Frightened and depressed, she came into the church where I was praying for people. She had an appointment. The visitors were served coffee and cookies while waiting to receive prayer. The atmosphere was happy. But the cheerful tone of the church did not seem to create any joy for this woman. With a serious look on her face, she checked if her name was on the prayer list. Then she retreated into a corner of the church to be alone. There she paced and forth.
A few minutes later, her name was called up. Now it was her turn. She came into the prayer room and sat down on a chair. Yes, she had suffered with anxiety for 20 long years, had seen doctors and psychologists - but to no avail. The reason for the anxiety was a bad marriage. Now she wanted to try God. I felt so powerless. She was scheduled for half an hour with me. If I spent too much time with each person, there would be long delays throughout the evening. What could an evangelist do for someone who had spent tens, maybe hundreds of hours with specialists in the field, to little or no avail? A meagre half hour to be spent removing a 20 year old deep mental disorder.
The pipe and the water
In my weakness, I began to think: Who is the healer - it is Jesus or is it Svein-Magne? If it was Jesus, whose problem was it then? An interesting thought. The sickness was God's problem - not mine. The answer to these human speculations was quite simple
- Jesus. He alone is the healer, and He wants to be responsible for answered prayer. He came that we might have life. He wants us all to have courage and the spark of life. Jesus had called and equipped me for this. My task was to transfer the power of God to the sick. I would only be the tool. My faith was to be the hand that opens the tap - and the Holy Spirit would be the living water. What is the pipe without water? The pipe is only a mediator for the water, but not the water itself. But let's think about it this way: What could the water do without having a tube to run through? God has to a great extent made himself dependant on you and me. Have we thought about that?
Boldly I quoted a few promises from the Bible, and laid my hands on this exhausted woman. Two minutes of silence went by. I left the matter to God. Should something happen here, it had to come from Him, because this was humanly difficult. Suddenly she began to laugh! The laughter was contagious- and then we both laughed.
"Why are you laughing?" I asked.
"I have not laughed in two years," she answered, pleased, and continued: "You know, the oppressive anxiety disappeared now. I feel fully recovered from anxiety! "
Readily I could answer, "Yes, that is Jesus. But you've only tasted a small slice of the bread. Why not eat the whole bread? I mean - why not let Jesus into your heart and be saved? "
She replied: "Yes, gladly, but what must I do to be saved?" I explained the way of salvation to her, and she received eternal life.
The transformation
A few minutes later she came out of the prayer room, and now she walked right over to the table where the young people were sitting. She smiled, spoke cheerfully to them and asked for a cup of coffee. She sat down with them and had an enjoyable time. She said goodbye afterwards and went home like a new person - both inside and out. With a confident posture and her eyes full of gladness, she left the church and disappeared down the street. The young people gazed after her through the window - clearly surprised.
The dreaded 20 year old anxiety had let go of his prey.
"This is the greatest miracle I have seen," exclaimed a young man sitting at the table. He had seen her when she came into the church, and now when she came out of the prayer room.
A woman once said to me: "I wish I had cancer instead of anxiety, because one can die from cancer, but not from anxiety."
Approximately every fourth telephone, letter or e-mail we receive at the centre, has to do with anxiety and nerve problems of one kind or another. Anxiety and depression have become a common disease. It's like having a toothache when the nearest dentist is a thousand kilometers away.
These difficult soul ailments have a solution: God's power is the best medicine for anxiety, depression and bipolar disorders. Jesus has compassion on our weaknesses. In the Garden of Gethsemane the sweatdrops of anxiety which were great drops of blood, fell to the earth. The weight of our sins and diseases began to breathe him down his neck. He dreaded to cross. The pressure was so great that he was close to dying.
Then he was crucified. Having suffered history's greatest ordeal under the pressure of God's judgment upon our sins, he cried out in the end: "It is finished!" Note that he he did not say «paid in half» but «paid in full». What was needed to be done to remove sin and sickness, was now all finshed. The words in the basic language mean: "It is paid to the fullest!" In virtually means: "With my clean life and my atoning death, I have fully paid for all your sins and all your diseases. I can provide healing to your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual diseases. "
The great men of the Bible's had their tunnels in life. But they did not remain there, but got help from God to get out. The one who suffers from anxiety, needs warmth, care and love (sometimes tough love). Humanity is a key word. But the last thing they need is to be told that they must pull themselves together!
The power method is best
But compassion is not always enough. We are not against the conventional method - medicine can also help. In addition, we need God's medicine - conversation and prayer. Nothing is better than God's life-giving word and the power of God. It was this power that awakened Jesus from the dead. Paul describes this method as follows: "By faith in God's power - he that raised up Christ from the dead." (Col. 2:12) Today we need more faith in "God's medicine" than conventional medicine!
Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus came "to set the oppressed free." (Luke 4:18) The Spirit of God has the force required to break the yoke of fear.
The people who are now living in darkness will see a great light. Isaiah 9:2.
Do we believe in God's way? The woman who was healed of 20 years of deep anxiety did.
There is hope for you too!
Svein-Magne Pedersen
