But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 1 Thessalonians 3:6
Thessalonians Thursdays has consistent comments and likes as a category. I have been blogging through the book verse by verse for since August 27, 2020. The entry on Comfort Authority has the highest views. I think this is true for several reasons. One, we all know someone in need of healing as their life hangs in the balance. Two, we want to believe that Jesus can heal like we read about in the Bible. And three, if He did it for others, hope rises that He might do it for us. When it comes to praying for healing or salvation, Comfort Authority adds the boldness to go before God’s throne and ask God to “Do it Again!”
Comfort Authority from September 9th, 2021
Notice the power of a good report. Yesterday, I wrote that a testimony begets another testimony. The encouragement we receive from another person relating when God works on their behalf brings hope. This was especially true for me yesterday as Pam and I would be praying later that night for a friend’s husband who is desperate for a healing from cancer.
At lunch, I heard my friend, Jerrell, relate how he (and a lot of others) prayed for a mom, for whom everyone considered her gone. They had been planning her funeral and preparing their hearts for mom to pass away. BUT then she got better and better. Now their family are making plans for an alive and well, mom.
We also discussed how God has raised up another husband who was in a medically induced coma on a ventilator. Ministers prayed, his church came down to the altar at the end of the service and prayed, and his wife clung to prayers and continued speaking life over his body for his healing. The day the church prayed, he squeezed her hand and spoke. He is now up and walking. (update – His wife carries a strong Comfort Authority because she saw God move so mightily for her husband who is doing great)
My brother in law shared how God gave him the opportunity to preach. He spoke of God’s goodness and the fact that He is our Jehovah-Rophe (the God who heals). His mother was present and was touched by the knowledge that we can know God as healer. She talked with God and asked Him to make Himself real to her for healing of her shoulders. It was painful to raise her hands above shoulder height. After she prayed, she was able to rotate both arms in a full circle. It’s a big deal when healing like this happens to someone who has lost range of motion.
As we met with the couple we shared the Principle of Comfort Authority. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
The Principle of Comfort Authority – When God brings hope and help to your life, you have the authority and passion to help others dealing with similar pain.
My wife, Pam, has received healing on multiple occasions. She shares how on one occasion, Tommy Combs prayed for her lungs to be made whole. God gave two years from that prayer with no colds, flu or other respiratory issues. I believe that Pam carries Comfort Authority to pray for the healings of others.
Lastly we shared the audacity and authority of Jesus to tell everyone that a dead Lazarus will rise again. His condition had NO visible signs of any life. Lazarus’ sister, Mary, reminded Jesus that her brother had been dead four days and his decomposing body would smell horrible. YET, Jesus commanded Lazarus to come back to life and rise up out of the cave tomb. Lazarus came forth.
If God can raise a dead man, he can cure cancer in another’s body. Jesus has comfort authority. He bore our sins and sorrows so we can experience His life and hope. Even now, today, He has authority to help you in your struggle in life.
Will you agree with me for my friend’s healing? As we were praying, I spoke what I felt I saw God doing inside him, “I see the cancer shrinking and the pain receding.” I could easily reason why this could be impossible. I could see how this could be creating false hope. Yet, In prayer, this is the image which I was receiving. I was emboldened in prayer by the last impression of Jesus raising up Lazarus. Jesus can heal this man’s body.
Pam prayed the BUT God prayer. This type of prayer is important when you receive discouraging information. When test reports come back showing things getting worse or the doctor gives his best analysis of the current situation, it is time to remember the BUT God prayer. BUT, what is God saying? When God enters the conversation things change!!!
She also prayed like the man “I believe, help my unbelief.” God knows our frailty. He takes us when we are uncertain and afraid, and helps us in our most vulnerable state. God is always tender toward honesty in our feelings as we dialogue with him.
Paul was encouraged by the report Timothy brought to him of his friends in Thessalonica. As witnesses of God’s salvation in our own lives, we have the privilege to share the wonders and work of our awesome God and Savior.
May you receive good reports today and often share the goodness of our God. He is always at work and invites us to join Him. May you walk boldly in your Comfort Authority.
Blessings Love y’all
So good!
I think this was your exact response the first time it was published. Happy New Year to your fam. 2022 will be A Year of Harvest
Response from a friend after reading today’s blog, Your blog post this morning reminded me of a story from my childhood.
When I was a sixth grader my maternal grandparents came to live with us. My grandfather died two months later.
The spring of my 8th grade year my 82 year old grandmother became ill, deathly ill. My two aunts, their ten children with nine spouses and 18 children all descended on our house. People were sleeping everywhere.
On Sunday morning our first stop was the hospital. She was in a corner room on the first floor. The hospital let the entire family in. Several of us then went to the small country church that my dad pastored.
When I left the hospital that morning I thought it was the last time I would see my grandmother alive. She was basically comatose, non-responsive and her skin had a yellow jaundiced look.
My guess is with family members we may have doubled the size of the congregation that day. Between the “song service,” and the sermon my dad invited folks to come to the alter to pray for my grandmother, and it seems like, maybe, one other person who was sick.
There wasn’t a lot of claiming going on. If someone had suggested we pray to Jehovah Rophe, some, if not all would have wondered who that was. I’m not even sure I knew Hesus at that point. But I did know who he was. My heart was wounded and already somewhat hardened to spiritual matters.
What folks did that morning was pray and call on what they did know. They asked Jesus to intervene and do something the doctor’s couldn’t do. Heal my grandmother.
We went back to the hospital after church and she was sitting up in bed, her skin was returning to its normal color and she was eating lunch. That impacted me greatly, and helped prepare my heart for a more significant encounter a couple of years later.
She still struggled after she was released from the hospital my two aunts stayed for weeks to help out. Funny thing, I was the only one she would eat for.
We lived about 150 yards from the school (my dad was also the K-12 principal), I would feed her, go to school and then come home at lunch and feed her again.
Her survival was significant for at least two reasons. About 18 months later my Dad would leave education and open up a retail business. It fell flat. We barely scraped by. My mom had twenty years experience as a classroom teacher and she couldn’t get a job. My grandmother’s social security check fed us and paid the bills for months.
Secondly, she would sit in her room and read her Bible and sing out of an old hymnal. And she prayed for me. I’m convinced witnessing her reading and singing impact me to this day. And, I know God answered her prayers for me.
Sorry this was so long. The testimonies you shared took me down memory lane. Thanks!
Standing in agreement with y’all for the healing! Love y’all 🙌🏽🔥