I don't know where my readers stand on Spiritual Gifts, but I do believe they are for today. And more, I believe God is awakening them in people for such a time as this.
Riots, shootings, CRT being introduced in our Schools, woke culture, and a general bitterness toward God are things I see or hear about regularly. But we can take comfort in the words of Jesus: John 16:33 "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
As an illustration of all I have said above, I'd like to tell you a story of something that happened to me yesterday, Thursday, October 7, 2021.
I had just gotten some great news. I got a letter in my email saying there was an apartment opening up for me (since I can't just live anywhere as I am on SSDI) in an apartment just across from the street from my parents house. This absolutely thrilled me. Of course, I still want God to give me wisdom on whether I should move there, but I think it would be great because I would get to spend more time with my family but still have my own place. An ideal situation. I didn't even know I was on a housing list!
I say the above because it tells you where my head was at during the time. I was excited!
Anyways, a bit later, I go out for a smoke. As I was sitting on the curb, a car comes driving in like a maniac. It was the family the usually frequents our apartment to spend time with their family and grandparents. This place seems to be the place they've chosen to meet. Well, they came in honking at their grandmother who was headed inside. The pull in the visitors parking spot. That alone was enough to get my attention.
Well, out comes one man, probably not older than 21 years old. He was complaining and moaning and holding his shoulder. You see, he got in a fight. In the fight, he dislocated his shoulder. Ouch! I thought to myself, "I don't want any part of this." I didn't even finish my cigarette and I went inside. Well, I thought about it more and more in my apartment and I was moved with compassion for this individual. I fought the urge to say, "It's his own fault for getting into a fight and punching the crap out of someone." Instead, as I thought about it, God urged me to pray for him. I got down on my hands and knees and prayed for him.
I was scared at the time. "Who knows what this means for my neighborhood?" I thought. Well, I decided, I made a deal with God. I felt so moved with compassion that I told God if he was still out there for the next cigarette, I would ask to lay hands on him and pray for him. I was very nervous about this. I've never even spoken to him before. I went out there, and sure enough, there he was. I had no idea how he would respond. I start walking toward him and he says, "Do you know how to reset a shoulder in it's socket?" He was probably in shock; how would I know something like that? I said, "No, but I can pray for you." He sort of gave me the cold shoulder and I insisted. I said, "Hey, what do you have to lose?" he agreed and I prayed for him. I prayed for healing in the name of Jesus.
I didn't stay and chat. I went and had my cigarette. As I was sitting on the curb, I overhear him telling the woman who was driving the car he said something like (couldn't make it out exactly), "My shoulder is better. That dude prayed for me and now my shoulder is better." She told him something and, "Move your shoulder around." So he did! Then he was hit with a lot of pain. I went back inside, but didn't feel right. I went back outside and went and asked him, "Did my prayer do anything?" He says, "Yeah, it definitely did something. But it hurts a lot right now." My prayer seemed to have put his shoulder back in its joint. I barely touched him because I didn't want to put him in any more pain than he had to be. So I prayed for him again, and I added a prayer for his salvation. When I got done praying in Jesus name and said "Amen." he said "Amen." as well. That didn't happen the first time.
The whole event was super intense. There was all this madness in the whole thing. The woman's daughter was pulling down her pants and the woman was furious and obviously worked up. The man was in incredible pain. But a bit later, when I was inside, a Bible verse came to mind: James 2:15 "If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?"
So I wanted to get him something to drink. I have some soda in my house so I grab a can of soda pop and go on my way outside. The verse stuck with me and I felt like this was not what he needed from me. But I go outside and give him the soda. He says, "Do you have an ice pack?" Of course! That's what he needed! I had an ice pack from when one of my neighbors gave me it for my neck after I slept on it wrong and it was bugging me a lot. So I get the ice pack and give it to him.
A couple days later, I get a text from him saying when he went to the er they said his shoulder was fine.
In all this, this is how the Kingdom of heaven works. In the midst of chaos, God shows up to show mercy. And it is sometimes through supernatural means that God does this.
Be vigilant Christians, God may choose to use you in ways you don't expect. It might be filled with uncertainty, but if you trust God, it will work out.