How I Overcame an Incurable Disease!
Being diagnosed with sickness or disease
can be a traumatizing experience, especially when the doctors
say there is no cure.
Read one woman's courageous
journey from a sure appointment with death. to a divine meeting
with Christ the Healer! Her account of healing will lift your
faith to new heights
What I Learned About Receiving
Healing.
Through this journey from sickness to health, I have
learned that healing is a spiritual matter. Although the physical
symptoms were still present, I received my healing as a gift
that God provided for us. I started to confess my healing
and incurred the ridicule of a good friend. At first, she
was very quiet. Then she said in a very deliberate manner,
"Julia, what you just said sounds crazy!
Are you sure that you're not going crazy?" Further, she stated,
"Look at yourself! You can't walk. Your voice is so weak that
I can hardly understand what you are saying. Your face and
limbs are swollen and purple with inflammation. Maybe you
should say that you hope to be healed." I stood my
ground on the Word of God that says, "By His stripes, we are
healed."
Healing is a present matter. It's ready when we are.
As soon as we truly believe it, we receive it. The spirit
rests. The physical manifestation of the healing may take
longer.
The Day My Body Began To Deteriorate
Let me briefly describe what happened to me. In late 1999, I
became so ill that I was miserable. I had suffered with what
doctors were calling allergies for over two years. Doctor after
doctor gave me different medications to control the symptoms.
Nothing worked. I became progressively worse. Then the inflammation
and severe pain started. My whole body was in tremendous pain.
The pain was so severe that I could hardly stand it. My eyelids
were swollen to the size of two eggs - colored purple. A horrible
rash covered my body. Every muscle ached. My muscles became
so weak that I could not walk without severe pain. I fell
down often.
I could no longer go up and down the stairs in my house.
I stayed on the first floor in the family room. I spent days
and nights there for several months. Friends and family members
helped me. I depended on them for everything! My doctor said
that I was actually too sick to be in the hospital where there
would be exposure to more germs than my weakened immune system
could handle.
My skin burned and itched so deeply that I tore my skin in
several places while trying to scratch. The inside of my mouth
was full of lesions from the inflammation. I couldn't eat.
I lost over 60 pounds and looked very frail. My situation
was grim.
The Diagnosis Was Dermatomyositis
Dermatomyositis is rare disease that strikes only 1 in 300,000
people. It is characterized by excruciating pain of all the
muscles, joints, connective tissue, and the skin. The inflammation
of the muscles and the skin leads to slow-healing lesions of
the skin.
The abnormalities in my skin associated with Dermatomyositis
included: a reddish-purple rash on the upper eyelids; reddish-purple,
horn-like growths on the surface of the fingers and knuckles,
elbows, and knees; and a red rash affecting the skin of my
face, neck, and upper torso, swollen joints and limbs, irritated
scalp and loss of hair. Even
the labels in my clothes irritated my inflamed skin.
Washcloths were too rough to use on my skin. They felt like
Brillo pads against my flesh, scraping away my skin - opening
new lesions.
My muscles were stiff, sore, and tender and eventually showed
signs of degeneration (atrophy). I experienced difficulty
in performing certain functions such as raising my arms, standing
from a sitting position, and climbing stairs. In addition,
I experienced speech and swallowing difficulties.
The inflammation of the connective
tissue led to very serious internal issues. When the connective
tissue around my lungs became inflamed, it was difficult to
breath and the pain was excruciating. I was taken via ambulance
to the hospital where I was treated with massive doses of
steroids. I was in so much pain all over my body that I didn't
care where I was.
Medical Science Said, "There Is No
Known Cure!"
I learned that there is no known cure for this disease and
that in adults the disease rarely goes into remission. It is
debilitating as major organs (kidney, liver, heart, and lungs)
are destroyed - if not by the disease itself, then by the powerful
steroids used to control the disease.
I started to lose my hair.
It came out in patches. Every day, I filled up the floor
with my hair until my scalp was revealed. I think the fear
of going bald was equal to the fear of being sick.
I Was Living In Fear
Yes, at first I lived in fear. I was still very fearful
when I received a phone call from a young man I did not really
know. His name is Gillis Triplett. Gillis said that he had missed
seeing me at the data processing associates professional meeting
for several months and was calling to check up on me. Little
did either of us know that it was the Holy Spirit who stirred
up Gillis' heart to call me.
The Lord, in His providential care was working behind the
scenes, setting the stage for me to receive healing. I was
so weak that I could barely talk. I said, "Gillis, I've been
diagnosed with some auto immune diseases - lupus and Dermatomyositis."
I started to cry. I couldn't hide my fear. Gillis said, "Oh,
no! We come against that right now in the name of Jesus!"
From Fear To Faith
It was at that point that I moved from fear to faith! Gillis
shared scriptures with me and brought over a series of healing
tapes from Kenneth Copeland Ministries. I learned a lot from
listening to those tapes and reading everything I could find
on healing. I meditated on the Word of God. Gillis continued
to sow the Word of God in my heart and prayed with me and for
me.
Daily, he would call or come by to leave me with more powerful
healing scriptures. Psalm 103 states that healing is a benefit
of the Lord. It says that the benefits of the Lord are: He
forgives all our sins, He heals all our diseases, He redeems
our life from destruction, He crowns us with tender love and
mercy, and He renews our youth.
Isaiah 53 states that redemption includes forgiveness of
sin and healing of our bodies. As I read the Word and
believed the promises of God, my faith grew
stronger. Since I began this journey of walking by faith concerning
my health, my faith has increased greatly! I have watched
God do what He said He would do for those who believe. He
said that with just a small bit of faith, we could speak to
the mountain and have it removed. Jesus said in Mark 11:23,
"that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed.
.and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he
says will happen, it will be done for him." Hereby, Jesus
instructs us to pray to God and speak to the mountain.
Jesus did not tell us to ask Him to speak to our mountains.
He commanded us to speak to them!
I have spoken to the mountain of disease and commanded it
to be removed from my body. I have spoken bold words of healing
to my flesh in the face of symptoms contrary evidence. All
glory to God! I also moved from fear to faith in the area
of my finances. My career as a Manager of Development of computer
systems at a Fortune 100 company ended abruptly. I was forced
to retire and live off a very small pension.
It can be very disconcerting to go from a very high-paying
job with stock options down to about one seventh of what I
was making! Trusting God more than ever, I stood on the Philippians
4:19 that says, "But my God shall supply all your needs according to
his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." I continued to tithe and give to others in need. God
has kept me in perfect peace. All my needs are supplied!
Breaking My Destructive Habits
There came a day when I realized that I needed to
change some of the habits I had adopted. habits that were aggressively
and systematically attacking my physical body. In this repentant
state of mind, I determined that I had to make some changes
in my sleep habits, my eating habits, and my speaking habits.
I wrote a letter to God. The letter said:
Dear God, I have sinned. My gluttony
has caught up with me. I have abused my body through over
eating and through sleep deprivation. Your Word warns against
these sins. I have been disobedient to Your commands. Now
I am suffering in sickness. It could be worse. I thank You
that it is not worse. I ask that You please forgive me. I
want to hear You say that I am forgiven. I want to hear You
say that I can "Go! And sin no more." I need healing - a complete
purge of all that is in me. I am truly sorry that I took on
so much sin. Please forgive me.
Friends, I am writing to praise God for this miraculous healing.
The rheumatologist stated 15 months after the diagnosis, "We
find only a trace of the myositis left in your muscles." He
seemed stumped by my progress, stating out loud, "They (five
other doctors) agreed with me." I thought to myself, "But
Jesus didn't agree with the doctors!" Jesus declared in His Word, "By His stripes, I am healed!!!"
I believe this with all my heart- no unbelief: God's Word can never fail. The disease and its symptoms
did not leave my body all at once, but I hold fast to my confession
of faith that "by His stripes I am healed." Praise God that
I have been "weaned" off of the destructive steroid, Prednisone.
Things You Must Do To Receive Healing
God sent people into my life like Pastor Gillis Triplett and
others to offer effectual prayers and to help increase my faith.
Many have prayed, wrote letters, called or encouraged me to
stand in faith and believe God. For me, those correspondences
supercharged my faith and were tremendously beneficial in assisting
me receive my healing. I don't believe I would have made it
without them! Here are some critical steps you must take in
order to receive healing.
- Read the Word of God!
- Meditate on healing scriptures
constantly.
- Speak the Word concerning your
healing.
- Surround yourself with people
who have strong faith and who speak the Word of Life into
your spirit.
- Listen to tapes and CD's on healing
everyday.
- Constantly read books on healing
and books that will stir your
faith.
- Don't focus your attention on
your symptoms.
- Stay away from people who speak
death.
The Importance Of The Word
A major illness affects every aspect of one's life. Then it
is important more than ever that we remember God's promises
to us. When my body was wracked with pain and it looked like
my body no longer supported me, I remembered the Word, "I
praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your
works are wonderful, I know that full well," (See Psalm
139:14).
When my friends seemed to fall away and I felt deserted and
betrayed, I remembered the Word, ". I will never leave
thee, nor forsake thee, (See Hebrews 13:5). When I lost
my job, I wondered how I would support myself - how I would
pay my bills. I remembered the Word, "But my God shall
supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ
Jesus, (See Philippians 4:19).
When I didn't even feel like reading my Bible, I remembered
that, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might
not sin against thee," (See Psalm 119:11) When I felt
the need to fast and pray, I thought I couldn't because of
the heavy medication that required some food. Scripture let
me know that God had a tailor-made fast for me in The Word,
which says, "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to
loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens,
and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every
yoke?" (See Isaiah 58:6)
When my faith faltered, I thought of God's goodness and I
remembered the Word, "I will bless the LORD at all
times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." (See
Psalm 34:1). When it seemed that I had run out of patience
in healing, I recalled the Word, ".count it all joy when
ye fall into divers temptations knowing this, that the trying
of your faith worketh patience," (See James 1:2,3).
When I was worried about many things, I remembered the Word,
"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
(See Philippians 4:7). There were times when I would wonder
if I ever be able to write, play tennis, swim, see my grandchildren,
go on vacation, teach young people, socialize with friends,
take a walk around my neighborhood, or read a good book.
Then I remembered the Word, "I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me," (See Philippians 4:13) Daily I
confess God's promise, "I know the plans I have for you,
declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future," (See Jeremiah 29:11).
 I confess God's promises OUT LOUD throughout my house. Through
faith I have hope and a future! Glory!!! God manifests Himself
in circumstances that seem impossible to us. He has provided
for us what we need.
Should you find yourself despairing over things bigger than
you are, remember that the record of His accomplishments has
not come to an end. What He does for others, He'll do for
you. Only believe! (See Mark 9:23).
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Julia Frazier White is an active woman of God whose life is
characterized by her service to others. She graduated from Murray
State University in mathematics with minors in chemistry and
German. Julia is a devoted Sunday school teacher and a Vacation
Bible School teacher and works faithfully with various outreach
ministries. Undoubtedly, one of her greatest accomplishments
is the successful rearing of her three wonderful children. Their
lives are a testament of Julia's ever-increasing faith!
© Copyright Gillis Triplett Ministries.
2004 - All Rights Reserved. International copyright secured.
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