Sunday evening, my husband and I watched the 2019 movie, Breakthrough. For those who have not seen the movie, it is a true story about 14-year-old, John Smith, who in 2015, died in a drowning accident after falling through the ice on Lake St. Louis in St. Charles County, Missouri.
Throughout the movie, we see the unshakable faith of John’s adoptive mother, Joyce, who stated, “I believe that God is who He says He is and will do what He say He will do.” She told John’s attending physician, “You do what you do best and my God will do the rest.”
When interviewed, Joyce recounted that the E.R. doctor told her to talk to her son. She did not realize that her son had been dead for 45 minutes and they were preparing to “call time of death.” Believing there was still a chance, she went to John’s bedside and cried out, “God, send your Holy Spirit to save my son.” Immediately, the heart monitor began beeping.
Joyce’s faith was unwavering, so when she heard the attending physician, nurses, and other doctors, express doubts that John would survive, she told them, “The power of life and death is in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Do not speak negative words about my son or around my son. He can hear you!” (John was in a medically induced coma.)
Joyce’s aggressive and controlling behavior managed to alienate her from others, including her husband, Brian, whom she told, “John would be dead if not for me.” Pride had raised its ugly head as she claimed credit for John being alive. She failed to acknowledge that she was only the instrument; the Holy Spirit resurrected her son.
Brian quickly let her know that her rude and prideful conduct was offensive to everyone, including the medical staff. Joyce then retreated to the hospital’s rooftop to pray. There, she asked God to forgive her inappropriate behavior and for being prideful. With tears streaming, she humbly said, “Whatever you have for John, for Brian, for me, I surrender. I surrender.” In that moment of humility and surrender, God began to answer her prayer.
After ten days in the hospital, John walked out of Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital completely healed. His doctors agreed that there was no medical explanation for his recovery, other than being a miracle.
When we question why some prayers are answered and others are not, there are so many variables involved. Is there unforgiveness, pride, rebellion, disobedience, or any other kind of sin that is hindering our prayers? I had prayed for eight years for a particular healing, and when I finally asked God why I was not healed, He said, “You have a prideful spirit.” I tearfully repented of pride and surrendered my will and desires to God, and healing came.
A very dear friend was critically ill in the hospital. One day as I was crying out to God to heal her, He responded in my spirit, “I cannot heal her.” I was stunned and asked why. He answered, “Because she refuses to forgive.” I went to the hospital to share with her what God had said. She then revealed what her husband had done and said, “I will NEVER forgive him!” She died the next day.
“Breakthrough” is an amazing account of a miraculous event and a woman’s relentless faith. But what may be overlooked is that God was dealing with Joyce’s pride, her willful arrogance, and bad attitude. He would also deal with John, an angry young man, who lashed out and rejected authority, because his biological mother had rejected him.
God wants to be our all-sufficient Lord, Master, Savior, and Friend. He has a plan for each of us. He knows us intimately, because He created our inmost being and knit us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). For that reason, He is first and foremost concerned with the health of our soul.
God deals with us individually; therefore, we do not receive answers or healing in the same way. Eleven years ago, my husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given two months to live, yet he is alive but not cancer free. So, why is God delaying?
God, like the refiner and purifier of silver, is refining His people like gold and silver (Malachi 3:3). And in that process, He is waiting for us to seek Him for those hidden roadblocks that hinder our prayers. Make no mistake, God will test our faith, trust, and obedience, as He did with Naaman, who was told to wash seven times in the Jordon River to be healed (2 Kings 5:10). At first, he resisted, because he saw it as foolishness. However, Naaman eventually obeyed and was healed.
Jesus put mud and spit on a man’s eyes, which must have seemed very strange to the man. Then He told him, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means “sent”). So, the man obediently went and washed, and came back seeing (John 9:6). Hezekiah was instructed to use a poultice of figs to heal boils and he obeyed (Isa. 38:21). As you can see, obedience is a very important ingredient to answered prayer.
For some, healing came through a piece of cloth from the Apostle Paul (Acts 19:12). The sick in Samaria heard, believed, and were healed upon hearing the preaching of God’s Word (Acts 8:4-8). Some went to the Pool of Bethesda and were healed (John 5:4). Believing in the infallibility of God’s Word and responding is critical to receiving.
Throughout the Bible, men and women’s prayerful petitions were answered, but most importantly, the words, “And God heard,” arerepeated throughout scripture. We can have confidence that He hears and answers in His time and according to His purposes.
Every person’s experience will be different. Whatever the need may be, whether it is physical healing, restoration of a marriage, a wayward child returning home, a financial need, or any other need that requires God’s intervention, He is there, waiting for us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then all these things will be added (Matthew 6:33).
God keeps His Word to those who are faithful to Him and believe His Word. What had appeared to be a hopeless tragedy, God brought good from it, so that the world would know that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What He did over 2,000 years ago, He will do today.
John’s experience gave him a new perspective on what is important in life. He now enjoys a strong bond with his family and with God. And Joyce learned that arrogance and pride will hinder prayers, but repentance causes God to hear and respond to the cry of our heart.
PRAYER: FATHER, I pray as King David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23-24 ESV). I want to be securely grounded in Your Word and Your will, so that Your purposes for my life may be fulfilled. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Photo courtesy of Liane-metzler-Y18yvAGQ5iE..unplash.jpg