Jim
Wing
Houston, Texas
"My Pain is Real"
Regional Elijah Challenge Affiliates
An excerpt taken from Jim's forthcoming book, Your Journey Begins With An Attitude of Gratitude. Jim attends Hope Community Evangelical Covenant Church in Houston.
I was sitting at the breakfast table at 2 AM wondering if the pain in my left knee would ever go away. I had gone thirty years without a flare up from this old football injury suffered during my senior year of high school. Now, in March of 2004, the pain was back and had been very persistent for over three months. Delivering pizza at night meant that every time I got out of the car, pain would strike my knee, causing me to limp to the customer’s door. Now, I couldn’t even sleep because my whole leg was throbbing with pain.
I sat thinking about my meeting William of the Elijah Challenge at the Vietnamese Baptist Church and his stories about the Basic Training event he had just left in Vietnam, just one step ahead of the police. He gave me a video CD showing the miracles of healing that took place there in the name of Jesus. The mission of the Elijah Challenge is to equip every believer according to John 14:12 to heal the sick as Jesus and His disciples did. This army of "Nameless, Faceless, Messengers of Power" will demonstrate to the world that Jesus is the only way to the Father. God will perform miracles of healing to bring the lost souls into His Kingdom.
When William and Lucille hold these Basic Trainings, they go in faith. First they have one to three days of training the pastors, leaders and believers in how to minister healing to the sick. After the Training, they hold a Crusade meeting lasting from one to three evenings in which the trained believers will heal the sick in the name of Jesus Christ. The purpose of the miracles is to prove to those present that our God is the only true God and that Jesus is the only way to Him. Wonderful miracles of healing take place.
Following the testimonies of miracles by those healed by the Lord, the lost are invited to enter the kingdom of God through faith in Christ. This is in accordance with Jesus' command to the seventy in Luke 10:9 "heal the sick....tell them the kingdom of God is near you." Precious lost souls: Musl__ms, Buddhists, Hindus, and idol-worshippers; will come to Christ after they hear the gospel and see the miracles that their gods cannot do.
I remembered the principles of healing that William had taught me while attending several Basic Training events here in Houston. I wondered if what I had been taught would work on my knee. “Why should it?” I thought to myself, while wincing in pain. “I have been a believer since I was twelve. The miracle of healing he taught me is used to show non-believers that Jesus is the only way to the Father. I just wonder if somehow this miracle of healing would actually work on a believer like me.”
I didn’t really have much faith because I figured I already knew what God’s plan was for me - take two aspirin and continue to endure the pain. Using my smaller than a mustard seed faith, I did as Brother William had taught me - I placed my hands on my knee and started speaking directly to the pain in my knee with boldness and authority as directed in the Scriptures. Luke 9:1 says, "When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases." Understanding that the power given to the disciples had also been given to me, I spoke firmly yet quietly since I didn’t want to wake Sue up. After two minutes of commanding the pain to leave in the name of Jesus, I stood up carefully and shook my leg - stunned that the pain was gone! I started walking around the room, flexing my knee and still no pain.
But the story doesn’t end here. One year later, I had a temporary job selling credit card machines to businesses. It was a Tuesday in May and I needed to close a sale in order to receive a commission check on Friday of that week. I made a presentation to a store owner who wanted two machines. I was busy calculating in my mind the commission and the bills I would be able to pay, when he told me he would purchase the machines in December. No sale today, no paycheck this week. I became very angry at God. Thinking to myself, “Why are you letting this happen to us? Don’t you even care? What’s the deal? Are you on vacation?”
As soon as the next words came out of my mouth “Maybe you don’t even exist”, a bolt of extreme pain struck my left knee causing my legs to buckle. I almost hit the floor. Fortunately, I was holding onto the counter with both hands. I thanked the gentleman and slowly limped out to my car where I had a very serious ten minute conversation with the Lord. I agreed that He did exist and that He did care for me and Sue. The pain went away immediately. I made a solemn promise to God that I would tell anyone that would listen that “there is no doubt in my mind - my pain is real, but my God is more real.” Three years later my knee is still pain free.
This blessing of healing allows me to be a blessing to others as we journey together. Focus on what you can do for Him instead of what He can do for you. His ultimate purpose is for you to be a blessing to others so that they will know “He is God”. His blessings upon you will achieve that purpose. Share your blessings with others in your life and His blessings will flow abundantly upon you. Praise His Holy Name!
Peter 5:6-7 Therefore be humbled under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your anxiety onto Him, for He cares for you.
Jim's home church:Hope Community Evangelical Covenant Church
Luke 10:9 "Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.’"
