His name
was Dave. During the lecture, he kept emphasizing God’s love
and healing powers while stressing that we have that same power today; the
power of God, seen at it’s fullest through Jesus, and the same power that Jesus
gave to us at the day of Pentecost as the disciples’ remember, “I am sending
you an advocate even greater than I.” Now, even as great as all this sounded, I
was a bit skeptical. I mean, I’ve grown up in a Christian household, went to
church, knew of God, and have read through Acts and the Gospel. All that sounds nice, and I believe it
happened, but never thought that could happen to me.
During
class, I listened so intently to what Dave was saying. The passion and
conviction in his voice was moving. Slowly I felt something come over me, like
a wave of fear and intense anxiety; something I’m use to feeling, but never
like this. This, this was God. I felt Him, throughout my body, stirring all
that I was, calling me to trust Him and His promises and to believe what Dave
was saying. By the end of class, I wanted to leave so badly. I couldn’t stand
the way I was feeling and was just freaking out. I mean, I’ve heard charismatic
speakers before at youth camps and stuff speaking on the same thing, but this
was different. Freaked out, uncomfortable, and feeling sick, I left class and
went to the bathroom.
But I
couldn’t leave. Something (someone) was pulling me back. I’ve experienced altar
calls and all that stuff before and walked away, I’m fine and I don’t need
prayer, but this time, I simply couldn’t. So I walked over and joined the rest
of the class in prayer outside the Heath hall.
As I walked
up, Dave and my professor were praying while others laid hands
on one of the girls who has had headaches and pain for many years since her
accident. And then, after one simple prayer, she was healed. And then that
happened again….and again…and again. I was freaking out! Coming from a seeker sensitive
church, the Holy Spirit was basically never mentioned. But I knew it, I mean
Him. He was real, alive, and present in that moment. Dave then asked again, “Is
there anyone else suffering and need healing? The Spirit is alive and present
here!” Then, I walked up…
.
There were
probably about 20 of my classmates left at this time and everyone was very
emotional. Once I was up front of the group, Dave simply said, “What are you
suffering from?” As I started to speak, I said I stuttered out the words, “I
have had a speech impediment all my life” and just broke down sobbing. Like not
just teary-eyed or even regular crying but wailing and wheezing. The entire
class gathered around me forming a tighter circle and everyone laid hands on me
or someone else close by. Then Dave began to pray.
I wish I remembered everything he prayed; the words were so beautiful and powerful. He said something along the lines of,
“Father heal Rick of his stuttering….free him of his constant worry, pain, anxiety….of his feelings of shame, guilt, fear, and regret…of those that have called him names and teased him…rid him of the moments he saw himself as a failure….bless Him with your healing and your love….only you can heal father….change and rewrite his story, use his stuttering as a witness to you and your name for your glory….that he may use his new found fluency to speak your name. Amen”
I cannot
fully describe what I felt in that moment. Looking up, I saw everyone else
crying and teary-eyed. Then, I felt something come over me; my chest and lungs
felt like the were revived, my throat and larynx felt opened, my mouth, light
and free, and my brain, full, complete, and at peace. Peace. I have never felt
anything that way before. I then began to speak….and speak…and speak without
any stuttering. At this moment, everyone else started crying and was in
complete shock. I overheard some people saying, “Is this real? Did he really
stutter before?” Graham, who was in a class of mine last year testified that I
really did have a stuttering problem before. Mariah, one of my closest friends,
was bailing and saying to the class, “I’ve never heard him talk like this
before.” Dave then encouraged me to go off to the side and spend some alone
time with God so I did.
Then, Dave’s friend came over to me and we began to talk. He told me that one of his family members also had a severe stuttering impediment. He then went on to say, “I have this feeling that God is going to use you and your history of stuttering in profound ways. I believe that it isn’t a pain but a purpose, a gift. A gift you’re now going to share with others.” I then went on to say that recently I have had some thoughts about going into speech therapy as a career. He confirmed that word of the Lord by saying something like, “Yes, that’s what he said to me too.” During that time, another guy from my class Joshua was sitting there. He said that during my prayer encounter he spoke in tongues for the first time and wanted to thank me for that experience. He also remembered what he said and told me that he’d let me know what the translation means. Can’t wait to hear that.
Then I spent some alone time with God. Still crying, I broke
down even more. I didn’t say anything but invited God to. He said something
like: “Well done Rick. You have worked hard and long enough. You have completed
the task I have placed in front of you and are ready for what’s to come. I rid
you of this burden you’ve been trying to carry for so long. Good work but it is
finished and it is now mine. Do not live in fear any longer for those days are
gone. This is it. Freedom. Now go share this story and do good works in my
name.” I just sat there for a little bit longer, being still in God’s love and
embrace. Feeling closer to God than ever before. Peace. Free.
Then I went back over to the group and they asked me how I was feeling. So I started telling them, fluently, freely, and without fear. I then read Exodus 4 aloud, in front of everyone, most who I didn’t even know, which says,
“Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
Then many
more were healed through the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. People heard
what was going on and they joined our group. One guy showed up to our circle, skeptical
and on crutches, we prayed, then he laid the crutches down and walked off to
his next class. To close out our time, I prayed over the group as a whole,
something I’ve never done before. I then went and called my Mom on the phone
and talked to her for 30 minutes, perfectly. After that, as I was going to eat
some lunch, a small group of people were gathered on the lawn and Graham was
telling them what happened. They called me over and I shared my testimony.
Others heard, and then they joined as well. Some of them I just met, others I
knew last year, but all were amazed and touched by God.
Throughout
the day I kept sharing my testimony and did not stop talking. Now, as I write
this almost 12 hours later, I have not stuttered once.
