I remember the story of Zhanna, a young Muslim woman who suffered with terrible asthma. Her parents had taken her to every doctor in Kazakhstan and had even made the great expense of traveling across the vast tundra to Moscow to consult with specialists. Nothing helped this young woman. She suffered terribly, barely able to breathe, facing daily the life-threatening effects of severe asthmatic attacks.

Her parents, who were Muslim in their faith, were invited to one of our meetings. Someone had told them about a Festival of Music and Miracles being conducted in their city. Moved by what they heard in the meeting, the entire family decided to invite Jesus into their hearts.

Suddenly, an amazing thing happened. Zhanna began to take deep breaths! Something had lifted off her chest, and the weight that had bound her was gone! Peace had entered her body and she was breathing freely.

They had sought healing from all the experts in the best hospitals of that part of the world with no results. Yet, in just one simple prayer they asked Jesus into their hearts, and in that moment all signs of this debilitating sickness disappeared!

I was raised in church. For 22 years I attended the services and heard the words, but no transforming personal experience ever happened. Then one day under a maple tree on the Michigan State University campus, I spoke out of my heart and asked Jesus to come into my life.

Suddenly my spiritual eyes were opened! I felt the cleaning agent of the Holy Spirit, like a scrub brush, wash away my sin and remove my guilt. I saw my past as forgiven. Then I sensed heaven open up, and for the first time I knew I was going there. My hope was transformed into a knowing.

Everybody I knew growing up hoped they were going to heaven, but for the first time, I knew! It happened when my words and my heart hooked up with the truth that God wanted me to know.

Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

Imagine giving a gift, something very precious which you have taken painstaking effort to prepare for the one you love so much. You’ve taken time, money and energy to plan the specific moment you will present your gift. AND THEN, the unthinkable happens—the gift is rejected. The answer is NO. The reality dawns on you. This person whom I love so much is not interested in me or my gift.

I wonder how God feels? He sent His precious Son to carry our burdens, to take away our sins, to be beaten for our diseases. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. This amazing substitution is God’s gracious and loving gift for us. It cannot be earned. It is a free gift! Yet multitudes still reject His love!

Today, I encourage you to remember what Jesus has done for you! Receive this free gift! Simply dare to believe that He died for you and that He rose from the dead. You will never be the same!

When you have an encounter with Jesus Christ and surrender your life to receive Him as your Savior and Lord, it is not just an emotional experience. It is not just a rational, intelligent moment of decision. It is not just a cleansing of your past and passport to your future.

The seed of God has been planted in you in the same miraculous way that the seed of God was planted in Mary to produce the Lord Jesus!  You have to say yes to His will the same way Mary did. She did not understand but said, “Be it done unto me according to your will.”

Peter describes this phenomenon by declaring: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.”  1 Peter 1:23

You have a miracle in you! All His purpose and power is now able to grow and develop in you. This gives special meaning when we celebrate His birth at Christmas!

In every situation of sickness and disease, we have three witnesses. The first witness is the pain, or what your senses are telling you about the symptoms you’re experiencing. The second witness is the Word of God, which is the truth, if you will, that God gives to speak in your situation, that by His stripes we are healed (1 Peter 2:24).

The third witness we have is the sick person. The pain is declaring that the sickness and disease is not healed, the symptoms are still present and the Word is not true. The sick one, however, has the opportunity to declare the truth—“By the stripes of Jesus, I am healed.” If we line up and agree with that Word, we find the deliverance that we need!

Some time ago we held a Tent Festival in Karaganda (Kazakhstan), and I preached about healing based on Matthew 18:19: “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.”

I taught that we can agree to ask for something in prayer and the Bible guarantees that the Father will give us everything we ask for. Two elderly women in the tent were friends. One of the ladies had eyeglasses with very thick lenses. She told me, “I’ve not been able to see anything without my glasses for forty years.” Her friend who had come with her had had pain in her legs and had been walking with a cane for almost twenty-five years.

Both women listened to my sermon and believed in the Word of God. They decided to agree in prayer for their healing. They said, “OK. We are agreeing in prayer and asking you, God, to heal us. We believe that what you said is true and if we agree right now in prayer, you will heal us. Father, we are agreeing in the name of Jesus that our eyes and legs are being healed right now! Amen.”  Both of them were healed the same moment and that is why I know their story. They started shouting right away, “I can see!” “I am walking! I can walk! My pain is gone!”

Just like these elderly women, you can receive your healing. Believe in God’s word and confess it with your mouth, say aloud, “By Jesus’ stripes I am healed!” It is very important to say the words of faith. You are not lying, you are saying what God says. It is important to speak it because your heart fills with faith that you are healed.

Call a friend and ask him or her to pray and agree with you to ask God for healing, and the Father will respond to your faith!

With one of the national evangelistic conferences about to begin in Moscow, we had done all the natural preparation possible. Invitations were sent out and food was evaluated for the guests. The cost of travel, housing and books was all budgeted. It was the morning of departure and still no income had come in to provide for this major event. We checked our hearts and called the money to come with conviction of the scripture and rightness of the cause. We then headed to the airport. As we walked to the car I received an amazing phone call from a partner that $10,000 was on the way. What a victory and a relief! The Lord had dealt with him weeks ago, but He had just remembered and wanted us to know he was sending it immediately.

There is a prayer that is spoken with the voice of heaven, and it is well to find that voice!

If you have any unforgiveness in your heart, or if you’ve been unable to forgive yourself, right now you can pray this with me: “Jesus I ask You to take the pain that is in my heart. Help me forgive the people who have violated me. Forgive me Lord for those whom I have violated. I ask You right now to forgive me and to cleanse me and to come into my heart to help my emotions, bring Your divine love to my heart today. Release me from my sin and restore my hope.”

If you prayed this prayer I want you to know your heart has been opened to the love of God, and He will be that healing salve that you need when you face tragedy and unforgiveness.

Go to my website today, www.LeslieMcNulty.com and look for our resources. You can find new hope for new life today and resources that will strengthen you on your course to recovery.

A woman from Congo-Brazzaville was plagued by severe migraines. On the day she attended one of our public meetings, a rain storm suddenly rolled in. While most of the crowd fled for cover, this woman pushed closer to the platform, refusing to leave.

My husband, who was speaking at the time, made the decision to continue solely because of her. After the meeting this woman couldn’t wait to talk to us. She said, ”With each rain drop that fell tonight the pain lessened in my head. I was desperate! I could not go on living this way any longer. When the rain came down it was like a cool, healing balm from heaven. The pain, fear and depression all vanished. I was going to take my life tonight if the pain did not leave!”

Though plagued by a chronic condition, this woman instantly found new life! What did she do? She brought her problem to Jesus. She was determined to get her healing. Like the woman in scripture with the chronic blood disease, she said to herself she was going to get what she needed! Jesus said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Scripture: Matt 11:28 (NIV)

The scriptures tell us of a woman who was stigmatized by a chronic illness for 12 years. Spending all of her money seeking medical solutions, she only grew worse.

Evidently she heard about Jesus’ miracles and made a bold decision—despite public opinion. She repeated to herself, If I only touch His garment, I will get well. Though crowded on all sides, Jesus knew someone had touched Him expecting to be healed. Turning immediately to the woman, He said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.”

This woman faced significant stress in life. She had spent all of her money, was ostracized by the public, and was critically ill. Yet, her thoughts led her toward healing! Her thinking gave her the strength to break out of her normal routine and find what she needed!  She determined to press through the negative obstacles and reach out to Jesus for her miracle. I want you to know that you can do the same today!

Scripture: Matthew 9:20-22 (paraphrased)