The Finger of God Has Writ!

'The finger of God', what an intriguing image that conjures up!

I'll tell you what, it reminds me of those programmes I used to find as a kid that warned of the danger of fireworks. I mean, who didn't write their name in the air at the bonfire on November the fifth as a child?

What about the programmes about wizards and stuff that used to feature the main character waving his or her fingers to cast some sort of a magical spell?

Now imagine for a moment that when we, as Christians, talk about God moving, this is one way in which He can, but is not limited to, move.

What image does that conjure up!

I'm already starting off strong today, so let's carry on and see where we end up.

The Battle is Not to the Strong

Imagine a being so strong and so powerful that all it takes is one swift glance or one swift flicker of a finger to change a situation right up on its head.

A battle's raging...?

WHOOSH...

The victim becomes the victor!

A sickness is growing...?

BAM...

Gone! Healed!

A person's alone...?

HE-LLO...

The woman, or man, of their dreams walks into the same shop they're in!

Are you getting the picture yet?

That's just a sample of situations that can leave one reeling as they come away from it knowing something just sort of... happened!

That's what happened for me just this last week.

As you know by now I've been struggling with depression for the last few years... until Tuesday, that is!

Miracles are There if You're Ready for Them

Long story short, I got home from my work placement on Tuesday with an extra spring in my step unlike anything in my heart in a long a$$ time and a song in my heart, again, unlike anything my heart had ever learnt to sing in.

What happened? God showed up and delivered me!

How do I know? Simple. The day before, I was heading to placement an emotional wreck because I knew I was heading into a period of the seriously unknown before I thought to myself that I was sick to death of feeling so negative and defeated all the time so decided to pray over my situation.

No, wait, not pray... wield the power of Jesus' Name to cast out these crappy feelings I was having!

At this point I have to stress that it was not because I was struggling to adapt to my placement, which I wasn't, but because of the negative impact these feelings were creating with this depressive soul-sickness consuming me and limiting me.

I assure you: The one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:12-14 (emphasis added)

Okay, so let's take a look at the two conditions needed for me to receive my miracle: -

• first I have to believe in Jesus; and
• I have to ask 'in His Name', not just ask

The first one is easy to unpack, because as long as I believe that Jesus is who He said He is, then the potential floodgates are open for Him to move in my life.

I do.

Secondly, when I ask, I have to make sure that I do not ask with selfish motives because scripture warns against doing just that: -

You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires. James 4:3 (emphasis added)

It's quite clear then that as I asked with the motive of wanting to be free of this oppressive spirit of depression that has followed me persistently on and off, God has an opportunity to be good, just because He is good!

Now let me stress that at this point, God doesn't have to do anything that I put to Him in prayer, but He can and often does just because goodness is His nature.

So having raised up His Name over this spirit of depression, I prayed first once, then twice and then something remarkable happened; I felt a strong leading by the Holy Spirit to pray a further five times, creating the perfect number, 7.

At this point, I must add that nothing appeared to happen, but like I've described to you, it was only until the following day that I realised what had undertaken without my knowledge or help.

Think on that for a moment; it happened without my knowledge or help.

This proves that when the finger of God decides to move, He doesn't need either my "wisdom" or my "help"!

So that's depression... gone!

Fear of failure... gone!

Inadequacy compared to others... gone!

Let the good times roll, then, because THIS... IS HOW... WE ROLL, BABY!!!