Sabbath Blessings Chapter 1: Earnestly desire spiritual gifts

Originally written as updates to friends, slightly edited for Dili Chronicles.

First written on 6 Feb in Taipei, as I served in a healing conference.

I was praying with an American teammate Cynthia and a Taiwanese translator Helen. We were walking through the conference venue looking for sick people to pray with.

 

At one point a beautiful young woman came to us. We looked at her patient card. She was a Christian and it seemed she had already received healing so we were happy for her and ready to move on but she shared that she was heartbroken from three breakups. 

Cynthia hugged her and then said to me, 'There's something really troubling her conscience. Is it ok to ask her about it?'

I said yes and went on to translate the question.

The woman started crying and said, 'Yes. I had an abortion in the past and I feel really guilty about it.'

Our hearts broke and we hugged her. Then we told her to confess it and repent.

She said, 'I really want to kneel. Can I?' And so we ended up on the floor together.

Helen our translator led her in a prayer of repentance. Many tears were shed.

As we got up to go, she kept saying thank you, thank you. She looked at me and said, 'Tell your friend this is the first time I've ever talked about this.' I translated it and we were all blown away by what had happened. This woman who has lived under so much secret shame and guilt had just received freedom.

I can't get her out of my mind. What if Cynthia did not have her gift of discernment and we merely ministered out of human love but had no power to bring God's freedom and deliverance to her? She would still be living under the weight of her secret shame.

THIS is why we are to earnestly desire spiritual gifts. It isn't just for us. It's for them - the precious people God brings into our path who need healing and deliverance in the power of the Spirit.

I don't want people I minister to to fall short of a life-changing encounter because I am not walking in the full measure of the power He's given us. How about you? 

Beloved Bride, may we represent Him perfectly, on earth as it is in heaven.