Chest Pain Healed

Travis had been in the hospital for a week, while doctors tried to determine what was causing his chest pain. His EKG's and cardiac enzymes were normal. Yet he developed classic cardiac chest pain and shortness of breath with the slightest exertion. A positive stress test was the only objective piece of evidence they had.

They finally did an angiogram, which revealed 99% occlusion of the circumflex artery and 33% occlusion of two other vessels. The lesion in the circumflex was at a bifurcation of the vessel, making stent placement tricky.

They opted for a more traditional approach and scheduled him for 3-vessel bypass surgery. We were the transport crew that would take him to the hospital where the surgery would be done.

Travis had no real medical history. He'd always been healthy. The news of bypass surgery had him freaked out. They medicated him for anxiety and pain before we arrived, but he was still scared about the procedure that awaited him.

I was feeling extra bold this morning. (Maybe it was the 7-11 coffee) I told him that my goal was to have him healed before we arrived at the other hospital. He said, "You know, I was praying a lot last night. I really don't want to have this surgery." I asked if I could pray with him, and he gladly agreed.

I wanted to give him hope that he really could be healed, so I shared a few healing testimonies. Each one made him more hopeful. We also needed to treat the pain he was having. Although he was on a nitro drip, he had 5/10 chest pain as we departed. A few milligrams of morphine eased it up a bit.

I continued sharing testimonies with him, then I placed my hand on his shoulder and commanded his arteries to be healed, opened and cleared of all occlusions. I spoke peace and health to his mind and body. It seemed to help as his anxiety level decreased the more we talked.

Just before we arrived, his chest pain went back up to 5/10. I gave him a choice between prayer and morphine. He was satisfied to let me pray over him, so I commanded the pain to leave. After the first time, it went down a little, and even more after the second time. After commanding it to leave the third time, all the pain was gone.

The look on his face was priceless.

I told him it was all about faith and explained that my my faith could get him healed, but his faith would keep him healed. I told him about the realities of spiritual warfare and that the enemy would probably bring the pain back, trying to convince him he wasn't healed. I told him to continue believing that he was healed, regardless of how he felt. "Resist the enemy and he will flee from you."

Travis was grateful that a stranger introduced him to God's power and love. As I left him in the ICU, he said, "You know, this whole experience really gives me a lot to think about."

That's the main point of divine healing. When the kingdom of God lands in your front yard, it's supposed to make you think differently about the issues of life, death, God and eternity.

I'm not sure that his arteries were healed. I believe they were, but only God knows. And by now, so do Travis and his cardiac team. I can just imagine them looking at a clearly open circumflex artery that had been almost completely occluded 24 hours earlier. I imagine Travis has a better understanding of God's ways.

I've said it before, but it's worth repeating; anyone can do this. I'm not a special person. Four years ago I didn't believe in divine healing. But now it's an almost daily reality for me. It could be for you too. Step out in faith and believe that God want's people healed. He's in a good mood. Be a blessing to others. Release God's power and love into their lives.

Here's a short video that explains the pathophysiology of a heart attack:

Sam On The Streets of UK

I have a new friend on Facebook, named Sam Agunbiade, who lives in the UK. I think he's going to bring a blessing to a lot of people there. Check out this video from a man who has a heart of love and compassion for others.

Last Shift in Tacoma

After 17 years as a medic in the state of Washington, I'll be moving to a slightly warmer location next week. I've taken a job in Phoenix, Arizona. I'm sorry - that's as much as I can say about the new job for now.

When I moved here in 1994, I was an atheist. I hated the people I transported and didn't like Tacoma, either. A lot has changed since then. Tacoma isn't the smelly, rat - infested town it once was and I'm not the same rat I used to be. God gave me a new heart, a new lease on life and a powerful way to touch people around me. He's pretty cool like that. I enjoy my job more than I did when I started the journey. That's a rare thing in EMS, but the Holy Spirit will add years to anyone's career.

I have a few stories from my days in Tacoma that have yet to be published. They should all be up in the next few weeks. After that we'll pick up from the new location.

I'm planning on trying some new things. One will probably be a live broadcast from this page. I may even broadcast a live street healing. I'll let you know when that will happen in advance, so you can tune in.

Now I want to share a few things that have been on my heart for some time.

Our nation and indeed, the world is at a crossroads. I'm not trying to be cliche'. I'm concerned about some things God has shown me. I'm concerned - but not afraid. We need to be prepared for major changes in the way we live. The times we're entering will require us to be united like we've never been before. I see darkness advancing swiftly, but I also see the light growing more intense. There is a separation coming; a defining of light and dark. Lines will be drawn and we'll be forced to stand on one side or the other. We need to prepare our hearts and minds for some big challenges and if you're just hearing about this, you're late getting started.

When you need food and there isn't any to be found, don't give in to fear. Know that God can provide what you need. His disciples multiplied the loaves of bread and fed thousands. We're going to need this kind of faith in the days ahead. Share what you have and God will give more. He knows your needs and cares for you. Remember that these difficulties aren't His doing; they come from the enemy. Don't blame God - trust Him. Be people of the kingdom.

When hospitals won't take the sick and injured anymore, remember what you've seen here and consider the miracles of Jesus. All this has been an example for you, to use in your community. Gather friends and heal the sick wherever they are. Be people of the kingdom.

When shortages come, don't go to the cities looking for what isn't there any more. Stay home and live off what you have. Don't give in to fear. God can provide what you need. Don't get caught in the riots or you'll become a casualty. Learn the lessons from those who have been down this road before you. Keep yourself and family in good spirits, help others in whatever way you can and God will be your rear guard. Be people of the kingdom.

Establish communities of safety when chaos comes. Band together with neighbors, share what you have. Live simply, not extravagantly or violently. Pray for one another. Heal one another, and watch out for the safety of the group. There is strength in numbers. Don't give in to corruption because lawlessness abounds; integrity matters. Be people of the kingdom.

Consider praying for my family as we prepare to embark on a new chapter of our lives. We greatly covet your prayers. Thanks in advance.

Thank you for allowing me into your life. I never thought it would turn out this way. It really is a dream come true.

(In more ways than one)

Praying Medic

Demonstration of Laying On Of Hands

John Mellor teaches on healing while a woman is healed of neck pain.

Partner Evangelism

If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you've may have wondered what my partner thinks about all this healing stuff. Today, you'll get an inside look at what's going on in his life.

I'll be honest - I don't really know if he's a Christian or not. I've made too many wrong assumptions about that in the past, so I try not to categorize people any more. He believes in God. I'll leave it at that for now.

He's seen the power of God at work more than most people. He's witnessed miracles with our patients and he's been healed at least a dozen times of things like neck, back, knee and hand pain. He's one of the most accident prone people I've ever met - I think his size 14 feet have something to do with that.

He doesn't go to church. But we work a lot of weekends, so neither of us have the opportunity to attend every weekend, even if we wanted to.

Since we began working together 2 years ago, he's had a number of dreams from God. We always talk about what God is saying to him in dreams and he appreciates that.

I've never tried to lead him in the sinner's prayer. It's not something I routinely do and I've haven't had a leading from God to do it with him.

Much of what he knows about religion he gets from the history channel. A few months ago, he watched a program on the subject of hell. We had a long talk afterward.

He asked what I thought hell was, why some people went there and why others went to heaven. It was the open door I had been waiting for. He already had enough information to believe in hell. I agreed that it was a real place and steered the discussion into matters he'd never discussed with anyone. We talked about the concepts of judgment for sin, the atonement for it by the death of Jesus, the nature of God's mercy and the forgiveness of sin through His grace.

It all made perfect sense to him.

A few months ago, he was having knee pain in the middle of the shift. After I asked him about it, he confessed that he went for a 3 mile run before work and probably shouldn't have. I told him to put his hand on his knee and command it to be healed, like he'd seen me do a hundred times.

He said he tried that already, but it didn't work. So I placed my hand on his knee and commanded it to be healed. It took 4 times, but he felt a warm sensation and in a few minutes all the pain was gone.

I asked how many times he tried to heal his knee. "Well....just once."

I'm glad he tried, even if he wasn't successful. I didn't know this, but apparently, he's been learning things by working with me. He's probably not even saved yet, but he's trying to do things I didn't attempt until I'd been saved for 7 years.

Two weeks ago, I began sticking pennies to the walls at the hospital while waiting for paperwork to be copied, IV's to be pulled, phone calls to be made and patients to eat before we could transport them.

My partner thought that was a neat trick. I told him "It's not a trick. It's the power of God at work. The same power that heals our patients, also holds the pennies to the wall. It's faith in action."

That day I stuck a dime to the wall outside the ER. Speaking so he could hear me, I asked God to hold it there and walked away, but I glanced at him over my shoulder as I did. When the dime finally fell, he picked it up. He held it to the wall and asked God to hold it when he let go. And it stayed there. He smiled and said, "Well I'll be a son of a bitch!" (Words of praise to God among those who don't know Him yet)

I stuck some pennies to the wood door at our station last week, just to encourage him. The next day, after I put the ambulance away at the end of the day, I came inside to clock out and saw two pennies stuck to the door.

He looked at me and explained: "I decided I'd try it scientifically. I held the pennies up and didn't pray or ask God to hold them there. I thought maybe it was the paint or some scientific thing that was really doing it. But they wouldn't stay there, even for a second. So I put them up again and asked God to hold them there and they've been there for 10 minutes."

I smiled and said, "like I told you, it's the power of God at work."

My partner is in the process of learning about God, by being around me. Some of it comes through dreams, some though healing, some through signs and wonders like coins on the wall and some by conversations about life.

Will I lead him in the sinner's prayer? I don't know.

But whether he knows it or not, he's already being discipled. And Jesus did tell us, "Go, and make disciples of all nations."

Fibromyalgia Healed

Mary Ann shares the story of her miraculous healing from fibromyalgia and shares the secret of walking by faith to obtain victory.

If God Heals Then Why Am I Sick?

It's fair question to ask - If God heals, then why am I still sick? Pete Cabrera answers the question using an analogy that boils down to the issue of our authority to over sickness and the proper exercise of that authority.

Terri's Problem

After losing her balance and falling at home a couple of times, Terri took a tumble from the top of the stairs and landed on her head. The head CT showed both subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhages. She was a trauma transfer to a larger hospital for neurosurgery.

I've never met anyone who was proud of the fact that a life of drinking had destroyed their liver. It's a regret they must live with and most would give anything to do it all over again. Terri had struggled with drinking for years and the battle took a severe toll on her 46 year old body.

While Heidi acted as an IV pole, holding the bag of plasma as close to the ceiling as she could, I asked if she wanted me to get a pressure infuser, so she could do more important things. Like getting the paperwork together so we could hit the road.

I like Heidi. She gives good hugs. Even when your sarcasm is aimed at her.

We fitted the c-collar on Terri so as not to rip the IV out of her neck and rolled her onto the hard backboard. I put a blanket on it first.

As we loaded Terri into the rig, I thought about how I'm growing farther away from my comrades in how we see our patients. Just about everyone involved in her care (except Heidi) had a critical remark about how Terri lives her life.

Drunk. Loser. Psycho. Professional alcoholic.

I looked at her and saw a broken-hearted woman, desperately in need of one person who believed in her.

After getting her vitals and most of my charting done, I told her I saw a lot of people healed in the ambulance and asked if she wanted me to pray with her.

She was delighted. So I placed one hand on her forehead and she gripped the other one tightly as I commanded the bleeding to stop and released the kingdom of God into her broken and bruised body.

As I spoke to her soul about God's great love and compassion for her, tears flowed like a river. I prophesied a better day and brighter hope and healing of her memories. As I declared God's goodness and protection over her, she gripped my hand even tighter.

The yellow pigment of her skin and bruises only told part of the story.

"Thanks so much for praying for me. I know God loves me. I know He's there and I try so hard to do the right things. But I keep messing up. I want to please God. I want to be sober. And I'm scared that this might be the last time for me."

I told her it wasn't about what she had to do to please God. It was about what He had already done for her. I said God has a really bad memory concerning her mistakes. And what she might focus on isn't the mistakes she made, but the awesome love He had for her.

We arrived at the other hospital and transferred her to the bed. I gave report through the snickers, rolling eyes and giggles. Before I left the ER, I gave her a big hug and told her I thought she was awesome. I don't care what they think about Terri or the fact that she was perfectly lucid with a blood alcohol of 0.44.

I really liked her.

Was she healed? I don't know. It's becoming less important these days. I know she was touched by the love of God and that might be what she needed most.

When I stand in eternity, looking back at every moment of my life from heaven's perspective, this moment will appear once more before my eyes. I'll know all the results of our meeting down to the smallest detail.

And just as it's too late for the alcoholic to go back and change everything after their liver fails, it'll be too late for us to change our actions once we're in eternity.

All we can do is wonder.....

What if?

God Wants You Confident - Steve Thompson

There is a subtle difference between arrogance and confidence, as Steve Thompson explains.

Street Healing

For those who have been following my messages on healing, this is where all the concepts mentioned previously are applied in real life. Reading about healing is good, but if we never step out and touch a stranger with the power of God - all we have is vain knowledge that profits nothing.

Jesus was the original street healer. He traveled the streets of Israel on foot, staying wherever he found lodging. During his travels he told people the secrets of their hearts, shared the mysteries of the kingdom of God and healed all who were sick and demon - possessed. This was his style of ministry and it could become yours.

After modeling this lifestyle, he chose 12 disciples, commissioning them to follow his example. He gave them power, authority and some guidelines, which are detailed in Matt. 10, verses 5- 14. In those ten verses, he told them to visit the cities of Israel, inquire who in those cities was worthy, speak peace to the homes that received them, preach on the kingdom of God, deal with sickness and demonic oppression and not to worry about paying for their ministry trip. Things went well. So well, that a short time later he sent out seventy disciples to do the same thing, with a few changes to the plan. (See Luke 10: 1-10)

An important aspect of street healing is geographic; being in the right place is critical. The disciples were given specific instructions where to minister and where not to. While it's true that we could minister just about anywhere, there are good reasons to inquire of God where we ought to minister.

In Matthew 13, we're told that Jesus faced opposition when ministering in his home town. When the skeptics questioned him, he replied,

“A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief."

Many of us have experienced the disappointment involved in ministering to our families and friends in our home town. Those who know our past are likely to doubt that God would use us.

Jesus set the stage for the disciples so their ministry would bear fruit. The work of God in the hearts of those we visit should precede our ministry to bring the desired outcomes. In Acts 16:7, it was recorded that God opposed the apostles' ministry trip to Bithynia. We don't know why, but it's likely that region wasn't prepared yet, while a different region was. I'm not suggesting that we need three dreams and a vision about a certain city, before we begin healing. But as our ministry grows, it would be a good idea to periodically ask God for detailed information on where we can be used most effectively. "If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask."

Another aspect of street healing is relational; Jesus instructed his disciples to inquire who in these cities was worthy. Have you every considered what he meant by this?

Not only did Jesus tell them there were certain places to go, he told them there were certain people who would receive them and others who wouldn't. How many of us have been frustrated by an experience where we poured all we had into a group of people and it seemed all our labor was for nothing? God has certain people in mind whose hearts have been prepared. They're ready for us to to reveal God's love and grace to them, but we must find out who and where they are.

Once we've found an opportunity to minister healing, I've found that it's a good investment of time to spend a few minutes (at least) getting to know the one God wants to touch. In previous messages we've discussed how ministry flows through relationships. Many people have been burned by religion at some point in their past. Many of those wounds came at the hands of believers who cared more about being right than being loving, or their goal at the start was merely to win another convert to increase their score.

Shallow Christianity hurts people more than it helps them. If we take a few minutes and listen to the one we want to see healed, we demonstrate compassion, which was the fuel that propelled Jesus in everything he did. As we get to know them, they begin to trust us. As they trust us, we have a better chance of being able to minister to them and perhaps disciple them. Remember, Jesus didn't ask us to make converts or merely heal. He asked us to make disciples and discipleship requires relationships.

Revelation and Observation
There are basically two ways we can find people who need healing. The first is the most obvious; as you travel during your day, look around and see if you notice anyone wearing a cast, a splint, an immobilizer, wearing dark sunglasses inside (possible blindness), wearing hearing aids, walking with a cane - particularly a white cane with red on it (indicating total blindness) or sitting in a wheelchair. Simple observation will reveal hundreds of people a week that you could provide healing to. Now consider all the people you'll meet in a week who talk openly about migraine headaches, back pain, fibromyalgia, cancer treatments and other medical conditions. If you added them to the list, the number of people you could minister to would be rather large.

A number of times in the last few years, I woke from a dream in which I was praying with someone for a certain condition. Later in the day, I would usually find them and pray with them. There have also been times when I suddenly felt the presence of God come over me out of nowhere. Sometimes it happens when I'm at the grocery store, other times I've been in line at a coffee shop. Usually, when I close my eyes, I see the word 'headache' or some other condition and I frequently see an image of the person. The goal here is to find them and ask if they want to be healed.

God will heal people that you find, regardless of how you find them. Private revelation through words of knowledge is a great way to locate people with conditions that aren't obvious by looking at them. If you're sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, you'll find it easy to hear, see or 'just know' what God wants to do. Receiving a word of knowledge for someone isn't a guarantee they'll be healed. I once had an accurate word for a woman at Starbuck's who had migraines, but when I approached her, she wouldn't let me pray for her. If you're wondering why God would give a word of knowledge, knowing it wouldn't be received, consider that it might have planted a seed in their heart. Maybe that woman went home and had a dream about a stranger approaching her with a word of knowledge and that stranger happen to look exactly like Jesus. (Don't underestimate the craftiness of Jehovah sneaky)

Two By Two
Jesus sent out the seventy in groups of two. Have you ever wondered why? I didn't, until I began this journey into healing and not long after, it became obvious.

Success and humility don't always walk hand in hand, though they do make a handsome couple. One of the problems we encounter in healing is the tendency for pride to sneak into our lives when miracles happen - and miracles will happen, you can be assured of it; if you don't give up when the first ten people you pray with aren't healed.

If there are two pairs of hands resting on someone when they're healed of cancer, who gets the credit? One reason for doing ministry in tandem is to prevent us from getting a swollen ego. The honor and glory belongs to the Lord. Having several people involved can act as a buffer between us and pride, preventing opportunities for it to take root.

Another reason is that we all struggle at times with obedience or consistency. Having a ministry partner can minimize the effect of those days when your faith is weak or you're in rebellion. Your partner should be praying for you and you should be praying for them. Healing is warfare, whether we know it or not. Once you begin to heal the sick, the enemy is likely to take notice and bring some trouble your way. Don't be afraid, it's mostly a fear campaign to get you frightened enough to quit.

I have a few trusted friends who are gifted with discernment. Our time together is always beneficial. They're attentive to the small details of my spiritual life. They usually detect the 'gunk' the enemy has tried to hang on me since the last time we met. They clean up my armor and I clean up theirs. When you're in battle, you're doing to take a few firey darts from the enemy. Don't go into battle alone. Having a partner can and should be a great benefit to all of us.

My primary partner for ministry is my wife. There are a lot of good reasons to consider involving your spouse in your ministry. The enemy would like to ruin as many of us as possible. How many ministries have crashed and burned after a scandalous affair? I don't want to give the enemy an opportunity to destroy me or my marriage, so whenever possible, my wife and I minister together. She has the password to my e-mail accounts and all my social networking profiles. When I'm on Facebook, she's usually a few feet away on her computer or she's looking over my shoulder. Not because she doesn't trust me, she's just interested in what I do and she wants to protect me from potential dangers.

If you'd like to try healing but don't like the idea of going alone, treasure hunts are a good option. They're a great way to help newbies get started. You spend a little time as a group praying and receiving information (words of knowledge) then go out and find the people who match the clues. Sometimes it's healing, sometimes an encouraging prophetic word. One benefit is that through these experiences, believers quickly realize after finding people who closely match the things on their list, they know they're hearing from God accurately. This is very similar in concept to the command Jesus gave to "inquire who is worthy".

Faith, Authority and Presence
In previous messages, we discussed the process of how we actually heal the sick. If you want a refresher, Healing 101 is a good overview.

Jesus healed in many different ways. Sometimes he commanded it, sometimes he healed with a touch and other times he declared a person was healed. I'd encourage you not to rely too much on one method of healing. Jesus didn't and his flexibility was used powerfully.

Healing can happen as we operate out of faith, which releases God's power to heal. Some of us operate primarily out of faith, and a lack of doubt or unbelief. But faith isn't the only factor to be considered. Some healers have great faith, but lack an understanding of their authority.

I have a lot of friends on Facebook who, largely due to the teaching of Andrew Wommack and Curry Blake, have come to a powerful understanding of the authority the believer has over sickness. These folks are a pretty amazing group. They have a confidence and tenacity you don't see elsewhere in healing. They know their authority and operate well in it, commanding sickness to leave. They tend to operate as a kind of spiritual police, arresting sickness and disease and enforcing the principles of God's kingdom here in the earth. But faith and authority aren't the only ways to heal.

There is a third way in which healing can happen. Some of us carry the presence of God with us in a way that releases healing on a regular basis, often without our awareness and without a single word being said. I became aware of this phenomenon a few years ago, when some of my patients 'mysteriously' began getting better during transports in the ambulance. Some of these transports were nothing short of miraculous. I remember one call, where a comatose patient with almost no blood pressure who was expected to die soon, had an unexpected increase in blood pressure and came out of his coma before we got to the destination. I was so busy providing medical care, I didn't have time to pray for him.

At first, I shrugged it off as wishful thinking, until I had a dream that revealed something I wasn't aware of. In the dream I transported a man who was severely injured in a car accident. I didn't provide any medical treatment or pray for him. When we arrived at the hospital, the doctor asked what I did during the transport. I told him I didn't do anything and said I thought the patient was healed. And in fact, he was healed. I knew that the presence of God in the ambulance had healed all his injuries, without my direct involvement. This dream was God's way of letting me know that He was in fact healing people, even though I wasn't aware of it.

I can't explain why God would heal people we haven't prayed for and not others, except perhaps that it may be an answer to their own prayers or the prayers of others and the meeting with us is just a point of contact with God's presence. But I'm open to other suggestions. The subject of God's presence which comes and goes is an issue of some confusion in healing circles. Perhaps I'll write on that subject in the future.

In practice, we can lay hands on people or stand a few feet away, and we'll likely see the same results. We can command healing silently, or out loud and we'll probably see the same results. I love Pete Cabrera's illustration of this principle, when he commanded a plastic spoon to heal and two people were healed, by holding onto the spoon. Lisa Fitzgerald-Adams released healing bubbles on someone who had an injury from skateboarding. I've heard testimonies of healing that came by speaking the word of God over the sick. I see no reason why we should limit healing to a certain method. Be creative and let God amaze you.

The streets and shops you visit are full of people who desperately need to know God cares about them. All around you, crippled people struggle to cope. Blind people are robbed of fully experiencing the abundant life Jesus died for. You are the one who can release the power of God that changes those circumstances. Street healing is easy, it just takes a little compassion, a little faith, a little boldness and a desire to see God's love in action. This is the model Jesus gave us. Anyone can do it.

How To Be Effective......

Ryan Rhoades is one of the leaders of a group that has re-discovered the biblical model of healing given by Jesus. This group has taken divine healing and deliverance to the streets and they've seen great things happen.

Recently, I've become friends with Ryan and we began discussing a problem that's common to those who operate in healing. How do we go to the next level and make disciples, and not just healthier people who don't know about the kingdom of God?

We're all coming to the same conclusion; that discipleship requires relationships to be established and love to be demonstrated on a continual basis. Ryan does a nice job of explaining the process in this video.

Can A New Christian Heal The Sick?

I was impressed by this video, because it demonstrates a principle some of us may find challenging. There's a common belief that we must meet certain qualifications like having training, ordination or mentoring before we can effectively heal the sick. Some believe you must have the gift of healing and not everyone does. In this video a woman who meets none of these qualifications and has only been a Christian for 22 days is used (much to her own shock) to heal the sick.

(English subtitles are provided)