A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about the word ‘If’ – and how easy it is to fall into the trap of not fully understanding what Scripture really means, even though we know exactly what we want it to mean!
In the early days of the charismatic renewal, along with many other people, I would sing the song “I am the Lord that healeth thee!” I passionately believed those words and would sing them with as much understanding as I could muster! For we were, of course, singing a great truth. But no matter how much truth there was in the statement, when I carefully read Exodus 15:26, I discovered that the phrase ‘I am the Lord that healeth thee’ was, in fact, only the last seven words of a 61 word sentence! The other 54 words were all about the conditions God’s people needed to fulfil, in order to experience His healing.
Another classic phrase is the glorious message that “the truth will set you free” – but only, said Jesus in John 8:31-32, if we hold on to His teaching and discover what it means to be a disciple! Then, said Jesus, we would know the truth and the truth would set us free – as He promised. Our carnal nature may want the freedom – but God says there are conditions to be fulfilled!
I have been ministering to people and teaching about healing for well over twenty years. In my journey I discovered that many, many people were crying out to God to transform their lives, but weren’t actually wanting to take responsibility for their choices and the way they lived. So I began to write a series of teachings, as part of the online training programme, Ellel 365 (www.em365.org), that would help people see the importance of not just believing the truth, but applying it as well. Many people write in with their testimonies, but last week there was one which deeply impacted my spirit and made me leap with joy!
I was on my way back from teaching at a healing and deliverance conference in the USA, and when I read the testimony I almost danced round Orlando airport, I was so excited by what I was reading! For this lady had truly grasped the message I was trying to get across – that if we unconditionally apply the teaching of Scripture into our lives, then we really can expect God to transform our lives from the inside out. This is some of what she said:
“I don’t even want to think of where I would be if I hadn’t ‘done’ Ellel 365!! Wow, God is so gracious, so full of mercy, so patient, so loving, so, so God!
I would have to write a book to explain how God reached into my very being and began to speak into my heart and slowly change me from the inside out. He’s renewed my mind, healed my body, gently convicted me of sin and brought me to repentance and loved me through it all. I was convicted of unforgiveness and I could go through a childhood of pain and truly forgive with love. The peace He has brought to my heart, is beyond all understanding.
Before, I experienced overwhelming worry and fear, that robbed me of sleep, I now have a trust in my Father God that everything is in His hands. An overwhelming sense of wanting to ‘let go’ and forgive has replaced feelings of vengeance, pay back and desire to hold on to every little hurt, so I can go over it again and again. Before, I couldn’t put anything down and it wore me out – but now I am refreshed!
Ellel 365 has radically changed my understanding of God, who He is and who I am in Christ. I have learned that I can have a relationship with God and He is interested in every detail of my life. What an incredible privilege it is to be walking in Christ. I feel so sad that I have been attending ‘Church’ all my life, and that in my adult life my husband and four children were so involved in ‘church’, but we did not know our Lord and Saviour. I can’t help but cry when I see that in writing. When I look at the wasted years, I praise the Lord for His mercy and Grace – I am free and the “Son has set me free, so I am free indeed!!” Hallelujah praise the Lord!“
I was tired after a very exhausting ministry trip when I read those words – but now, as I climbed on to the plane in Orlando, I had such a spring in my step, that people might have wondered what I’d had to drink!
But as I tried to get some sleep on the overnight flight, my joy was tinged with sadness as I thought of the thousands of people around the world who ‘do church’ but who have never experienced the blessing of what can happen when the Lord of the Church becomes Lord of their lives. At times like this I sometimes feel the grief of God, knowing that He longs to answer our prayers, but perhaps has to shake his head and say, “If only . . . .!”
Up until now, I have struggled to put into words what the Ellel 365 experience has accomplished in my life. I too, could write a book about my beautiful Saviour, who truly is familiar with the feeling of our infirmities, and replaces them so skillfully with with His intimate, personal, healing love. Day by day He gently shines His light upon the hurting, sinful areas that grieve Him even more than they do me. He says, “Choose LIFE.” Yes Lord! Peter, I am reminded of the song “Thank You For Giving to the Lord, I Am a Life That Was Saved.”
If I could speak a better english, this would have been exactly what I would have written about how Ellel 365 has helped me.I was so thankfull for what this lady wrote as she wrote from the deepest of my heart.
May God belss this ministry and I do pray and hope that many many Christians and maybe non christianas would start the study and get blessed, changed and healed.
God bless you! And thanks youFather and Peter and the whole team.
This is so great ;what a story .It so happens to very many people .they are in need of help from from God but do not show interest.The story reminds of my recent life ,which was so difficult but it has turned in to better.God has always worked in my hardship and so the need to have the trust and patience.which i have learnt from the story.
I have almost completed Ellel 365 and have had ministry at Ellel Lancaster. God has changed my heart towards Him and towards others who have hurt me. I now understand so much more and am able to love my Father God, were in the past through much damaged i couldn’t see the wood for the trees (as the saying goes). I am so greatful to not only God, but to all the teams at Ellel who have spoke truth into my life. I am now doing the Mod A school, and God continues to heal me in emotions that have been buried so deep, that I didn’t no the affect they were having on my life. Thank you Peter for being so faithful to what God has called you to do. It really is life changing.
God bless
Pat
Peter good to hear the story of success. It is true, we want the nutrition and benefit of a Word that we have never dined on. It is perfectly balanced to heal every area of us if we would just make it ” our meal”. Blessings to you Max
Having grown up in a ministry family, I can totally attest that you can hear the truth for years and miss it’s power! Now I see the key of submission as the most powerfully forgotten truth for the Church. His kindness leads me to repentance so I can truly be free and that require me to bend my knee. I’m so grateful for your reminder of the “if’s”, Peter. My heart is with you – to see the Church – people like me, receive the truth in the inner most parts.
Would the same principle apply for those who are under demonic power through generational iniquities or because they were bound by evil forces by figures of authority in their lives? I guess physical and emotional healing follow this principle of growing in the Kingdom and healing will come as a by-product of our maturity. But would demonic influence be cast out gradually in the same way we mature in our relationship with the Lord? I’m puzzled about this area.
What a wonderful story, Peter! It is challenging to break through from ‘the attending church’ life to a personal relationship with the Trinity–Ellel is definitely changing lives one by one.