Brothers and sisters,
We are calling everyone in our church to a day of fasting and prayer for Tesia Moore next Monday, November 28th. Tesia and her husband Brian have been part of NAPC for 7 years (they have a 3 year old son Parker). In 2020, Tesia was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer at age 30. Through the last two years she has been through surgery and 40 rounds of treatment (chemotherapy and immunotherapy). Any description of the pain, fear, exhaustion and stress over that period of time would understate the reality.
The cancer is still present in her body.
We know that God is able to do all things:
Isaiah 46:9-10 for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,
10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose . . .
Psalm 115:3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
We know that He hears the prayers of His people, that He loves us, and that He answers prayers:
Luke 11:9-13 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
James 5:13-16 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
We know that fasting and repeated, persistent prayer are weapons of warfare for God’s people in the battle against sin and Satan, and that they are used in God’s sovereignty to bring about answers to prayer:
Ephesians 6:16-18 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints
Luke 18:1-8 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Nehemiah 1:4-6 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you.
Esther 4:15-16 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
It goes without saying that we do not control God and cannot force His hand in anything. It is also true that physical healing is not the greatest, highest good. God is. He rules and reigns over all, and He has been gracious to us though His Son. We are loved, no matter what happens to us in this life:
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
But we desperately want a miracle. We are begging God for no less than a supernatural and complete healing for Tesia. Physical healing and long life are not ultimate, but they are wonderful blessings. So we will ask for God to give these blessings to our sister Tesia. As so many of us have prayed for healing, we will all pray together for healing next Monday. If you are so inclined, fast during the day and cry out to God. Then from 6:30 - 8:00 pm at Franklin Church, we will gather to cry out to God together and sing songs of worship. Join us.
In Christ,
Pastor David and the NAPC elders
