Desperate for Healing

“And while the sun was setting, all who had any sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on every one of them, He was healing them.” Luke 4:40, NASB.

Ernest* is a twenty year old man paralyzed from the waist down in a fishing accident. In his poor village most families live hand to mouth, and to have a family member in his prime to go from earning income to being as helpless and dependent as a young child is devastating. Even if medical care were readily available, which it isn’t, Ernest’s family couldn’t afford treatment.

An occult healer came to town, which is not uncommon in many poor areas of the Pacific Rim. He promised miracle cures to all who paid him enough money. Ernest’s family was desperate. While the witchdoctor’s fees only amounted to $50 or $60 U.S., it may as well have been millions as far as the resources that Ernest’s family had available.

Still they considered going into debt to pay in hopes of a miracle. Fortunately Ernest had a good friend named David. David was a follower of Jesus, and he knew that paying a witchdoctor was against God’s commands. He told Ernest’s family to trust God, and not anger the Lord by paying the witchdoctor.

The family listened to David’s sound advice, which turned out to be a good thing. Shortly after the witchdoctor took fees from several families in the village he disappeared without even attempting to treat any of his “patients.”

Ernest and his family are still not followers of Jesus, but they are listening to David. They are grateful for David’s warning that saved them from even more heartache at the hands of a con-man.

*Names changed for security reasons.

Pray that:

David will continue to witness boldly about God so that the people in his village might come to know Him.

God will provide healing in Ernest’s body and soul so that those in the village may learn that it is God who heals not witchdoctors and demons.

The Holy Spirit will prepare the hearts of many people from Ernest’s tribe to receive the Gospel.

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