12 Weeks of Prayer Week 11 Day 3

12 Weeks of Prayer Week 11 Day 3

ONLY BELIEVE

Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro

"As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken,

he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue,

Be not afraid, only believe.

Mark 5:36

Based on my moment of unbelief, God wants to showcase His glory His way just as He did one day in the life of a man named Jairus.

The Bible story of Jairus is found in Mark 5. The faith of this synagogue official, Jairus, is humbling to me. Let me explain what was happening. His little daughter was very ill. He needed a miracle. He had heard of this man Jesus who cured those who were ill. His daughter needed a miracle, and he personally went to ask the Miracle Man Himself, Jesus of Nazareth, to heal his daughter.

Jairus finally found Jesus. He approached Jesus with respect and honor. “'My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.'” He had such faith and power of assurance in his voice, along with a sense of urgency to go. Jesus doesn’t say one word. He just acted. “So Jesus went.”

On their way, someone touched the cloak of His garment and He stopped to find out who touched him. “Seriously, Jesus,” said His disciples, “There’s a multitude of people. Many, many, many people. How are you going to find who the person is?” Jesus seemed to have forgotten the little dying girl. He now stopped to deal with who touched His garment. He healed that woman.

“While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?”

Imagine the devastation Jairus was feeling. Grief overwhelmed his heart. He had gone to find Jesus; he made his case before Him. Jesus immediately went with him, until the woman touched His garment and Jesus stopped to heal her. Now it was too late, his daughter was dead. It was over.

“But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, 'Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.'”

What a statement. “Do not be afraid!" In other words, don’t let fear grip you. Everything is going to be just fine. There’s just one thing you have to do, “Only believe.” Jairus needed to take the most optimistic approach. He needed to see the most favorable view of this situation. But the girl was dead, how could he “Only believe?”

You see, believing required the following: Having faith in who Jesus was. He needed to be convinced that Jesus was going to heal his daughter no matter what. Death was not going to stop Jesus from accomplishing her healing. He needed to be confident in the power Jesus had. He had to arrive at the conclusion that he had judged this man Jesus correctly to trust in what He would do. In other words, by all he had seen and heard about Jesus, he now had an opinion he had formed with good reasoning. Jesus is the Healer, Restorer, and the Miracle-Working Man.

Finally, Jesus arrived. There was a commotion going on at Jairus' home. The mourners were already there. They were paid people that wailed, cried, and screamed. Jesus said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him. They didn’t believe Him. Jesus sent them away and then went into the room where the little girl was laying, taking her parents and the few disciples that were with Him. Jesus took the girl by the hand and told her to rise. The 12-year-old girl immediately got up and was completely healed. What an incredible touch of the Master’s hand.

Let me share a personal story. A good friend and colleague of mine at LDW called me in a panic one early summer evening. I’ll never forget that phone call. She was in a state of shock, fear, and panic. “Teresa, my husband found a lump on his throat. He has to go to the doctors.” As she was talking, I was praying. “God, what is happening?” Immediately, God said, “Tell her that her husband will be fine. I have this.” I was a bit nervous. “God, am I hearing you correctly?” Again, “Tell her that her husband will be fine. I have this.” I stopped her and said, “Mary, God told me to tell you your husband will be fine. He has this. Be at peace.”

A few weeks went by, he had surgery. Another call. “Teresa, we are waiting for a biopsy." As she was talking, I was praying. I heard, “Remember what I said? He’s going to be fine. Tell her that the cancer is contained.” I was asking God in my mind, “God, this is my colleague besides my friend. What do you mean the cancer is contained? This will freak her out. Am I hearing you correctly?” Again, “Tell her it’s contained. Her husband will be just fine.” I obeyed and told her.

Now, a few days went by. I will never forget this day. I was out running. I was coming up the first hill. Mary calls me, “Teresa, you heard wrong from God. The cancer is not contained, it spread to the lymph nodes. You missed what God told you.” People, I almost fainted on the spot. I said, “Mary, are you sure? I don’t understand. God told me to tell you that. I am so sorry.” I got off the phone, and I was crying. I got mad at God. “Really, God? You told me to tell Mary, out of all my colleagues, something that’s not true? Didn’t they stone false prophets in the Bible? Well, I will never deliver a word again. Find someone else.” Immediately, I heard, “Be at peace. Believe what I told you.” My response was, “I can’t believe anything because it spread to the lymph nodes after You told me to tell her it was contained. I can’t trust anything I’m hearing. Obviously, You do not tell me lies. I heard wrong. God, I’m very upset. You made me look bad.” That’s what I told God.

Meanwhile, he had set appointments for chemotherapy and radiation. Mary was hurting, but I couldn’t minister to her. How could I? In my mind, I heard wrong. It was such a terrible time for both Mary and me. A few weeks had gone by. My spirit was so grieved. I was devastated. "God, what happened with my constant prayer?"

Now I was out running again. It was a Thursday evening. Mary called me. “Teresa, I had an appointment with my doctor today. I told him what’s happening. Tonight, he called me at home. He told me something isn’t feeling right with him. He doesn’t know my husband. He thinks he needs to have those slides relooked at.” People, I was at the end of my run, going up this monster hill. I stopped and I jumped like ten feet into the air. I knew that what God told me had to be true.

I said, “Yes! God! Thank you, Jesus. It didn’t spread.” Her respond was, “Teresa, it’s Thursday evening. He starts chemotherapy on Tuesday. There’s no time for a second opinion. We can’t cancel Tuesday.” I just started praying because I knew the man was fine. I believed God. His body did not have cancer. I’m telling you, I’m strong willed to begin with. But, now? Like this boldness came over me. “Mary, cancel the chemotherapy on Tuesday. Please, you have got to do this for me. I need to know that I heard from God. I believe that I have. A few more days will not cause any harm. And Mary, send those slides to TWO places. Not just one." So, she sent them to Yale University Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. Guess what? They found no cancer in the lymph nodes. None! Zero!

The chemotherapy doctor canceled the appointment. There was no cancer to destroy. Glory to the Lamb of God.

God dealt with me, my attitude, and my behavior towards the Word He gave me to deliver. Then came the rebuke in a loving way. “When I tell you something, stand on what I tell you. You are completely clueless as to what I’m doing behind the scenes. This testimony I gave Mary, her husband, and their children will never be forgotten by them. I showed them My power and might. It’s not your business how I choose to manifest My power. Your job is to deliver My Word."

You see in this story of Jairus, a fever healed is nothing compared to Jesus bringing that little girl back to life from the dead. It was a miracle too unbelievable to ignore. God was doing something more profound and meaningful than anyone could have anticipated. Jesus still does this today just like He did with Mary’s husband. One day before his chemotherapy appointment, he got the news from Yale Medical School that the cancer was contained, just like God told me to tell Mary. The lymph nodes were fine. However, we waited for Massachusetts General Hospital to do their analysis, and they said the same thing. No cancer. Can you even believe it? That was almost 4 years ago. I learned my lesson on standing on what God says. Quite frankly, I needed that. The prophetic calling is not one you can afford to mess with.

You see, Jesus stopped on His way to the little girl’s house. He was about to do something greater. Mary’s husband received a comeback from a terrible deadly disease. The glory of God came down and nobody was left the same again. If we want to see God’s glory, we, too, must learn to “Only believe!”

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