In September 2009, my brother was suffering from diverticulitis. At first, the doctors prescribed medication, but it was later determined that he needed surgery.
After the surgery was complete, he seemed to be feeling well. I went to visit him and pray with him for his recovery. As I was praying, interestingly enough, this verse of scripture was given to me in the spirit:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalm 23:4-5).
After a few days, my brother took a turn for the worse. He became very swollen in his abdominal area, and the swelling impacted his lungs, kidneys, and liver. His lungs were so impacted that they shrank in size, which caused him to have shallow breathing. His breathing became so shallow that he suffered a panic attack, and it was my father, by the grace of God, who walked in on him in time to call for help. He was in need of a second surgery to release the air inside of him in order to save his life.
Following the second surgery, he was unable to breathe normally on his own, so he was hooked up to a CO2 mask which would breathe for him. He was very swollen still, and he was heavily medicated. He was confused about what was happening. He excavated the CO2 mask from himself, thinking that he was fine and that he did not need the mask to help him breathe. He attempted to remove himself from the hospital, and kept asking family to remove the mask from his face.
For two agonizing days, my family and I lay waiting, not knowing if he was going to pull through. I took hope in the strength that I saw in him, and continued to intercede for him. I asked the saints of God to intercede, and he was covered in prayer.
At one point, I allowed fear to enter my heart, but I clung to my faith in God and in his power. At another point, I asked God if he would heal my brother, or if he was going to take him home. That night, as I lay my head down on the pillow, I heard in my spirit,“He shall live.”
After these two days, my brother was switched from his CO2 mask to oxygen instead. This meant that his lungs were now able to breathe on their own again.
Suddenly, he began to recover in leaps and bounds, and a week later he was released from the hospital!
Three months later, on December, 5, 2009, my brother stood up in church as a cantor for my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. He sang Ave Maria. As he stood up to sing, I thought to myself, “Does he have enough breath in his lungs to sing this song?” Well, he did. He is a miracle, and I tell him that he has a testimony to share!
As of today, April, 2011, David is completely recovered!
In Closing:
“They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:18).