Jesus loves me!
In the name of Jesus; Jesus loves You …
On Saturday morning, a Catholic friend asked if I would come to her house later that evening to pray and counsel with a friend. I was not told that the friend had been severely impaired after a mental/nervous breakdown. Apparently overwhelmed with extremely difficult circumstances, she had fallen victim to the encumbrances and now I had an invitation to come to pray with her. Of course! No problem. In the ministry, we were always ready and willing to pray for others.
With a commitment to pray, my friend arranged for others to bring the lady to her house. I was there when she arrived. Oh my! My friend introduced us. There was no response from lady. It was awkward. Bonnie and the friends got Carol seated in a comfortable chair, introduced us, and told me nothing about her distress. Then they all put on their coats and headed out the door leaving me alone with Carol. “I’ll be back later,” Bonnie said, with no hint of where she was headed. It was 7 PM on Saturday and not the usual time for the pastor’s wife to come and pray with a friend. Quietly, I called on Jesus to help!
Just exactly what was I to do? It was my first experience with being thrust into a situation like this except in a psychiatric ward where professionals stood nearby. Carol’s face, legs, and arms were distorted and her body was anything but calm. I did not know until later she had been like this for several weeks. Now here she was seated in a big chair on one side of the room, and I walked across to the other side and sat down … as far away as possible.
Quietly I was praying, “Help, Lord! I don’t know what to do” … (See 2 Chron. 20:12, I don’t know what to do but my eyes are on you). Then from deep within me I began to sing out ever so softly, “Jesus loves you, this I know…” Over and over again, with long and short pauses in between, I sang that same little song. “Jesus loves me, this I know…” then “Jesus loves you, this I know…” No other words were spoken.
Amazingly, the hours passed quickly. I was no longer struggling to know what to say. I just kept alternating singing and silence. Then I noticed her face begin to relax. Little by little her body quieted and stopped twitching. Her arms and legs found their position. Her eyes focused. A smile started to form … and grew bigger and bigger. I kept singing.
By midnight, five hours into the evening, when our hostess returned, the lady Carol was perfectly normal. We had prayed together and were enjoying conversation. She was free as a bird that had “escaped the snare of a fowler” (Prov. 6:5). We did not talk about her problems. We talked about Jesus and how much He loved her. “He escorted her to the banquet table; His banner over her was love” (Song of Solomon 2:4, Msg). When Bonnie returned just after midnight, she came in quietly and then seeing Carol totally alert, Bonnie let out a yell! “I knew it. I knew it. If my Pastor’s wife would pray with her she would be healed!” We all had a shouting good time rejoicing in Jesus … and me letting them know it had NOTHING to do with me! Jesus was there! He rescued Carol thqt night.
She was in church service the next morning and gave testimony to His love. That afternoon, her friends came and she returned to her home in another state, went back to work, and continued a normal life, witnessing to the love of Jesus. A miracle – in the Name of Jesus!
That Saturday night the Holy Spirit taught me there’s deliverance in the Name of Jesus. In awe of His love and grace, I plunged deeper into life in Him. After all, Jesus said: And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons (Mark 16:17, NIV). HIS NAME! JESUS. “His name shall endure forever” (Psa. 72:17). Devils tremble at His Name (See Phil.2:19).
As I drove the mile home at 1-0clock in the morning, I began to sing a new song my husband had brought home from a conference: “In the name of Jesus! In the Name of Jesus! I have the victory1 In the Name of Jesus, In the Name of Jesus, demons will have to flee! Who can tell what God has done, what he’s done for others, He’ll do for you, blessed be the name of Jesus, Jesus, I have the victory! I’ve been delivered, O praise the Lord! I’ve been delivered by His Word. Once I was bound by the chains of satan, but I’ve been delivered oh praise the Lord! “
“Then those whose lives honored God got together and talked it over. God saw what they were doing and listened in. A book was opened in God’s presence and minutes were taken of the meeting, with the names of the God-fearers written down, all the names of those who honored God’s name were recorded” (Mal. 3:16, Msg). God elevated [Jesus] to the place of highest honor and gave Him the Name above all other names (Phil. 2:9).
THE NAME OF JESUS!
The Name of Jesus gives hope. Hope for the sinner. Hope for the hungry. Hope for the sick. Hope for the demon-possessed. Hope for the depressed. Hope for the dying. “Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psa.124:8).
Do we not fully embrace Jesus’ proclamation at the beginning of His ministry? “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free” (Luke 4:18-19).
Many scriptures and hundreds of songs have been written about the Name of Jesus and the provisions therein. “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus … How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er.” (The Alabaster Box, Vol.25(c) C. Yvonne Karl)
THE NAME OF JESUS!
The late Dr. Judson Cornwall once posed the challenging question: “Do we really mean it when we sing ‘All that thrills my soul is Jesus?’ When we’re hungry and need food? When we’re thirsty and need water? When we’re naked and need clothing? When these are provided in the Name of Jesus, the soul is thrilled! Isn’t this what Jesus said we should do in His Name? May every detail in our lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way (Col. 3:17, Msg).
Like Peter, we may have to say, “I don’t have a penny to my name, but such as I have I give to You … in the Name of Jesus…” (Acts 3:6). Lord, may it be so, in Jesus’ Name.
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yvonnekarl@yvonnekarl
This article is from The Alabaster Box Vol 25 (c). 1981. C. Yvonne Karl
Musings by Yvonne. Selah! 