The Touch of God, part 66

Warriors Arise: September 18, 2021

Mark 7:31-37 (NKJV Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. 32 Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. 33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

What is that? Who wants to know if Jesus washed His fingers after putting them in the man's ear before grabbing his tongue. Is that why He took the man aside from the multitude? Some would be so disgusted with the way this deaf and speech impaired man got healed that they would not step forward to receive their miracle? This man was not blind. He couldn't hear or speak. He knew what Jesus was doing or about to do. Why did He let Him do it?

It reminds me of the man in the Old Testament who was told to wash in a specific river but wouldn't, because the river he was sent to was dirty and he thought it was unclean. His dignity got in the way of receiving his miracle until his servant asked a question that broke through his master's pride. I think we would be surprised how many things in life we miss out on because of our pride.

2 Kings 5:9-15 (NKJV) Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha's house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ 12 Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel;

Pride is a tremendous barrier that will keep us from what we really want. I was asked if I wanted to get on a health program and I scoffed at the idea, thinking, "I don't need a health program. I need a miracle. It's not like I haven't tried, really tried to lose weight." When I humbled myself, I learned my miracle was in the health program. I lost 85 lbs and I am more active now, without pain, than I was when I got married. I didn't want to follow someone's plan. I didn't want to learn how to eat right. I thought I would always be hungry and I'm not. I thought I would never get to have the good stuff, and I now I can. I thought I would always have to miss out, and now I don't. I thought I would never be able to rid myself of my addition to food, and I have. With God's help and humbling myself to follow the right program for me, the impossible I had been trying for years to accomplish, became possible.

I didn't want to do it and God reminded me that I needed to get my "want to" in the right place. I thought it would be horrible, unbearable, and another epic fail but it wasn't. It was because I humbled myself and followed the plan. I couldn't no longer follow my own desires, because they got me to the unhealthy condition I was in. I was uneducated in health. Even though I was cooking our meals, mostly non processed foods, the meals were out of balance. There was no way I was going to succeed if I didn't follow the plan, trust the plan, implement the plan, and abide by the plan. The stronghold of addiction to food broke and the weight continued to come off.

When I started I told my coach, "I have one ounce of hope this is going to work. That hope is not in this program but in God." I had been crushed about 5 months earlier when my Dad said I needed to take care of myself. I thought I was taking care of myself. We didn't go out to eat except for special occasion. We didn't eat at concessions stands. I had cut back to two meals a day. I had dessert maybe twice a week. I was uneducated in health. I had been in the battle for my weight for too long. I injured myself every time I started a new exercise program. I really had no idea what to do. I had no idea what I was doing so terribly wrong. I had to admit that I needed help. I needed a health program. I didn't know what else to do and life just couldn't continue in this same defeated pattern.

I am thankful God took me aside and I went through some humiliating things. I had a coach to help others achieve their health goals, so I had to share my pictures. Those awful pictures of where I was. The ones with the rolls and rolls of fat that I could no longer cover up with the clothes I wore so I stuck my kids in front of me. I mustered up the courage to let everyone see, the ugly truth about how I was failing physically in my health. Now, when I share it is a testimony of hope to others. No matter their condition or how many things they have tried, I will encourage, educate and give them accountability so they succeed in their health. Just maybe, they will allow my testimony to give them the courage for their breakthrough. Then every ugly picture is worth displaying. It keeps me humble as I remember I needed God's help. I could not get my miracle my own. He positioned people around me that would hold me accountable and encourage me along the way. God is so very good. I gladly humble myself to bring freedom to others.

Jesus took this deaf and speech impaired man aside. He touched the very place this man needed freedom. He touched his ears and then his tongue and the man could now hear and speak. The way He healed this man was probably not what he wanted, "Just like me touch the hem of Your garment. Why do you have to touch my ears and put your hands on my tongue?" I would have rather been given workout program that would have helped me get the weight off but that was not the case. I couldn't get the weight off, because even though I was eating home cooked meals everything was out of balance. I had to surrender to God's way for my breakthrough, for my miracle. This deaf and speech impaired many had to yield to Jesus' way for the miracle to happen.

Father, I surrender to You. I surrender to Your ways. I do not know the best way. I know my way. I know the way I want things to happen. I want it easy and without embarrassment. I want it private and to not be identified the way that I was before the miracle but You get the glory for what You have done in my life. I will not hide the miracle. I will follow You. I will testify and encourage others. I will surrender my will and do Your will. Thank You for touching the ugly parts of me, and through humbling myself, you created a breakthrough. You touched my life and walked me out of the bondage I was in. Thank You. I will align myself with what You have for me. I will testify and share not in pride but in the power of Your love, grace and mercy in Jesus' name amen.

A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,

Veridee Joy Hand

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