Pastor Jim Bristow's "Testimony of Healing"

At the age of 17, I was diagnosed with a stomach condition
called ulcerative colitis. This disease was the result of years of emotional
stress and inner conflict. I was placed on medication to treat the
disease. The strong medication produced side effects. One of the side
effects was a condition called "moon face." My body would retain water
causing my face to swell up like a moon. I was put on a
strict diet. My doctor said that I would have to take medication for this
disease the rest of my life. I was a born again Christian but many in the
denomination I was raised in told me that this disease was my "cross to
bare" and that God had placed this disease upon me to make me
humble. I struggled with the question of why God would put this
disease upon me that cost hundreds of dollars every month in
medication. At times I was too weak or in too much pain to pray. Was
there any hope for a life free of sickness and disease?
In 1988 I felt a call to the ministry. I entered a Bible college in
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma called Rhema. For the first time in my life I
heard teaching from God's Word that gave me hope. I learned that Jesus
Christ came to give me life, and life more abundantly. I also learned
that Jesus always did the will of His Father. Everywhere that Jesus
went, He healed the sick. In the classes I attended, I heard the Good
News that faith begins where the will of God is known. I discovered
that it was God's will to heal me. Faith to receive my healing began
to rise up in my heart. For the first time in my life I had hope of
being well. I did not have to suffer with this disease for the rest of
my life. But in order to have my promise of healing, I had to do
something. I had to learn and put into practice the principle of "seed
time and harvest." As a farmer who desires a crop of corn plants corn
seed, I began planting healing seed into my heart in order to get my
harvest of healing. I wrote out the scripture in I Peter 2:24 on a 3x5
index card.
I memorized this verse of scripture and looked at it often.Although
at first I could not see any physical changes in my
body, I knew that the seed was growing in the soil of my
heart. Weeks and months went by. One day I found myself
discouraged that there were no physical changes in my
symptoms. I knew that it was God's will to heal me. I had
planted the seed of healing in my heart. Was there something
that I was missing? One day as I was praying about my
condition, I heard the Lord speak these words to me," The
seed of healing has been planted in your heart, but it
requires water in order to grow." Instantly I understood
what was hindering the seed from growing and producing the
fruit of my healing. Until that day I had
always seen myself as being sick. I could never imagine
myself as being completely healed and free of sickness and
disease. I had to change the picture I saw of myself
from always being sick to being healed and walking in
health.
Every day, along with meditating on I Peter 2:24, I began to
imagine myself as being completely healed. I finally saw
myself as God desired for me to be. Within weeks the
symptoms of my disease began to disappear. I was providing
the water that the seed required in order to grow. The seed
soon grew into a tree. The harvest of my healing finally
came. The principle of seed time and harvest worked for me.
It will also work for you. First I had
to understand that it was God's will to heal me. Faith for
healing begins where the will of God is know. Secondly, I
had to plant the healing seed in my heart by memorizing and
meditating on I Peter 2:24.Thirdly I had to water the seed
that was in my heart by developing an image of myself as
being healed and walking in health.
Today I am completely healed from the disease that had put a heavy
yoke upon my shoulders. Jesus Christ is the great physician
and healer. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
The Good News is that what Jesus Christ did for me, He can
do for you. Begin to put the principle of "seed time and
harvest" to work in your life. Start by planting the
healing seed in your heart by meditating on scripture in
God's Word that promises your healing. Water the seed by
developing an image or picture of yourself as being healed
and free of disease. Don't get discouraged when you don't
see any physical results over night. A good farmer knows
that the corn seed he plants take some time before it comes
up out of the ground. The seed is growing. As the seed
begins to grow into a tree, you will see your harvest of
healing. It is the principle of Seed Time and Harvest.