God’s Personal Touch

“For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” 

And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory” 

(2 Corinthians 1:20, NLT).

It was early October 2015 when I went for an appointment with my gynecologist. I had not gone in four years. I thought it was a little over two. I had recently had my medical insurance reinstated after I left my part-time job. Lying on the examination table, I saw a disturbing look on the doctor’s face. “Did you know this was here?” she asked, probing a lump in my left breast.

“No, I didn’t,” I answered, shocked as she took my fingers and positioned them over the nickel-sized lump. I went limp as she filled out the paperwork to schedule me for a mammogram.

Leaving her office stunned, with thoughts racing through my mind, I sat in the lobby waiting for the next bus. I wished I had not just missed one, because I was left alone for two hours with those disturbing thoughts. Gather yourself; this is not what you think it is. No weapon formed against you shall prosper. By the Lord’s stripes you are healed, I thought silently.

My mammogram was scheduled for the next day, but when I got there, I was told I was at the wrong office and I needed to reschedule for the next week. Go the entire weekend with this hanging over my head! Are you people kidding me? I thought as the receptionist handed me my new appointment. When I returned home, I walked through my door and took off my jacket. Then I reached around to feel for the lump. Yep, it was still there. Seating myself with my Bible in hand, I saturated myself with God’s words of encouragement.

The next morning, which was a Thursday, I felt for the lump again, and it was still there. I wanted to tell my prayer call family. Our church hosted a morning prayer call, and I desperately wanted prayer, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask for prayer for something that I knew in my spirit wasn’t mine. My pastor had been declaring for two weeks prior that God was giving out “Friday Blessings” and I wanted one.

On that Thursday morning after the call, I sat at my kitchen table asking, “Lord, I hear that you’re giving out all those “Friday Blessing”, when am I going to get mine?”

The night before, I had been watching Pastor Joseph Prince when he explained the power of communion and discerning Jesus’ body. When I awoke Friday morning, I was instructed by the Lord to take communion. I had a communion cup and wafer tucked away on my shelf in my bedroom. I had brought one home from church one Sunday, to give to a sister who couldn’t make it that day. Somehow, I forgot about it and it stayed in my purse for about a month until I put it on the shelf. I grabbed it from the shelf and sat myself on the edge of my bed. Then I took communion, citing, “This is your body, Lord, that was broken for me, and this is your blood that was shed for me.”

Then I got up and got on the prayer call and went about my day knowing that somehow God would take care of the issue, one way or another. I never told anyone except my mother. That Friday evening as I laid in bed, trying my best not to allow the fear that was trying to rise up in me to take hold; I heard the Holy Spirit ask, “Who are you?”

I sat motionless as my mind tried to think about it. “Remember who you are,” he demanded. Then I understood; he was asking me to remember my identity in Christ, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I am the Body of Christ. I am the head and not the tail. I am above only and never beneath. Jesus’ body was broken for me, so by his stripes I am healed!” I declared aloud. Then I girded myself, declaring for an entire hour, until I fell off to sleep, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.”

Shortly afterward, as I was in a sound sleep, I was awakened by what felt like a large finger pressing into the lump in my left breast. Immediately, I awoke, but I couldn’t move or open my eyes, feeling like I was being held down by an arm lying across my chest. I could feel it up against my left cheek, and I fought to turn my head to try to bite the arm, but I couldn’t move or open my eyes. I knew I was under attack and I needed to fight the devil off, but I couldn’t move. Giving in to what was happening to me, I stopped fighting.

A few minutes later my eyes suddenly opened, and I jerked forward and sat straight up in my bed. What in the world was that? I pondered in my mind. Then I made my way to the bathroom. Coming back to my bedroom, I looked up to notice that my bedroom, with the lights out, was not black, but grey with white hues. Oh my God, the angels have been here; I thought. I sat down on the bed, almost afraid to lie down, but I heard the Lord encourage, “Be not afraid.” So, I went back to sleep.

I never searched for the lump after that Friday night. I had another mammogram appointment on the following Tuesday, so I went on with my weekend. Sunday morning as I sat at the table after breakfast, the Lord asked, “Why would the devil touch you there?” With that statement, I knew I was all right. Monday morning, I wanted to tell what had happened to me on the prayer call, but the Lord said, “Wait, I want a witness.”

Tuesday morning, I wasn’t able to get on the prayer call because I had to catch the bus to my appointment. As I sat in the reception area waiting for my examination, I was calm. When I was called to the back, I changed and sat with other women waiting to be called to the examination room. It was a humbling experience as I thought about women who might be facing breast cancer. One of my prayer call/church members was battling the disease. As my name was called, I made my way to the examination room, and the technician inquired, “Where’s the lump? Can you show me?”

I felt for the lump, and I kept searching for it. “It was here,” I answered, continuing to probe. Then the technician attempted to assist me in finding the lump, but to no avail. “Let me put you on the machine; maybe it will show something,” she suggested. I braced for the intense, unexplainable pain as she took pictures of my breasts. “I don’t see anything, but let me let the doctor read these results. You may have to have a sonogram, so take a seat in the waiting room,” she instructed.

I did what she said, and shortly after, she came for me and took me to have a sonogram. I was still calm as I positioned myself on the table. “Where did they say the lump was?” the sonogram technician inquired.

Feeling for the lump again, I probed, searching for it. “It was here, but it’s gone now.” She looked at me perplexed. “Let me see if I can feel it,” she assisted.

“I don’t feel it, let’s see what I can see on the screen,” she offered as she moved the cold wand over my breast. “Wait here, I’m going to give this report to the doctor to read,” she stated as she left the room. A few minutes later, the doctor entered. “May I examine you?” he inquired.

“Sure,” I submitted.

As his fingers probed, he looked puzzled, and then he took hold of the cold wand and did another sonogram. “All I see is breast tissue; I don’t see anything out of the ordinary.”

“Thank you,” I offered as they pointed me toward the dressing room. “Thank you, Lord,” I whispered when I really wanted to shout. I couldn’t wait to tell somebody, anybody, what my God had done. I don’t know what the lump was because I refused to give it a name. I just knew it wasn’t a part of my life and I treated that way. The one thing I remembered from the beginning was never to claim anything that isn’t from God, and disease of any kind is a curse, but I am not cursed.

From that experience, God reminded me we must daily believe and declare the promises of God for us that are "Yeah and Amen." Psalms 103:20 (KJV) declares, "Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word." 

The angels hearken to the voice of thy word (God’s Word in our mouths), and they will take hold of it and battle for us. Put your angels to work while you put your mind and heart to rest, and the devil to flight.

Be blessed, my sisters and brothers, and declare your victories in Christ Jesus!!! There is nothing special about me; I simply did what the Holy Spirit directed me to do. I confessed God's promises, believing in him and his ability to fulfill them in my life. 

Prayer:

Father, in the name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, I declare that every attack of the devil has already failed. I send back his attacks and take my victory back. I will not be afraid of his wicked schemes or plans against me or my family. Although this season is frightening, we will not fear! For the Word of God says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5, KJV). Therefore, “No weapon that is formed against (me and my family) shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against (us) in judgment we shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” 

Psalm 91:1 declares, "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty." 

Psalms 23 (KJV) reminds us, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." 

Mark 5:26 (KJV), "As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe."

In the name of Jesus, I believe. Amen.