Persistence

I've been contemplating the subject of persistence when it comes to healing and was reminded of this story...(author unknown)

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

So, this the man did, day after day.

For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all of his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind:

"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't moved." Thus, he gave the man the impression the task was impossible and he was a failure.

These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough."

That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have laboured long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged the rock by half a millimetre. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown; your hands are calloused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just a simple obedience and faith in Him.

By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves the mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong ... just P.U.S.H. When the job gets you down ... just P.U.S.H.

When people don't react the way you think they should ... just P.U.S.H. When your money is "gone" and the bills are due ... just P.U.S.H. When people just don't understand you ... just P.U.S.H.

P= Pray U= Until S= Something H= Happens

The same applies to healing. We must to continue to push in for the breakthrough promised in God's Word. His word declares "no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly (Psa 84:11).

We have seen time and again that as people persist in prayer the answer comes. His ways and thoughts are higher than our (Isa 55:8-9). Nothing ever takes the Father by surprise and He always has a plan greater than anything than we could imagine.

We all love the instant, miraculous healing but most of the healings we have experienced over the last 14 years at CHR have come to those who have patiently and persistently 'pressed in' for their healing and in the process have become stronger, wiser, often more humble, and more Christlike in the process.

A lady came to the Healing Rooms not long after we opened. She had many medical issues some of which were quite critical. Over a period of many months the Lord healed her eyes, took away all fear from her that had 'crippled' her mind for so long. He healed her of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome and showed her a new sense of purpose and direction for her life. This all took many, many months but as she persisted, week after week, the Lord brought great encouragement, peace and strength to her.

There was a lady who had been bleeding for 12 years. The Bible says she suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all she had and was no better but rather grew worse. (Mar 5:25-26). In her day she was considered 'unclean' and shouldn't have been in a public place. However she persisted because she'd heard that Jesus the Healer was in town.

She thought to herself... "if only I could touch the hem of His garment I will be healed." That's exactly what she did. An 'unclean' woman pushed through the crowd and such was the 'demand' she placed on Jesus the Bible states “He felt power go out from Him.” When He found out who had touched Him, He said to her "Daughter your faith has made you well, go in peace and be healed of your affliction." Mar 5:34.

So may I encourage you to keep trusting God for your healing breakthrough whatever that may look like. He's good good Father and only has the best for His children.

We never know when the very next prayer will bring the answer, healing or breakthrough.

There’s power in persistence!”