Backslidings Paralyzed

“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?” Galatians 4:9, NAS.

Johnny* was a pretty good kid. He didn’t do drugs, like many of his friends. He wasn’t involved in gangs, like many of his friends. I guess if you wanted a poster child for being a good kid, Johnny fit the bill. He was invited to a meeting led by his uncle, who had recently become a follower of Jesus.

At the meeting Johnny heard the Gospel for the first time, and he accepted Jesus as his Savior. Yet after the meeting Johnny went home and ignored his decision to follow the Lord. Within a couple of months he was living pretty much as he had before accepting Jesus.

“God loved me too much to let me continue my backsliding,” said Johnny. “He sent a paralysis from my waist down to turn me back to Him.” When believers heard about Johnny’s condition, they gathered at his home to pray for him. The believers took Johnny to the doctor, and he was diagnosed with a heart condition that would require medication for the rest of his life. This was devastating news for an 18-year-old who was too poor to afford the medication. They were able to get a three month supply of the medicine, and then they returned home.

The followers in the village refused to give up on praying for Johnny to be healed. Johnny said, “I remember telling Jesus that if You are the one who heals, then heal me.” Johnny admitted it was at this low point that he really surrendered his life to Jesus.

On that very same day, Jesus healed Johnny’s paralysis! He continued to take the medication until it ran out at the end of three months. He has not taken the medication for over a year and continues to be completely healed. His healing has given him many chances to share about Jesus. Whenever people ask him what happened, he smiles and shares, “Ask in faith and God can help, just like He helped me.”

*Name changed for security reasons.

Pray that:

God will continue to demonstrate His power so that Johnny’s people will be opened to the Gospel.

Johnny will walk in faith without backsliding again.

Johnny will be successful in his efforts to go to new villages to start groups to study the Bible.

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.