Signs and Wonders, as told by one of our precious members...
November 13, 2010
Some years ago I had fallen very ill. The doctors could not find what was causing the problems. I would throw up profusely, my blood had dropped till I was anemic and I was unable to swallow food at all. This continued for approximately two, almost three months. My swallowing finally shut off completely. I wasn't even able to swallow water. I was admitted into the hospital in Silvis, Illinois.
My pastor, Vurl Lietdke and the church in Silvis, IL had been praying and believing God for my healing. The first day I was in the hospital, some of the church people gathered around my hospital bed and began to pray. I felt the power of God so wonderfully that I knew He had healed me.
The doctor ordered a number of tests to see what my problems were. I had become very malnourished and had numerous other issues. One of the major issues was a huge hiatal hernia. In just a few hours the doctor came into my room and told me I needed emergency surgery. I proceeded to tell him no, because God had healed me. At this point the doctor told the nurse to bring me a mirror. When I looked into the mirror I had turned green. My face, all my skin had turned a bright green. The doctor told me that I had a diseased gall bladder with several stones and it had already set up gangrene and that the hernia had closed off my esophagus.
They immediately moved me to the surgical ward. I began to weep and call upon God. I knew God had healed me and I couldn't understand what was going on.
When I got to the room on the surgical floor I found myself alone for the first time. I looked to the night stand beside the bed and there laid a Bible. I picked it up and the pages fell open to: Matthew 21:5. "Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee." No sooner had I read the words on the page, I felt the power of God fill that hospital room! The Glory of the Lord was all around, surely it must have been shining even in the hallway. I had such peace come upon me, I knew there was nothing to worry about any more. The Lord had touched me!
As I lay there in that hospital bed the night before surgery, I had a visitor. This man walked into my room and to the side of the bed. I thought possibly this was the hospital Chaplin, as they usually visit the patients scheduled for surgery. The man stood beside my bed with a pleasant look on his face. He was a very good looking man. He had beautiful black hair, which was so perfectly groomed and in place. He wore a very stylish, expensive looking suit. He had a beautiful complexion. I greeted him and then he began to speak. To my amazement, with every word he spoke, his face became twisted and distorted. He said, "Now where is your GOD!?!? You said you were healed! But He has left you here and does NOT hear you!! You are not healed! You're going to DIE!!!"
I knew immediately who this was. It was a devil from Hell!!! I raised my hand to God and began to speak to him. I said, "I know who you are and you have come too late!! My Lord has come unto me and He has already done the work!" I began to quote scriptures that I didn't realize I knew! Then with every scripture I quoted, a portion of this man's face began to disappear right before my very eyes! He completely disappeared and I felt that wonderful Presence of God once again. Glory to God, He was there!! My King had come to me and He was still there!
I was so excited I wanted to tell someone about this visitation of the Spirit so bad, but no one came till they were preparing me for surgery. The Pastor, my husband Bob, and various members of the family and church family were present as they were taking me down the hall to the surgical room. I was trying to shout to them that the Lord had been there and He was in control! The Pastor told those present, "Oh, God has done something for her!"
After the surgery, the operating doctor came out to talk with the family. He said she had 33 gall stones, so we took the gall bladder and she is doing fine. He then turned to leave and the Pastor stopped him and asked, "What about the huge hiatal hernia?" The doctor stopped and looked at her with amazement on his face. "We hadn't wanted to operate on that because it was so close to her heart, I was afraid she would not live through it. But this is the amazing thing, I had the X-Ray hanging on the wall showing this huge hernia, but when I went in there to try to repair it, there was nothing left but a small scar where it had been. Something beat me to it." Oh, that was Pastor Liedtks cue: she began to tell him about God's healing power. She shared with him the scriptures on healing. We found out later that same doctor was terminally ill with cancer.
We may wonder sometimes why things happen as they do. We must remind ourselves of this: Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose." I love Him with all my heart.
If my going through that touched one soul it was worth it. I know that it was worth what God did for me through it. Praise HIS HOLY NAME!
Sister Debra J. Banta
PS. I had 33 gall stones, I was in room 33, and I was 33 years old. Jesus was 33 when He was crucified. The devil told me I was going to die, but Jesus was crucified that I might have life and that more abundantly. John 10:10 "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
And then HE rose again! All Glory to God!
