MidnightCall Magazine
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News From Israel MagazineRaised From Death
Dear Arno Froese:
I had written to you sharing an experience, not for my own elevation and edification, but that you may believe in the power of God. I read with dismay your reply of unbelief. I discarded and forgot your letter. However, this night the Lord directed me to tell you a small part of the background to my story.
Several years prior to this, I attended a revival meeting at Maranatha Assembly of God. The guest speaker was Evangelist Marvin Ford. This was a man who had been raised from the dead by God through the intercession of David Wilkerson. The Lord revealed many things to him. I will not go into detail at this time, but his messages and teachings lasting maybe two weeks had captivated me. I accepted every word of God by faith.
I decided to condition “self” by exercising the power of God as Jesus did. Our rented apartment had a basement that was prone to flooding and we had many things stored down there (as a matter of necessity). One night, there was a mighty storm.
If I recall correctly, it seems that there were warnings of several tornadoes that night. After going outside and viewing the storm’s growing intensity, I became very concerned that our basement would flood and we would lose everything stored down there. We all prayed to God and I called out to the storm to be at peace. About 30 seconds later, I could see the storm letting up. The basement did not flood. There were many other exercises of faith with the gift of miracles.
Do not believe in my power, but believe in this Jesus who sent me. For He is the Alpha and the Omega. Through God all things were made, and without Him was made nothing that was made. Without His breath all things will perish, and all things are subject unto Him.
- Rev. Dr.Delane John Chapman, Decatur, Il
Answer: Faith is stronger than facts. But to demonstrate your faith, you must present facts. If this Marvin Ford had been dead at one time, then a death certificate must exist, signed legally by the local coroner. This should also be done whenever healings are claimed, particularly by those claimed by today’s televised magicians. Doesn’t it seem strange that they refuse to reveal the names and addresses of the people they allegedly healed?
Having said this, I want to emphatically state that I wholeheartedly believe the reports recorded in Holy Scripture that God can do all things and that nothing is impossible for Him. But think for a moment: if God intends to proclaim His existence through the visible manifestation of miracles, then we no longer need to proclaim the Word of God, because it becomes self-evident. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if one of those “healers” brought a person without limbs (arms or legs) to the podium, and upon his command his arms and legs grew back?
Jesus, on several occasions, instructed those He healed to be quiet, and to tell no one. Why didn’t He miraculously give John the Baptist overwhelming assurance that He was the Messiah of Israel? Because John the Baptist, as well as all others today, must recognize Jesus through His Word. That is true saving faith that leads to rebirth and protects us from the horrible deception that is going on in the world today. But because people actually do want to believe deception, the Bible says: “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (2 Thessalonians 2:11).