Miracle in Illinois
I have seen many miracles in my walk with God and in my ministry. Miracle after miracle, after miracle. And they still continue. But I found out something: God doesn’t do a miracle for the miracle’s sake. This is the reason why people who are so called “miracle workers,” who go around with a tent and work miracles, get into trouble. For God sometimes doesn’t want to do any miracles. God does a miracle in order to quicken people in a certain area.
Every time we go to a new place, a miracle happens. When we went to Illinois, the Holy Ghost began speaking in tongues through the whole Methodist Church! We started the first meeting in the Hillmans’ basement in Farmer City. That day, one sister in the Lord was driving her car, lost control, and ran into a telephone pole. The car wrapped around that pole, came in on her and split her kneecap in three pieces as well as the shin bone six inches way down, wide open.
When she went to the Doctor, the Doctor said, “Uh-uh! Amputate the leg immediately!” She said she heard the voice of God saying, “Do not let them amputate your leg. There is a meeting in the Hillmans’ house tonight, go there, they will pray for you, and I will heal you.” So she said out loud, “No Doctor, I’m not going to get this leg amputated!” The Doctor just cursed her, “You are an idiot! Do you know what is going to happen to you? Gangrene is going to set in and you are going to die!” He went on and on. Nevertheless, she would not give in, but trusted the Lord.
She left the hospital and came to the meeting in the basement of the Hillmans’ house. Her leg was huge as it was swollen and she was in severe pain. We laid hands on her and prayed for her, but nothing spectacular had happened. Yet, she got up and danced all around the room. God healed her. He wanted to heal her. No man did it but God. Anybody could have prayed for her and she would have been healed, because God had a plan for this particular area. However, after having performed her dance, she sat down in pain. We laid hands on her and prayed again, but the pain was still there. She went home in pain.
The next morning her niece came and said, “Brother Ces, you know, my aunt is very excitable and when you prayed for her she danced. But her leg is not healed. It is killing her with pain. Her husband is threatening to take you all to court for false teaching.” Her husband was absolutely beside himself. I mean, he was mad! He called us many names: false prophets, charlatans, crooks, and whatever else you may think of.
I called Brother Taulbee, a doctor in Bloomington, and asked him, “Would you please check one sister for me and tell me whether her leg is broken?” When she came to Bloomington to see Dr. Taulbee, Dr. Taulbee called me and said, “Brother Ces, that woman has no broken bones, just the flesh all battered up.” You have to remember: the x-ray at the hospital showed the bones broken and here this doctor said she had no broken bones. God deliberately healed the bones, but left the flesh unhealed to test us on our faith.
When she went home and told her husband what the doctor said, he hit the ceiling. He was immediately calling his lawyers to prosecute us and get us all in the court. He rushed her off to another hospital in order for them to take their x-rays. Again, the doctor came out and said there was nothing wrong with her bones. All she needed was some hot water and rest and everything would be all right. No broken bones! I can still see that man before me as if it happened today. He broke down and wept like a baby. And, he accepted the Lord!
God always does these things for a special reason. And let me tell you something: some people suffer in order to bring forth God’s word. The church began to grow in Bloomington. By the time a couple of months passed, they had 26 elders. You cannot even imagine how large that church was! It spread all over the place. There were 5 or 6 different groups in that area. The last place we came in was Champaign and that is also the place where God settled us.
Brethren, it is the same God. The same God Yesterday, Today, and Forever (Hebrews 13:8). And He is bringing us to a mighty and wonderful finale. He says the children of God shall do great exploits in the end of time and we believe it has just started. Praise be to Him alone!
