This is our third week on the gifts of faith.  We’ve looked at: natural faith, saving faith, and the fruit of faith.

Next is the Supernatural gift of faith.  Unlike the fruit of faith, it is given instantaneously.  It is a sudden surge of faith, usually in a crisis, to confidently believe without a doubt that as we act or speak in Jesus’ Name, it shall come to pass.  I never entered into an experience of faith like this until I was empowered with the Holy Spirit.

 For example, before I was married I had moved from Van Nuys, California to Spokane, Washington.  I was going on a retreat at Living Springs Ranch in Deer Park, and then stayed in Spokane for some months. 

I attended a church prayer meeting.  While there, I learned about a 17 year old who was severely injured when a car hit him as he rode his bike. His leg was broken and could not be set because of his condition. He also suffered a fractured skull and was being fed through a tracheotomy and feeding tube.

A woman in the group said, “Sibley Bloyd has gangrene in a broken leg, and has been in a coma for a month. Unless God intervenes, Sibley does not have long to live.”

The group then prayed for him. I felt inspired to say, “If someone in this prayer group goes to this teen and prays for him, his life will possibly be saved.” 

No one responded. Then I said, “Maybe that was for me.  How can I see him?” 

His mother was called and I met Dorothy at the Nursing Home.  As we went into his room, I found this tall gangly teen was skin and bones.  His beautiful red hair had fallen out except for patches. 

I asked Dorothy, “Has Sibley been able to speak at all?”

She said, “No, but I think he raises his eyebrows sometimes when I speak to him.”
“Supernatural Gift of Faith”

All of a sudden, I knew what to do.  I took his hand in mine and said to this comatose patient, “Sibley, if Jesus heals you, will you live for Him for the rest of your life?  If your answer is ‘yes,’ squeeze my hand three times.”

To my delight, I felt one, two, three squeezes! We had made contact and he had confessed faith in his Savior.  Now I could pray for him. 

“Father I thank You for what You have already done, and in Jesus’ name I ask You to restore Your child and make him whole again. Amen.”   

Eventually it was time to leave, so I gave Dorothy a hug goodbye. 

The next day I received a phone call that Sib had pulled his feeding tube out and the nurse decided to give him jello to eat!

I saw him the next day.  It was good to get acquainted with him. I remember him asking for a hamburger, milkshake and other foods.  I had to smile and almost giggle. After all, he was a teenager who had not eaten solid food for a month!

Not being my place to feed him, I assured him, “You will have plenty of food.”

The doctors saw his improvement and put him in the hospital for amputation from the knee down on the leg with gangrene.  Gangrene in the other foot had been healed. 

“Power of the Holy Spirit”

I again visited him in the hospital – donning a white robe and mask.  I prayed for him to receive the power of the Holy Spirit and he did.

Sibley lived and Dorothy, and her family were grateful for God’s grace to them.  It is amazing to have been a part of this miracle.  Doctors and nurses were a part of the miracle also. 

About a year later, when I visited St. Luke’s Church in Seattle, Sibley and Dorothy were also visiting that Sunday.  Dennis had a chance to meet this recovering young man who now walked well with his prosthesis.  His red hair was growing again and he was full of smiles. (Dennis Bennett, Nine O’clock in the Morning, Bridge-Logos, p. 182-184.) 

Dennis and I were married a year later and I moved from Spokane to Seattle.
See you next week for “The Weapon of Faith.”