Almost fifteen years ago, I was in an intense battle for my life. Our younger daughter, Emily, was just born and I began having extreme pain in my lower legs and knees. The pain was so intense that by the time Emily was three months old, I was seriously crying out to the Lord to heal me. One day everything changed. After lying our daughters down for a nap, I threw myself across the bed in desperation and cried out to my Father for healing. Immediately, the thought came to mind to go turn on the television. As I did, The 700 Club was on (a Christian news channel). The host had a word of knowledge that said, “someone is having problems with the arches of your feet, and it is affecting your lower legs. God is going to heal that!”. I stood in the silence of our living room knowing God had spoken to me. He not only promised to heal me, but diagnosed the issue (I did not have a medical diagnosis yet). Heaven had collided with earth as He spoke, which revealed things in my life that had kept me from experiencing all He died to give me.
Immediately, I believed the word of the Lord. I knew that He healed because of what He promises in His Word. I had also been miraculously healed myself and seen others healed, also. But, I also had tons of fear, doubt, shame, and unbelief (leftovers of lots of pain and trauma from my early life) that my God would orchestrate something so amazing for me. It felt nearly impossible to trust God loved me and was for me on a consistent basis. As time went on and my healing had not yet manifested, I grew discouraged and downcast. I was desperate for healing, so kept taking this to the Lord. Through friends, leaders, the Holy Spirit, and my circumstances, God revealed that He not only wanted to heal my body, but the cause of disease in my body-loads of fear and shame.
I believe many of you are believing God for promises. Many are believing for God to work a miracle in our nation and are still holding onto hope that President Trump will serve a second term. I am believing for this, too! God founded this nation on Him and His ways. On that basis alone, I am believing for God to move. But, there have also been many prophetic words (from very reliable sources) that say God will work a miracle for us. Have there been a few times in this battle that I have been weary? Sure, we all have. But I have not wavered from believing what God has said. Let me share with you where this holy determination inside of me comes from and how you can walk in this through any battle into the victories Jesus has waiting for you.
Because my healing did not occur immediately, I learned how to become ruthless in believing God’s Word. When God speaks, He expects us to believe Him! I had to surrender and repent where I had not trusted God. I had to rely fully upon what He had spoken, period. We must reject anything that does not line up with what He has said, either in His Word or through tried and trusted prophetic words (they will never contradict what He has revealed in His Word). The voice of the Lord is filled with truth, life, peace, and strength.
After believing God and remaining steadfast for a few years (years, not days), God completely healed my body! I have no foot pain and get to run all over the world (barefoot sometimes) preach the gospel. I had to partner with God and believe and declare what He had spoken over my life. I had to shake off all the lies I had believed. I had to starve my fears and feed my faith on His Word and by continually being in His presence. I did not navigate that season perfectly, but perfection is not the goal:being overtaken by Him and His love is!
In order to enter into God’s realm (the supernatural), we must let go of the tendencies to rely on what we can see, feel, or understand (the natural) that is apart from what He says. We will not walk in the Spirit and fully please Him when we lean on our own ways (Proverbs 3:5-6, Hebrews 11:1). Living in total dependence upon the Spirit of God is how we are made to live. Often, God will use difficult times to get our attention when we have drifted too far from our Father’s heart and ways. I believe we are in one of those moments as a nation, now.
God has created us to rule and reign with Him and He uses the hard times to prepare us to do this for all eternity (He uses the good times, too!). He simply wants us to align ourselves with Him and let go of anything that is not like Him. We must do this! The ultimate goal is for us to be like Jesus. Jesus did not waver in unbelief. He was fully surrendered to His Father and His plans. We get the honor of living like this. So, if you are feeling weary from the battle or in believing for your promises, take some time in His Word, presence, and with faith-filled people. Let go of anything holding you back. There is such a grace in the presence of the Lord to do this!
If you are interested in more of my story of healing and how to walk in deeper faith, here is the link where I share the full story:https://www.amazon.com/His-Footsteps-Gabby-Heusser
