In March 1998 Glennis and I flew to Phoenix, Arizona for a few days to enjoy some quality time together and to see many of the State’s attractions. Our last night was spent at a bed and breakfast in Sedona after enjoying the day at Grand Canyon, we were exhausted and ready for some much needed sleep. Glennis immediately fell asleep; I remained awake although I was just as exhausted. As I lay awake on our bed I began to see dark hooded silhouette figures all around the room. I tried to get a clearer view of them, but as soon as I attempted to focus on their faces, they would disappear, as if into another dimension. This alarmed me enough to wake my wife for prayer. After a short prayer I soon fell asleep only to be awakened around 2 am by a loud evil noise coming from where I thought was behind the bed. I turned the nightlight on and looked at Glennis wondering if she also heard the noise. The light woke her from sound sleep and with a groggy voice she asked me if everything was OK?  I said, “Yes”, not wanting to startle her, and then I said lets pray. After another short prayer Glennis was fast asleep, so I turned the light off.

As I lay still in bed the noise came back even louder and more intense. I knew I was under a spiritual attack  Eph 6:12 “For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotism’s, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere”  I began to sing praise songs and quote scriptures out loud, Eph 5:19 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord..”  One verse I remember, “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony and loved not their lives unto death” Rev. 12:11. Every time I said “Blood” a loud evil shrieking hiss would sound.

This intense spiritual warfare continued for what seemed like a long time. Then, suddenly Jesus appeared right next to me on my bed. I knew Him to be Jesus because I was instantly overcome by His love. I felt accepted not judged or condemned.  1Jn 4:18 “There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love ^[g]turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear ^[h]brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].”  His love was beyond words to describe, all I knew was I didn’t want Him to leave. At this point I wasn’t sure if I was in my body or not, I only cared about being in His presence. Then Jesus, with eyes of indescribable tender compassion, asked me, by thought not words, “What is it that you want?” Before I answered, I knew He knew my answer, but wanted me to speak it. I answered, “I want to be healed”. He responded in thought, “Your healing has already begun” His response was so quick and with such authority, that it took away all my fears away concerning my symptoms of a nerve disorder that the neurologists had diagnosed me with a few months earlier in 1997. These doctors said I had a progressive muscle wasting disease called A.L.S. which there was no hope of a cure for and I would die in 2-5 years. I never believed them and said that God can heal me.

As I was trying to grasp how this could happen, He asked another question by thought not words, “Is there anything else?” I responded, “I just want to serve you Jesus.” He said,” Where?” I thought wherever you want me to Lord, you already know. He again said, “Where”? I thought wherever I can reach the most souls. He again said, “Where?” Because the Lord had to ask me the same question three times, my spirit grieved within me. I knew I could not continue to repeat myself with the same type of general statements I had made before. Then suddenly my spirit understood that Jesus was referring to a physical location. As soon as I had this revelation in my spirit then Phoenix, Arizona came into my thoughts and I answered His question. I do not know why I said Phoenix, Arizona, but He seemed happy with my answer and gave an expression of agreement. I was perplexed with His answer and thought (why was He so persistent with my answer to a location for serving Him, rather then on my first request for healing? If He was only talking about spiritual healing then there would be no point in asking me about a physical location 1800 miles from my home.) I thought that somehow Arizona would be part of my physical healing or future service in some way. I just didn’t understand when or how.

These thoughts were being processed as quickly as the Lords questions to me. He again asked if I had other requests. My Savior was giving me His full attention; my sense of time was lost in the moment. I was in fellowship and communion with the God of the Universe. I then asked for family members and others to be saved and healed, His expression to me was that of agreement. I later began to consider how precious our time together was and how He had allowed me to sit with Him on my bed. This exchange between us had continued all night. When morning came I found myself eager to tell Glennis all about my visit with Jesus.

This interaction that I had with my Lord has made a lasting impression on my soul. It has continued to inspire me with a future hope and purpose for my life. Countless times I have been brought back to the personalness and love that washed over me during a very difficult time. Although, many loving and dear friends wanted to comfort and believe for me, there was a timidity of not knowing how things could possibly work out given the power of the pronounced diagnosis. At times especially early on, it seemed like no one believed that God personally visited me and that I could be healed, but God would always reassure me that my healing had already begun and to not walk by sight but by faith.

Jesus is empathic with our needs and identifies with our sorrow and pain. Just as He met me in a desperate hour of my life, He wants to meet you in your hour of need and give you a promise in His Word that no one can take away.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 30th, 2007 at 6:00 pm and is filed under Arizona visitation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.