September 9, 2018

I want to share a personal story of struggle with disease and the ensuing battle along the way. My wife Aina was diagnosed with skin cancer below her left eye six years ago. We went to a dermatologist, who sent us to a doctor specializing in skin disease, who in turn sent us to a cancer specialist. After examining my wife, he told us the only solution was to remove the eye and all the tissue around the eye through surgery.

Aina did not say anything and I felt numb in that examination room. I quickly prayed and then told the doctor that we were not interested in surgery. He told us it was a poor decision since the cancer would move into the eye, follow the nerve to the brain, and kill her.

I began to search for a different solution to deal with the cancer and contacted a member in the church who had dedicated his life to alternative medicine. He suggested an aggressive treatment plan, which included using black salve and a number of other herbal products. I also started reading certain Scriptures during our daily devotions, but instead of dying off, the skin cancer spread even more around the eye.

By April of 2016 the cancer had grown to a tumor that blocked half the eye. I decided to seek additional help and took Aina to a different hospital this time. We were referred to an eye doctor, who after an examination sent us to a skin cancer surgeon. Unlike the other doctor, he told us that the best course of action was radiation and so Aina began a series of 35 treatments a month later.

TURNING TO GOD

In seeking out a doctor and heeding his medical advice, we weren’t abandoning God, but using His mechanical arm of radiation. However, I felt the need to also start a spiritual battle that was more intense than what we had done previously. As I prayed and asked the Lord for direction, the Holy Spirit gave me the following plan:

Begin and continue a specific spiritual warfare every morning after breakfast using Scriptures to direct our prayers.

I would proclaim that the Word of God is powerful and that it will do what God wants it to accomplish.

“Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” (Hebrews 4:11)

I would proclaim that as we read the Word of God today, it shall prosper and not return void until it has accomplished what it was sent forth to do. The Word of God was applied to the cancer tumor.

“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:6-11)

I began to speak and pray that my weapons were not carnal, but mighty in the spirit world and able to pull down the stronghold of cancer in Aina. I cast down all imagination of unbelief and circumstance had no power and value, but was to be destroyed in the powerful name of Jesus. Then I prayed that our thoughts should be taken captive and conformed to the Word of God. I rebuked all disobedience that manifested itself through unbelief.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

My prayer addressed principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places. I confessed that I did not have any power over these entities, but asked God to send forth holy angels to attack and destroy the evil works of these satanic spirit powers and that all their work against us would be destroyed.

I asked the Lord to dress us with the armor of God: the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Ephesians 6:10-18)

In prayer, I declared that the spirit of fear could no longer operate in our home and on our property. I rejected them and commanded any such spirits hanging around us to be taken captive and sent to prison by God's holy angels. I then proclaimed that we were going to be filled with the power of God, the love of God and that our physical brains were to be healed in the mighty name of Jesus.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

I declared we had faith that God would reward us since we were diligently seeking Him. I professed God the Father to be our God and we were healed by the stripes laid upon Jesus.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

WAITING ON THE LORD

The radiation treatment took six weeks. During this time we saw the tumor and the skin around Aina's left eye turn to a bloody mass of dead and living cells. I could not make out any progress, only the destruction of skin and tissue around the eye. Nevertheless, in faith we continued our Bible and prayer time proclaiming the cancer would be gone and the skin around Aina's left eye to be restored. While this was going on I could hear evil spirits laughing and putting thoughts into my head that I was crazy, the cancer would not be obliterated, and that I was a fool to believe God would honor His Word. Nonetheless, we stood fast and declared that we were focusing on Jesus and not the circumstances.

Aina had her last radiation treatment on July 13, 2016 and it took several weeks before the skin began to heal. Eventually the skin around her eye was restored and all the cancer was gone. It has now been two years and the cancer has not returned. Praise God, Aina was healed and now is free from cancer!

A HARD BATTLE

Most people are resigned to the fact that they must learn to live with a sickness and that a failed organ or disease cannot be reversed by God. I can tell you with certainty that there will never be a miracle once a Christian gives up on the power of God. Most Christians are in the business of disease management instead of eradicating it. You must believe that all things are possible with God in order to receive a miracle.

“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

Unbelief is an insult to God and He won’t tolerate it. Lack of faith will yield nothing, but faith in God will give you everything.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

For by it the elders obtained a good report.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:1-6)

To get a miracle, you must make up your mind that God is all-powerful, loving and willing to forgive and heal those who are called by His name. Fasting is a great weapon to soften up the works of the Devil when you’re facing a tough, uphill battle. Dig in your heels and stop looking at circumstances and begin to proclaim that “God will in His time deliver and heal me from all my diseases and infirmities.”

“And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:17-29)

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From the Desk of John S. Torell