Through four independent sources, God gave the same message:
'I shall NOT die, but live...'
Psalms 118:17
Bible Study Outlines
Adultery
Affliction
The
After-Life
Angels
Backsliding
Blood
Atonement
Chastening
Children
Covetousness
Creationism
Cults
Deity of
Jesus
Deliverance
Depression
Discernment
Divine
Healing
Dreams
Drunkenness
Euthanasia
Evolution
Faith
False
Prophecy
The
Family
Fasting
Forgiveness
Fornication
Freedom
from
Fear
Gifts of the Spirit
The
Godhead
("Trinity")
Gossip/Backbiting
Gratitude
Guidance
Halloween
Healing
Hell
Holiness
The Holy
Spirit
Homosexuality
The
Humanity
of
Jesus
Inspiration
of
Scripture
Intercession
Jealousy/Envy
Jehovah's Witnesses
Knowing
God
Laying on of
Hands
Loneliness
Lying
Marriage
Mary
The
Ministry
of Music
Miracles
Mormonism
Obedience
Occultism
Old
Age
Pleasing
God
Prayer
Repentance
The
Resurrection
Revelation
Roman Catholicism
Salvation
Satan,
Demons
& the
Powers
of
Darkness
Second
Coming
Seeking
God
Sex,
Extramarital
Signs &
Wonders
Spiritual
Growth
Spiritual
Warfare
The Teaching Ministry
Temptation
Thanksgiving
The
Tongue
The
"Trinity"
Unanswered
Prayer: Why?
Visions &
Dreams
Watchtower Society
The
Weather
The Will of
God
Words of our
Mouth
Worship
The Written
Word
I received the diagnosis in February of 1999. The year was pretty much used up doing chemo, surgery, radiation. The cancer had already spread to my lymph system. But I know I'll be here as long as God wants. "My times are in Thy hand." (Psa 31:15)
Just a week after my diagnosis, a doctor told me, "You will die of this disease." I went home from the hospital - and while brushing my teeth, God dropped a scripture into my heart in such a real way, I said it aloud to myself in the mirror:
I shall NOT die,
but live,
and declare the works of the Lord!"
Psalms 118:17 is not even a scripture I had ever deliberately memorized, though the Holy Spirit often has brought such things to mind without effort. But when I said it out loud, suddenly MY PAIN LEFT! (I had been in two emergency rooms that night, in terrible pain.) I got ready quickly to run to church, as I didn't know if I'd get there for awhile. (Chemo was scheduled to start in a few days.) During the worship, one of the pastors came over to me (not one of 200 other people; and that Sunday, not the Sunday before or after!); put his hand on my head (an uncommon thing at that church); and said,
"Yea,
this sickness is NOT unto death, but you
will declare the faithfulness of your
God!"
God had just spoken the
same thing to me 45 minutes earlier! And I hadn't spoken to him about it!
Some days passed, and I received a letter via
snail mail from someone I don't even know. He had read a prayer request
posted on a bulletin board at a bible school 1,000 miles away, and felt
prompted to write. (Oh, God bless the obedient saint!) (Apparently
someone had posted a request for prayer for this former alumna diagnosed
with cancer.) The letter I received in the mail simply said:
"This is the
word of the Lord for Diane Dew:
'I shall not die, but live, and
declare the works
of the Lord!' (Psalms 118:17)"
A few days later, God confirmed His word yet
another time: through an email from someone I don't even know! It was
forwarded to my by my sister. It said:
"Tell your sister this verse: 'I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the Lord!'
(Psalms 118:17)'"
So, four times, from four independent
sources, God convinced me I'd survive. He used an obscure verse,
not the common "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart..." etc.
And He spoke the verse first to me!
God is good. And He is faithful to perform His
word. My most recent tests indicate no sign of a relapse, and I'm trusting
God for an extension of time - just as He extended Hezekiah's life 15
years when he "turned his face to the wall and wept" - to be
useful in His kingdom.
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