House of Hope Online

August 25, 2024

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I received a call from my cardiologist’s office this week.  The woman said they had the results of my echocardiogram and that there were “No new changes.”  She said the doctor would discuss the details me with next week at my appointment.

As many of you know, I have been praying for God to heal my aortic valve.  I had the valve replaced nine years ago, and in February this year, my echo showed stenosis, which is a narrowing and stiffness of the tissue of the valve that eventually causes what the February test deemed “moderate to severe leakage.”  The doctor scheduled last week’s test with the expectation that my condition would begin to worsen a little more quickly.

As the words “no new changes” first penetrated my spirit, I admit that I was disappointed.  I was hoping to hear something like: “Mr. Giuliani, we are amazed, but your heart valve appears to be functioning normally in every way.  We cannot explain it!”

As I fought the disappointment, I began to reason that this may not be all bad news.  While disappointing that the valve continues to leak, the rest of the February test results said my heart function is normal, and my heart muscle thickness is normal.  Therefore, “no new changes” also means heart function and thickness continue to be normal.  As I understand it, once they see a hindrance to heart function, or a thickening of the heart muscle, they will want to surgically replace the valve.  I will have to wait a few more days to get these kinds of details from my cardiologist.  So, I ask you all to pray about that meeting, so that God’s will would be done, not mine, and not man’s will.  Pray for anointing in that moment.

The old saying is “The devil is in the details.”  Please pray with me that Jesus is in my details because, if the Spirit of the Lord is there, the devil must flee.

2^nd Corinthians 3:

 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, [there] is liberty.

 18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  There is freedom, freedom from infirmities.  I pray that the Spirit of the Lord will visit me and bring freedom from my infirmities, which include all sickness, disease, and weaknesses. 

And verse 18 promises that the Spirit of the Lord will transform us into the same image from glory to glory as the Lord.  Now, we know that Jesus’ body is transformed and reconstituted into a perfectly healed body.  Verse 18 promises the same image, and that is what I need, a transformed heart valve, a reconstituted heart valve.

The Reason for the Miracle

Last week we discussed the paralytic in Luke 5, and how his friends contended for his miracle healing by lowering his stretcher down through the rafters to place him right in front of Jesus.  Jesus said He healed the man in order that the people “may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” 

And so, Jesus had a bigger reason in the Spirit for the healing.  He wanted the miracle to increase the faith of the people in the Gospel.  It is always about faith in Jesus.  We see another example of this in Matthew 8 when Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, cast out demons from many who were possessed, and healed all who were ill.

Matthew 8:

 14 ¶ And when Jesus had come to Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever.

 15 And He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she arose, and waited on Him.

 16 And when evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill

 17 in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES, AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.”

Note verse 17 explains He cast out these demons and healed many “… in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES, AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.”

The fulfilment of prophecy increases faith, so we see again that Jesus had a bigger, spiritual reason for the miracle healings.  Isaiah said Jesus Himself took our infirmities and carried away our disease.  I am praying that He carries away my heart valve disease.  Will you pray for that with me?

Last week’s word was called “The River of God,” and we saw in Revelation 22 that the river of the water of life flowed from the throne of God and Jesus, and on either side was the tree of life, which has leaves which are for healing and which bears fruit every month.  Ezekiel 47:12 tells us the leaves of the tree on either side of the river would never wither, meaning that healing is forever.  Healing is always there for those of us who believe the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.

Before my echocardiogram last week, I asked God to soak me in the River of God and that I might be healed, which is a gift of the Spirit in the River, and that I might benefit from the fruit of the Spirit, which includes joy, peace, and patience.

The Lord was so faithful to give me a peace on the day of my test.  I actually enjoyed the test (I usually dread those things!)  And I had a wonderful week with no anxiety while I awaited the results.

I am now praying that Jesus is in the details of these test results, and that my cardiologist will acknowledge it.  I am looking for evidence of a healing, even if it is only an incremental improvement.  I am willing to wait for this miracle with the persistence of the paralytic.

So today, I am praying that the Lord will soak me in His river leading up to the appointment.  Kelley Warren sings a song titled: “Jesus Lead me to the Water” from her album “Heaven’s Whisper.”  The chorus of the song is as follows:

Jesus lead me to the water

Where Your healing river flows

Where all that’s pure and holy

Floods my soul

And may all that is within me

Be revived to love Your name

O lead me to the water once again

Closing

And so, in closing, let me repeat another passage from last week’s word.

Philippians 4:

 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I experienced the peace of God last week, and it guarded my heart and mind as I endured the test, and awaited results.  God’s word is faithful and true.  Revelation 19:11 says Jesus is Faithful and True.

Let us pray.

Father God, thank You for the test results, and thank You for the peace which guards our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.  We pray that You would draw us all into the River of God where there are Gifts of the Spirit, healing leaves, miracles, prophecy, wisdom, knowledge, and the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Jesus, lead us to the water where Your healing river flows, where all that’s pure and holy floods our souls.  And may all that is within us be revived to love Your name.  O lead us to the water once again.  Amen.