The Great Physician and the Great Provider
A Classic Testimony of his Healing Power
By Wisdom Okotie
It was my final year in high school. I was in the middle of my final exams when suddenly I became feverish. Thinking it was the normal malaria common in the tropics, it turned out to be something worse than that. It was bad enough to keep me bed ridden for five months plus. At first I took the normal over the counter malaria drug hoping to get well in few hours but things got worse and no sooner I was admitted to the hospital.Things steadily degenerated in the hospital and got completely out of control. Several nights I saw demons come to my bedside and attacked, hitting me on my head and squeezing my neck as if to break it. This was a nightmare I will never forget in my life. The sad thing was that I could not fight back. I was in a very weak state and nobody could help me fight these unseen and unknown spiritual forces. Many nights I will only try to scream but even then I was too weak to cry out. I thought I screamed but nobody could hear me. This was one of the few times that I have been attacked physically by spiritual forces.
During my penultimate years in high school I remember one night I was sleeping when all of a sudden I realized that certain force was trying to choke me. I fought hard to keep the force away. This force kept coming and would attack me so hard as if to choke me I will fight back with stiff resistance. Then I remember sitting on my bed frustrated and confused fighting a force I cannot see. After several such encounter then I heard a voice as clear and loud as if some one was sitting next to me. The voice called my name twice and said if I want to be firm in life I must stay away from liquor and cigarette and avoid unholy practices. I knew this was the voice of God calling me to holiness and to walk the path of righteousness.
The battle is not against Flesh and blood
This encounter is a confirmation that scripture is correct. There are demonic forces in the world whether we believe it or not. The devil and his agents are actively seeking for whom to devour. Apostle Paul was correct in in his letter to the brethren at Ephesus:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 (NIV). However, the good news is that Jesus Christ has defeated Satan on the cross of calvary and has empowered us to continue to walk triumphantly over the devil and his demons.
It was not too long after this encounter that I became so sick that I thought I was going to die. The doctors had tried all they could. They have tried for over five months and the situation gradually got worse. The cause of illness or the diagnosis was unknown. I was under siege by crippling sickness and disease, All hope was almost gone. Months of been unable to move had taken its toll on my fragile body. In the midst of this gloom, something unusual happened. When I thought I was on my way to the grave, the good Lord sent a Helper. A man of faith came on the scene and volunteered to help. This experience had changed my life for ever. I am a living, breathing, walking witness of God healing power. The healing power of God has made a big believer out of me. The only reason I am alive today is because he rescued me from the bed of affliction and infirmity through the prayer of faith. Now I can relate to the blind man in scripture who was pressed to testify against Jesus by the Pharisees. His answer was straight to the point. Before I met this man called Jesus I was blind. But after he intervened and prayed for me I became well. In a similar way I can say I was in the hospital for over five months with no relief in sight, but after I was discharged from the hospital and a man of faith prayed a prayer of Faith God healed me completely and totally.
For the First time in my life I saw faith in action. This man told me he could help me with the power of God. I was discharged from the hospital against medical advice. It was like making a choice between a rock and a hard place. After five months of no progress in the hospital, it was not too hard to make the decision to seek alternate help. This was a demon induced illness because on several occasions I had demons come and attack me and fight me in my bedridden state at the hospital. I went through unbelievable torture and attack from the devil and his demons. I was in pain daily.
My physical condition was horrible. I dropped from about a hundred and fifty pounds to about 100 Ibs. There are times I felt like the end had come. From all indications the chance of survival was slim. The doctors did not give much hope, but they kept their fingers crossed waiting for where fate might lead. My parents were deeply worried and it showed. My friends were confused and could not understand why I had to go through so much pain. The nurses were life givers. They were warm, friendly and very caring. My brothers were running from one prayer ministry to another praying to find out from prophets what the future held for me. I was in a helpless state and too weak and too sick to fight. Few months before this debilitating illness I was full of energy and felt like I was the strongest man in the world. Sometimes it is amazing how quick fortune can change.
On several occasions, I felt like I was running out of breath and would soon die. Everyday was a gift from God. I remember signaling to my immediate senior brother on few occasion that I felt like the end had come. There was panic and pandemonium in my family. My Dad was very worried, my mother was very confused. Mom was with me at the hospital for most of that five months. I became so skinny and powerless. I was on drips for most of the period with no solid food. I could not eat and could not communicate very well. Sickness had taken a terrible hold of me and was whipping the day light out of my fragile body.
Unfortunately for me some of my detractors from my penultimate years in high school were happy and even spread rumors that I had died. This was one of the worst period of my growing up years. To make matters worse since I could not complete my final West African Examination, it was no surprise that I did not make it that year. I had to to resit the exam in another school and that made a difference. The devil was determined to make life miserable for me and to stop me from existence. If you see me on fire for God it is because I understand that the only reason why am alive and well is because he gave my life back to me. The only way I can express gratitude to him is to spread the good news to all that are willing to hear. I am a true witness of the reality of the power of God. My experience and healing encounter is something that is unique to me and has settled the issue about God’s healing power once and for all.
The Power of the Local Church
There is a saying that there is no testimony without a test. Shortly before this dramatic turn of events I had just given my life to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I was just a neophyte in the Christian Faith and was truly excited about my new found Faith. As a result, I had the members of the local church praying for my healing. There is great power when people of like Faith come together and raise up their voices on behalf of a fellow believer. All through my ordeal at the hospital my new found family at the church stood in the gap praying that God would intervene and bring healing to my Sick body.
There is no doubt in my mind that the prayers of my fellow Christians pulled me through those very critical stages at the hospital. Now I know that the forces of the devil and the forces of God battled intensely for my young life. But the blood of Jesus prevailed. I believe my saving grace was that I responded to the call of God without delay when the call first came. If I had missed that call I would have died a premature death. The bible is correct; today is the day of salvation, tomorrow may be too late. I can look back now and recall few of my high school friends who refused to harken to the call of God only to later be victims of avoidable circumstances. May their souls rest in perfect peace. It is risky to resist the call of God.
Prayer of Faith
My day of visitation came when an elderly man from my birth place came to my rescue. In my helpless and powerless state this saint of God saw what the medical doctors could not see. He understood that my problem had spiritual undertones. He also realized that in order to overcome the devil certain spiritual weapons must be unleashed. Spiritual problems must be attacked spiritually. You cannot overcome spiritual problems with carnal weapons. Scripture declares; the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of stronghold. The devil is a stubborn rascal and the only language he understands is the language of faith. Strong faith in the name of Jesus can work wonders and miracles.
I am a living witness of Gods healing power. For the first time in my life I was privilege to experience great faith in action. This man of Faith that came to my rescue was God sent. He approached me with faith and courage. He displayed a high sense of humility and patience. I can still hear and see this Man of God helping to pull me out of the bed of affliction. The healing process was simple and straight to the point. He anointed me with oil and commanded the sickness to depart, declaring that there was no more accommodation for it. According to him after all this month of illegal occupation, it was time for it to leave. This was the turning point for me. After the first week of prayer I was able to sit up right for the first time in months. By the second week I was able to stand upright. By the third week I was able to learn how to walk again with the cane. By the fourth week I was able to walk un aided. I have been in perfect health for over thirty years with no sickness, nothing whatsoever. After Five plus long months of been sick and tired of been sick I was more than ready for a fresh and miraculous start. There are several key points noted in the road to my healing:
1. This man of Faith mentioned that God is my healer not him.
2. He mentioned that all credit must be given to God
3. He anointed me with holy oil
4. He commanded the sickness and disease to exit from my body
5. He came to pray for me daily over several weeks
6. He laid hands on me and commanded healing upon me.
7. He did not charge me money for this miraculous healing
Freely you receive, freely give Those who charge people to pray for them must not be following the footsteps of Christ. Scripture says that freely you receive and freely you must give. God did not charged us a dime to receive his power. All the spiritual gifts in scriptures are gifts of the Holy Spirit. So why would someone charge for something that is not theirs. Christ prayed for multitude in scriptures, not once did I find him asking anyone to pay for their miracles. Not once did I find any of the Apostles asking anyone to pay for their miracles. Anyone commercializing the power of God is not a true messenger or witness of our Lord and Savior. Beware of those who merchandise God’s holy anointing.
To God be all the glory. This powerful healing has been permanent. For over thirty years since my initial healing God has perfected everything concerning my healing. I have continued to walk in perfect health by the special grace of the ‘Almighty God: Not only do I Find myself walking in perfect health but I have also been used to bring healing and miraculous breakthrough to so many people over the years. Looking back I now see why God permitted this attack on me. This experience has prepared me for what am doing today in God’s vineyard. Every time I pray for the sick, I can picture how God healed me many years ago, so my faith is always at peak to believe God for the healing of others. I always pray for the sick with great faith knowing fully well that God who did it for me is very able to do it for others. The bible tells me that God is no respecter of persons. What he did for one he can do for others. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The fact that I experienced the healing power of God in my early years has ingrained in my soul and spirit the ability of God to heal in all manner of situations.
It is a good feeling to know that God is still in the healing business. There is healing in His blood. Premium health is still a part of the covenant. Thank God for doctors and for medicine. It will be unwise to reject medicine in the name of divine healing. If you reject taking medicine as some over zealous believers preach or teach then they might as well reject modern technology all together in the name of secularism. If you want to reject one science then you might as well reject all science. It will be foolish and presumptuous to avoid medications that could help cure you. Whether through medicine or prayer,
God is the ultimate healer.