For the Body

In the past four months God has told me a lot through my squadmates, not the least of which was to stay on the World Race for the full eleven months. God has used them to teach and show me many things that have taught me confidence in Christ, to love those whom He loves, to step into the uncomfortable, and more. So I’m inclined to listen when they speak; they may well be God’s messenger each time.

During our sixty days in Costa Rica more than one squadmate has mentioned that I’m gifted in prophecy and that I need to step into the gift of distinguishing the spirits. The gifts of the Spirit is a controversial topic, and I’m still trying to figure out what my opinion on them is, but for now my view is that if God wants to give me something I’ll take it, if He doesn’t that’s okay too.

I haven’t been praying specifically for either prophecy or distinguishing the spirits. Rather I’ve been open to whatever God has, and been asking Him to give me “eyes to see” and “ears to hear.” Eyes to see what is happening in the spiritually realm, to be aware of what the devil is doing in the area we’re at; and ears to hear whatever God wants to tell me, whether that’s through the Spirit or through scripture.

I had not made a connection between the facts that I was asking for ears to hear spiritually to that I physically deaf in one ear. From the time I was little I’ve been prone to ear infections, and as a result I’ve lost a lot of hearing in my right ear. It’s never been a significant issue, it just makes whisper hard to hear and loud noises a bit more annoying. But it’s been steadily getting worse since December. The quality of sound in my right ear took a sharp decline in April, going from a rattling noise until finally by the time we ended our stay in Costa Rica it was entirely deaf.

I’ve been praying for spiritually hearing so much I’d quite forgotten to even pray for physical healing. I’m used to having wack hearing and it’s something I’ve learned to live with. Most of my squad have learned to be used to me tilting my head to the side during conversation so I can hear them. It wasn’t a big deal, not worth any concern.

During one of our last days in Costa Rica, I was praying with two of my squadmates. It was a loud room, and I was struggling to hear anything either of them were saying. They were very accommodating, making sure that whoever was speaking or praying stood on my left so I could make out most of their words. But it was an entertaining nuisance we had to deal with.

Finally one of them had enough of it. She laid one hand on my head, and another on my deaf ear. The first thing I noticed was that her hands didn’t feel the same: the one on my head felt normal, but the one on my ear felt like a man’s. She prayed for healing, said amen, and I saw her lower her hands to her side.

But I still felt a hand on my ear.

“Did it work?” my squadmate on my right asked. It was the clearest voice I’d heard in a long time, especially from my right side.

I didn’t know what to think. I was probably grinning like a little kid at the toy store, but I was too stunned to say anything. I nodded, and they both starting laughing and jumping for joy. My hearing wasn’t perfect, but I could easily make out what they were saying, and the echoy room didn’t bother me as it normally would have.

The feeling of a hand holding my ear continued for two days. In that time the quality of its hearing slowly inclined until it was as whole as my left, at which point I felt the hand slowly release me.

I’ll never forget cheers when I told my squad I had my hearing back. A terrifying dogpile frenzy ensued, which I’m proud to say I didn’t begrudge them. They were so excited. For days people would whisper my name from across the room, and when I miraculously heard and turned towards them they’d be grinning from ear to ear.

The gift of prophecy is not for the prophet. He doesn’t receive any benefit, but rather he bestows God’s gift by edifying and exhorting the church body. In the same way I do believe that while God smiled at my joy He gave me my hearing to bless my squad. It wowed a lot of people, and I’ve seen them in visible awe and love for it.

Our God is a God of miracles, gifts, joy, and love. His character and power have not changed since the times of Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, and Paul. Don’t forget Who and What He is.