The Reward for Abiding

Ok, so this is a little sensitive to talk about, but because of the outcome I have to talk about it to get to the end of the story.

Yesterday I got a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)….they are not fun let me tell you.  Constantly feeling like to have to go to the bathroom  and when you do…the feeling doesn’t go away.  It’s like walking on pins and needles.  To top it off, we had Connect Group and it was at our house, so it’s not like I can just leave.  I sat there, hoping the evening would come to an end, even though I was enjoying the conversation.  Let me back up a couple of days….3 days ago, I was watching a video on Youtube, put out by Bethel TV.  It was the last day of the Healing and Impartation conference, featuring Randy Clarke.  As I was listening to his message, what stood out to me was the story of the women with the blood issue.  I have heard that a thousand times and understood it to be a moment of great faith.  It went a little further, because of her testimony, other’s just wanted to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment to be healed.  This time, this little message imprinted on my brain.  So…back to last night.  At the end of the evening, people were listing what they wanted to pray for and I was not going to say anything, but really felt God impress on me to speak up.  All I could think of was…if I could just touch the hem of His garment, I will be healed.  So, I shared in a vague way, my issue and got some prayer.  I felt nothing.  But this time, I was believing, and every time I had to go to the bathroom, I was doing spiritual warfare over that bacteria and infection.  After everyone had left, off to the bathroom once again, but this time….when I finished…it felt like I finished.  So, I just started praising God.  He gave me a gift of healing.  By the time I went to bed, everything felt normal.  The catch….when you receive a gift of healing, it is up to you to keep doing maintenance to ensure this issue doesn’t return.  This is different from a miracle.  A miracle is a complete healing with no chance of it coming back.  A gift of healing, requires something of you…so I have changed a few things already because I told God….I DO NOT want to go on antibiotics again…and He heard me.  He heard my petition of faith, and I stand on that this morning, claiming my healing and walking it out.  If I feel anything different….the warfare starts again.  I refuse to allow the negative thoughts of the enemy convince me of anything other than it was God who brought my healing on.  What does this all mean…well…it all has to do with abiding with God.  Getting to know Him intimately, to know how He thinks and what He wants of us.  I decided to abide with Him over my issue and He showed me He required me to humble myself and speak up, asking for prayer in our group.  I was obedient, and it was easy to do, but ultimately, so rewarding.  You don’t have to sit and be still to abide, you can abide 24/7.  I keep Him in my thoughts at all times, and rest on his promise that he wants me to live an abundant life.

This quote is from the Book and Study "I Am Loved" by Wendy Blight.  It inspires me...I hope it inspires you.

Life transformation flows from the time we invest in the Word, not from the teacher’s lectures or commentary. It’s sitting and soaking in our Bibles, allowing God to work in our hearts in and through the reading and the homework.