| My first
meeting with Esther was watching her come into the
camp meeting in an electrified wheelchair. She
was the first in the altar each night.
'Moving' - emotionally is hardly the word...
She had a fatal disease
which the doctors did not have a name for. Her
brain was deteriorating steadily. Before
coming to the camp meeting, Esther was confined to a
wheelchair and had been given a very short time to
live.
What none of us knew was
that she was sleeping on the ground in a tent by
herself and pulling herself up into the wheelchair
and painfully attending the services. Leather
straps bound her wrists and forearms so that
mobility was possible. Once it was known of
her 'tent' existence, women from the camp graciously
moved her to a dorm room at the camp and cared for
her.
Many had prayed for her
each night during the camp services, but on Thursday
night after preaching, I felt to step down to the
altar area where Esther was seated in the
wheelchair. I simply leaned over and
authoritatively said, "I release you from
this spirit of infirmity" -
I moved on through the crowd ministering to
others.
Within minutes, a
tremendous shouting tumult exploded behind me.
I turned to see, but could not for the crowd around
her. I climbed up on a pew to see into the
middle of the crowd and there it was, a
miracle in the making.
Esther began tearing the
leather harness and straps from her wrists and threw
them to the floor. She then gripped the arms
of the wheelchair and began pulling herself
up. Once on her feet she raised her hands to
worship the Lord. Great excitement erupted
among the people. Esther then began walking
away from the wheelchair and people began to fall in
behind her as she led a 'Victory March' around the
entire Tabernacle. People opened up a
'highway' for her as she approached them. It
may be one of the most outstanding miracles I have
witnessed in my personal ministry. 'Incredible'
is the word!
She walked out of the
Tabernacle that night never to return to the
wheelchair again and left it 'empty' at the altar
area. The next morning as we came in for
morning Bible Study, the empty wheelchair greeted
us... The effect caused faith to spiral among
all present. Esther sat in the audience and
took notes from the Bible Study being
delivered. We could not keep our eyes off her
as she sat among us healed!
On Saturday morning as the
camp broke up and people left for their homes
respectively, Esther was in the kitchen doing
dishes. Remember one thing: When the
doctors say no, there is another voice that says,
"Try Me" It is none other than
the Lord Jesus Christ!!!
TO
GOD BE THE GLORY!!!!!!!!
|
_____________