By Teena Myers

David’s growing relationship with Christ caused conflict with his church-life.  He spent two decades on an endless roller coaster of religious services, committees, fellowships, small groups, building campaigns, thou-shalt-nots, thou-shalt, and a long roster of religious teachings and expectations. He knew Christ was real. He knew Christ loved him. He knew something was wrong.

The cerebral Christianity he had embraced through the mentors who first taught him about Christ included the doctrinal position that the gifts of the Spirit, such as healing and tongues, belonged to the first 100 years of the church known as the Apostolic Age.

A new depth in God opened when he attended a conference sponsored by an independent church, and learned he could speak in tongues as the Apostles did on the day of Pentecost, minus the rushing wind and visible tongues of fire.  When David asked God for the gift, he felt the shape of his mouth move, and he spoke in sounds he had never made before. The experience of speaking in tongues suggested every gift in the Scripture might available to everyone today.

David soon experienced other gifts of the Spirit and began ministering with a friend. His friend had a prophetic gift the piqued David’s desire for a stronger gift of prophecy. For weeks, he asked God for the gift of prophecy.

One day, while praying, God said to him, “I am not giving you the gift of prophecy, but I have three other gifts for you.”

“Whoa! That’s good. I am fine with that,” David replied.

God continued, “I’ve put power in your hands. I’m giving you a long life. And today, I’m giving you the power to see men’s souls.”

David had already experienced the power of God as he placed his hands upon people and ministered healing. The promise of a long life amused him. He worked as a hospice chaplain and wasn’t sure long life was a blessing. The power to see men’s souls intrigued him, but he wasn’t sure what that meant. In time, the meaning unfolded. David said, “I can touch someone, and it’s almost as if God lets me walk around inside their souls.  I can tell them many things about themselves; sometimes that includes details about traumatic events they had never revealed to anyone.  I can literally see who many people are from the inside out.  It’s a tremendous ministry tool and a key to bringing real peace into people’s lives.” 

A teaching ministry in Asia developed when his son, Sam, told him they were going to take a mission trip to Asia together. 

“Okay,” said David, “Where are we going?”

“Southeast Asia, Dad, and we’re going this July.”

“I am not going to Asia. First, I don’t care about those people. If the entire continent slid off in the ocean, it would not bother me a lick. Second, if I was going to Asia, it would not be in July because the weather in July where you’re talking about is like the outer limits of hell.”

“You are going, Dad.”

“The only way I will go,” said David, “is if someone pays my way, and I’m not asking anyone.”

 Two weeks later, David met a man at a Bible study who asked him if his son was planning a mission trip. “Yes,” David replied.  “He’s going to southeast Asia.”

“You need to go with him.”

“No, I don’t. I’m not going.”

“I think you should.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because I am going to pay your way.”

During that trip, God opened up a new realm of ministry for David.  In a remote rural village, Sam and a young woman named Melissa were sharing Christ with the people when an elderly woman interrupted the translator. The translator turned to Sam and said, “She wants you to heal her knees.”

“What’s wrong with her knees?” Sam asked.

“They hurt all the time. She has been in pain for years.”

“I was so proud of Sam,” said David, “Because he didn’t hesitate for even a moment.”  Sam had the woman sit down and asked permission to touch her knees. He commanded her knees to be healed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  “God healed her instantly,” said David.

Another woman with the same problem asked for healing, and the same thing happened. The natives ran through the village, telling the sick to come quickly.  Sam and Melissa were soon surrounded with a mass of suffering people. 

Sam turned to Melissa, “You saw what I did twice. There are more people than I can pray for. Just do what I did, and if you have a problem, let me know.”  For the next four and a half hours, God healed everyone they laid hands on.

After David and his son returned to America, David received a call from several ministers in Asia asking him to teach the Scriptural foundations for this remarkable gift.  David wrote a curriculum of the things he had learned about healing and deliverance and returned to teach a three-day seminar. The people who attended the seminar practiced the things David taught with great success. One young man prayed for his neighbor, who had been paralyzed for twelve years. God healed her. Within weeks, the man had a church of fifteen families. The first two churches David taught in saw enough people come to Christ that, in the twelve months following David’s teaching, they planted nine more churches.

Where ever David taught his seminar churches began popping up like mushrooms.  Today, David loves the people of Asia and is in constant demand to teach in their churches.  

Teena Myers is the Chairman for Southern Christian Writers. These stories were shared with her by Christians who live in the New Orleans area.