Would you ask a malaria patient to just sit home and pray? Would you ask a cancer patient to not go to hospital but to drink olive oil? No? Okay then. I am not doubting the power of prayer, but even the Bible says faith without work is dead. So while you pray, seek professional help. That professional help is the WORK which your FAITH needs.
I've told this story before but I'll tell it again. My uncle's wife, the mother of two girls and a boy got sick in 2010 and was diagnosed with breast cancer.
She told no one but went with her husband to The Lord's Chosen Ministry in Lagos. That was their church at the time. They met with the G.O. who rather than ask her to go to the hospital for treatment, gave her a handerkerchief with which to rub her brea*sts and pray.
They were told to focus on the handkerchief and its healing power. They should also pray. For what do doctors know? Whose report would they believe? So they didn't go to the hospital or tell anyone either. They continued their handkerchief therapy. Meanwhile her condition deteriorated but patience, hope and faith were preached.
Somehow, my mother got to know later on and she flared up. She raised hell. She is a nurse so she was raving mad. She asked them why they didn't combine their handkerchief therapy with medical treatment. They lived in Lagos which was filled with so many hospitals both private and government owned. Why didn't they use the money for sowing seed to get treatment? Why were they opening up now that the cancer has metastasized even with the diligent handerkerchief therapy?
She ordered them to come to Enugu and with her influence got her admitted and booked for surgery at UNTH.
What would have been a routine lump removal if they had acted fast turned into a masectomy. She had to have her brea**sts cut off. But we were unwavered because ndu bu isi right? Life is all that matters.
Two days before the surgery they spoke with the G.O. who reassured them that the surgery would go smoothly and everything would be perfect. That the Lord has ordained the infirmity to be cut loose. And oh, keep using the handkerchief. What hope it gave us! This wasn't an ordinary pastor o. This was the G.O. The one who had the highest anointing.
Surely he must have seen her coming to do thanksgiving after the successful mastectomy with his spiritual eyes. She was hopeful. Even happy considering she'll soon undergo a major operation. The next day, a day before the scheduled surgery, she died. The prophesies, handkerchief, faith, hope, seed, prayers and everything. So as you ask a depressed patient to pray, also ask him to seek help. As you ask the woman who is trying to conceive to sow seed and believe in the miracle of Hannah for her Samuel, also ask her to research IVF, surr0gacy or ad0ption and go to ferti!lity clinics with her husband.
As you ask the unemployed man to pray so he'll be connected to his rightful Boaz, check to see if he's doing anything no matter how little it is. After all Ruth didn't get connected to Boaz by sitting at home. She laboured in Boaz's field. Do not throw out the advice, "pray until something happens" then walk away feeling like you've donated your kidney and liver to the person.
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