If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. – James 1:5-8
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. – James 5:16
Have you ever wondered why some see the powerful move of God in their life and others don’t? I have pondered it on occasion. I have also reflected on the times in my life that I have and the times that I have not.
About 11 years ago on Barnstead Old Home day my kids and I had taken a break and walked down to the bridge in the parade to take a dip in the river. It was a sweltering hot August day and we needed to cool down. We would regularly go down to the bridge to swim as it was one of our favorite spots. On this day when walking down we had not noticed that they had opened up the sluiceway completely on the dam. It did not cross my mind to look as I had been swimming there since I was 17 and had never seen it open that much. So as my children were splashing and playing in the water I glanced over and noticed the sluiceway was open all the way and the water was running hard over the dam. I called my children to come out of the water. Joseph and Naomi did so right away. My eldest, Evan, however was 16 and doing his own thing completely oblivious to my call as he was back floating and enjoying himself. I continued to call as he got closer to the dam but he did not hear me. Suddenly he began getting pulled by the fast rushing water. I jumped in to save him but unfortunately we were both sucked down and shot out the other side and down the rapids. I swam over and grabbed him. Someone nearby had hollered to the fire truck who happened to be right there in the Parade grounds so the ambulance was instantly there. They kindly checked over Evan and determined he was ok. His ankle was swollen and he had a few scratches on his leg but otherwise seemed fine. I ended up taking him to the ER because he was having a hard time walking and his ankle was very swollen. The doctor determined there was no break and we went home. A few days later his leg was red around the scratch so I put some triple antibiotic on it. The next day it was very red so I took him to urgent care. The doctor immediately sent me to the ER. When arriving at the ER I was told they had called the CDC and they were sending him to Boston Children’s Hospital and to call my husband because Evan may not live. My mind was swirling. I mean I thought I was going to get an antibiotic for him. It was just a scratch, just a little infected, maybe. But no, he had contracted a very rare flesh eating bacteria. Within that day the red had spread to most of his leg and the doctors kept drawing lines around it to measure the growth. When we arrived in Boston, the doctor said he would either lose his leg, die, or both. Evan immediately said, “No, God will save me”. The doctor replied, “I don’t think so.” and walked off.
Suddenly we were in a room, my husband was gone, and a swarm of doctors in protective clothes were in the room demanding he go to surgery. Evan cried, “Mom, no, I am telling you that I heard God tell me He would save me!” I told the doctors no and that we would wait until morning. Of course they were not happy and one of them berated me telling me what a bad mother I was. After they left, I prayed with Evan. Honestly, it was a half hearted prayer. I was exhausted and overwhelmed but knew I should pray. I went and laid down. Suddenly I heard “Where is your faith?” I was shaken to the core and could not explain the fear that suddenly grasped me. I jumped up and told Evan, “We are going to pray again.” This time my prayer was fervent. I was praying passionately with my whole heart truly believing to see a miracle. The whole room was filled with the heavy presence of the Lord and Evan’s leg erupted. It was as if a fountain was pouring right out of his leg. The stuff was everywhere. I called the nurse who slipped as soon as she walked into the room from the liquid pouring out of Evan. She began frantically typing on her computer after looking at Evan. When the doctor who had yelled at me earlier came back in, she grabbed Evan’s bed and said he is going to surgery. I said no and she took him anyway. I ran after her all the way to the OR. I told the surgeon he could not touch Evan until he examined his leg because God had healed Him. He stopped what he was doing, looked at Evan’s leg, and then went to the computer. Next, he walked over and said “Evan you’re right, God healed your leg. This is the fastest surgery I have ever done”. Then sent him away.
There is more to the story but the point I want to make is my first prayer was half hearted. I was double minded as I prayed and received nothing. My second prayer was fervent and full of faith and God moved powerfully. I want to remind you that God is powerful and to pray continually, fervently, and truly believing that He is able and will move. Prayer makes a difference and so does how you pray.
Prayer is a powerful thing but unfortunately many forget to pray and have not made it a central part of their life. While many do pray, it often is more of a routine and done because they know they should. Some truly want to spend time with the Lord and trust Him with their lives while others do not. God is sovereign, He is all powerful, and nothing is impossible for Him. We all know this but do we all truly believe it? When we pray, is it fervently or just a routine half hearted prayer? Fervent means having or displaying a passionate intensity. There is certainly a difference when you pray with passionate intensity and ask God in faith than when you just ask not even really believing you will see Him move. I have seen first hand the difference this makes. I encourage you to pray fervently believing that God will move.
Written by Rebecca Murzin
