Last week I had the pleasure of being in Cork, Ireland, for a couple of days. There was glorious sunshine and lots of people were out and about. One of them I spotted down a quiet side street, sitting in a doorway. He’s a treasure without a permanent home. I’ll call him “Gavin”.
Gavin asked me for some spare change but I had no coins at all – certainly none in euros, Cork’s currency. He was an affable young man in his early twenties, wanting to reassure me that it was fine not to give him anything - he was just glad that I had stopped to say hello and give him the time of day. When I asked Gavin how he was doing physically, if he had any aches or pains that were bothering him, he exclaimed “Well, it’s funny you should ask that”……! and he proceeded to take off one of his trainers and slowly roll up his trouser leg. Honestly, I wondered what he was going to reveal, and just hoped my stomach would be strong enough to take it!!
To my surprise, all I could see was a very clean, white support bandage all around his foot and ankle. It had obviously been recently applied. Gavin told me that he had a bad sprain to his ankle which constantly gave him pain – especially when he moved it in a certain way (which he then demonstrated! Owww!) I told Gavin that, if he was willing, I would pray for his ankle and God would take all his pain away, in a matter of moments. “What?! Are you serious? Is that even possible?” “Yes, it most certainly is”!! And, after he scaled his current pain at around 5/10, I instructed Gavin just to relax and receive the prayer. “Is it okay if I close my eyes while you pray?” he asked? That question melted my heart. I felt like I was on holy ground with this precious young man.
I took authority and, in Jesus’ Name, commanded all the pain, inflammation and swelling to go and full strength and restoration to come to his ankle, just how it was before the accident - and even better!. I also prayed that Gavin would know the close love of the Heavenly Father through what was about to happen. It was a prayer lasting no more than a minute. Two at most. There was a beautiful look of peace across Gavin’s face after the prayer, while his eyes were still closed.
Before asking Gavin to check his ankle out, I said “I don’t want you to be nice to me, Gavin. I really want you to tell me honestly how things are, please, so you can have your full healing.” He agreed, and used his hands to move his foot all around in different directions. He loudly exclaimed “That’s AMAZING” (but in a strong Irish accent that sounded more like AMEHHHHHHZIN’!”) How did you do that? All the pains’s gone!”
“Are you sure? It’s ALL gone?” I asked. “Yes!!” And, springing up from his sitting position, Gavin starting jigging and stomping up and down on the pavement with both feet, dancing around, his face beaming!! It was the most joyous sight to behold!
Gavin said afterwards…. “over the years, lots of people have told me this about Jesus and that about Jesus but I have NEVER seen anything like this! Jesus is my new man, now! Thank you so, so much!!” We chatted a little more about what it means to know Jesus until I sensed it was time for me to be on my way
Would you pray for dear Gavin who encountered his “new man Jesus” that day? And for the many like him on the street who will hear what God did for Gavin and find they want Jesus to be their new man too?