A friend, “Ria”, messaged to say that our planned Christmas coffee the following day couldn’t go ahead as her son was unwell and she herself had severe back pain.  Ria was due to go back to her home country a couple of days later and my heart went out to her, knowing what a long journey she had up ahead and how back pain would make it even more difficult.  I tentatively suggested to Ria that I would be very happy to come over in the morning and pray for her pain to go, something I had seen happen many, many times.   I wasn’t at all sure how she would react to my offer.  To my delight, she said yes!  She had tried everything and was desperate.

As Ria answered the door to me, I could see her face was pale and lined with pain.  She moved very slowly and stiffly as we made our way to some seats, wincing in pain as she tried to ease herself onto the chair.  When I asked her when and how the pain had started, she said it had been while she was out walking several days ago, but for no apparent reason.  The pain was strong and constant, day and night, even when she lay down, and made sleeping very difficult.  Certain movement made it even worse and her level of pain as she made that movement was 10/10.!  Total, consuming pain.  Poor lady. 

I encouraged her to make herself as comfortable as she could and to receive the prayer rather than trying to talk or join in. I’m not sure of Ria’s grid for prayer generally and I wanted her to be as relaxed as possible. I also explained that we would be checking things as we went along and she was to be honest in letting me know how things were.  She agreed and we made a start. 

After placing my hand over the pain area, commanding all pain and its root cause to leave and everything to be made whole through the name of Jesus, I checked with Ria what was going on during the prayer.  She said she could feel little jabbing sensations in her back. “A bit like electricity?” I ventured. “Yes! Exactly like that”.  “Oh, that’s good, Ria – that is God’s healing presence at work in you”! We carried on until the intensity had subsided and she tried to move herself a little to check her pain level.  It was still the same.

Taking authority over the spirit of affliction, binding it and commanding it to leave, I prayed again briefly for all the muscles, tendons and ligaments to be healed and everything in her spinal column to line up in its proper position.  “What are you feeling now?”  I asked.  “It feels numb there now”  “Ahhh – heavenly anaesthetic!” I explained.  Father God is doing a deep healing work in you right now!

I had this sense that Ria needed to activate her healing through steps of faith, so I asked her to stand up and start walking around gently.  As she did this, she said – “actually, that is starting to feel better” And a smile appeared across her face!  She walked a little more and then a little more, each step with much more ease and normal posture.  Ria could feel a small spot in her back where there seemed to be a remaining concentration of pain. I have seen that happen before many times and, after specific addressing in prayer, it went.  There was an issue next with stiffness – again, I dealt with stiffness specifically by name and it eased away.  When the Apostle Paul talks about the “working of miracles” it is just that – some miracles take work!.

As Ria tested herself out again, she could now sit down and get up again with much greater ease.  “I could not do that before!” she exclaimed with delight.  “I am better! ” she said. And really, there wasn’t much more to it than that!  She was better!  Healed! From level 10 pain to sitting up and down with ease and no pain!  Ria was so happy and relieved! 

I had her join me in a prayer for her son to be completely released from his illness and for their upcoming journey to be divinely protected and provided for, from start to finish.

The next day, I popped round to check how Ria was.  She had slept like a proverbial baby and had only recently woken up! Her pain was gone.  She could get up and down normally and was already telling her housemates what had happened.  Her son also had no trace of fever left and was on the mend! Hallelujah! I encouraged Ria to share what Jesus had done for her among her family, friends and neighbours back home, so that faith in the wonderful Saviour whose birth we are about to celebrate would become born, strengthened and activated in them! 

Ria messaged me two days later to say they had safely reached her home country and had reunited with loved ones.  Woo Hoo!  Glory to God in the highest!! And all joy to you this Christmas, dear reader, as you find afresh the wonder of the Heavenly King who became a baby - just for you! Astounding.