) “The Lord is my Shepherd = That's Relationship!

2) I shall not want = That's Supply!

3) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = That's Rest!

4) He leadeth me beside the still waters = That's Refreshment!

5) He restoreth my soul = That's Healing!

6) He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness = That's Guidance!

7) For His name sake = That's Purpose!

8) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death = That's Testing!

9) I will fear no evil = That's Protection!

10) For Thou art with me = That's Faithfulness!

11) Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me = That's Discipline!

12) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies = That's Hope!

13) Thou anointest my head with oil = That's Consecration!

14) My cup runneth over = That's Abundance!

15) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life = That's Blessing!

16) And I will dwell in the house of the Lord = That's Security!

17) Forever” = That's Eternity!

I am holding these promises close to my heart along with the words to a song Big Daddy Weave sings called "All Things New"...

Only You can bring such beauty from the depths of all my pain
Only You can take this shattered heart and make it beat again
Oh, You hold us all together in Your hands
I surrender all I have and all I am

You make all things new
You make all things new
God of mercy and love
Do what only You can do and make all things new

From the ashes, from the dust
I will rise up, rise up
Out of darkness into the light
I will rise up, rise up

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead today! Thank You for being with me when I fell apart and the ugly tears fell! Thank You for the healing words Rebecca Belt 'spoke' over me and for the promises of Isaiah 23, Psalm 23, and the song "You Make All Things New"! What an awesome God You are to bring these things before me. Lord, I pray You will continue to be with Anna, Michael, Matt, and myself on this journey of grief with Rickey's death. I pray You will continue to be with me in times such as yesterday when I missed Doc so greatly. Goodness, grief is hard but I know You are with me. I pray Your peace over many going through 'tough' days. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; my brother Richard; Ben and Colleen; Tony and Madeline; Pete and Delores; Steve;  Cait; Mike; Norma Hall; Little Jensen who needs a heart; Sharon Sebolt and her Momma Shirley; the Pottenger Family; Serena and her husband; some young ladies with anxiety; a man in rehab for anger issues; a young man out of rehab who needs strength in his daily walk; a husband/father separated from his wife; Kristen Batten; Joe Miles; those with COVID either themselves or in their family; and many others. I also pray healing prayers over many who are dealing with 'c' and/or going through treatments...Doug and Gay; Sharon's daughter Ashley and niece Amy; Chrissy's cousins; George and Sharon; Cait's friend with leukemia; my pastor friend with daily chemo; Elaine Stoltzfus; Tammie; Little Ivy; Betty's friend in New York' and my friend recently diagnosed with mesothelioma. I pray for: Jonathan whose mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor; a set of twins who were born premature; a young Momma in premature labor; Dorothy's grandson diagnosed with leukemia; and Kenny and Terri as Kenneth is deployed. Oh Lord, be so close to these families. Be greater than the hurts of the heart. Thank You for being My Healer! Amen.