In Hebrew, the word for “preaching the good news” is mevaser. We have a city called Mevaseret, the female form of the verb. So, I was in the Gospel Mall today on my way to a meeting—meaning I was in the Mevaseret Mall—what better place to share Yeshua! I had to get something quickly. I was in the drugstore when I noticed the woman in front of me point to her back, as if she were in pain.
Considering all the little things that happened to get me at that place, I assumed it was a divine appointment.
- I only came to the mall because I made a wrong turn.
- Once in the mall, I decided to use the restroom first.
- Then, seeing the long line at the counter, I went to the pharmacy, hoping I could pay there, but that didn’t work.
- I returned to the front, and the women between the woman in pain and me suddenly decided to go back and shop.
- And then the woman in pain inexplicably stopped outside the pharmacy (as if God had her waiting for me to pray for her) while I paid for my item.
Clearly, I was supposed to pray for her.
I ran out of the pharmacy just as she was finally walking away. “Slicha” (excuse me). “Did you tell the woman at the pharmacy that you have pain in your back?” She said yes. “Can I pray for you? I believe God will heal your back right here.”
She was a little stunned—I mean, who does that?—asking someone if you can pray for them that you don’t even know. But when you are in pain, it doesn’t matter as much. Curious, she said I could pray.
I asked her if I could put my hand on her back, and she said I could. I prayed for her in Yeshua’s name and asked her to check her back. All the pain was gone! She was in shock. I explained that God healed her back because He wants to know her and for her to know Him. She was very grateful, and I asked if she could just wait a minute. I ran to the car and got my testimony booklet and Identity Theft—both in Hebrew. I wondered if she would wait.
I ran back in, and there she was. She took both items and again thanked me. I explained that God loves her, and the healing was just the beginning. He wants more. She had no idea what I was talking about, but now she has all the information she needs. Pray that she reads the materials and finds salvation in Yeshua.
The Moral of the Story
1) Without the healing, the woman, most likely, would not have been interested in hearing about Yeshua. When someone experiences the presence of God, or a small miracle like the healing of their back—they open their heart to hear the gospel. The woman at the well in John 4 was not interested in Yeshua until He, through the Spirit, revealed the secrets of her life. Nathaniel was not at all interested in Yeshua until Yeshua told him that He saw him in the spirit.
Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him and said concerning him, “Here is an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile.”
Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”
Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:46-49).
2) God gives us the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses for him. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
3) We must be proactive about using them, not passive. Take a chance, and you will be amazed at how God backs you up. He is more eager to use you, than you are to be used,
As Peter passed through every region, he came down also to the saints who lived in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Rise up and make your bed.” And immediately he rose up. All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord (Acts 9:32-35)
4) There are hurting people out there who need to hear the truth. We are God’s plan to reach them. There is no plan B. In this world, we are like Jesus (see 1 John 4:14).
Ron Cantor is the director of Messiah’s Mandate International in Israel, a Messianic ministry dedicated to taking the message of Jesus from Israel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Cantor also travels internationally, teaching on the Jewish roots of the New Testament. He serves on the pastoral team of Tiferet Yeshua, a Hebrew-speaking congregation in Tel Aviv. Follow him at @RonSCantor on Twitter.
This article originally appeared at messiahsmandate.org.
