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There was a woman at my office who always seemed to be in so much pain. Her body always seemed so rigid. She seemed to have a difficult time communicating and relating with people. She struggled with the very notions that leaders and members of denominations all over the world struggle with, notions of doctrine and tradition that have kept God's people divided for centuries.

What was God's Truth in all of this? she wondered.

She was going through a difficult time in her personal life, and so I thought it was for this reason that she seemed so unhappy.

One day, she came to mind for no apparent reason. I saw an arrow in the lower left side of her back, and hands there, trying to remove it. 2 I didn't try to understand, I gave it to the Lord.

The image would come back to me again and again.

I worked for a Christian organization during this time and we met in small prayer groups every morning. One morning, this lady showed me a book that she was very excited about. The title was Mon Identité en Christ. I looked through it, and it looked very familiar. I realized later that it was the French translation of "Victory Over the Darkness" by Neil Anderson*. She said that she wanted to do a Bible Study, using the verses that were used in the book.

I wanted to be part of the study group, not for the book, because I had already read it; I just wanted to be there - there was something about the way she became excited when she talked about the book.

Each time we would meet in our Bible study group, I would watch her face. She would talk about what she had learned about who she was in Christ, and she would get so excited. I saw the others watching her, and they too, noticed the light in her eyes, and the animated way she talked, and the smile on her face. And they would smile. It was amazing.

One day, it was just the two of us for prayer. As we shared together, she told me what had happened to her.

Two years earlier, she had fallen on the ice outside the office, and had hurt her back. She had been incontinent for two years now.

Again the image of the arrow came to me, but this time, with it came the urge to lay hands on her. I told her that I would like to pray for her, and she told me that many people had already prayed for her, but that if I wanted to, I could.

She didn't sound very hopeful.

As I prayed, I felt that the Lord wanted me to put my hands on her. But when I opened my eyes, she looked so rigid, I wasn't sure. Although we were all Christians in our office, the laying on of hands was not something I had ever experienced there, and I wasn't sure how it would be received.

To be honest, I was afraid, and so I didn't obey.

While I prayed, I saw the same image of her with an arrow in her lower back, and the hands there, as if trying to remove it. Then I saw a wet cloth, and then hands wringing it out. Liquid came out from the cloth as it was squeezed. Then the hands put the cloth to the left side, and I heard the words, "This is gone from you." 3 I said nothing, and we closed our time of prayer.

Thoughts of her constantly came to me now, regardless of where I was. I kept giving all these things to the Lord.

One morning, I was speaking with a girl I traveled to work with, and in the middle of our conversation, thoughts of this woman came to me, with strong feelings to put hands on her, and the image of the arrow again. I told my friend I had to get to work, and left.

There were four of us present on this morning for prayer. One of them was not an employee, but a volunteer. I knew her to be a Christian, becasue we had prayed together. My colleague read the Scripture for the morning. It was 1Peter 5:6-11:

'Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen.' 4

As I heard these words, my heart began to pound strongly throughout my whole body, and I became very warm. The image of the arrow was strong, and I again felt the direction to lay hands on her. Hearing the words, I felt that the Lord was going to heal her.

I waited. 5

My other co-worker then spoke about how during the last couple of years, she had come to understand that it was a spiritual battle we were in, and that it was very real. I felt now that I could speak.

I did not mention her illness, because I knew that the volunteer would not know, and I wasn't sure if my other co-worker knew either. I simply told them what I had seen, and how I was feeling,and what I felt the Lord wanted us to do.

Then, it was as if the Lord arranged it Himself. We quietly went to her, put our hands on her, and prayed, simply thanking God for being with us, bringing her before Him, and thanking Him for the work He was doing in her, and that we could be there with Him in this.

As the others prayed, I saw the arrow removed. The hands broke it in two and put it to the left side as before, and the words came, 'It is done.' Then I saw a smooth and shiny skin-colored bandage about 3 inches high by 7 inches long in the place where the arrow had been, and hands smoothing it in place. I told the others what I saw. I remember feeling very human. 6

She gave herself again to the Lord, and we closed in prayer. We went to our work and did not speak again about this.

The next morning, during my own prayer time, among other things, I wrote: I guess I'm hoping the incontinence will go, but I need to remember that this is God's work, and 'It is done.' The Lord gave me these words:

'My child. This one that is healed is one who shall come forth. Do you think My Word is of no value? The images you see are for her who was in pain. Now the pain is gone and she comes forth to claim her rightful inheritance. That she know it is I, she shall be healed of all her infirmity.' I gave all these things into the Lord's hands.

One month later, during our prayer time, she said that she had something to share. She said that she believed that she no longer had the problem of incontinence, and that she had been healed. But what amazed me was what she said after that.

She told us that she was very happy that she was healed, but that there was something more important that the Lord had done in her. She said that she had always had a problem accepting the differences in other churches, but that the Lord had shown her in this time that we are all one in Jesus Christ. 7

Following are the words of a song that I had learned at my church, and during that time, I wanted to shout to the rooftops:

We spoke again about this several months later.

In wisdom, she had not bolted outright to announce to family and friends, as I was wont to do, that she had been healed. Her concern had been for her young teenage daughter and the impact that this could have on her faith.

She wisely consulted her family doctor, and, under medical supervision, she underwent several tests and examinations, and was taken off medication. During that time, she was also led to go to her own church for prayer.

She told me that her healing was now complete.

I would now venture to say that the shiny, skin colored bandage that I saw being put in place so lovingly on that day so many months earlier, had now been removed by that same Divine Hand.

Praise be to God!

1. 1Peter 5:10
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

2. Ephesians 6:16
In addition to all this, take up the shield of Faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

3. Joel 2:28-29
And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

4. 1Peter 5:6-11
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

5. Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.

6. James 5:15-16
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

7. Ephesians 4:4-6
There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

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