About three months ago, I had a dream where I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Watch for February twelfth.” I wrote it on my calendar and thought of it often. I told my wife Sherry and other people, “Something is going to happen on February twelfth.” I had no clue what February twelfth would bring or why God had spoken that date to me. I just knew God had given me that word.

Now, as I’ve gotten older, my eyes have grown weaker. I needed glasses for help in seeing long distance (slightly blurry). I could actually drive or do many things without needing glasses, but for caution’s sake used them anyway. The main problem was seeing up close for reading. I first needed reading glasses 15 years ago. I needed stronger and stronger reading glasses as the years passed. Eventually I got bifocals for distance and close up for reading. The close up problem irritated me to no end, because one of my great joys is reading and studying. In addition, when preaching I would have to put on and take off my glasses over and over to refer to a Scripture or glance at my notes. For years I had been seeking and asking the Lord to heal my eyes so I could read without glasses.

February twelfth came (Saturday) and it turned out like any other day. When Sherry came home later that day she said, “Well, did anything happen today? It’s the twelfth.” I said, “No, but for me the day is not over until I wake up on the thirteenth.” The next day (Sunday) I was scheduled to begin ministering again after a long two-year battle with cancer (which God won). It was my return to the preaching circuit. 

The next morning I awoke at about 6:20, and realized I had a dream about missionary Heidi Baker. In the dream she was teaching me one-on-one about certain truths in the Bible. I got up, grabbed my Bible and started looking at the Scriptures she had pointed out to me. One of the Scriptures was Psalm 9:10: “And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: for Thou, Lord, has not forsaken them that seek Thee.”

I was taking notes, etc. Afterward, I went back to bed to catch a few extra moments of sleep before we both got up. As I was lying down, suddenly it hit me. I was reading my Bible and taking notes WITHOUT MY GLASSES. That is impossible, I thought! I jumped out of bed and opened my Bible again. I could read it easily without glasses. I went to the spice cabinet and read the smallest print I could find. I was looking at everything I could find to read. I was healed! Praise God, the Lord told me to watch. You watch with your eyes. I ministered that day without my glasses, and have not needed them since! 

Sometimes when the gifts of healing or miracles are mentioned, the thoughts of many drift to faraway places…somewhere overseas in third world countries (or someplace where you don’t happen to be). Get away from that type of thinking. Healing is for you. God impressed me that a new vision for healing is coming to the Church in America and that supernatural eyesight will be given so believing will be made easier for healing.

We have seen many people healed. No, we don’t dwell on the gifts. We dwell on the Healer, Jesus, and give Him glory for setting people free inside and outside. Sometimes people tend to complicate a simple matter. Let your faith be child-like and you will receive a grown-up healing.

The physical body is important to God (1 Thessalonians 5:23) and needs His healing touch at times. The early Church’s ministry included an expectation of miraculous physical healings. Jesus was the One who started the trend: “…they brought unto Him many that were possessed with devils: and He cast out the spirits with His word, and healed all that were sick…” (Matthew 8:16-17).

Why is God interested in your health? Take a good look at look at your children. Parents are in agony when one of their children falls ill, especially when the sickness is serious. Our heavenly Father is no different (Matthew 7:9; Luke 11:11). God takes no pleasure in seeing you suffer with disease, pain or any physical ailment. God is interested in your health – and Jesus is proof.

 

A total of 27 individual miracles of healing credited to Jesus are found in the Scriptures. In each case, Jesus presented Himself as being the answer to the sickness. It is the same today (John 14:12). He cares about your health and He can do something about it (Exodus 15:26; Matthew 12:15). Start to be convinced that He cares about your health, so much so that He wants to intervene and heal you.

To be healed, it sure helps to believe that God does want to heal you (Mark 1:40). Amazingly, I have seen God heal people who just minutes before confessed that they were not sure if God would heal them. Oh, they believed God could, but they were not sure if He would. If anyone ever tells you they have healing figured out (unless it’s Jesus), don’t believe them because at this time we only “know in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9, 12). I tell people, “If you want to find out if it’s God’s will to heal you, study Jesus.” Not one person who asked Jesus for healing was refused…all received.

Dear one, it is much easier to be healed when you are convinced God wants to heal you. Someone once told me that God inflicts sickness on His children to teach them a lesson. Sure, I believe God can use negative things to teach us about Himself. But I struggle with the belief that God in one hand bestows sickness and disease on His children and with the next hand bestows blessings.

If I want to teach my daughter not to touch a hot stove, I don’t break her arm. God’s not in the business of breaking arms, just healing them. If God is the author of disease, then every physician is a law-breaker and every hospital is in rebellion. If God wants people to be sick, then it’s a sin to want to be well. God wants you well, period. Get that in your heart. Speak it out loud, dream it, believe it, and resist anything else.

In the midst of your sickness and pain look for God’s goodness. There is something inside every man and woman that instinctively wants to be well. This is from God. We fight against disease and sickness because it is natural to do so. It is natural for God to desire to heal you also. It is because He is good. The first thing God did with this earth was good (Genesis 1:4). The first thing God did with you was good (you were born). His Word is good (Hebrews 6:5). He is good to Israel and those who are of a clean heart (Psalm 73:1). 

The Psalmist wrote, “No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). Healing is good. A good God does not desert His children!

And there is a way for you. God anointed Jesus for what purpose? “To do good and heal all who were oppressed of the devil” (Acts 10:38). Much sickness comes from the devil (John 10:10).

Look, there are many reasons why people aren’t healed: lack of faith, possible sin in their lives – bitterness, unforgiveness, or oppression of the enemy. And sometimes we don’t know why. Yet, we must believe God, resist the devil and get ready to receive from God. We have seen some people healed immediately after rebuking the spirit of pain and infirmity (Luke 13:11-16). Others were healed that night after the service; still others, days later. We are constantly asking God for discernment in each service we go to. The point is, let God heal you the way He chooses.

The Lord can heal by a touch, a word, by physical anointing. He healed those close and at a distance. He healed on the Sabbath (any day will work); He healed individuals and groups. There were seven cases where a demon was cast out. On eleven occasions friends brought the sick person to Jesus. On six occasions the sick person asked for healing himself. On three occasions the Lord performed the healing while at a distance; He healed eight persons up close with a touch. He healed seven simply by speaking a word. Three were healed when He spat and touched them. In one instance, He healed through a gradual cure (John 4:52 “He began to amend…”). Millions have been, in His name, healed since (John 14:12).  

A healing wave is coming to the Church in America.

Friend, God wants to heal you some way, somehow. Just as He touched me He can touch you. I’m absolutely convinced; I’m fully persuaded that He loves you that much. Reach out and allow Him to touch you today. And don’t let go, don’t give up. He will heal you.

Al Thomas
Celebrating His Life Ministries
Email: [email protected]