"Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
But Philip was found at Azotus."
(Acts 8:39,40)
The Bible doesn't tell us his name, only that he was a "eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship" and was now returning.
God sent Philip to the desert to encounter the eunuch on the road. The whole exciting story is narrated in the book of Acts, Chapter 8, verses 26 to 40. Philip met the eunuch's chariot, climbed into it where he was invited to guide the eunuch's understandings of the scriptures in Isaiah he was reading. They rode along together, the eunuch asking questions and Philip preaching Jesus to him.
As they rode along, they came to some water whereupon the eunuch himself desired to be baptized. His statement, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God," established his belief and thus they went into the water together and Philip baptized the Eunuch.
Now you see him, now you don't! After the two came up out of the water, Philip was nowhere to be seen, but found himself still "dripping-wet" in Azotus, a town about 15 miles away!
Our miracle-working God continues today. Another miracle story about water concerns a dear late priest friend who was driving his car in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in a snow storm. The slippery road caused his car to roll down a steep embankment into the Stony Creek River. The next thing the priest knew, he was standing on top of the almost completely submerged car!
Paramedics came to the rescue, sending a boat to transfer the priest aboard. The rescuing officer was amazed to see the priest completely dry! The priest commented that it was the Archangel Gabriel who brought him from the car underwater and onto the top without getting wet!
Here's another modern miracle story about my husband. Tom was driving his car on a city street with another car in the lane to Tom's right. Both had stopped for a traffic light. When the light turned green, both cars approached the intersection.
Out of the corner of his eye Tom spotted a car coming from the street on his right. Running the red light, it headed for the two cars. Tom found his car propelled forward to the other side of the street, while the other car was hit broadside.
Tom looked behind in the rearview mirror in time to see the impacted car and glass shattering in slow motion. It was like seeing a replay in slow-motion, while Tom's car moved safely ahead!
"I've heard of Your love," Tom prayed one day. "Show me Your love." God's answer came unexpectedly and dramatically. Driving along a crowded Los Angeles freeway, "All of a sudden the sky opened up," Tom narrates his story. "It was like God's love infused everything about me. Everything was love! Wherever I looked people were love, the trees, buildings, cars were love!" Not having adequate words to express what he saw and felt, Tom wanted to hold onto the understanding he received, yet knew if the revelation continued much longer, he would burst! He says, "People matter-of-factly say, 'God is love. God is love.' No. God IS love!"
By His grace, God uses His powers through others as ministering angels. If we are alert to hear God speak, He can even use us in a naturally supernatural way to bring about what He wants to accomplish. The following is what happened when Tom and I allowed God to lead us:
She came hobbling into the meeting room, leaning heavily on a cane. Tom and I were attending a weekend church retreat at a Conference Center. We could tell this younger senior was in pain as she dropped into a chair and hung the cane on another chair. Without saying a word to each other, Tom and I knew we were to pray for her healing.
We introduced ourselves to the lady who was having difficulty walking. She explained the pain in her knees had been there for a long time. "Would you like us to pray for you?" I asked, explaining that we believed in prayer for healing. We referred her to the scripture in the book of James (James 5:14-16)
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"Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up...pray for one another that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
"Yes, I'd like that," came her unhesitating reply. While Tom removed the cap on the vial of oil he keeps on his keychain, we invited the pastor to join with us in prayer. Tom anointed her on her forehead, said a simple prayer, followed by the pastor's prayer. I concluded with an "Amen" and a friendly conversation ensued.
"You know, my knees are beginning to feel better. I think I'll leave my cane here while we go to lunch," she said. She began to walk gingerly down each step, one at a time. We slowed our pace so she could walk with us. Going up the dining hall steps was a little easier. By the time we finished lunch and got to know each other a little, she remarked, "You know, I'm really feeling a lot better. I'm going to try something."
We stared in amazement while she rapidly headed toward another flight of steps, ran up one side and down the other and then repeated her actions. "It doesn't hurt anymore! I'm healed!" We rejoiced with her and I reminded her, "When the Lord heals you, you need to tell someone about it." She not only told all her friends, but she came forward to announce her healing to the whole group.
There it was, at the back of the room, the silent testimony to the power and grace of God, the cane still hanging on the chair!
Witnesses to God's power continue on. Do you have a story of your own to tell?
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© Constance Vanides
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