What the Enemy Meant for Harm Jesus Used for Good
Judy and I have been visiting Houston for the last three weeks. We drove from NC to TX to attend two weddings two weeks apart. Instead of returning to NC only to drive back to Houston, we stayed in town for the entire time at the home of some of our dear friends. I am telling you this to provide the context for one of the most bizarre weeks of my Christian life, which is the subject of this post. A little bit of this week was covered previously in a post titled “There Are No Coincidences”. Here I want to share with you the events of that week more fully as they unfolded and I have now, in hindsight, been able to put together. Some of what I will write is speculation, the basic events of the week are factual. I have intentionally not identified the major players. See what you think — were the events of the week just coincidences or did the enemy launch a full-scale attack on a group of Christians only to have his best efforts to “kill, steal, and destroy” thwarted by a powerful God?
The week began last Sunday (1/17) at a Mexican restaurant in Houston. About 18 people — members of our church and some of their friends, including me and Judy — gathered for dinner. After we ordered our dinner in the crowded restaurant someone in our group suggested that instead of praying over the food, we all sing the Doxology. Truth to tell, I was a bit concerned about this. It must have stopped all the conversations in the restaurant. It was pretty loud. We ate dinner without incident.
That evening one of our group was taken to the hospital with chest pains. It turned out he had blockage in one of his arteries and needed a stent. He was successfully treated and went home the next day. I was a good thing he went to the ER. If he hadn’t he would probably have had a major heart attack.
On early Tuesday morning I had a nightmare. In my dream a poisonous snake wrapped itself around my neck and — get this– bit my tongue!! Ouch! I cried “help me, help me”. Later that morning I had a major intestinal malfunction (I am trying to be delicate) that lasted until noon. It happened without warning or any other symptoms like fever or vomiting. And then I was fine, even able to eat dinner at the Raven Grill and pray for the couple I wrote about in the previous post. Wednesday, I ‘fainted’ — fainted doesn’t really capture what happened to me — at breakfast and was taken by EMS to Methodist hospital for observation. I was released on Thursday. The doctors found nothing wrong except dehydration. In fact, the result of all the tests they ran was to conclude that I was in good health. I did have an opportunity to pray for nurses and a number of patients. I really felt the presence of God in Methodist. They took great care of me, and except for the 3:30 AM visit to draw blood, strangely enough, I enjoyed my time there. I met many Christian nurses and technicians, including T. and two nurses from Kenya, L. and P. These three especially were huge blessings to me, including giving me the privilege of praying for them and vice versa. The prayers of many people for healing and wholeness really lifted me up. As I said, I really felt the presence and power of God in Methodist hospital. The friends who visited and the telephone calls were a huge blessing also.
That same day, the daughter of one of the couples at the dinner table in the restaurant was also admitted to Methodist hospital. She went in for a neurological problem. As the result of the tests administered to her, the doctors found a potentially serious undiagnosed vascular problem. With medication she will be fine. But, if the problem had not been found, she might have had a serious health problem.
So, by Wednesday three of us at the table — two of us and the daughter of one of the couples — were admitted to hospital. Then on Friday (or early Saturday AM) the son of the couple sitting across the table from me had a tragic, traumatic accident. He was rushed to the hospital in a nearby city with life-threatening injuries. If he lived the doctors were afraid he would have brain damage and/or be paralyzed. The word went out and many people began to pray for this boy interceding for healing of his spirit, soul, and body. By Saturday night and early Sunday morning it was clear that he would live without paralysis or cognitive impairment. Such a healing miracle!! And in the last week God has provided in many incredible and miraculous ways for this boy and his parents. Yes, he will have a long, difficult recovery, but I believe that through this accident his life will take a 180 degree turn and he will have an amazing testimony to the power and presence of God in his life that will touch the hearts of many people for His Kingdom.
So, four people sitting around the table at that restaurant or their family members were admitted to a hospital within the same week. What are the odds? If I was smarter I could calculate them, but personally I don’t believe these events were coincidental. I think we witnessed a concerted spiritual attack on that group precipitated by, of all things, the singing of the Doxology at the restaurant.
I think it possible that there was someone in that Mexican restaurant who hates Christians. I know it sounds crazy, and in the scientific and material world it is crazy, but I believe that someone put a curse on the people at that table. The enemy certainly has power. But God has placed all powers and principalities beneath the feet of Jesus. What the devil meant for harm, God used for good. All four of us, although afflicted in some way, came out (or will come out) of these circumstances spiritually, emotionally, and physically healthier and stronger than we were before.
Am I imagining the connection between these real events and the supernatural realm of the demonic? Maybe. But Christians know, or should know, that there are battles going on in the supernatural realm between the forces of good and evil impacting our lives in the natural every day. The question should not be “why did God allow these medical emergencies at all?”. Rather, we should ask “why don’t we see more of these types of harmful, even life-threatening events in our lives?”. Here is why. Our God is powerful. He prevents disaster, He heals, and He uses evil for good in the lives of all of His children. God was not the cause of the problems the four of us faced. He was the Healer. He overcame evil and showed, once again, that He is a good Father — powerful, present, and faithful.
He alone can overcome evil and bring good out of a dire circumstance. He alone is worthy of worship. God brings good out of evil, but these four examples demonstrate that even though God can sovereignly intervene in any situation, most of the time He works through the prayers and presence of His people. In each one of these examples, 10s to 100s of people were lifting the hospitalized ones up in prayer — they were praying for healing, comfort, and for God’s provision. God showed me once again that He inhabits the praises and prayers of His people and that our prayers release God to perform mighty miracles. For sure, not every emergency has a happy ending and we will all die, even though Paul asks “death where is your sting?”. But last week God showed me that He is the Ruler of the world, not the enemy. And even though the enemy has some power, God is intimately involved in our lives, even the lives of unbelievers, and He continues to bring order out of chaos as we partner with God to ‘release the Kingdom of God into the kingdom of the world’. Coincidences or part of God’s plan for good? I know what I believe. What do you think?
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23: 4 NIV).
I found this quote in a book titled ‘The Power of the Blood Covenant’ by Malcolm Smith:
“Write this indelibly on your mind — Through the blood of the Covenant and by the working of the Holy Spirit, the real, true me is forgiven, washed, and cleansed; in my innermost and true self, I am hidden with Christ in God. From that position in Him I look straight into the face of God my Father who declares over me that I am His beloved child in whom He delights and I respond with Abba, Daddy, my Father!”
That is who you are!!! Loved, protected, forgiven. Even if you are not sure this is true, act as if it is.
Our Father who is ever-present, protecting, comforting, healing, guiding, and loving — this is the life in the Kingdom of God for the believer who has faith — faith the size of a mustard seed.
Hallelujah!
Grace and peace,
John